Mount Royal College
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
Mount Royal College |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Motto | Life Long Learning |
| Established | 1910 |
| Type | Public |
| President | Dave Marshall |
| Students | 13,000 |
| Location | Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
| Campus | Urban |
| Mascot | Cougar |
| Website | http://www.mtroyal.ca |
Mount Royal College is an undergraduate college located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The school facilitates approximately 13,000 students and offers more than 60 degree, diploma, university transfer and certificate programs in areas such as arts, business, communications, health and community studies, and science and technology.
Mount Royal College was founded in 1910 in Calgary City Centre at 11th Street and 8th Avenue SW. William Henry Cushing was elected the first chairman of the board of directors and held this position until 1926. George William Kerby, a Methodist minister, becomes the first principal. In 1972, the main campus was moved to Lincoln Park on the site of the former air force base, RCAF Station Lincoln Park, in the city's southwest. Mount Royal College now operates in three locations - Lincoln Park, Springbank and Holy Cross.
Extensive renovations and additions were completed in 2003, which included new residences and two new classroom halls. In the summer of 2006 construction was completed on the Centre for Continuous Learning, a "green" building with innovative features meant to limit its ecological footprint. Many of the highly regarded professional development courses formerly taught at the City Centre Campus have been relocated to this building.
Mount Royal College is named for a nearby prestigious residential area, home to several citizens of distinction throughout Calgary's history.
Contents |
[edit] Public transportation
One of the problems Mount Royal College faces is its location within the city. Most of the classes at Mount Royal are held at the Lincoln Park Campus and the college is the only Post-Secondary Institution in Calgary that does not have access to the C-Train. The college lacks any convenient public transportation service from the downtown core. Students have complained that the two buses that do run from downtown provide inadequate service. Because of this, those living in the northeast and southeast feel cut off.
The City of Calgary has been reluctant to provide more busing to the college area stating that there is very little demand for public transportation. At the time of the Students' Association of Mount Royal College referendum where students approved the U-Pass, Calgary Transit made it clear that there would be no new service to the college. But as of the 2006-07 school year, Calgary Transit has introduced expanded bus service, including two express routes.
[edit] The future
The Students' Association of Mount Royal College plans to expand the student centre at the Lincoln Park Campus. A large library building has been identified as a necessary addition for the college as it transitions to a university. For the past few years the college has been petitioning the city for better transportation to Lincoln Park, which is finally being addressed.
[edit] MRC or MRU
The Alberta government has given Mount Royal College approval to become a university. A transition process has begun, which may take less time than originally anticipated as several governmental and political leaders have put the issue on the popular agenda as of fall 2006. The college has made great strides in meeting the many criteria necessary for the additional accreditation. The only thing that is in the way now is converting instructors at the college into professors by giving them research assignments. This may be difficult since many of the present instructors are part time and cannot commit to more hours of work.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Norman Kwong - Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta
- Kalan Porter - Canadian Idol
- Bruce McCulloch - Member of Kids in the Hall
- Bret Hart - Professional wrestler
