University of Calgary
The University of Calgary (U of C or UCalgary) is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The University of Calgary started in 1944 as the Calgary branch of the University of Alberta, founded in 1908, prior to being instituted into a separate, autonomous university in 1966. It is composed of 14 faculties and over 85 research institutes and centres. The main campus is located in the northwest quadrant of the city near the Bow River and a smaller south campus is located in the city centre. The main campus houses most of the research facilities and works with provincial and federal research and regulatory agencies, several of which are housed next to the campus such as the Geological Survey of Canada. The main campus covers approximately 200 hectares (490 acres).
A member of the U15, the University of Calgary is also one of Canada's top research universities (based on the number of Canada Research Chairs). The university has a sponsored research revenue of $380.4 million,[7][8] with total revenues exceeding $1.2 billion. The university maintains close ties to the petroleum and geoscience industry through the Department of Geosciences and the Schulich School of Engineering. The university also maintains several other departments and faculties, including the Cumming School of Medicine, the Faculty of Arts, the School of Public Policy, the Faculty of Law, and the Haskayne School of Business.[9][10][11]
Notable former students include Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Java programming language creator James Gosling, Uber co-founder Garrett Camp, astronaut Robert Thirsk, and Lululemon Athletica founder Chip Wilson.[7] The university has produced over 170,000 alumni who reside in 152 countries.
Administration[edit]
The governance of the University of Calgary is conducted through a board of governors and a senate. The role of the board of governors and the senate is governed under the Post Secondary Learning Act, a provincial act of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.[28] The board of governors is responsible for the university's conduct, management, and control of the university and its property, revenues, business, and other affairs.[29] Members of the board of governors include the chancellor of the university, the university president, two alumni nominated by the alumni association, a member of the university senate, nine members of the general public, as well as three students, and three staff members nominated by their respective associations.[30]
The University Senate acts as an outreach body between the university and the wider community. The university's senate is made up of 62 members of the alumni association, academic staff, the student body, and the general public, as identified by the Post-Secondary Learning Act. Members of the senate include various members of the university community, including the university president, the chief academic officer of student affairs, academic staff, as well a one undergraduate and graduate student appointed by their respective student association. In addition to members of the university community, the senate also includes nine members of the general public, appointed by the Alberta Minister of Advanced Education.[31] In relation to its mandate, the university senate is also the governing body that authorizes issuance of honorary degrees.[32]
The university senate is chaired by the university chancellor. In addition to chairing the senate, the chancellor also presides over all degree-conferring ceremonies, and acts as the ambassador for the university.[32]
The university's support staff are represented by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, organized as Local 052 University of Calgary chapter.[33] In October 2008, the University of Calgary was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" by Mediacorp Canada Inc. Later that month, the university was also named one of Alberta's Top Employers.[10]
University rankings
201–300
182
131–140
201–250
175
8–11
8
9–10
7
9
11
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, including the 2006 Alberta PC leadership debate.
The university also has the Rozsa Centre, a theatre and concert hall on the southwest 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 up to 384 people.[76] The University Theatre, beside the Rozsa Centre, is designed for drama and dance with seating for 505 people.[77]
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.[78] 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.[79] 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 at the University of Calgary. These include among others:
Athletics[edit]
The Calgary Dinos are the athletic teams that represent the University of Calgary in the Canada West, a division of U Sports, 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 200 m Running Track (cross-country and track & field practice).
The Dinos compete in 14 varsity sports: basketball, cross-country, field hockey, football, golf, ice hockey, ringette, Women's rugby, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. The Dinos also have club teams: Men's Baseball, Men's Rugby as well as Men's and Women's Rowing.
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 1972 when enrolled student and swimming team coach Ralph Hutton competed in Munich. Four years later, in 1976, 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 hosted 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 five occasions, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1995 and 2019. In recent years, the team played in the Vanier Cup in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2019.[82]
Media[edit]
Newspaper[edit]
The university has two main newspapers, UToday, and The Gauntlet. UToday is the online source for news about the University of Calgary, published by the department of University Relations in collaboration with the university's 14 faculties. Created in September 2008, UToday reports on research discoveries at the university, major events and milestones, campus happenings and personalities, and opportunities to get involved in learning or activities. It is published every weekday throughout the year. UToday's readers include students, faculty, staff, alumni, news media, donors, community leaders and partners, and residents at large.[83]
The Gauntlet is the University of Calgary's monthly magazine publication, covering the campus and the Calgary community.[84] First published in 1960 as a weekly student newspaper before its transition into a monthly magazine in 2017, it is primarily focused towards undergraduates.
The university also prints Libin Life, which is published by the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta.
Radio[edit]
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[85] and the University of Calgary Tri-Media Alliance in partnership with NUTV (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.[86]
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.[87]
Television[edit]
NUTV 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.[88] This includes reporting/interviewing; hosting; writing; camera operation; lighting; sound mixing; Final Cut Pro & Adobe Creative Suite editing; producing; and directing.[89] 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.
Book publishing[edit]
The University of Calgary Press was founded in 1981 and to date has published over 400 titles.[90] 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 and graduate students reside on campus. Approximately 2500 to 3000 students and faculty members live on-campus each Academic year.
The University of Calgary names its Residence buildings after prominent mountain ranges in the area.
Student life[edit]
The Den and Black Lounge[edit]
The Den and Black Lounge is the campus bar located in MacEwan Hall, the student centre located in the middle of main campus. 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.[93]
Aboriginal[edit]
The University of Calgary recognizes Aboriginal students, and has instituted an Aboriginal Admissions Policy [section A.13] and Aboriginal Student Access Program (ASAP) [section A.14], as dictated in the Undergraduate Admissions section of the annual calendar. Any student with Aboriginal ancestry (First Nations, Inuit, Metis) and legal status may apply and be considered under the policy. More information can be obtained online at the University of Calgary's website.[115]
A number of individuals are associated with the University of Calgary, either as former alumni, or faculty. The university has also produced 14 Rhodes scholars. Notable alumni of the university include: