Whether it's your first year in a planning program or your last 'back to school' for your foreseeable future, a new school year brings lots of opportunity. Planning school enables students to meet new peers, professors and potential colleagues, discover a part of planning that we were unaware existed, take advantage of scholarships, internships, field studies and participate in community projects. Being in school is a time to recognize what planning has to offer, explore ideas for positive change, express creativity or blaze a new trail with research or design. After all, we are studying planning at a time when more people in the world live in urban areas than rural, and the profession is seeking to address a plethora of current and anticipated issues facing Canadian communities, from planning for aboriginal communities to addressing sea-level rise. The broad nature of planning offers opportunities for students to have a positive impact on society through activities such as undertaking unique research, community projects, and design competitions. Over the next year I will highlight news and information that reflects the broad spectrum of planning activity in Canada and abroad, recognize Canadian students' work, flag opportunities for students to share ideas or network and more. So let's make the most of 2007-2008!

As student representative on Council I'm looking forward to...

• Communicating with planning students through various mediums
• Meeting students and hearing your perspective on issues and how the CIP can enhance your membership benefits
• Keeping the Canadian Planning Students up to date on the Membership Continuous Improvement Project
• Encouraging students to attend this year's National Conference in Winnipeg
• Working with the Canadian Association of Planning Students (CAPS)
• Representing your views on CIP National Council
• Increasing the student membership base
• Learning about the diversity of issues that planning students and planners across Canada are seeking to address

My success in this position is dependent upon your feedback and interaction with me. So let's make 2007-08 a year where planning students get together to present a strong voice within the profession! If you have an opinion, a comment, question or want to start a discussion let's hear it! I look forward to hearing from as many students as possible this year.

Wishing you a successful year!

All the best,

Amie L. Baker
albaker@dal.ca

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