University of Calgary
Encyclopedia
The University of Calgary (U of C or UCalgary) is a public
research university located in Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
. Founded in 1966 (after operating as the Calgary branch of the University of Alberta
since 1945) the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.
More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently enrolled. The U of C has graduated over 145,000 alumni, including the current Prime Minister of Canada
, Stephen Harper
, and Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk
.
The University of Calgary is one of Canada’s top research universities (based on the number of Canada Research Chairs
) and is a member of the U15 (the 15 most research-intensive universities in Canada).
The U of C is the birthplace of a number of important inventions, including the neurochip
. The university's sponsored research revenue of $352 million, with total revenues exceeding $1.1 billion, is one of the highest in the country. Being in Calgary, with Canada's highest concentration of engineers and geoscientists, the Faculty of Science, Department of Geosciences and the Schulich School of Engineering
maintain ties to the petroleum and geoscience industry.
The main campus is located in the north-west quadrant of Calgary, near the Bow River
, and covers more than 200 hectares (500 acres).
in 1905. The Alberta Normal School was established in Calgary to train primary and secondary school teachers in the new province. The people of Calgary, however, attempted to establish another publicly-funded university in Calgary itself. "An Act to Incorporate the University of Calgary" was presented for first reading as a Bill in the Alberta Legislature in an attempt to establish a private university in Calgary. The Legislature allowed the institution to incorporate as 'Calgary College', rather than as the 'University of Calgary'. It withheld from the College the powers to confer degrees and to hold the examinations required for admission to the professions.
Calgary strove to have an institute
of higher learning with degree conferring powers which led to the University of Alberta opening a branch in Calgary in 1945. The University of Alberta Calgary Branch eventually gained full autonomy in 1966 and became the University of Calgary.
The university was modeled on the American
state university (similar to the University of Alberta
), with an emphasis on extension work and applied research. The governance was modeled on the provincial University of Toronto
Act of 1906 which established a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate (faculty), responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors (citizens) exercising exclusive control over financial policy and having formal authority in all other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was a link between the bodies to perform institutional leadership.
In the early 20th century, professional education expanded beyond theology
, law
and medicine
. Graduate training based on the German-inspired American model of specialized course work and the completion of a research thesis was introduced. The policy of university education initiated in the 1960s responded to population pressure and the belief that higher education was a key to social justice and economic productivity for individuals and for society. The University of Calgary launched its program in architecture
in 1971. The University of Calgary tartan
is associated with the university and with its pipe band.
The university's first president
, Herbert Stoker Armstrong, held a strong belief that "although the university is accountable to the society that supports it, the university must insist on playing a leadership role in intellectual matters if it is to be worthy of the name."
During the late 1960s, the University of Calgary saw a massive construction boom. Construction on campus included Blocks F and G of Calgary Hall, Blocks C and D of the Engineering Building, the lab of the Kananaskis Centre, a research, training, and service unit, and the opening of the new University Theatre
in Calgary Hall. In addition, Banff Centre
(originally known as The Banff School of Fine Arts) became affiliated with the University of Calgary. The School of Social Welfare was also established. Total full-time enrolment in 1966 exceeded 4000 students and there were 355 academic members of staff.
’s nation-leading economic growth, the university has embarked upon a plan to add capacity for more students and a host of new teaching and research activities. These major developments, including the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL), the U of C downtown campus and the new Energy, Environment and Experiential Learning building, are fulfilling distinct academic strategies and creating progressive learning environments.
The University of Calgary's Child Development Centre is Alberta's first building designed and constructed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, the North American
benchmark for environmentally high-performance buildings. The facility, which houses the university's second child-care facility and a full continuum of researchers, clinicians and frontline workers, is dedicated to child health. The building officially opened in October, 2007.
Recently, an addition of rare neurology
books dated over 500 years have been added to the MacKimmie library collection. The collection broadens the neuroscience educational experience and digitizing the collection enables people around the world to share in the resource. The collection includes an original copy of the 1953 Nature paper where Nobel winners James D. Watson
and Francis Crick
first described the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA
. It also includes the rare first neurological text written in the 1600s by Thomas Willis
, the man who coined the term neurology and is known as the ‘father of neurology’. The collection is valued at approximately $600,000.
Canada’s fifth Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was opened at the U of C in mid-2008. Research and graduate education programs will be focused on areas of strength and importance in Alberta and will fall in line with the college’s areas of emphasis: production animal health, equine health, ecosystem
and public health and investigative medicine. The first class of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students will began classes in the fall of 2008.
awarding bachelors
, masters
, and doctorate
(PhD
) degrees. The University of Calgary has developed a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs. The U of C also encourages multi-disciplinary programs, meaning students can combine their interest areas and create an education that suits them. The campus has an area of 2.13 km² (200 hectares)and hosts 15 faculties, 55 departments and 36 research institutes and centers (see Canadian university scientific research organizations
). The teaching staff is 2,596. The university employs 2,777 management, professional and support staff. This puts the staff at 5,363, making it one of Calgary's largest employers. The university has Alberta's toughest entry requirements, and due to the higher demand in post-secondary education, the acceptance rate is around 35%.
With the economic boom in Alberta, the government has promised $4.5 billion to post-secondary institutions in the province.
, create alternate energy, support seniors, increase disaster resilience, improve mobility, water quality
and other aspects.
, the Haskayne School of Business
, Kinesiology
, a medical school
(MD), a law school
(Juris Doctor
), and, starting in 2008, Western Canada's
second veterinary school. The School of Architecture offers a program in architecture accredited by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board at both the bachelor level (B.Arch.) and the master's level (M.Arch.).
The university has 14 faculties and one affiliated college:
.
Don and Ruth Taylor, longtime friends and supporters of the University of Calgary, donated $25 million in December, 2006 to help build the new digital library. In recognition of this generous gift, the Board of Governors of the University named the library the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL).
In addition, the gift from the Taylor Family will be used to create the Taylor Quadrangle, a green space in the centre of campus adjacent to the TFDL. Such quadrangles often serve as iconic meeting places for the entire university community, for both informal and formal gatherings.
Research Infosource ranks the top 50 research universities in Canada each year. In its 2009 ranking Calgary was 6th.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
ranks the university 7-8 in the national category.
Calgary's Haskayne School of Business
has for years dominated the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition
(I.C.B.C.), hosted annually by Queen's University. For much of the competition's lifetime, the teams representing Haskayne have come out on top each year by winning first in the majority of the competition's case study categories, including accounting, business policy, debating, ethics, finance, human resources, marketing, and MIS. In 2010, The Economist
ranked Haskayne's MBA program 3rd within Canada, 43rd in North America, and 82nd worldwide.
The University of Calgary ranks 8th in the medical-doctoral category of Maclean's
annual university rankings. However, the rankings have been met with criticism. The University of Calgary and other universities have argued that Maclean's Magazine takes data out of context and is an inaccurate reflection of performance. In 2006, 21 Canadian universities along with the University of Calgary, many being part of the leading group of research universities known as the U15, opted out of the rankings. Other universities opting out in 2006 included Alberta
, British Columbia
, Carleton
, Dalhousie
, Lethbridge
, Manitoba
, McMaster
, Montréal
, Ottawa
, Simon Fraser
, Toronto
and Queen's
.
The University of Calgary has been ranked as one of the top universities in Canada, and ranked 149th worldwide. The university enjoys high rankings in its science and engineering programs. Historically the university has produced 11 Rhodes Scholars. In October 2008, the University of Calgary was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean's newsmagazine. Later that month, the university was also named one of Alberta's Top Employers. The Globe and Mail's University Report Card reflects the opinions of 25,000 current undergraduates who responded to some 100 questions about their respective universities. The University of Calgary received scores of A- and above in the following categories:
, and immediately south of the neighbourhoods of Varsity and Dalhousie. The U of C campus occupies 213 hectares (526.3 acre) or 2.13 km² (0.8223975978021 sq mi), an area larger than Calgary’s entire downtown. The campus is bounded by Crowchild Trail, 16 Avenue NW, 32 Avenue NW and Shaganappi Trail. 24 Avenue NW provides direct access to the interior of the campus.
The architecture is defined by a combination of Gothic Revival, Brutalist and Postmodern buildings spread across campus, most of them dated between 1905 and 1980. The dramatic effect of this blended design of different architecture has drawn a considerable amount of praise.
A light rail transit link is provided to the university by the C-Train
at the LRT station
.
A large park
is built in the center of the main campus, and is home to the infamous "Prairie Chicken" sculpture. In addition, a pond
surrounded by benches and an open field is available for students to relax at. The park contains old oak
trees which were specially transplanted to the location when the university was opened. Together, they form a considerable amount of tree canopies which add a more natural feeling to the campus.
and Child Development Centre. With the recent boost in annual funding, the U of C has begun a development plan in order to make better use of the remaining space.
Five years ago, part of the West Campus was leased for the new Alberta Children’s Hospital and a new Ronald McDonald
House. So far, the campus is only halfway developed and is considered building room for the future. From this location, it is possible to see the entire university and also Downtown Calgary
.
, Qatar
, the University of Calgary - Qatar, which currently focuses upon nursing education. The University of Calgary-Qatar offers a flexible, innovative, Bachelor of Nursing
(BN) degree to prepare students for the opportunities and challenges of a rewarding nursing career. Throughout the program, students are provided with a theoretical base and supervised clinical experience in a variety of nursing practice settings.
The University of Calgary offers two routes towards a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) degree:
In addition, several graduate programs are expected to be phased in.
The university is home to MacEwan Hall Ballroom, a concert venue holding 1000 people. The Ballroom is also used for conferences, dinners, and political debates, and recently the 2006 Alberta PC leadership debate.
The university also has the Rozsa Centre, a theatre and concert hall on the south west side of campus, off 24th Ave NW. The Rozsa Centre has a Bach organ built by Jürgen and Hendrik Ahrend. The Rozsa Centre hosts wind ensembles, choirs, and other fine arts. Musical competitions are held at every year and can host 384 people. The University Theatre, beside the Rozsa Centre, is designed for drama and dance with seating for 505 .
The campus is home to the Black Lounge. Throughout most of the 1990s, the room was a music venue. Its capacity for live music entertainment is 350.
The Olympic Oval
ice arena was site of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games
, the fastest ice in the world. It has a 400 m track oval as well as a short track and two ice hockey rinks. The campus also has the Jack Simpson Gymnasium, consisting of three gymnasiums with bleachers that cover the outer two courts capable of seating 2,700 people. The University campus also covers the McMahon Stadium
, which is home to the Dinos Football Team and the Calgary Stampeders
.
Many other sport facilities are also located a the university of calgary. These include among others:
are the athletic teams that represent the University of Calgary in the Canada West
, a division of Canadian Interuniversity Sport
, and in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. They were known as the "Dinosaurs" but usually referred to as the "Dinos" until 1999, when the name was officially shortened. Some of its venues are the Jack Simpson Gymnasium
(basketball, volleyball), McMahon Stadium
(football, soccer), Olympic Oval
(speed skating), Hawkings Field (field hockey), University of Calgary Aquatic Centre (swimming, often shortened to Aquatic Centre) and a 200m Running Track (cross-country and track & field practice).
The Dinos compete in 12 varsity sports: basketball
, cross-country
, field hockey
, football
, golf
, hockey
, soccer, swimming
, tennis
, track and field
, volleyball
, and wrestling
. The Dinos also have 2 club teams: Men's Baseball and Men's Rugby.
The men's hockey team plays at Father David Bauer Olympic Arena
, while the women's hockey team's schedule is split between the Olympic Oval
and Father David Bauer Olympic Arena
. In the rare case of scheduling conflicts, both men's and women's hockey have used the Max Bell Centre
for games.
The University of Calgary has been associated with the Olympics since 1976, when the 10-year-old athletic department sent three athletes to Montreal. Since then, 42 Dinos athletes have competed at both the summer and winter Games, bringing home 11 medals, and UC whosted the athletes' village and speed skating events at the XV Olympic Winter Games in 1988.
The football team plays home matches at McMahon Stadium
, home of CFL's Calgary Stampeders
. It has won the Vanier Cup
on four occasions, 1983, 1985, 1988 and 1995.
Adopt-a-Dino is a university initiative to provide athletes with monetary assistance by allowing participating members to "adopt" an athlete. All Adopt-A-Dino donors will be recognized in the following season's ROAR Magazine, in addition to receiving: Two all-sport season passes valid for all Dinos regular season home games, a plaque-mounted photo of your chosen athlete or team, an invitation to a free event to meet an interact with your chosen team, and a tax receipt for $890.
. UToday is the University of Calgary's E-newsletter while OnCampus is the campus newspaper.
The Gauntlet is the University of Calgary's weekly student newspaper, covering the campus and the Calgary community. First published in 1960, it is primarily focused towards undergraduates. It currently publishes every Thursday throughout the year.
The University also prints Libin Life, which is published by the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta
.
(the campus television station) and The Gauntlet (the campus newspaper).CJSW is a non-profit society maintained and operated by a group of four staff members and over 200 volunteers drawn from both the University of Calgary student body and the wider city of Calgary population. CJSW broadcasts music, spoken word and multicultural programming.
In addition to the FM broadcast, the station can be heard at 106.9 MHz cable FM, and via Ogg Vorbis stream from its web site. Select shows are also available for podcast
download.
is one of the oldest university-based television production societies in Canada
. Established in 1983 and incorporated in 1991, NUTV is a campus-based non-profit organization. NUTV offers the opportunity to University of Calgary students and community members to explore the medium of television by learning the various stages of production. This includes reporting/interviewing; hosting; writing; camera operation; lighting; sound mixing; Final Cut Pro & Adobe Creative Suite editing; producing; and directing. NUTV is part of the University of Calgary Tri-Media Alliance, comprising print The Gauntlet, radio CJSW 90.9
, and television (NUTV). The University of Calgary is unique in that it is the only Canadian university that houses three media operations on-campus.
was founded in 1981 and to date has published over 280 titles. Special emphasis is placed on three areas: works concerning the geographic regions spanning the Canadian Northwest and the American West; innovative and experimental works that challenge the established canons, subjects and formats, with special interest in art and architecture; and internationally focused manuscripts with particular attention to Latin America, World Heritage Sites, international relations and public policy.
The University of Calgary offers a wide range of residences on campus as a significant proportion of undergraduate students reside on the campus.
The residence
buildings on campus house 2200 students, situated in eight buildings named after mountains in the Canadian Rockies
. The two traditional buildings are Rundle Hall and Kananaskis Hall and were built in the early 1960s when the university relocated to its present campus. Five newer buildings named Glacier, Olympus, Norquay, Brewster, and Castle Halls were built prior to the 1988 Winter Olympics
as the athletes’ Olympic Village
. However, each is smaller than the traditional buildings, being three or four stories tall and housing 10 to 30 students on each floor. One of the newest, Cascade Hall, is five stories and is the third largest residence building, its floors being able to house more students. The newest six buildings are all designed in the style of apartments with a hallway on each floor with sets of rooms that can accommodate up to four people each. This is in contrast to the traditional buildings which have hallways on each floor, each having rooms accommodating two, along with a common area at the centre of the building on each floor. Yamnuska Hall opens September 2011 to upper year, international, and transfer students. The two and three bedroom suites are designed to ensure that students experience residence life by sharing space, but also ensures that each student has a private room.
A new building, International House houses 200 international
students, instructors and conference attendees. In addition, a new residence for first year undergraduate students is due to be completed in 2011. Construction of the new residence at the University of Calgary broke ground Friday, May 15, 2009. Scheduled to open in spring 2011, the 596-bed residence is part of the university’s ongoing commitment to students’ academic success and personal growth. Through innovative building design
and construction, the residence will meet current expectations for student housing and will help support institutional recruitment and retention objectives. This is part of the university's $1.5 billion capital program. With the completion of this new building the number of beds on campus will increase to 3000.
Efforts are being made to preserve green space wherever possible, which includes retaining the green belt fronting 24 Avenue N.W. and transplanting five mature oak
trees to the front of the Dr. Fok Ying Tung International House this fall. A new site landscape
plan is also being prepared, which involves planting replacement trees and creating additional recreational green space on the grounds of the new residence.
. Occupying two floors, with the Den located on the lower floor and the Black Lounge on the upper floor, in the warmer months of the year the second floor features a large outdoor patio
. Once run by the University of Calgary, the Den was taken over by the Students’ Union in 2000.
founded, Kappa Sigma
, whose Calgary chapter has been active since 1984.
The Omega Chi Chapter, was formally initiated into the Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity on March 12, 2005, becoming the 302nd active branch and the 14th in the Northwest Region. Alpha Kappa Psi
is recognized as the premier developer of principled business leaders. In October 2005, the Omega Chi Chapter was officially recognized as a Haskayne School of Business Student Club and now hold an office in the Scurfield Hall Haskayne Clubs Area.
The Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta
, also known as Fiji or Phi Gam, is the other fraternity present at the university. It was the first fraternity at the university which is still running, being on campus since 1982.
Alpha Gamma Delta
and Alpha Omicron Pi
are the two existing sororities at the U of C, being established in 1983 and 1985 respectively. Toegther, they form the Panhellenic Association of Calgary. The Panhellenic Association oversees all women's chapters and continually encourages the women to go above and beyond individual and shared expectations.
In April 2011, the University of Calgary launched the Scholars Academy Program: a program for bright, dynamic students that excel beyond just mere academics. Students in the Scholars Academy Program are leaders in the community, show enthusiasm toward learning, compassion and integrity toward others, and inspire those around them. In addition to the formation of a community of high-achieving peers and success student perks, a dedicated academic development specialist provides one-on-one support with scholarship and post-degree applications, as well as with each student's overall academic plan. This support enables students to compete and win prestigious awards and scholarships, and leads to even greater opportunities.
The University of Calgary also offers the President's Award for Excellence in Student Leadership to five graduating students (undergraduate or graduate) that represent the best in academic achievement in addition to outstanding extracurricular contributions to the university and community.
A notable high school level scholarship is the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship which was introduced by the Government of Alberta in 1980. The Alexander Rutherford scholarship is to recognize and reward exceptional academic achievement at the senior high school
level and to encourage students to continue their studies. To be considered for these scholarships, students must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who plan to enroll or are enrolled in a full-time post-secondary program of at least one semester in length.
The University joined Project Hero, a scholarship program cofounded by General (Ret'd) Rick Hillier
, for the families of fallen Canadian Forces
members. Dependents of Canadian Forces personnel killed while serving in active military missions will have the support of the University of Calgary to complete undergraduate degrees.
The office of the Chancellor and Senate offers many scholarships, awards, and bursaries to University of Calgary students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and exceptional service to the internal and external community.
Top students in the Schulich School of Engineering are recognized as Schulich Scholars and are awarded prestigious Schulich Entrance Scholarships. The first cohort of Schulich Scholars graduates in 2010-2011.
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Health Sciences Program are eligible for the O'Brien Centre Continuing Scholarship, which supports full-time students dedicated to extra-curricular involvement and the community on top of their academics.
The University also offers student awards for academic and leadership excellence. The two biggest awards a student can receive are the President’s Award for Excellence in Student Leadership and the Arch Future Alumni Award.
and University of Winnipeg
.
The Order of the University of Calgary includes numerous personalities of note including the likes of Dr. Eldon R. Smith
. As of November 2009, a total of 114 individuals had been admitted into the Order.
Notable alumni of the university include:
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
research university located in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Founded in 1966 (after operating as the Calgary branch of the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
since 1945) the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.
More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently enrolled. The U of C has graduated over 145,000 alumni, including the current Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
, Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
, and Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk
Robert Thirsk
Robert Brent "Bob" Thirsk is a Canadian engineer and physician, and a former Canadian Space Agency astronaut. He holds the Canadian records for the longest space flight and the most time spent in space .-Personal life:Thirsk is from New Westminster, British Columbia and is married to Brenda...
.
The University of Calgary is one of Canada’s top research universities (based on the number of Canada Research Chairs
Canada Research Chairs
Canada Research Chairs are Canadian university research professorships created through the Canada Research Chairs Program.- Program goals :...
) and is a member of the U15 (the 15 most research-intensive universities in Canada).
The U of C is the birthplace of a number of important inventions, including the neurochip
Neurochip
A neurochip is a chip that is designed for the interaction with neuronal cells.- Formation :It is made of silicon that is doped in such a way that it contains EOSFETs that can sense the electrical activity of the neurons in the above-standing physiological electrolyte solution...
. The university's sponsored research revenue of $352 million, with total revenues exceeding $1.1 billion, is one of the highest in the country. Being in Calgary, with Canada's highest concentration of engineers and geoscientists, the Faculty of Science, Department of Geosciences and the Schulich School of Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
maintain ties to the petroleum and geoscience industry.
The main campus is located in the north-west quadrant of Calgary, near the Bow River
Bow River
The Bow River is a river in the Canadian province of Alberta. It is a tributary of the South Saskatchewan River, and is considered the headwater of the Nelson River....
, and covers more than 200 hectares (500 acres).
Early history
The University of Calgary was established in 1966, yet its roots date back more than half a century earlier to the establishment of the Normal School in CalgaryCalgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
in 1905. The Alberta Normal School was established in Calgary to train primary and secondary school teachers in the new province. The people of Calgary, however, attempted to establish another publicly-funded university in Calgary itself. "An Act to Incorporate the University of Calgary" was presented for first reading as a Bill in the Alberta Legislature in an attempt to establish a private university in Calgary. The Legislature allowed the institution to incorporate as 'Calgary College', rather than as the 'University of Calgary'. It withheld from the College the powers to confer degrees and to hold the examinations required for admission to the professions.
Calgary strove to have an institute
Institute
An institute is a permanent organizational body created for a certain purpose. Often it is a research organization created to do research on specific topics...
of higher learning with degree conferring powers which led to the University of Alberta opening a branch in Calgary in 1945. The University of Alberta Calgary Branch eventually gained full autonomy in 1966 and became the University of Calgary.
The university was modeled on the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state university (similar to the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
), with an emphasis on extension work and applied research. The governance was modeled on the provincial University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
Act of 1906 which established a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate (faculty), responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors (citizens) exercising exclusive control over financial policy and having formal authority in all other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was a link between the bodies to perform institutional leadership.
In the early 20th century, professional education expanded beyond theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. Graduate training based on the German-inspired American model of specialized course work and the completion of a research thesis was introduced. The policy of university education initiated in the 1960s responded to population pressure and the belief that higher education was a key to social justice and economic productivity for individuals and for society. The University of Calgary launched its program in architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
in 1971. The University of Calgary tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
is associated with the university and with its pipe band.
The university's first president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, Herbert Stoker Armstrong, held a strong belief that "although the university is accountable to the society that supports it, the university must insist on playing a leadership role in intellectual matters if it is to be worthy of the name."
During the late 1960s, the University of Calgary saw a massive construction boom. Construction on campus included Blocks F and G of Calgary Hall, Blocks C and D of the Engineering Building, the lab of the Kananaskis Centre, a research, training, and service unit, and the opening of the new University Theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in Calgary Hall. In addition, Banff Centre
Banff Centre
The Banff Centre, formerly known as The Banff Centre for Continuing Education, is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference complex located in Banff, Alberta...
(originally known as The Banff School of Fine Arts) became affiliated with the University of Calgary. The School of Social Welfare was also established. Total full-time enrolment in 1966 exceeded 4000 students and there were 355 academic members of staff.
Today
The U of C is in the midst of its largest capital expansion ever. Fuelled by AlbertaAlberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
’s nation-leading economic growth, the university has embarked upon a plan to add capacity for more students and a host of new teaching and research activities. These major developments, including the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL), the U of C downtown campus and the new Energy, Environment and Experiential Learning building, are fulfilling distinct academic strategies and creating progressive learning environments.
The University of Calgary's Child Development Centre is Alberta's first building designed and constructed to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, the North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
benchmark for environmentally high-performance buildings. The facility, which houses the university's second child-care facility and a full continuum of researchers, clinicians and frontline workers, is dedicated to child health. The building officially opened in October, 2007.
Recently, an addition of rare neurology
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
books dated over 500 years have been added to the MacKimmie library collection. The collection broadens the neuroscience educational experience and digitizing the collection enables people around the world to share in the resource. The collection includes an original copy of the 1953 Nature paper where Nobel winners James D. Watson
James D. Watson
James Dewey Watson is an American molecular biologist, geneticist, and zoologist, best known as one of the co-discoverers of the structure of DNA in 1953 with Francis Crick...
and Francis Crick
Francis Crick
Francis Harry Compton Crick OM FRS was an English molecular biologist, biophysicist, and neuroscientist, and most noted for being one of two co-discoverers of the structure of the DNA molecule in 1953, together with James D. Watson...
first described the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
. It also includes the rare first neurological text written in the 1600s by Thomas Willis
Thomas Willis
Thomas Willis was an English doctor who played an important part in the history of anatomy, neurology and psychiatry. He was a founding member of the Royal Society.-Life:...
, the man who coined the term neurology and is known as the ‘father of neurology’. The collection is valued at approximately $600,000.
Canada’s fifth Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was opened at the U of C in mid-2008. Research and graduate education programs will be focused on areas of strength and importance in Alberta and will fall in line with the college’s areas of emphasis: production animal health, equine health, ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
and public health and investigative medicine. The first class of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students will began classes in the fall of 2008.
Profile
The university offers 150 programs in post-secondary educationEducation
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
awarding bachelors
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, masters
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
(PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
) degrees. The University of Calgary has developed a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs. The U of C also encourages multi-disciplinary programs, meaning students can combine their interest areas and create an education that suits them. The campus has an area of 2.13 km² (200 hectares)and hosts 15 faculties, 55 departments and 36 research institutes and centers (see Canadian university scientific research organizations
Canadian university scientific research organizations
Expenditures by Canadian universities on scientific research and development accounted for about 40% of all spending on scientific research and development in Canada in 2006....
). The teaching staff is 2,596. The university employs 2,777 management, professional and support staff. This puts the staff at 5,363, making it one of Calgary's largest employers. The university has Alberta's toughest entry requirements, and due to the higher demand in post-secondary education, the acceptance rate is around 35%.
With the economic boom in Alberta, the government has promised $4.5 billion to post-secondary institutions in the province.
Urban Alliance
The university maintains a research partnership with the City of Calgary, the Urban Alliance. Its purpose is to deliver quality of life and qualified people to the city, province and county. Early innovations are helping reduce GHG, integrate immigrant newcomers, reshape urban form, reduce youth crime, adapt to climate changeClimate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, create alternate energy, support seniors, increase disaster resilience, improve mobility, water quality
Water quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
and other aspects.
Faculties and college
U of C's faculties include the Schulich School of EngineeringSchulich School of Engineering
The Schulich School of Engineering is an accredited engineering school located in Calgary, Canada. It currently has 3,700 enrolled students at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and over 150 faculty members...
, the Haskayne School of Business
Haskayne School of Business
The Haskayne School of Business is the University of Calgary's business school, located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is named after Richard F. Haskayne, who gave one of the largest endowments to a business school in Canada. The school offers undergraduate, masters, and PhD degrees, as well as...
, Kinesiology
Kinesiology
Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational...
, a medical school
Faculty of Medicine of the University of Calgary
The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Calgary is one of two medical schools in Alberta and one of 17 in Canada. Established in 1967, the school is linked to the hospitals in Alberta Health Services -- Calgary ZoneCalgary Health Region...
(MD), a law school
University of Calgary Faculty of Law
The Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary was officially opened in 1976 with a first-year class of sixty students and nine faculty members. Currently, there are 21 faculty and approximately 300 students in total, giving the school one of the smallest class sizes of the Canadian law schools....
(Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
), and, starting in 2008, Western Canada's
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces and commonly as the West, is a region of Canada that includes the four provinces west of the province of Ontario.- Provinces :...
second veterinary school. The School of Architecture offers a program in architecture accredited by the Canadian Architectural Certification Board at both the bachelor level (B.Arch.) and the master's level (M.Arch.).
The university has 14 faculties and one affiliated college:
- Faculty of Arts is home to the spectrum of ArtsARtsaRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
programs and departments, from AnthropologyAnthropologyAnthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
to Women's StudiesWomen's studiesWomen's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective...
.- Amalgamated on April 1, 2010 from the faculties of Communication and Culture, Social Sciences, Humanities and Fine Arts
- Faculty of Continuing Education
- Faculty of Education offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Elementary, Secondary EducationSecondary educationSecondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
, or combined. - Faculty of Environmental Design
- Faculty of Graduate Studies
- Haskayne School of BusinessHaskayne School of BusinessThe Haskayne School of Business is the University of Calgary's business school, located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is named after Richard F. Haskayne, who gave one of the largest endowments to a business school in Canada. The school offers undergraduate, masters, and PhD degrees, as well as...
offers MBA, BCom, PhDPHDPHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
and ExecEdExecutive EducationExecutive Education refers to academic programs at leading graduate-level business schools worldwide for executives, business leaders and functional managers. These programs are non-credit and non-degree granting...
degrees. - Faculty of Kinesiology focuses on the studies of human movement through sport science, kinesiology, physical education, physical activity and health, and tourism studies.
- Faculty of LawUniversity of Calgary Faculty of LawThe Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary was officially opened in 1976 with a first-year class of sixty students and nine faculty members. Currently, there are 21 faculty and approximately 300 students in total, giving the school one of the smallest class sizes of the Canadian law schools....
- Faculty of MedicineFaculty of Medicine of the University of CalgaryThe Faculty of Medicine of the University of Calgary is one of two medical schools in Alberta and one of 17 in Canada. Established in 1967, the school is linked to the hospitals in Alberta Health Services -- Calgary ZoneCalgary Health Region...
- Faculty of Nursing
- Schulich School of EngineeringSchulich School of EngineeringThe Schulich School of Engineering is an accredited engineering school located in Calgary, Canada. It currently has 3,700 enrolled students at both undergraduate and graduate levels, and over 150 faculty members...
- Faculty of Science is made up of seven departments (Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Geoscience, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Physics and Psychology.) More than 60 Bachelor of Science (BSc) programs in 35 subject areas are offered by the University. Students in the Nanoscience program are allowed to use the university's nanolab in their research and studies.
- Faculty of Social Work offers the only social work degrees available in Alberta, and is committed to providing students with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in the field of human and health services.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine is the University's newest Faculty and Canada's fifth veterinary medicine program.
- Banff CentreBanff CentreThe Banff Centre, formerly known as The Banff Centre for Continuing Education, is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference complex located in Banff, Alberta...
- The Banff Centre, formerly known as The Banff Centre for Continuing Education, is an arts, cultural, and educational institution and conference complex located in Banff, Alberta. The Banff Centre is part of Alberta's post-secondary educational system, and offers programs in the performing and fine arts, and leadership training. It is affiliated with The University of Calgary.
Library system
MacKimmie library was the first library to open at the University of Calgary in 1966. Since then, 5 different library branches have been opened in order to provide students with a greater amount of literary choice in many subjects. In addition, the U of C will be the first library system in North America to contain a video game library. Over 3.2 million printed volumes combined with online access to more than 300,000 full-text electronic journals and more than 700 electronic databases are available at the U of C. As of 2006, the library system is the sixth largest, by the number of volumes held, in Canada. The university library was rated 42nd in North America by the Association of Research LibrariesAssociation of Research Libraries
The Association of Research Libraries is an organization of the leading research libraries in North America. As of October 2006, it comprises 123 libraries at comprehensive, research-intensive institutions in the US and Canada that share similar missions, aspirations, and achievements...
.
Specialty libraries
The library system at the U of C consists of six library branches:- MacKimmie Library - The first library to be established at the U of C in 1966. It contains the greatest share of the library systems printed volumes.
- Data Library
- Canadian Architectural Archives
- The Military Museums Library and Archives
- Fine Arts and Visual Resources
- Business Library
- Virtual Business Library
- Doucette Education Library
- Bennett Jones Law Library
- Virtual Law Library
- Health Sciences Library
- Gallagher Library of Geology and Geophysics
Taylor Family Digital Library
The Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) is an innovative convergence of libraries, historical archives, arts museum, scholarly publishing, and student academic support services. The TFDL will allow the full re-engineering of the university's library system, creating more and better space for teaching and learning resources, while moving the majority of U of C's growing collection off campus to a high-density library. In addition, The TFDL will offer books and online resources, a large Learning Commons with café, workrooms, film and audio rooms, editing and recording suites, multimedia labs, quiet study areas, and seminar and consultation space for academic growth.Don and Ruth Taylor, longtime friends and supporters of the University of Calgary, donated $25 million in December, 2006 to help build the new digital library. In recognition of this generous gift, the Board of Governors of the University named the library the Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL).
In addition, the gift from the Taylor Family will be used to create the Taylor Quadrangle, a green space in the centre of campus adjacent to the TFDL. Such quadrangles often serve as iconic meeting places for the entire university community, for both informal and formal gatherings.
Rankings
Webometrics University Rankings, which ranks universities on their presence on the Internet, ranks the University of Calgary 70th in the USA and Canada category and 93th in the world. It is ranked 6th in Canada.Research Infosource ranks the top 50 research universities in Canada each year. In its 2009 ranking Calgary was 6th.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
Academic Ranking of World Universities
The Academic Ranking of World Universities , commonly known as the Shanghai ranking, is a publication that was founded and compiled by the Shanghai Jiaotong University to rank universities globally. The rankings have been conducted since 2003 and updated annually...
ranks the university 7-8 in the national category.
Calgary's Haskayne School of Business
Haskayne School of Business
The Haskayne School of Business is the University of Calgary's business school, located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is named after Richard F. Haskayne, who gave one of the largest endowments to a business school in Canada. The school offers undergraduate, masters, and PhD degrees, as well as...
has for years dominated the Inter-Collegiate Business Competition
Inter-Collegiate Business Competition
The Inter-Collegiate Business Competition is Canada's longest-running, undergraduate business case competition. The competition is held annually in January at Queen's University in Kingston, ON and hosts over 100 competitors from the top business schools across Canada as well as internationally...
(I.C.B.C.), hosted annually by Queen's University. For much of the competition's lifetime, the teams representing Haskayne have come out on top each year by winning first in the majority of the competition's case study categories, including accounting, business policy, debating, ethics, finance, human resources, marketing, and MIS. In 2010, The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
ranked Haskayne's MBA program 3rd within Canada, 43rd in North America, and 82nd worldwide.
The University of Calgary ranks 8th in the medical-doctoral category of Maclean's
Maclean's
Maclean's is a Canadian weekly news magazine, reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events.-History:Founded in 1905 by Toronto journalist/entrepreneur Lt.-Col. John Bayne Maclean, a 43-year-old trade magazine publisher who purchased an advertising agency's in-house...
annual university rankings. However, the rankings have been met with criticism. The University of Calgary and other universities have argued that Maclean's Magazine takes data out of context and is an inaccurate reflection of performance. In 2006, 21 Canadian universities along with the University of Calgary, many being part of the leading group of research universities known as the U15, opted out of the rankings. Other universities opting out in 2006 included Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
, British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, Carleton
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
, Dalhousie
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
, Lethbridge
University of Lethbridge
The University of Lethbridge is a publicly-funded comprehensive academic and research university, founded in the liberal education tradition, located in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, with two other urban campuses in Calgary and Edmonton. The main building sits among the coulees on the west side of...
, Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
, McMaster
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
, Montréal
Université de Montréal
The Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
, Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
, Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
, Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and Queen's
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
.
Reputation
- overall academic reputation of the university, reputation of university among employers, reputation for conducting leading-edge research, reputation for undergraduate studies, reputation for graduate studies
- overall quality of education, faculty members' knowledge of subjects
- overall university atmosphere, sense of personal safety/security, tolerance for diverse opinions/ideas, availability of quiet study space, overall library, library services, online library resources, availability of journals/articles/periodicals, total number of library holdings, computer accessibility on campus, availability of up-to-date computer equipment, on-campus network for Internet/email, overall quality/availability of technology on campus, access to course/teaching materials online
Main Campus
The university grounds lie about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north of Downtown CalgaryDowntown Calgary
Downtown Calgary is a region of central Calgary, Alberta. It is not a single neighbourhood per se, but is actually a larger community containing three neighbourhoods and a number of districts....
, and immediately south of the neighbourhoods of Varsity and Dalhousie. The U of C campus occupies 213 hectares (526.3 acre) or 2.13 km² (0.8223975978021 sq mi), an area larger than Calgary’s entire downtown. The campus is bounded by Crowchild Trail, 16 Avenue NW, 32 Avenue NW and Shaganappi Trail. 24 Avenue NW provides direct access to the interior of the campus.
The architecture is defined by a combination of Gothic Revival, Brutalist and Postmodern buildings spread across campus, most of them dated between 1905 and 1980. The dramatic effect of this blended design of different architecture has drawn a considerable amount of praise.
A light rail transit link is provided to the university by the C-Train
C-Train
C-Train is the light rail transit system in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has been in operation since May 25, 1981. The system is operated by Calgary Transit, a department of the Calgary municipal government.-Operations:...
at the LRT station
University (C-Train)
University is a stop on the Northwest Line of the C-Train light rail system in Calgary, Alberta.The station is located east of the University of Calgary grounds...
.
A large park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
is built in the center of the main campus, and is home to the infamous "Prairie Chicken" sculpture. In addition, a pond
Pond
A pond is a body of standing water, either natural or man-made, that is usually smaller than a lake. A wide variety of man-made bodies of water are classified as ponds, including water gardens, water features and koi ponds; all designed for aesthetic ornamentation as landscape or architectural...
surrounded by benches and an open field is available for students to relax at. The park contains old oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
trees which were specially transplanted to the location when the university was opened. Together, they form a considerable amount of tree canopies which add a more natural feeling to the campus.
West Campus
In 1995, the Province of Alberta gave the University of Calgary a large tract of land west of the Main Campus with the understanding it would be used in the future to advance the University’s mission, vision, values and priorities. About a third of the size of downtown Calgary, the land overlooks the Bow River valley and covers 80 hectares (198 acre) east of Shaganappi Trail between 16th Avenue (TransCanada Highway) and 32 Avenue N.W. The western campus lies on mostly hilly terrain, near the Bow River. It is adjacent to the main campus of the university, and is home to the Alberta Children's HospitalAlberta Children's Hospital
Alberta Children's Hospital is the largest public hospital for sick children in the prairie provinces, and is located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It is operated by Alberta Health Services - Calgary Health Region. The new facility opened on September 27, 2006 and is the first free-standing...
and Child Development Centre. With the recent boost in annual funding, the U of C has begun a development plan in order to make better use of the remaining space.
Five years ago, part of the West Campus was leased for the new Alberta Children’s Hospital and a new Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald
Ronald McDonald is a clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald's fast-food restaurant chain. In television commercials, the clown inhabits a fantasy world called McDonaldland, and has adventures with his friends Mayor McCheese, the Hamburglar, Grimace, Birdie the Early Bird, and...
House. So far, the campus is only halfway developed and is considered building room for the future. From this location, it is possible to see the entire university and also Downtown Calgary
Downtown Calgary
Downtown Calgary is a region of central Calgary, Alberta. It is not a single neighbourhood per se, but is actually a larger community containing three neighbourhoods and a number of districts....
.
Downtown Campus
On September 13, 2010 the University of Calgary opened its new downtown campus located at 8th avenue and 8th street south-west. The first phase is currently open, with a second phase containing a bookstore, library, retail space and additional learning spaces to come next. Once complete, the building will house classes including Continuing Education, and energy & environment, as well as classes offered by the Haskayne School of Business and the new U of C School of Public Policy.Qatar Campus
In 2007, the University of Calgary established a campus in DohaDoha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, the University of Calgary - Qatar, which currently focuses upon nursing education. The University of Calgary-Qatar offers a flexible, innovative, Bachelor of Nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
(BN) degree to prepare students for the opportunities and challenges of a rewarding nursing career. Throughout the program, students are provided with a theoretical base and supervised clinical experience in a variety of nursing practice settings.
The University of Calgary offers two routes towards a Bachelor of Nursing (BN) degree:
- A Regular Track program for high school and College of the North Atlantic - QatarQatarQatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
transfer students (BNRT) - A Post-Diploma program for students with an acceptable Nursing diploma (PDBN)
In addition, several graduate programs are expected to be phased in.
Facilities
The university also has the Rozsa Centre, a theatre and concert hall on the south west side of campus, off 24th Ave NW. The Rozsa Centre has a Bach organ built by Jürgen and Hendrik Ahrend. The Rozsa Centre hosts wind ensembles, choirs, and other fine arts. Musical competitions are held at every year and can host 384 people. The University Theatre, beside the Rozsa Centre, is designed for drama and dance with seating for 505 .
The campus is home to the Black Lounge. Throughout most of the 1990s, the room was a music venue. Its capacity for live music entertainment is 350.
The Olympic Oval
Olympic Oval
The Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a covered speed skating oval built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is the official designated training center for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. It is located on the University of Calgary campus...
ice arena was site of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
, the fastest ice in the world. It has a 400 m track oval as well as a short track and two ice hockey rinks. The campus also has the Jack Simpson Gymnasium, consisting of three gymnasiums with bleachers that cover the outer two courts capable of seating 2,700 people. The University campus also covers the McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
, which is home to the Dinos Football Team and the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
.
Many other sport facilities are also located a the university of calgary. These include among others:
- University of Calgary Aquatic Centre: Contains an Olympic sized swimming poolSwimming poolA swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
with a deep end diving tank featuring two sparging units for the world famous bubble machine which is used for springboard and platform divers, kayakers and general ocean simulated swims. The diving tank features a full Olympic diving complex, including 2 x 1 & 3 m Max-flex diving boards and related Durafirm adjustable fulcrums and a 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 meter platform complex.
- Fitness Studios
- Dance Studio
- Weight Room: Equipment includes universal, free weights, global, hydra gym, nautilus.
- Climbing Walls
- Fitness and Lifestyle Centre: The physical facility offers members 3750 m² (40,365 sq ft) of space with the most extensive, current and easy to use fitness equipment found at a Canadian university. Certified staff are available to assist the participant in becoming familiar with the facility and equipment. A 32 station circuit training system is available for those who are tight on time and prefer a quieter, more structured work-out.
Athletics
The Calgary DinosCalgary Dinos
The Calgary Dinos football team has won the Vanier Cup national championship four times, the most out of any of the Canada West teams and most recently in 1995. The Dinos also won in 1983, 1985 and 1988. The team most recently appeared in the 2010 Vanier Cup, but lost to the Laval Rouge et Or...
are the athletic teams that represent the University of Calgary in the Canada West
Canada West Universities Athletic Association
The Canada West Universities Athletic Association is a regional membership association for Canadian universities which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providing contact information, schedules, results, and releases about those programs and...
, a division of Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
, and in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference. They were known as the "Dinosaurs" but usually referred to as the "Dinos" until 1999, when the name was officially shortened. Some of its venues are the Jack Simpson Gymnasium
Jack Simpson Gymnasium
The Jack Simpson Gymnasium is a multipurpose facility on the University of Calgary campus. It opened in 1987 to help host the 1988 XV Olympic Winter Games. It has three full gymnasiums, three basketball courts, five volleyball courts, and an indoor football/soccer field. "...The "Jack" is home to...
(basketball, volleyball), McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
(football, soccer), Olympic Oval
Olympic Oval
The Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a covered speed skating oval built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is the official designated training center for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. It is located on the University of Calgary campus...
(speed skating), Hawkings Field (field hockey), University of Calgary Aquatic Centre (swimming, often shortened to Aquatic Centre) and a 200m Running Track (cross-country and track & field practice).
The Dinos compete in 12 varsity sports: basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, cross-country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
, football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
, soccer, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, and wrestling
Amateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
. The Dinos also have 2 club teams: Men's Baseball and Men's Rugby.
The men's hockey team plays at Father David Bauer Olympic Arena
Father David Bauer Olympic Arena
The Father David Bauer Olympic Arena is an ice hockey arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It seats about 1,750 for hockey with a standing room capacity of over 2,000...
, while the women's hockey team's schedule is split between the Olympic Oval
Olympic Oval
The Olympic Oval in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a covered speed skating oval built for the 1988 Winter Olympics. It is the official designated training center for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. It is located on the University of Calgary campus...
and Father David Bauer Olympic Arena
Father David Bauer Olympic Arena
The Father David Bauer Olympic Arena is an ice hockey arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It seats about 1,750 for hockey with a standing room capacity of over 2,000...
. In the rare case of scheduling conflicts, both men's and women's hockey have used the Max Bell Centre
Max Bell Centre
The Max Bell Centre is an ice hockey arena, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in the community of Radisson Heights. It seats 2,121, for hockey, with a standing room capacity of over 3,000...
for games.
The University of Calgary has been associated with the Olympics since 1976, when the 10-year-old athletic department sent three athletes to Montreal. Since then, 42 Dinos athletes have competed at both the summer and winter Games, bringing home 11 medals, and UC whosted the athletes' village and speed skating events at the XV Olympic Winter Games in 1988.
The football team plays home matches at McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium
McMahon Stadium is a Canadian football stadium located in Calgary, Alberta. The stadium is owned by the University of Calgary and operated by the McMahon Stadium Society....
, home of CFL's Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
. It has won the Vanier Cup
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
on four occasions, 1983, 1985, 1988 and 1995.
Adopt-a-Dino is a university initiative to provide athletes with monetary assistance by allowing participating members to "adopt" an athlete. All Adopt-A-Dino donors will be recognized in the following season's ROAR Magazine, in addition to receiving: Two all-sport season passes valid for all Dinos regular season home games, a plaque-mounted photo of your chosen athlete or team, an invitation to a free event to meet an interact with your chosen team, and a tax receipt for $890.
Newspaper
The University has three main newspapers, OnCampus, UToday, and The GauntletGauntlet (newspaper)
The Gauntlet is a campus newspaper published by the Gauntlet Publications Society in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has a circulation of 8,000 and is the official student newspaper of the University of Calgary...
. UToday is the University of Calgary's E-newsletter while OnCampus is the campus newspaper.
The Gauntlet is the University of Calgary's weekly student newspaper, covering the campus and the Calgary community. First published in 1960, it is primarily focused towards undergraduates. It currently publishes every Thursday throughout the year.
The University also prints Libin Life, which is published by the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta
Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta
The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta is a partnership between the Calgary Health Region and the University of Calgary. Its mandate comprises all cardiovascular research, education and service delivery, with a service area extending from Saskatchewan, Southern Alberta and Eastern British...
.
Radio
CJSW is the university's campus radio station, broadcasting at 90.9 MHz FM. CJSW is a member of the National Campus and Community Radio Association and the University of Calgary Tri-Media Alliance in partnership with NUTVNUTV New University Television at the University of Calgary
NUTV at the University of Calgary is one of the oldest university-based television production societies in Canada. Established in 1983 and incorporated in 1991, NUTV is a campus-based non-profit organization that offers opportunities to University of Calgary students and community members to...
(the campus television station) and The Gauntlet (the campus newspaper).CJSW is a non-profit society maintained and operated by a group of four staff members and over 200 volunteers drawn from both the University of Calgary student body and the wider city of Calgary population. CJSW broadcasts music, spoken word and multicultural programming.
In addition to the FM broadcast, the station can be heard at 106.9 MHz cable FM, and via Ogg Vorbis stream from its web site. Select shows are also available for podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
download.
Television
NUTVNUTV New University Television at the University of Calgary
NUTV at the University of Calgary is one of the oldest university-based television production societies in Canada. Established in 1983 and incorporated in 1991, NUTV is a campus-based non-profit organization that offers opportunities to University of Calgary students and community members to...
is one of the oldest university-based television production societies in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Established in 1983 and incorporated in 1991, NUTV is a campus-based non-profit organization. NUTV offers the opportunity to University of Calgary students and community members to explore the medium of television by learning the various stages of production. This includes reporting/interviewing; hosting; writing; camera operation; lighting; sound mixing; Final Cut Pro & Adobe Creative Suite editing; producing; and directing. NUTV is part of the University of Calgary Tri-Media Alliance, comprising print The Gauntlet, radio CJSW 90.9
CJSW-FM
CJSW-FM is a campus radio station, broadcasting at 90.9 MHz FM, from the University of Calgary, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. CJSW is a member of the National Campus and Community Radio Association and the University of Calgary Tri-Media Alliance in partnership with NUTV and The Gauntlet .The...
, and television (NUTV). The University of Calgary is unique in that it is the only Canadian university that houses three media operations on-campus.
Book publishing
The University of Calgary PressUniversity of Calgary Press
The University of Calgary Press is a university publishing house that is that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Calgary.-Publications:...
was founded in 1981 and to date has published over 280 titles. Special emphasis is placed on three areas: works concerning the geographic regions spanning the Canadian Northwest and the American West; innovative and experimental works that challenge the established canons, subjects and formats, with special interest in art and architecture; and internationally focused manuscripts with particular attention to Latin America, World Heritage Sites, international relations and public policy.
Residence
The residence
Residence
The term residence may refer to:* House* Home* Nursing home* Residence in English family law, pertaining to where children should live in the case of disputes* Habitual residence, a civil law term dealing with the status of refugees, and child abduction...
buildings on campus house 2200 students, situated in eight buildings named after mountains in the Canadian Rockies
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. The two traditional buildings are Rundle Hall and Kananaskis Hall and were built in the early 1960s when the university relocated to its present campus. Five newer buildings named Glacier, Olympus, Norquay, Brewster, and Castle Halls were built prior to the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
as the athletes’ Olympic Village
Olympic Village
An Olympic Village is an accommodation centre built for an Olympic Games, usually within an Olympic Park or elsewhere in a host city. Olympic Villages are built to house all participating athletes, as well as officials, athletic trainers, and other staff. Since the Munich Massacre at the 1972...
. However, each is smaller than the traditional buildings, being three or four stories tall and housing 10 to 30 students on each floor. One of the newest, Cascade Hall, is five stories and is the third largest residence building, its floors being able to house more students. The newest six buildings are all designed in the style of apartments with a hallway on each floor with sets of rooms that can accommodate up to four people each. This is in contrast to the traditional buildings which have hallways on each floor, each having rooms accommodating two, along with a common area at the centre of the building on each floor. Yamnuska Hall opens September 2011 to upper year, international, and transfer students. The two and three bedroom suites are designed to ensure that students experience residence life by sharing space, but also ensures that each student has a private room.
A new building, International House houses 200 international
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
students, instructors and conference attendees. In addition, a new residence for first year undergraduate students is due to be completed in 2011. Construction of the new residence at the University of Calgary broke ground Friday, May 15, 2009. Scheduled to open in spring 2011, the 596-bed residence is part of the university’s ongoing commitment to students’ academic success and personal growth. Through innovative building design
Building design
Building design refers to the broadly based architectural, engineering and technical applications to the design of buildings. All building projects require the services of a building designer, typically a licensed architect or structural engineer...
and construction, the residence will meet current expectations for student housing and will help support institutional recruitment and retention objectives. This is part of the university's $1.5 billion capital program. With the completion of this new building the number of beds on campus will increase to 3000.
Efforts are being made to preserve green space wherever possible, which includes retaining the green belt fronting 24 Avenue N.W. and transplanting five mature oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
trees to the front of the Dr. Fok Ying Tung International House this fall. A new site landscape
Landscape
Landscape comprises the visible features of an area of land, including the physical elements of landforms such as mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different forms of...
plan is also being prepared, which involves planting replacement trees and creating additional recreational green space on the grounds of the new residence.
Student life
The Den and Black Lounge
The Den and Black Lounge is the campus bar located in MacEwan Hall, the student centre in the middle of campusCampus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
. Occupying two floors, with the Den located on the lower floor and the Black Lounge on the upper floor, in the warmer months of the year the second floor features a large outdoor patio
Patio
A patio is an outdoor space generally used for dining or recreation that adjoins a residence and is typically paved. It may refer to a roofless inner courtyard of the sort found in Spanish-style dwellings or a paved area between a residence and a garden....
. Once run by the University of Calgary, the Den was taken over by the Students’ Union in 2000.
The LDL
The Last Defence Lounge (LDL) is run by the University of Calgary Graduate Students' Association. It is a members-only club that is open to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty, staff and members of the public.Traditions
- Bermuda Shorts Day (BSD): An annual end-of-school student celebration. Organized and run by the Students' Union, BSD occurs on the last day of classes. Students' wear Bermuda style shorts and participate in a variety of informal pre- and post-BSD activities including couch racing (recently banned by the university administration over safety concerns), the beer mile, and breakfast parties. The official event is an outdoor fenced in party with live music and beer garden.
- The Empty Space: Every Friday the Students' Union hosts a live music venue in The Empty Space, attended by students for free.
- Student Appreciation Night: Every Thursday The Den (the campus bar) is filled to capacity and serves cheap drinks to a mostly undergraduate crowd.
Greek life
The University of Calgary is home to the very first collegiate fraternityFraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
founded, Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma , commonly nicknamed Kappa Sig, is an international fraternity with currently 282 active chapters and colonies in North America. Kappa Sigma has initiated more than 240,000 men on college campuses throughout the United States and Canada. Today, the Fraternity has over 175,000 living...
, whose Calgary chapter has been active since 1984.
The Omega Chi Chapter, was formally initiated into the Alpha Kappa Psi Professional Business Fraternity on March 12, 2005, becoming the 302nd active branch and the 14th in the Northwest Region. Alpha Kappa Psi
Alpha Kappa Psi
ΑΚΨ is the oldest and largest professional business fraternity. The Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity was founded on October 5, 1904 at New York University, and was incorporated on May 20, 1905...
is recognized as the premier developer of principled business leaders. In October 2005, the Omega Chi Chapter was officially recognized as a Haskayne School of Business Student Club and now hold an office in the Scurfield Hall Haskayne Clubs Area.
The Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
The international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
, also known as Fiji or Phi Gam, is the other fraternity present at the university. It was the first fraternity at the university which is still running, being on campus since 1982.
Alpha Gamma Delta
Alpha Gamma Delta
Alpha Gamma Delta is an international women's fraternity, who are mainly sluts, founded in 1904 at Syracuse University. The Fraternity promotes academic excellence, philanthropic giving, ongoing leadership and personal development, and a spirit of loving sisterhood. Also known as "Alpha Gam" and...
and Alpha Omicron Pi
Alpha Omicron Pi
Alpha Omicron Pi is an international women's fraternity promoting friendship for a lifetime, inspiring academic excellence and lifelong learning, and developing leadership skills through service to the Fraternity and community. ΑΟΠ was founded on January 2, 1897 at Barnard College on the campus...
are the two existing sororities at the U of C, being established in 1983 and 1985 respectively. Toegther, they form the Panhellenic Association of Calgary. The Panhellenic Association oversees all women's chapters and continually encourages the women to go above and beyond individual and shared expectations.
Leadership on campus
In 2009, the U of C's Office of the Student Experience (now the Student Success Centre) launched their own co-curricular record, the first of its kind in western Canadian universities. The co-curricular record is an official university document to be coupled with a student's academic transcript, that recognizes out-of-classroom experiences that are still connected to the university. The Student Success Centre (SSC). The SSC offers programs and services to support students in creating: (1) Academic Success, (2) Personal Success, and (3) Career Success. The SSC offers Orientation Programs, Personalized Career Planning Sessions, Career and Life Workshops, Leadership Programs, the First-Year Experience Program, the Senior-Year Experience Program, Arts & Science Program Advising, Learning Support Services, and Writing Support Services.In April 2011, the University of Calgary launched the Scholars Academy Program: a program for bright, dynamic students that excel beyond just mere academics. Students in the Scholars Academy Program are leaders in the community, show enthusiasm toward learning, compassion and integrity toward others, and inspire those around them. In addition to the formation of a community of high-achieving peers and success student perks, a dedicated academic development specialist provides one-on-one support with scholarship and post-degree applications, as well as with each student's overall academic plan. This support enables students to compete and win prestigious awards and scholarships, and leads to even greater opportunities.
The University of Calgary also offers the President's Award for Excellence in Student Leadership to five graduating students (undergraduate or graduate) that represent the best in academic achievement in addition to outstanding extracurricular contributions to the university and community.
Scholarships and Awards
The University of Calgary offers many scholarships, awards, and bursaries to students. For detailed information, visit the Office of Student Awards and Financial Aid.A notable high school level scholarship is the Alexander Rutherford Scholarship which was introduced by the Government of Alberta in 1980. The Alexander Rutherford scholarship is to recognize and reward exceptional academic achievement at the senior high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
level and to encourage students to continue their studies. To be considered for these scholarships, students must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who plan to enroll or are enrolled in a full-time post-secondary program of at least one semester in length.
The University joined Project Hero, a scholarship program cofounded by General (Ret'd) Rick Hillier
Rick Hillier
General Rick Hillier, CMM, MSC, CD , is the former Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces. He held this appointment from February 4, 2005 to July 1, 2008. He retired on July 1, 2008, and was replaced by former Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff Walter Natynczyk...
, for the families of fallen Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
members. Dependents of Canadian Forces personnel killed while serving in active military missions will have the support of the University of Calgary to complete undergraduate degrees.
The office of the Chancellor and Senate offers many scholarships, awards, and bursaries to University of Calgary students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and exceptional service to the internal and external community.
Top students in the Schulich School of Engineering are recognized as Schulich Scholars and are awarded prestigious Schulich Entrance Scholarships. The first cohort of Schulich Scholars graduates in 2010-2011.
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Health Sciences Program are eligible for the O'Brien Centre Continuing Scholarship, which supports full-time students dedicated to extra-curricular involvement and the community on top of their academics.
The University also offers student awards for academic and leadership excellence. The two biggest awards a student can receive are the President’s Award for Excellence in Student Leadership and the Arch Future Alumni Award.
Aboriginal
Through the university’s Native Ambassador Program Initiative, aboriginal students act as role models to younger students in their home communities. To assist with transition to a career, the university is leading an Aboriginal Lynx Career and Employment Project with other universities including University of SaskatchewanUniversity of Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
and University of Winnipeg
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg is a public university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and theology as well as graduate programs. The U of W's founding colleges were Manitoba College and Wesley College, which merged...
.
Order of the University of Calgary
The Order of the University of Calgary, developed in 1994 resulting from a suggestion brought forward from the University's Senate, honours worthy recipients who have a record of exemplary and distinguished service to the University. Individuals who have been admitted into the Order have included faculty, staff, students, alumni and volunteers. Young aboriginal leaders such as Spencer Saurette have caused an increased awareness in aboriginal heritage and traditions on campus. It is available to any member of the University community, those currently or formerly attached to the University and to those representing the University in the community. Candidates nominated for membership in the Order may include, but are not limited to, current or former faculty, staff, students (graduate or undergraduate), alumni and volunteers.The Order of the University of Calgary includes numerous personalities of note including the likes of Dr. Eldon R. Smith
Eldon Smith
Dr. Eldon R. Smith OC, MD, FRCPC is currently the Chair of the Strategic Advisory Board of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta . A cardiologist by training, he has also held numerous positions over his career including Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary and the...
. As of November 2009, a total of 114 individuals had been admitted into the Order.
Notable alumni
- M. Elizabeth CannonM. Elizabeth CannonM. Elizabeth Cannon, FRSC, is a Canadian Geomatics Engineer and current President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calgary.-Biography:Cannon graduated from Acadia University with a B.Sc...
(B.Sc. 1984, Ph.D 1991), former deanDean (education)In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
and first female president of the University of Calgary. - Naheed NenshiNaheed NenshiNaheed Kurban Nenshi is a Canadian politician, who was elected to succeed Dave Bronconnier as mayor of Calgary, Alberta in the 2010 Calgary municipal election.- Biography :...
B.Comm.Bachelor of CommerceA Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
1993), mayor of Calgary since 2010. - Diane AblonczyDiane AblonczyDiane Ablonczy, PC, MP is a Canadian Member of Parliament, representing the riding of Calgary--Nose Hill in the Canadian House of Commons as a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. She is the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and was appointed on January 4, 2011. She was previously...
( B.Ed.Bachelor of EducationA Bachelor of Education is an undergraduate academic degree which qualifies the graduate as a teacher in schools.-North America:...
and LL.B. 1971), member of ParliamentParliament of CanadaThe Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and... - Theo de RaadtTheo de RaadtTheo de Raadt , born May 19, 1968 in Pretoria, South Africa, is a software engineer who lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is the founder and leader of the OpenBSD and OpenSSH projects, and was a founding member of the NetBSD project.- Childhood :...
(B.Sc. 1992), founder and leader of the OpenBSDOpenBSDOpenBSD is a Unix-like computer operating system descended from Berkeley Software Distribution , a Unix derivative developed at the University of California, Berkeley. It was forked from NetBSD by project leader Theo de Raadt in late 1995...
and OpenSSHOpenSSHOpenSSH is a set of computer programs providing encrypted communication sessions over a computer network using the SSH protocol...
projects. - Ray MartinRay Martin (politician)Raymond Martin is a politician in Alberta, Canada and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.Born in 1941 in Delia, Alberta, Martin attended the University of Alberta in Edmonton. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity...
(MAMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
1981), politician, former member of the Legislative Assembly of AlbertaLegislative Assembly of AlbertaThe Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
, leader of the opposition in the Legislative Assembly from 1985-1993 - James GoslingJames GoslingJames A. Gosling, OC is a computer scientist, best known as the father of the Java programming language.-Education and career:In 1977, Gosling received a B.Sc in Computer Science from the University of Calgary...
(B.ScBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
1977), Inventor of the Java programming languageJava (programming language)Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
, holds a Computer Science degree. - Douglas R. Hamilton ( Ph.DDoctor of PhilosophyDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
1991), NASA flight surgeon and biomedical engineer. - Ezra LevantEzra LevantEzra Isaac Levant is a Canadian lawyer, conservative political activist and media figure. He is the founder and former publisher of the Western Standard, hosts The Source daily on Sun News Network, and has written several books on politics....
( B.Comm.Bachelor of CommerceA Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
1994) Lawyer, conservative political activist and commentator. Founder and former publisher of the Western StandardWestern StandardThe Western Standard is a Calgary, Alberta-based libertarian-conservative publication that billed itself as Canada's only conservative national news magazine...
. - Peter WongPeter WongPeter Wong may refer to:* Peter Wong , the General Manager of HSBC Group and an executive director of Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited...
( BComm.Bachelor of CommerceA Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
1973) General Manager of HSBCHSBCHSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
Group and an executive director of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. - Kenneth B. StoreyKenneth B. Storey-Boards:* Journal of Thermal Biology * Journal of Comparative Physiology B * Past member: American Journal of Physiology, Molecular Physiology, Copeia, J...
(B.Sc.Bachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
1971), biologist and chemist at Carleton UniversityCarleton UniversityCarleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
, noted for work on biochemical adaptation; fellow of the Royal Society of CanadaRoyal Society of CanadaThe Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada... - Danielle M. Smith (B.A.Bachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
1993), journalist, broadcaster, business lobbyist and property rights advocate, Alberta Director for the Canadian Federation of Independent BusinessCanadian Federation of Independent BusinessThe Canadian Federation of Independent Business is an alliance of independent small and medium-sized businesses in Canada, formed in 1971. Its current president is Catherine Swift.-External links:*... - Stephen HarperStephen HarperStephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
(MAMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, B.ABachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
1991, Prime Minister of CanadaPrime Minister of CanadaThe Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
and leader of the Conservative PartyConservative Party of CanadaThe Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
; holds degrees in Economics. - Rob AndersRob AndersRobert J. "Rob" Anders is a Canadian politician He is a member of the Conservative Party of Canada and has represented the riding of Calgary West since 1997.-Early life:...
(B.A.Bachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
1994), member of the House of Commons of Canada for Calgary WestCalgary WestCalgary West is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1917 to 1953, and since 1979. It is located in the western part of the City of Calgary.... - Pierre PoilievrePierre PoilievrePierre Poilievre, MP is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is currently a member of the Canadian House of Commons representing the suburban Ottawa riding of Nepean-Carleton. First elected in 2004, Poilievre was re-elected in 2006 and 2008. Poilievre received the second highest vote total of any...
(B.A. 2001), member of the House of Commons of Canada for Nepean—CarletonNepean—CarletonNepean—Carleton is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 1988 and since 1997.... - Hal KvisleHal Kvisle- Life and career :Hal Kvisle was born in Innisfail, Alberta in 1952. He received a bachelor of science in engineering with distinction from the University of Alberta in 1975 and an MBA from the University of Calgary in 1982....
(1981), MBAMaster of Business AdministrationThe Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
. President & CEO of TransCanada Corporation. - Robert ThirskRobert ThirskRobert Brent "Bob" Thirsk is a Canadian engineer and physician, and a former Canadian Space Agency astronaut. He holds the Canadian records for the longest space flight and the most time spent in space .-Personal life:Thirsk is from New Westminster, British Columbia and is married to Brenda...
(B.ScBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
1976), Canadian Space Agency astronaut and NASA capsule communicator for the International Space StationInternational Space StationThe International Space Station is a habitable, artificial satellite in low Earth orbit. The ISS follows the Salyut, Almaz, Cosmos, Skylab, and Mir space stations, as the 11th space station launched, not including the Genesis I and II prototypes...
program. Holds a Mechanical Engineering degree. - Derek M. Besant (B.Fa.Bachelor of Fine ArtsIn the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
1972), artist. head of the Drawing Department at Alberta College of Art and DesignAlberta College of Art and Design-History:The Alberta College of Art & Design is a Canadian degree-granting, publicly-funded art and design college located in Calgary . It was known as the Provincial Institute of Technology and Arts, which was part of SAIT until 1985...
. Won the Alberta Governor General Award in Art 1980, and the World Culture Prize in Research Arts & Letters from Milan Italy in 1983. - Christine NesbittChristine NesbittChristine Nesbitt is a Canadian long track speed skater who currently resides in Calgary, Alberta. Her personal best in the 1000m is the second fastest of all time, right after Cindy Klassen's world record. Nesbitt won the Gold Medal in the 1000 m event at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics...
(BEngBachelor of EngineeringThe Bachelor of Engineering is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a student after three to five years of studying engineering at universities in Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland , Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Korea,...
2007), speed skaterSpeed skatingSpeed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
, won gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter OlympicsThe 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University... - D. George WyseD. George WyseDr. D. George Wyse MD, FRCPC, PHD is currently the Chair of the International Experts Advisory Committee of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta . Dr. Wyse is a recognized and decorated international expert in the area of Cardiac Arrhythmia...
(MDMedicineMedicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
1974), cardiologist, professor emeritus of the university's Faculty of Medicine, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of AlbertaLibin Cardiovascular Institute of AlbertaThe Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta is a partnership between the Calgary Health Region and the University of Calgary. Its mandate comprises all cardiovascular research, education and service delivery, with a service area extending from Saskatchewan, Southern Alberta and Eastern British...
, researcher on cardiac dysrhythmiaCardiac dysrhythmiaCardiac dysrhythmia is any of a large and heterogeneous group of conditions in which there is abnormal electrical activity in the heart. The heart beat may be too fast or too slow, and may be regular or irregular.Some arrhythmias are life-threatening medical emergencies that can result in cardiac...
, fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of CanadaRoyal College of Physicians and Surgeons of CanadaThe Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada ' , French: Collège royal des médecins et chirurgiens du Canada, is a national, private, nonprofit organization established in 1929 by a special Act of Parliament to oversee the medical education of specialists in Canada... - J. Jill RobinsonJ. Jill RobinsonJacqueline Jill Robinson is a western Canadian writer, editor and teacher. She is the author of four collections of short stories. Her fiction and creative nonfiction have appeared in a wide variety of magazines and literary journals including Geist, the Antigonish Review, Event, Prairie Fire and...
(M.AMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
1985), author of four short story collections who also taught English literature and creative writing at the University of Calgary. - Gary Kovacs (B.Comm.Bachelor of CommerceA Bachelor of Commerce is an undergraduate degree in commerce and related subjects. The degree is also known as the Bachelor of Commerce and Administration, or BCA...
1990, MBAMaster of Business AdministrationThe Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
1999), CEO of the Mozilla CorporationMozilla CorporationThe Mozilla Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mozilla Foundation that coordinates and integrates the development of Internet-related applications such as the Mozilla Firefox and SeaMonkey Navigator web browsers and the Mozilla Thunderbird email client by a growing global community of...
Histories of the university
- V Jones, CS Lane 'A History of the Faculty of Management at the University of Calgary (1967–1981), in: Administrative Sciences Association of Canada - Annual Conference 19, no. 24 (1998), pp. 56–66
- Geertje Boschma 'Faculty of Nursing on the Move: Thirty Years of Nursing Education, Research and Science at the University of Calgary, 1969-2000' (Calgary: University of Calgary PressUniversity of Calgary PressThe University of Calgary Press is a university publishing house that is that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Calgary.-Publications:...
, September 30, 2005) - Anthony Rasporitch 'Make no small plans: The University of Calgary at forty' (Calgary: The University of Calgary, 2007)
- Historical essays and materials on the Medical Faculty in particular and the history of medicine in Southern Alberta in general are also provided through the Calgary History of Medicine and Health Care Program.
See also
- List of University of Calgary people
- List of Alberta universities
- University of Calgary Students' UnionUniversity of Calgary Students' UnionThe University of Calgary Students' Union is the collective voice of the 25,000 undergraduate students at the University of Calgary. It is one of the three biggest Student Union organizations in the country in terms of capital. Every Undergraduate registered at the University of Calgary is a member...
- UC Solar TeamUC Solar TeamThe University of Calgary Solar Team is a multi-disciplinary student based team at the University of Calgary established to design and build a solar car to compete in the American Solar Challenge and the World Solar Challenge...
- Faculty of Medicine of the University of CalgaryFaculty of Medicine of the University of CalgaryThe Faculty of Medicine of the University of Calgary is one of two medical schools in Alberta and one of 17 in Canada. Established in 1967, the school is linked to the hospitals in Alberta Health Services -- Calgary ZoneCalgary Health Region...
- University of Calgary Faculty of LawUniversity of Calgary Faculty of LawThe Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary was officially opened in 1976 with a first-year class of sixty students and nine faculty members. Currently, there are 21 faculty and approximately 300 students in total, giving the school one of the smallest class sizes of the Canadian law schools....
- Centre for Military and Strategic StudiesCentre for Military and Strategic StudiesThe Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary is part of Canada's Department of National Defence nationwide security and defence forum research centres. Currently it has over 50 students at both the Masters and PhD level with...
at the University of Calgary - Calgary Health TrustCalgary Health TrustThe Calgary Health Trust connects donor passions with health care needs. They are raising funds for enhanced technology, programs and services at the Foothills Medical Centre, Peter Lougheed Centre, Rockyview General Hospital, Women's Health and Carewest continuing care centres.Since 1996, the...
- A joint fundraising effort raising money for health care facilities.