Burlington McMaster Business School

[highwater]

Keep your shirts on, guys. Mac is only asking the city to reroute 25 out of the 400 or so buses that enter the campus each day. The reason has nothing to do with parking. They claim it is to offset the increased number of trucks that will be coming on to campus now that they are no longer able to use residential streets. If 25 seems like a token number that will do little to increase campus safety, that's because it is. Their reason for doing this is purely political. As I mentioned above, this is their way of getting back at the city for finally enforcing their trucking bylaws. It's all very childish, but not surprising.

[raisethehammer]

so, when construction of the stadium is done will the B-Line be allowed to resume it's regular routing??

[Mordack]

Looks like im crossing Mac off my list. There's no way im studying business there this fall and then possibly ending up in Burlington. Yuck.

[raisethehammer]

great point Mordack. Imagine going away for the exciting college/university years and being stuck at Appelby Line and QEW for 4 years??? haha...Mac. So pathetic and out of touch.

[SteelTown]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

so, when construction of the stadium is done will the B-Line be allowed to resume it's regular routing??

The stadium is already done, they are just finalizing the final touches like filling up some holes with cement and adding the chairs.

[HAMRetrofit]

Originally Posted by Mordack

Looks like im crossing Mac off my list. There's no way im studying business there this fall and then possibly ending up in Burlington. Yuck.

If your are applying for schools now you will be finished long before this campus is ever finished.

[Jon Dalton]

Don't forget the new GO bus terminal right on campus with Lakeshore West train connections every hour and 407 buses to York University every half hour. That makes it pretty damn convenient to get to Mac from out of town, not to mention less punishing to anyone with classes in Burlington and no car.

[highwater]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

so, when construction of the stadium is done will the B-Line be allowed to resume it's regular routing??

Good question. I don't know the answer to that. My guess would be that if it isn't the stadium, it'll be something else.

[highwater]

Originally Posted by fastcarsfreedom

Interesting point Highwater--having spent time in several university's in the province I can assure you that as Student Center's go, Mac's is among the least institutional I've visited. It's probably also worth noting that the presence of fast food establishments is fairly commonplace amongst centers of "higher learning".

A sad comment on 'higher learning' these days, I guess. You'll have to forgive me. I was obviously spoiled by having Hart House, one of the finest examples of Collegiate Gothic in North America, as my student centre. And we ate cafeteria slop because we were there to learn, not to have our middlebrow tastes catered to.

Originally Posted by fastcarsfreedom

As for having a "suburban mentality"...well...I'm not even sure what that is, I should probably figure it out because I've been accused of having it myself. If you haven't noticed, Mac's campus isn't exactly "urban"--never has been.

You're right. Mac was not an urban campus when it was planned in the 1930's. I'm not sure why that fact should still be governing their planning decisions, though. I guess by "suburban mentality", I mean that many of their planning decisions are suburban in character. For instance, their decision not to house a significant number of their students on campus, thereby turning themselves into a commuter university, with everything that entails for campus life, not to mention the parking and traffic issues, etc. etc. The new drive-by Burlington campus is the logical outcome of the commuter model that they chose years ago. Also, they are not challenging Trinity's OMB appeal of the Innovation District zoning. Another university might have a problem with prime employment lands on their doorstep being used for parking and big box retail, instead of high-tech firms that would create synergies with the research they are doing, but apparently not Mac. They're fine sharing their 'Innovation' Park with big box crap. I can think of a number of other policy choices similar in character.

Originally Posted by fastcarsfreedom

There is more to the future than Mac--I was speaking strictly on job creation. Pardon my ignorance--but is John Dolbec seriously a socialist? And if so, why is he running the CofC?

Sorry, I was being sarcastic. Dolbec is anything but a socialist. My point was, even pro-business types downplay Mac's significance to our local economy.

Originally Posted by fastcarsfreedom

Bottom line here is that although there are some "issues" with Mac and Mac's growth--the institution's presence is a huge image booster for the city--and everyone ought to be damn thankful that there is such a dynamic institution in the city.

I'll grant you that. Unfortunately, image isn't everything. I'm sure there are some intangible economic benefits to having Mac here, but they are not so great that we should allow Mac to hold us hostage. As we have seen, Mac is only interested in what's best for them, not what's best for the city. Fair enough, but then I don't see why we need to be pathetically grateful and shut up and put up with their poor planning decisions.

[BCTed]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

great point Mordack. Imagine going away for the exciting college/university years and being stuck at Appelby Line and QEW for 4 years??? haha...Mac. So pathetic and out of touch.

I do agree that the site is not very good, but the campus is being set up to house the MBA program, not the undergraduate program, so nobody will be there for four years unless they pursue a degee part-time.

[SteelTown]

City, Halton Region and McMaster sign agreement confirming campus in Burlington

April 02, 2009

The City of Burlington, Halton Region and McMaster University signed an official agreement today laying out the timelines and next steps for the university's historic expansion into Burlington. Mayor Cam Jackson, Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr and McMaster University President Peter George signed the agreement during a Mayor's luncheon series event in Burlington.

"The signing of the agreement today marks a defining moment in our city's development," said Jackson. "Once completed, this innovative development will ensure better access to health care for our citizens and help create a stronger economic future and jobs in our community."

McMaster's Burlington expansion includes the construction of the new Centre for Advanced Management Studies on a South Service Road site west of Appleby Line. The new campus will be home to the DeGroote School of Business MBA program and new executive offerings.

Locating the Centre for Advanced Management Studies in Burlington "dramatically increases opportunities for both local business retention and growth," said Jackson.

The plan also includes the establishment of a regional family medicine resident program and medical clinic to be located in Burlington's downtown. A future affiliation between Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital and McMaster University is also planned.

"The establishment of the McMaster family centre in Burlington will not only provide care to thousands of residents each year but also help Halton combat a pressing health care need: a shortage of family doctors n the region," said Carr. "In 2007 and 2008, 24 new family medicine graduates established practices in Halton, of which 14, or 58 per cent, were trained in Halton. This data supports the observation that residents who train in a certain jurisdiction are inclined to set up their practices in that jurisdiction."

"This agreement reinforces McMaster's commitment to delivering innovative post-secondary opportunities, and this exciting partnership enhances the university's abilities in research, teaching, and learning for both future business leaders and family physicians," said McMaster President Peter George. "The university is thankful for the vision and commitment of the City of Burlington and Halton Region for this investment that will deliver significant returns for residents."

Making McMaster's Burlington campus a reality began years ago with a citizen's committee recommendation for Burlington to pursue a post secondary presence in the city. "The unwavering commitment of my colleagues on both City and Regional Council have made that vision todays reality," said Jackson.

http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/story.cfm?id=6058

[SteelTown]

Mac’s Burlington campus gets go-ahead

May 07, 2009
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/562064
Paul Bates and McMaster’s satellite Burlington campus are both in business.

Bates has become the first dean in the history of the DeGroote School of Business to be appointed to a second five-year term, and the school is going ahead with its satellite campus after some tense debate among the university’s board of governors today.

Both the dean and the Burlington project, of which he is champion, had become the objects of dissent among a significant block of business faculty members who felt both should go.   

The Burlington campus won final university approval over objections by the McMaster University Faculty Association that it poses too great a financial risk.

As part of its argument, the association had characterized the business school as “dysfunctional” and Bates as lacking the support of his faculty members — comments that drew admonishments from the board chair and the university provost.

In an interview after the private session in which the board voted to appoint Bates to a second term, the dean expressed gratitude to his supporters and to the university’s leaders for their support.