| Simon Fraser University | |
|---|---|
Simon Fraser University coat of arms |
|
| Motto | Nous sommes prêts (French) |
| Motto in English | "We are ready" |
| Established | 1965 |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | $209 million [1] |
| Chancellor | Carole Taylor |
| President | Andrew Petter |
| Provost | Dr. Jonathan Driver |
| Vice-Chancellor | Andrew Petter |
| Students | 35,204[2] |
| Undergraduates | 29,697 |
| Postgraduates | 5,507 |
| Location | Burnaby, Surrey, Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Campus | Urban, 1.7 km2 (0.66 sq mi) maintained, plus 3.3 km2 (1.3 sq mi) of SFU community |
| Colours | Red Blue |
| Nickname | Clan |
| Mascot | McFogg the Dog |
| Affiliations | NCAA Division II, AUCC, CARL, IAU, ACU, CIS, CUSID, CWUAA, CBIE, CUP. |
| Website | sfu.ca |
Simon Fraser University (commonly referred to as SFU) 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 1.7 km2 (0.66 sq mi) main campus in Burnaby, located 20 km (12 mi) from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000 students and 950 faculty members. The university is adjacent to a new urban village, called UniverCity, also on top of Burnaby Mountain.[3] The university was named after Simon Fraser, a North West Company fur trader and explorer. Undergraduate and graduate programs operate on a year-round tri-semester schedule.[4] It is the only Canadian university in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). In 2007, Simon Fraser University was the first and remains the only university to be awarded the Prix du XXe siècle from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada recognizing the "enduring excellence of nationally significant architecture".[5]
SFU was ranked 1st among Canada’s Comprehensive Universities in 2009, 2010, and 2011 by Macleans Magazine.[6][7][8]
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Simon Fraser University was founded upon the recommendation of a 1958 report entitled Higher Education in British Columbia and a Plan for the Future, by Dr. J.B. Macdonald, who recommended the creation of a new university in the Lower Mainland. The British Columbia Legislature gave formal assent on March 1, 1963 for the establishment of the university in Burnaby. [9]
In May of the same year, Dr. Gordon M. Shrum was appointed as the university's first Chancellor. From a variety of sites which were offered, Shrum recommended to the provincial government that the summit of Burnaby Mountain, 365 meters above sea level, be chosen for the new university. Architects Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey won a competition to design the university, and construction began in the spring of 1964. The campus faces northwest over Burrard Inlet. Eighteen months later, on September 9, 1965, the university began its first semester [10] with 2,500 students.
The campus was noted in the 1960s and early 1970s as a hotbed of political activism, culminating in a crisis in the Department of Political Science, Sociology, and Anthropology in a dispute involving ideological differences among faculty. The resolution to the crisis included the dismantling of the department into today's separate departments.[11]
The school's original coat of arms was used from the university's inception until 2006, at which point the Board of Governors voted to adapt the old coat of arms and thereby register a second coat of arms. The adaptation replaced two crosslets with books after some in the university asserted the crosses had misled prospective foreign students into believing SFU was a private, religious institution rather than a public, secular one.[12] In 2007, the university decided to register both the old coat of arms and the revised coat of arms featuring the books. In 2007, a new marketing logo was unveiled, consisting of white letters on block red.[13]
SFU's president is Andrew Petter, whose term began on September 1, 2010. Petter succeeds Dr. Michael Stevenson. who held a decade long post as President from 2000 to 2010.[14]
In 2009, SFU became the first Canadian university to be accepted into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).[15] Starting in the 2011-2012 season, SFU will be competing in the NCAA’s Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC). Once completed, the transition will move all 19 Simon Fraser Clan teams into the NCAA.
SFU's research efforts have led it to obtain the highest publication impact among Canadian comprehensive universities, and the highest success rates per faculty member in competitions for Federal research council funding from NSERC and SSHRC.[16] In 2007, the University began offering dual and double degrees by partnering with international universities. The first partnership involved Zhejiang University and a dual Computing-Science degree. One year later, the University partnered with Australia's Monash University, to offer a double Bachelor of Arts degree.[17]
SFU has been rated as Canada's best comprehensive university (in 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011) in the annual rankings of Canadian universities in Maclean's magazine since 1991. Research Infosource, Canada’s leading provider of research intelligence evaluation, named SFU the top comprehensive university in Canada for “publication effectiveness” in 2006. Similar to most Canadian universities, SFU is a public university, with more than half of funding coming from taxpayers and the remaining from tuition fees.
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| Simon Fraser University | |
| ARWU World[18] | 201-301 |
| ARWU Social Sciences[19] | 52-75 |
| THE-WUR World[20] | 226-250 |
| Canadian rankings | |
| ARWU National[21] | 9-18 |
| Maclean's Comprehensive[22] | 1 |
In academic year 2010-11, SFU is home to 29,697 undergraduates, with 14,911 of them being full-time and 14,786 part-time.[23] The university has grown in recent years recently achieving an alumni population of over 100,000. It has 946 faculty members and 3,403 staff.[24] In fall semester 2011, 4,182 International students enrolled, making up 17% of the undergraduate student body, one of the highest among Canadian universities. The majority of these international students (60%) come from Mainland China, followed by South Korea (6%) and Hong Kong(6%).[25] SFU's student union is known as the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS), which includes undergraduates who study at SFU.
The university enrolls over 5,000 graduate students in a wide range of full-time and part-time academic programs.[26] International students comprise 20% of the graduate student population as a whole and 30-40% in science and technology areas. A Graduate Student Society[27] supports and advocates for graduate students at 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), 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 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. SFU is also a partner institution in Great Northern Way Campus Ltd in Vancouver. In March 2006, SFU approved an affiliation agreement with a private college for international students to be housed 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.[28]
There are eight faculties at Simon Fraser University:
Simon Fraser University has three campuses, each located in different parts of Greater Vancouver. SFU's main campus is located in Burnaby, atop Burnaby Mountain. Two satellite campuses are located in Vancouver's Downtown at Harbour Centre, and in Surrey. The downtown campus has expanded to include several other buildings in recent years, including the Segal Graduate School of Business, now known officially as SFU Vancouver. In September 2010, SFU Contemporary Arts[29] moved into the Woodward’s redevelopment, known as the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. SFU's three campuses are all accessible by public transit. The Vancouver campus is a block away from the Waterfront SkyTrain station while the Surrey campus is adjacent to the Surrey Central SkyTrain station. The Burnaby campus is linked to the Production Way-University and Sperling-Burnaby Lake SkyTrain stations by frequent shuttle bus service.
The main campus is located atop Burnaby Mountain, at an elevation of 365 metres, overlooking the Burrard inlet to the north. All major departments in the university are housed at the Burnaby campus. 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. The campus also has two gym-complexes, named the Lorne-Davies Complex and Chancellor's Gym. An international-sized swimming pool is located within the Lorne-Davies Complex. Since the relocation of the School of Contemporary Arts to the Woodward's location, the Burnaby campus production theatre has been vacant. Located within the heart of the campus is the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and three art galleries. The campus has been awarded numerous architectural awards over the years, including the Gold Medal for Lieutenant-Governor 2009 Awards in Architecture and the 2007 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Prix du XXe siècle.[30]
The Burnaby campus is composed of a vast complex of interconnected buildings spanning across 1.7 km2 of land across Burnaby Mountain, from the eastern end of the campus to the western side, where the UniverCity urban village is located. The campus consists of the following buildings:
The SFU Burnaby Campus has a single library called the W. A. C. Bennett Library which holds over 2 million published books, and 6000 print subscriptions. Along with the UniverCity development agreement, residents of UniverCity are also allowed to borrow books from the library. An additional art gallery is located inside the library. SFU also has a Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, which holds many exhibits on lease from the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria. The exhibits are created by students as part of the museum studies courses offered in the Department of Archaeology. Archaeological collections arising from excavations and other research by faculty, staff and students are also housed in the museum.
Also located at the SFU Library is the Electronic Document Centre, which provides internet access to digitized documents from a number of archival collections, such as Harrison Brown's Xi'an Incident collection,[31] and the history of British Columbia and Western Canada in general, including documents from the Doukhobor migration from the Russian Empire to Saskatchewan and then to British Columbia assembled for donation to the university by John Keenlyside [32]
The SFU Burnaby Campus provides residence to 1766 SFU and FIC students in 6 different areas, all located on the western-side of the campus.
UniverCity is an urban community located on top of Burnaby Mountain, adjacent to Simon Fraser University. It has won several awards for sustainable planning and development.[33] Envisioned in 1963 by Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey, the area adjacent to the University was not officially rezoned for development until 30 years later. Development of the community began in early 2000, when Simon Fraser University commenced construction on a new residential and commercial area occupying approximately 200 acres (0.81 km2) adjacent to the campus. As of September 2011, approximately 3000 people live in UniverCity. The main commercial district on University High Street now houses restaurants, stores, and a 20,000 square foot Nester's Market. A new elementary school, University Highlands Elementary, opened on September 1, 2010. Several new residential developments are currently in progress, including the construction of a 12-storey highrise in the heart of UniverCity.[34]
The SFU Surrey campus is the most recent satellite campus. It is located in downtown Surrey, B.C., a quickly growing suburb of Vancouver. The campus is part of Central City, an architectural complex adjacent to the Surrey Central SkyTrain station. It was established in 2002 to absorb the students and programs of the former Technical University of British Columbia which was closed by the provincial government. It has since expanded to house the Surrey operations of other SFU programs. The Central City complex that houses the campus was designed by architect Bing Thom and opened in 2006.
SFU Vancouver was launched in the 1980s with a store-front classroom. It was the first urban university classroom in British Columbia. A significant portion of funding for the building of the campus came from the private sector. The Vancouver campus has four buildings spread across the downtown core: SFU Harbour Centre, the Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue, the Segal Graduate School of Business and SFU Contemporary Arts at Woodward's. The original campus building at Harbour Centre, a rebuilt heritage department store, officially opened on May 5, 1989. Today, the entire campus serves more than 70,000 people annually. Approximately 10,000 are graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in courses and degree programs based downtown.
In September 2010, SFU Contemporary Arts relocated to the historic Woodward’s district in downtown Vancouver known as the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. The 130,000-square-foot (12,077 m2) SFU facility is part of the Woodward's revitalization project. The new facility accommodates the increasing enrollment of students in the programme and new cultural facilities, including the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental theatre, screening rooms, sound studios, and art galleries.
The student newspaper The Peak was established shortly after the university opened and is circulated throughout the University. CJSF-FM radio is the school's radio station, broadcasting from 90.1 FM to Burnaby and surrounding communities, online at www.cjsf.ca or on cable at 93.9 FM. The Simon Fraser Student Society provides funding for over 100 campus clubs. Various campus events include the annual Terry Fox Run, Gung Haggis Fat Choy, Clubs Week, and other multi-cultural events. The Tau chapter of Phrateres, a non-exclusive, non-profit social-service club, was installed here in 1966. Between 1924 and 1967, 23 chapters of Phrateres were installed in universities across North America, including the Theta chapter nearby at the University of British Columbia.
The university's varsity sports teams are called the Simon Fraser Clan, and the mascot is a Scottish Terrier named McFogg the Dog. In sports and other competitions, there tends to be a strong rivalry between SFU and The University of British Columbia.
The Clan competes in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and the U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA). In total, SFU has 15 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. The lacrosse team plays in the MCLA, and has reached the final four of the national tournament five times. The team is the only collegiate lacrosse team in Canada to compete for a national title. SFU has won the NAIA NACDA Director's Cup five times, among others.[35] On Friday, July 10, 2009, the NCAA announced that it has accepted SFU as a Division II member that will begin after a two year transition period. SFU will compete in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.[36] It is the first Canadian university to be accepted as a member of the NCAA at any level.[37]
Many former Clan athletes later represented Canada during the Olympic Games, including gold medalists Carole Huynh and Daniel Igali, and Olympic medalists Sue Holloway and Hugh Fisher. Other Clan alumni include: Jay Triano, Jeff Thue, Bob Molle, Chris Rinke, Garry MacDonald, and Bruce Robertson.
There are also teams at Simon Fraser University that compete against other university teams at the varsity level. These sports include rowing, lacrosse (in the MCLA), hockey and cheerleading.
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.
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.
Board Members As of June 1, 2011[38]
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.
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.
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.
One of the most highly regarded SFU alumni and one of Canada's most treasured sons is the late Terry Fox. Diagnosed with bone cancer which resulted in the amputation of his leg, the 18-year-old kinesiology major set out to cross Canada on a grueling run called the Marathon of Hope to raise funding and awareness about cancer. As a result of Terry Fox's legacy, running for charitable causes is now integrated within communities worldwide. He also inspired friend Rick Hansen's Man in Motion world tour by wheelchair. In 2001, SFU awarded an honorary degree to Betty Fox, mother of Terry Fox and Honorary Chair of the Terry Fox Foundation.
In 1967, SFU awarded an honorary LL.D. (doctor of laws) to Marshall McLuhan, the first honorary degree awarded by the university.[41] 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. At each convocation, SFU awards honorary degrees to various people from around the world for their activities and pursuits. Other honorary alumni include skier Nancy Greene Raine, Milton Wong, Doris Shadbolt, dancer and choreographer Judith Marcuse, economist Jeffrey Sachs, Peter Gzowski, Douglas Coupland, Romeo Dallaire, Canadian businessman Stephen Jarislowsky, Iain Baxter, American agriculturalist Cary Fowler, Martha Piper, Sarah McLachlan, and Rick Hansen.[42]
Rhodes Scholars
Due to the contemporary Brutalist architecture of the Burnaby Mountain campus, many buildings, including the WAC Bennet Library and Academic Quadrangle have been used for location shots in a variety of films and television programmes over the years.[44]
Its first use as a film set was for the 1972 science fiction film The Groundstar Conspiracy, in which the entire campus complex was used. It was then followed by The Fly 2, which has scenes shot inside and outside the Burnaby campus. The campus also appeared in the 1989 movie American Boyfriends, set in 1965, with the buildings dressed to look like they were still under construction. The campus served as a high-tech corporate setting in the film Antitrust. 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 as well as Agent Cody Banks. The 2007 film Personal Effects was filmed in the newly-constructed Blusson Hall at the Burnaby Campus. In early 2008, the Burnaby campus was again used for filming, this time for The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008 Remake). Filming of the 2012 movie Underworld 4 starring Kate Beckinsale began in early 2011 with parts of the AQ modified as part of the set. The SFU Surrey Campus has also been featured in blockbuster movies such as iRobot, Fantastic Four and Catwoman.
The Burnaby campus has been prominently featured in science fiction television series such as Stargate SG-1, Battlestar Galactica and Andromeda. The Academic Quadrangle has also served as a backdrop for shots of "headquarters" in the television series The X-Files. Exterior shots of the Academic Quadrangle have also been used in the Vancouver-based TV series JPod (based on the book). The SFU Surrey campus has been featured in several episodes of Caprica with the entire mezzanine and registration area being transformed into the Caprica Inter-colonial Space Port. It has also been featured in the Smallville TV series. Recently, filming of the TV show Hellcats commenced in the West Gym of the Chancellor's Gymnasium in November 2010.
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