▁Valley ). ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁O UC ▁maintained ▁an ▁envi able ▁reputation ▁for ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁its ▁educational ▁programs , ▁and ▁the ▁commit ment ▁of ▁its ▁fac ulty ▁to ▁teaching . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁O UC ▁and ▁the ▁Ok an agan ▁University ▁College ▁Fac ulty ▁Association ▁signed ▁a ▁university - style ▁contract ▁for ▁fac ulty , ▁inst itut ing ▁rank , ▁ten ure ▁and ▁promotion . ▁The ▁contract ▁was ▁concluded ▁in ▁the ▁window ▁of ▁opportunity ▁made ▁possible ▁by ▁the ▁ou ster ▁of ▁the ▁N DP ▁provincial ▁government . ▁The ▁new ▁Liberal ▁government ▁fired ▁the ▁O UC ▁board , ▁but ▁the ▁new ▁Liberal - app oint ed ▁board ▁review ed ▁the ▁contract , ▁determined ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁sound , ▁and ▁implemented ▁the ▁agreement . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁the ▁British ▁Columbia ▁Progress ▁Board ▁submitted ▁a ▁report ▁to ▁the ▁provincial ▁government , ▁recogn ising ▁the ▁need ▁to ▁further ▁expand ▁post second ary ▁opportun ities ▁in ▁the ▁valley . ▁The ▁progress ▁board , ▁cha ired ▁by ▁U BC ▁president ▁Mar tha ▁Pi per , ▁recommended ▁that ▁the ▁province ▁consider ▁extending ▁" the ▁mand ate ▁of ▁an ▁existing ▁provincial ▁University ▁to ▁Kel own a ... ", ▁and ▁" the ▁mand ate ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Columbia ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology ▁to ▁Kel own a ▁and ▁Prince ▁George ..." ▁ ▁The ▁provincial ▁government ▁respond ed ▁by ▁quietly ▁beginning ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁British ▁Columbia . ▁It ▁was ▁noted ▁by ▁many ▁people , ▁including ▁opposition ▁ML As ▁in