WHEREAS Kevin L. Boonstra of the City of Abbotsford, in the Province of British Columbia, has by his petition represented that Canadian Chinese School of Theology Vancouver Society incorporated under the Societies Act desires to continue a school of theology for Canadian and international students;

AND WHEREAS Kevin L. Boonstra has by his petition requested that it be enacted as follows, and it is expedient to grant the request in the petition;

NOW THEREFORE HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

Definitions

1  In this Act:

"academic council" means the academic council of the college;

"board" means the board of directors of the college;

"bylaws" means the bylaws of the college;

"college" means the Canadian Chinese School of Theology Vancouver continued under section 2;

"degree in theology" means recognition of academic achievement in theological studies or in respect of preparation for a religious vocation that is specified in writing to be an associate, baccalaureate, masters or doctoral degree;

"principal" means the principal of the college;

"society" means the society incorporated under the Societies Act as Canadian Chinese School of Theology Vancouver Society.

Canadian Chinese School of Theology Vancouver continued

2  (1) The society is continued under this Act as a corporation under the name "Canadian Chinese School of Theology Vancouver".

(2) The college consists of the members of the board.

Objects of college

3  The objects of the college are to

(a) advance Christian theological education in both the English and Chinese languages,

(b) advance and teach religious tenets, doctrines, observances and culture associated with the Christian faith, and

(c) establish and maintain a Christian theological school of instruction in both the English and Chinese languages.

Board of directors

4  (1) Until new members of the board are elected or appointed under subsection (2), the members of the board of directors of the society are the persons who, on the coming into force of this Act, are the directors of the board of the college referred to in section 2.

(2) The members of the board must be elected or appointed in accordance with the bylaws.

(3) The principal is a non-voting member of the board.

Bylaws

5  (1) Subject to this Act, the college must have bylaws for the governance of the college, including, but not limited to, bylaws respecting the following:

(a) the objects of the college;

(b) the appointment or election of the members of the board;

(c) the conduct of meetings of the board, including notices and consents prerequisite to those meetings, quorums and voting rights at those meetings and all other matters in connection with those meetings.

(2) The bylaws of the society on the coming into force of this Act, so far as not inconsistent with this Act, are the bylaws of the college and may be amended as set out in the bylaws.

Powers and duties of board

6  (1) Subject to this Act and the bylaws, the board is responsible for the management, administration and control of the affairs, business, revenue and property of the college.

(2) Without limiting the general powers conferred on or vested in the board by this Act, the board may do the following:

(a) establish committees of the board and delegate authority to those committees;

(b) employ and remunerate faculty, administrative and other staff of the college and define the duties and tenure of office associated with each role or position;

(c) engage consultants, legal counsel and auditors as may be required;

(d) acquire, accept, solicit, transfer and dispose of title to and interests in real and personal property;

(e) borrow, raise or secure payment of money and mortgage or pledge any or all of its properties or assets to secure amounts borrowed;

(f) draw, make, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue promissory notes, bills of exchange and other negotiable and transferable instruments;

(g) invest any funds of the college, not immediately required for any of its charitable and lawful objects, in a manner or on security as may from time to time be determined by the board to be advisable, and the board is not limited to making investments in which trustees are authorized to invest by law;

(h) raise funds to promote the objects of the college, subject or not to any specific charitable trusts or conditions;

(i) establish, terminate and determine the rules and policies of academic programs and courses of study;

(j) establish and levy registration and other fees and assessments, their amounts and the requirements regarding their payment;

(k) regulate the admission of students and set admission standards;

(l) enter into agreements with any university, college or other institution of higher learning or with any person respecting and providing for the cooperation in the exercise of any right, power, privilege or function of the college, including in respect of an affiliation with a university, college or other institution of higher learning;

(m) set terms and responsibilities of the academic council.

Authority to grant degrees in theology

7  Despite the University Act, the college may grant

(a) degrees in theology, including honorary degrees in theology,

(b) diplomas in theology, and

(c) certificates in theology

in its own right or jointly with any university, college or other institution of higher learning.

Appointment of principal

8  The board must appoint a principal and may, subject to the bylaws, replace the principal.

Powers and duties of principal

9  The principal is the chief executive officer of the college and must, subject to the direction of the board,

(a) supervise and direct the work of the college, the faculty, administrative staff and other staff of the college,

(b) be responsible for the discipline of students,

(c) represent the college in its dealings with its constituencies and with the community at large, and

(d) perform other duties as may be assigned by the board.

Academic council

10  (1) There must be an academic council of the college, composed of

(a) the principal,

(b) the deans of the college,

(c) representative faculty members appointed in accordance with the bylaws, and

(d) one or more additional persons as may be appointed by the board.

(2) The academic council is responsible for regulating the conduct of its meetings and proceedings, including the appointment of committees and other bodies necessary for its work.

(3) The academic council may do the following:

(a) advise and make recommendations to the principal and the board on the admission standards, curriculum design and academic programs of the college;

(b) deal with all matters of academic concern as specified in the bylaws or assigned to it by the principal or the board.

(4) The principal, or designate, is the chair of the academic council.

Provision of personal information

11  (1) In this section:

"personal education number" means a unique identification number for a student assigned or identified under section 170.3 (2) of the School Act;

"personal information" means recorded information about an identifiable individual;

"student" means a person who is, or is applying to be, enrolled as a student of the college.

(2) This section applies only if the college has been designated by the minister responsible for the administration of the School Act under section 168 (7) of that Act.

(3) The board must require a student to provide the college with

(a) the student's personal education number, or

(b) the personal information necessary to obtain a personal education number for the student.

(4) The board must submit the personal information collected under subsection (3) (b) to the minister responsible for the administration of the School Act to obtain a personal education number for the student.

(5) The board may use a student's personal education number for the following purposes:

(a) carrying out its responsibilities in respect of operating a program or activity of the college;

(b) conducting research and statistical analysis of personal information in its possession;

(c) facilitating the provision of personal information under subsection (6).

(6) The board must provide to the minister responsible for private post-secondary institutions the personal information about a student that is in the possession of the board if the minister responsible for private post-secondary institutions requests that information.

(7) The minister responsible for private post-secondary institutions must provide to the minister responsible for the administration of the School Act the personal information about a student that is in the possession of the minister responsible for private post-secondary institutions if the minister responsible for the administration of the School Act requests that information and provides the minister responsible for private post-secondary institutions with a valid personal education number for that student.

(8) Section 168 (7) (a) (xvii) of the School Act must be read as applying to this Act.

Dissolution and winding-up

12  (1) On dissolution or winding-up of the college, the funds and assets of the college remaining after all debts have been paid or provisions for their payment have been made must be transferred and delivered to one or more qualified donees, as defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada), in accordance with the bylaws.

(2) The provisions of the Societies Act relating to the dissolution and winding-up of societies apply to the college, except that a reference in that Act to a special resolution is to be read as a resolution of the board.

Commencement

13  The provisions of this Act referred to in column 1 of the following table come into force as set out in column 2 of the table: