St. Francis Xavier University

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St. Francis Xavier University


Motto:	Quaecumque Sunt Vera (Whatsoever things are true)
Established:	1853
Type:	Public
Endowment:	$ 59.4 million
Chancellor:	Rev. Raymond J. Lahey, D.D.
President:	Dr. Sean Riley
Faculty:	264
Students:	4267 full time 627 part time
Location:	Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Campus:	Rural
Sport Teams:	X-Men and X-Women
Colours:	blue and white
Affiliations:	AUCC, IAU, CIS, CUSID, AUS
Website:	stfx.ca

Coordinates: 45°37′0.47″N, 61°58′58.40″W

St. Francis Xavier University is a university located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.

The university brings together 4,200 students from across Canada and around the world in arts, science, business and information systems and applied programs.

1 History
2 Academics
3 Campus renewal
4 Noted alumni
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

St Francis Xavier College was a Roman Catholic institution founded at Arichat, NS, in 1853. It was moved to Antigonish, Nova Scotia in 1855.^[1]

In 1866, it gained university status. In 1868 and awarded its first degrees. In 1883, its ladies' institution, Mount St Bernard Academy, was founded. In 1894, it affiliated with St Francis as Mount St Bernard College. In 1897 became the first co-educational Catholic university in North America to grant degrees to women.^[1] In the early part of this century, professional education expanded beyond the traditional fields of 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.^[2]

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.^[2]

In 1985, women equalled men in numbers for the first time. In 1990 the ladies' college existed as a residence only.^[1]

[edit] Academics

Maclean's Magazine has ranked St Francis Xavier as the top Primarily Undergraduate university in Canada for five consecutive years (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006). The university has also ranked first in alumni support for the past six years (2001-2006).^{[citation needed]} In 2007 Maclean's Magazine placed the university in 3rd place in the Primarily Undergraduate category, having been replaced by Mount Allison University and Acadia University, who tied for first place.^[3]

Between the years 2000 and 2004 more St Francis Xavier students, on a per capita basis, have received Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) awards for post-secondary study than any other university in Canada.^[4]

[edit] Campus renewal

The latest phase of the initiative announced in April 2007. An $11 million renovation of Bishops Hall, which includes Fraser, Burke and Plessis residences, finished in September 2007. The building was upgraded with wireless internet access, new heating, plumbing, ventilation and electrical systems, elevators were installed, and most rooms became single occupancy, with a small number of them remaining as double occupancy.^[5]