The little school on the edge of Camrose

2004 was a historic year of change at Augustana.

At the time, the institution was no stranger to change. Since its foundation in 1910 by Norwegian settlers, Augustana has transformed to fit the needs of the community. Initially only offering high school, the then-named Camrose Lutheran College (CLC) would later introduce first- and second-year university courses and would eventually become the first degree-granting private institution in Alberta—Augustana University College (AUC).

Unfortunately, in the early 2000s, Augustana’s commitment to serve its community looked like it might end: the campus was going broke. Financial shortfalls touched every area of campus. From repeated cuts to academic and athletic programs, to salary freezes on underpaid employees, to deferred maintenance in every building, it was clear that something needed to be done. However, their options were limited—Augustana’s owner, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, had little funds to support the campus, government grants were limited and individual donations were unable to make up the shortfall.

In response, then-AUC President, Richard Husfloen, ensured the campus' Board of Regents was comprised of individuals with diverse perspectives, and then he tasked the members with finding an evidence-based solution. And, despite these diverse perspectives, the 2004 Board of Regents found there was one thing that tied them together: their collective camaraderie and commitment to finding the best solution for the campus.

“[There was] this kind of communication and collaboration among board members that resulted in virtually every motion that was passed during the final critical meetings being passed unanimously—by a very large group of diverse people,” said board member Luther Haave.

The board considered and debated many options in their work to find a solution, but there was one the group kept returning to—a merger with the University of Alberta.

The strong communication and shared commitment between board members would prove essential following this decision. In order for the merger to come to fruition, the board had to first gain approval from the Evangelical Church in Canada (which proved to be no easy task). Even after the church agreed, negotiations needed to be had with officials from the U of A, the Alberta Government, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Camrose community and many, many more people along the way. All the while, the Augustana community remained divided—some believed the board was working to save the institution while others saw their work as a betrayal.

With all of these moving pieces, it’s easy to imagine what would have happened without the board’s shared vision. These individuals dedicated hundreds of tireless hours to ensure the merger’s success from both a financial perspective and by preserving the traditions, values and liberal arts and sciences education that made Augustana so distinct.

“This was a time when the board chose to focus on seizing the moment, seizing life, seizing wonderful new opportunities, while emphasizing what has always been best about Augustana,” said board member, Gordon Jensen.

Now, years later, Augustana has transformed. Amongst these many developments, Augustana has increased faculty and student research output, experiential learning and study abroad opportunities and has seen a significant investment in infrastructure (including an award-winning performing arts centre). Additionally, the campus has been recognized as “a leading liberal arts college, and as a living laboratory for teaching and learning innovation” that benefits the entire institution within the U of A’s strategic plan For the Public Good.

When we head into unknown territory, it’s hard to imagine where our decisions will lead us. In this way, the 2004 Board of Regents members can be compared to those Norwegian settlers back in 1910. They may not have known where their decisions would bring them—both when immigrating to Canada and establishing CLC—but they believed it would benefit students and their community. Without either of these groups, Augustana would not be here today. It is for this reason that the 2004 Board of Regents are more than deserving of the Lois Aspenes Award.

“The Norwegians pioneers of 1910 would be astounded with what their little school on the edge of Camrose has become,” said board chair Stanley Gooch. “We are confident that Augustana Faculty will continue to build on its successes and its record of service to the community and its students.”

A Note on President Husfloen

When speaking with the 2004 Board of Regents membership, many made a point of mentioning Augustana University College President Richard Husfloen and his instrumental work in making Augustana’s merger possible.

Unfortunately, President Husfloen passed away before the finalization of the merger. Following his passing, Ted Langford continued the work of having detailed negotiations with the U of A and the Alberta government as acting president. Ted oversaw the completion of the merger, and his work was also recognized in the comments of multiple board members.

“There would be no Augustana Campus of the U of A or Augustana University College if Richard hadn’t moved the Board to action,” said board secretary Kevin Riemer. “Everyone who has attended or worked on campus from the time of the merger owes everything to Richard.”

2004 Board of Regents:

Sandra Anderson; Margaret Bateman; Andrew Church (’73 BSc); Lisa Davis; Jackie Dojack (’90 CLC, ’92 BA); Stanley Gooch, Chair (’62 CLC, ’64 BA, ’66 MA); Luther Haave (’64 CLC, ’73 BSc); Gordon Jensen (’79 CLC, ’80 BA); Craig Lee; Verlyn Olson (’74 CLC, ’75 BA, ’78 LLB); Kevin Riemer, Secretary (’87 CLC, ’89 BA, ’92 MBA); Ralph Thrall; Lorne Tyrrell (’64 BSc, ’68 MD).