Simon Fraser University
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Motto | Nous sommes prêts (English: "We are ready") |
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| Established | 1965 |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | $133 million |
| President | Michael Stevenson |
| Undergraduates | 21,342 |
| Postgraduates | 3,373 |
| Location | Burnaby, British Columbia |
| Campus | 1.7 km² maintained |
| Satellite Campuses | Downtown Vancouver and Surrey |
| Colours | Red and Royal Blue |
| Mascot | McFog the Dog |
| Website | www.sfu.ca |
Simon Fraser University (SFU) is located in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, part of the metropolitan area of Vancouver, British Columbia. Its programs are organized in six faculties: Applied Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, Business Administration, Education, Health Sciences, and Science.
It was established in 1965 as part of the post-Sputnik boom in universities. Simon Fraser University is officially named after Simon Fraser, explorer of the Vancouver area.[1]
Like most Canadian universities, SFU is a public university, with 56% of funding coming from taxpayers and 39% coming from tuition fees. SFU has consistently been rated as Canada's best comprehensive university (1993, 1997, 1998 and 2000) in the annual rankings of Maclean's magazine and has consistently placed at or near the top of the publication's national evaluations.
In May 2004, the SFU Senate approved the policy on compulsory exit requirements for all its undergraduate students making SFU the first Canadian university to implement such university-wide requirements. All students must complete a selected number of writing intensive, quantitative based, and breadth courses before graduation. The goal of this new requirement is to enrich students' core competencies.[1]
International students make up 7% of its student body.
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[edit] Population and notable alumni
SFU is home to about 25,000 students: 22,095 undergraduates and 3,337 graduates.[2] The university has grown in recent years, and currently has an alumni population of 82,307. About 715 faculty and 1,091 staff work for the university. Teaching Assistants, Tutor Markers, Sessional Instructors, and Language Instructors at SFU are unionized. The union, The Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU), is independent. Faculty and lecturers are members of the Faculty Association. Staff are members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), local 3338; the Administrative and Professional Staff Association (APSA), or Polyparty. A few positions at the university such as some in Human Resources and senior administrative positions fall outside of the five associations or unions above.
SFU's student union is known as the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS), which includes everyone who studies at SFU. It is a member of the Canadian Federation of Students, the largest such organization in Canada.
Locally and internationally famous alumni include Olympian Daniel Igali, photographer and former spouse of the prime minister Margaret Trudeau, British Columbia Premiers Glen Clark, Ujjal Dosanjh, Gordon Campbell, and artist David Usher.
Terry Fox was an 18-year-old Kinesiology student and junior varsity basketball player when he was diagnosed with the bone cancer that resulted in the amputation of his leg. Fox then ran his Marathon of Hope to raise funding and awareness about cancer. In 2001, SFU awarded an honorary degree to Betty Fox, mother of Terry Fox and Honorary Chair of the Terry Fox Foundation.
[edit] Honorary alumni
In 1967, SFU awarded an honorary LL.D. (doctor of laws) to Marshall McLuhan.
On April 20, 2004, SFU conferred honorary degrees upon three Nobel Peace Prize recipients: the 14th Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi.
Some other honorary alumni include: skier Nancy Greene Raine, Milton Wong, Doris Shadbolt, dancer and choreographer Judith Marcuse, economist Jeffrey Sachs, Peter Gzowski.
[edit] Facilities and location
Simon Fraser University has three campuses: Its main campus in Burnaby, a satellite campus in Vancouver's Downtown at Harbour Centre, and the new SFU Surrey campus. It is also a partner institution of the Great Northern Way Campus in Vancouver.
The Technical University of British Columbia, (TechBC), a technical university created by the New Democratic government of British Columbia, was closed in 2002; some of its programs and students were transferred to SFU and became the core of SFU Surrey.
The main campus is 1.7 km² located atop Burnaby Mountain, at an elevation of 365 metres (1,200 feet). This campus was designed by Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey after the pair won a design competition in 1963. The library on the main campus is called the W. A. C. Bennett Library, named after the Social Credit Premier of B.C. who established it.
At present, the part of Burnaby Mountain below SFU is a park/conservation area. Apart from SFU and associated industrial/technical research park Discovery Park, there had been little development until recently. In 2003, the university commenced construction on a model, sustainable community on approximately 200 acres adjacent to the campus, atop the mountain. The name is UniverCity. The community will contain up to 4,500 residential units in a number of neighbourhoods, along with a new town centre, schools, parks and other amenities. As of October 2006, approximately 980 homes, and The Cornerstone building, which includes restaurants, shops and services are complete. Another 200 homes are under construction, and the community is beginning to attract international attention[citation needed] for some of its innovative and sustainable features, including the first community transit pass program in Canada, a stormwater management system, and its prohibition on multi-national retailers in the town centre.
The main campus was selected to be the site of a world-class speed skating oval for the 2010 Winter Olympics; however, the 2010 organizing committee changed its mind and decided it will now be built in the nearby city, Richmond, British Columbia.
The university has a theatre, an archeological museum and three art galleries.
SFU also works with other universities and agencies to operate joint research facilities. These include Bamfield Marine Station, a major centre for teaching and research in marine biology; TRIUMF, a powerful cyclotron used in subatomic physics and chemistry research; MITACS, headquarters of this Network of Centres of Excellence for 26 universities and 75 companies.
In March 2006, SFU approved the creation of a private college for international students to be built adjacent to its Burnaby campus. This new college named Fraser International College is now open in the Multi Tenant Facility located in Discovery Parks Trust SFU site.
[3].
[edit] Research
The university has recently created a new faculty of health sciences, invented the world's fastest bipolar transistor, and investigated the impact of technology on the nation's health sector. Scholarly research has been recognized with prestigious awards, including Governor-General's, Grawemeyer, Guggenheim, Manning and Pulitzer awards, Canada Council Killam research fellowships, NSERC industrial chairs, and gold medals from the Science Council of BC. In 2003-04 SFU faculty won $53,574,852 in research grants and contracts, most through open competition outside the province.[4]
[edit] Activities and sports
The student newspaper The Peak was established shortly after the university opened, and is circulated throughout the Lower Mainland.
CJSF-FM radio is the school's campus & community radio station. It broadcasts from 90.1fm to Burnaby and surrounding communities, and is also available online at www.cjsf.ca or on 93.9 cable fm.
The school's sports teams are called the Simon Fraser Clan, and the mascot is a Scottish Terrier, "McFog the Dog". In sports and other competitions, there tends to be a strong rivalry between SFU and The University of British Columbia. SFU's Clan Athletics competes in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the USA-based National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). SFU has 14 varsity sport teams and 300 athletes. Football, men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball and women's wrestling compete for CIS championships only. Men's and women's soccer, women's softball, men's and women's swimming, men's and women's cross-country and men's and women's track and field compete for NAIA championships only. Men's wrestling competes for championships of both organizations. SFU has won the NAIA NACDA Director's Cup five times, as well as other awards. Many SFU athletes have also participated in the Olympics. Medal winners include Daniel Igali (gold, wrestling), Jay Triano (basketball, captain), Jeff Thue (wrestling, silver), Sue Holloway (canoe, gold), Bob Molle (wrestling, silver), Chris Rinke (wrestling, bronze), Hugh Fisher (canoe, gold), Garry MacDonald (swimming, silver), and Bruce Roberston (swimming, silver & bronze).
The university's bagpipe band performs well in international competitions and is one of the university's most famous attractions. It has won most major titles: the World Pipe Band Championship [1995, 1996, 1999, 2001], the World Drum Corps Championship [1999, 2004], the North American Championship [1982, 2002], the 2001 Australian Pipe Band Championship.[5]
[edit] Transportation
The relatively remote location of SFU's main campus has long posed a transportation problem for its student body. This situation has, however, been significantly improved by the recent expansion of the Vancouver SkyTrain rapid transit system and the introduction of a low-fare university fare card, the U-Pass. The university community is now served by the Production Way-University and Sperling-Burnaby Lake SkyTrain stations.
Most Simon Fraser students are commuters who live in the area, but residence housing facilities accommodate 1500 students, with 249 additional units completed in 2005.
The downtown Harbour Centre campus is across from the Waterfront SkyTrain station. The SFU Surrey campus is at the Central City development next to the Surrey Central SkyTrain station.
[edit] Residences
- New Residences (The Towers)
- Three 8-floor towers, labeled B, C and D
- Tailored for first year students
- Co-ed traditional residences
- Accommodating 713 students in single rooms
- Co-ed Bathrooms
- Tower B contains the Simon Hotel
- Madge Hogarth House
- Women-only traditional residences
- Accommodating 66 female students in single rooms
- No longer occupied (As of Fall 2005)(Used as a Haunted House during Halloween in the Fall 2005. According to organizers, there are "still fake blood on the wall. And now they want to use the place again because Rez is filling up?")
- Shell House
- Co-ed traditional residences
- Both private rooms and double rooms (shared) are available
- Accommodating 143 students
- McTaggart-Cowan Hall
- Co-ed traditional residences
- Accommodating 200 students in single rooms
- Townhouse Complex (quad units)
- Nine buildings each consists of eleven townhouse units
- Each unit has four bedrooms
- Accommodating 396 students
- Hamilton Hall
- Studio residences available to graduate students only
- Accommodating 104 students
- Louis Riel House
- Residences for families, couples, and single parents
- Consisting of 148 one-bedroom and 61 two-bedroom apartments
- New Residence Dining Hall
- Since New Residence has no kitchen facilities, students in these residences are on a required meal plan offered in the New Residence Dining Hall. The students are given what is essentially a debit card, to be used in the residence cafeteria and several other campus cafeterias.
In the fall of 2004, the first term the meal plan was put into effect, anger over both high residence cafeteria costs and a clause stating unused funds would be lost at the end of each term prompted a sit-in at the residence office, as well as some media coverage. The plan was then hastily amended, allowing $200 from that semester to carry over to the next term. However, no permanent changes were made and prices at the cafeteria remained constant.
[edit] Governance and administration
[edit] Convocation
The Convocation is composed of all faculty members, senators, and graduates (degree holders, including honorary alumni) of the university. Its main function is to elect the Chancellor (who acts as Chair of Convocation) and four Convocation Senators. Convocation ceremonies are held annually to confer degrees (including honorary degrees) as well as award diplomas and certificates.
[edit] Board of Governors
The Board is composed of the Chancellor, the President, two student members, two faculty members, one staff member, and eight individuals appointed by the British Columbia government. Traditionally, the Board is chaired by one of the government appointees. The Board is responsible for the general management and governance of the university.
[edit] Senate
The Senate is composed of the Chancellor, the President, Vice-President, Academic, Vice-President, Research, Deans of Faculties, Dean of Graduate Studies, Dean of Continuing Studies, Associate Vice-President, Academic, University Librarian, Registrar (as Senate secretary), 14 student members, 28 faculty members, and 4 convocation members (who are not faculty members). The Senate is chaired by the President. The academic governance of the university is vested in the Senate.
[edit] Chancellor
The Chancellor is elected by and from Convocation for a three-year term, which can be renewed once. The main responsibilities of the Chancellor are to confer degrees and represent the university in formal functions.
[edit] President and Vice-Chancellor
The President and Vice-Chancellor is appointed by the Board of Governors based on a selection process jointly established by the Board of Governors and the Senate of the university. As Chief Executive Officer and Chair of Senate, the President is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the university.
[edit] Faculties, departments, and schools
Academic programs are co-ordinated and offered by faculties. Each faculty is headed by a dean. In large faculties, such as Arts and Social Sciences, academic administration is subdivided into departments and schools. Generally, traditional academic disciplines are offered by departments, whereas disciplines of applied or professional natures are offered by schools. Current faculties, departments, and schools include:
- Faculty of Applied Sciences
- School of Communication
- School of Computing Science
- School of Engineering Science
- School of Kinesiology
- School of Resource and Environmental Management
- School of Interactive Arts and Technology (see also SFU Surrey)
- Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
- Department of Archaeology
- School for the Contemporary Arts
- School of Criminology
- Department of Economics
- Department of English
- Department of French
- Department of Geography
- Department of History
- Department of Humanities
- Department of Linguistics
- Department of Philosophy
- Department of Political Science
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology
- Department of Women's Studies
- Faculty of Business Administration
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Science
- Department of Biological Sciences
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Earth Sciences
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
- Department of Physics
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science
- Environmental Science Program
Continuing Studies works with the Faculties and faculty members to develop accessible courses and programs which bridge academic pursuits and community needs.
[edit] The City Program
The City Program, established in 1992, explores urban issues through mid-career professional development courses, public lectures and an Urban Design Certificate Program, the first of its kind in Canada. As a unit of Continuing Studies, it does not offer offer credit courses.
The City Program also publishes an e-magazine, SFU City, that explores topical issues and highlights upcoming programs, available for downloading on its web site. Publications, podcasts and videos of past events are also available.
[edit] SFU chancellors and presidents
[edit] Chancellors
- Dr. Gordon M. Shrum (January 1, 1964 - May 31, 1968)
- Dr. Kenneth P. Caple (June 1, 1968 - May 31, 1975)
- Dr. Jack Diamond (June 1, 1975 - May 31, 1978)
- Dr. Paul T. Cote (June 1, 1978 - June 15, 1984)
- Dr. William M. Hamilton (June 15, 1984 - May 31, 1987)
- Ms. Barbara J. Rae (June 5, 1987 - June 4, 1993)
- Dr. Joseph Segal (June 5, 1993 - June 4, 1999)
- Dr. Milton K. Wong (June 5, 1999 - May 31, 2005)
- Mr. Brandt Louie (June 1, 2005 - Present)
[edit] Presidents and Vice-Chancellors
- Dr. Patrick McTaggart-Cowan (January 1, 1964 - May 31, 1968)
- Dr. John F. Ellis (Temp. Acting) (June 1, 1968 - June 5, 1968)
- Prof. Archie MacPherson (June 5, 1968 - July 29, 1968)
- Dr. Kenneth Strand (Acting) (August 1, 1968 - July 31, 1969)
- Dr. Lalit Srivastava (Acting) (August 1, 1969 - September 8, 1969)
- Dr. Kenneth Strand (September 8, 1969 - August 31, 1974)
- Dr. Pauline Jewett (September 1, 1974- October 9, 1978) [On leave: October 9, 1978 - December 31, 1978]
- Dr. Daniel R. Birch (Acting) (October 19, 1978 - December 31, 1978)
- Dr. K. George Pedersen (January 1, 1979 - March 31, 1983)
- Dr. J.W. George Ivany (Acting) (April 1, 1983 - August 31, 1983)
- Dr. William G. Saywell (September 1, 1983 - March 1, 1993)
- Dr. Robert C. Brown (Acting) (March 1, 1993 - August 1, 1993)
- Dr. John O. Stubbs (August 1, 1993 - January 31, 1998) [On leave: June 9, 1997 - January 1, 1998]
- Dr. David P. Gagan (Acting) (June 9, 1997 - September 14, 1997)
- Dr. Jack P. Blaney (Pro Tem) (September 15, 1997 - January 31, 1998)
- Dr. Jack P. Blaney (February 1, 1998 - November 30, 2000)
- Dr. Michael Stevenson (December 1, 2000 - Present)[6]
[edit] SFU Surrey
SFU Surrey is a satellite campus of Simon Fraser University. It was opened in September 2002 to absorb the students and programs of the former Technical University of British Columbia when that institution was closed by the Gordon Campbell government. It has since expanded to house the Surrey operations of other SFU programs.
SFU Surrey is located in Central City, an award-winning architectural complex adjacent to the Surrey Central SkyTrain station. In Fall 2006 it opened its doors to the new mezzanine, bridge, library, and second floor. The third floor is expected to be opened in January of 2007 and the fourth and final floor is on schedule to be opened in Fall 2007. Previously, it used a department-store sized space in the mall area while the new area had been under construction. The largest theater in the new campus area was used for a year before the mezzanine was ready.
[edit] Programs
Programs at the SFU Surrey campus are offered by the Faculties of Applied Science, Arts and Social Sciences, Business Administration, Education, and Science.
- Applied Science: TechOne (first year) , Computing Science, Interactive Arts and Technology
- Business Administration (concentrations in Entrepreneurship, Management and Technology, Finance, and Marketing are at the Surrey campus)
- Arts and Social Science: Explorations in the Liberal Arts (first two years of an Arts major)
- Education offers the Professional Development Program (teaching certification) for K-12 teachers, as well as graduate programs in Counselling Psychology, Educational Leadership and Educational Technology (Master's and Ph.D.).
- Science: Science Year One, Life Sciences Year Two, and Mathematics.
[edit] Tech One
Typically students start out in a program called TechOne, consisting of six core courses over two semesters: Interactive Arts and Technologies (IAT 100 and IAT 101), Foundations of Teamwork and Communications (TECH100 and TECH101), and Introduction to Programming (CMPT 120 (Python) and CMPT 125 (Java)). They must also choose one Math (MATH 151/157 (Calculus), or MACM 101, (Discrete and Combinational Mathematics)). On top of these core courses, they must also choose three electives. Once they sign up for TechOne, they are guaranteed course spots and share all the corecourses with similar peers. Alternatively, while they are taking core courses, students are allowed to take electives at the campus in Burnaby. It is about 40 minutes to transport between the two campuses.
In the Fall 2006 semester, registry has been an all-time low for Techone due to new requirements. According to the registrar, one third of the TechOne students who started in the Fall 2005 semester would not have been enrolled under these requirements.
[edit] Campus-specific Degrees
The campus also provides degrees in the sections of its business faculty, computer science faculty, and its very own School of Interactive Arts (SIAT).
[edit] Trivia
Due to the contemporary design of the buildings that make up the Academic Quadrangle, the main campus is ocasionally used for location shots in science fiction television series such as Stargate SG-1 and Battlestar Galatica, both of which are filmed in and around Vancouver. Its first use as a film set was the main location for the 1972 science fiction film The Groundstar Conspiracy, in which the entire campus complex was used as a spaceship. Recently, in addition to other Vancouver-area landmarks, many parts of the Burnaby campus were used for the filming of the movie The 6th Day, including a car-chase scene and the entire police department.
The campus atop Burnaby Mountain is also home to a garden, which is featured in the middle of the Academic Quadrangle. The garden's construction, which features many oddly shaped and modern formations of plants, trees and cultivated hill formations, is often said to be a symbolic representation of the Canadian landscape. This, however, is false. The construction is actually a result of SFU's hurried construction in the 1960s: AQ Garden: A Mystery
[edit] See also
[edit] References and notes
- ^ That the university is named after Simon Fraser the explorer is the university administration's official story. However, there are at least four conflicting stories about the origin of the name "Simon Fraser", only some of which involve the famous explorer. Source: The Peak. (January 16, 2006). Colonial...by design: rethinking the name Simon Fraser University. Retrieved March 31, 2006.
[edit] External links
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B.C. universities |  |
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| Public universities | |||
| UBC | UNBC | Royal Roads | Simon Fraser | Thompson Rivers | Victoria | |||
| Private universities | |||
| Canada West | Fairleigh Dickinson | Quest | Trinity Western | |||
