Motto | Age Quod Agis(Latin) |
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Motto in English | "What You Do, Do Well" |
Type | Public |
Established | 1802 |
Academic affiliation | AUCC, IAU, UArctic, ACU, CUSID, CBIE |
Endowment | $53.7 million (2021) [1] |
Chancellor | Michael Durland [2] |
President | Robert Summerby-Murray |
Vice-president | Madine VanderPlaat (Interim) Todd Williams (Interim) Erin Sargeant Greenwood |
Visitor | Anthony Mancini |
Academic staff | 501 (2014) [3] |
Administrative staff | 484 (2014) [3] |
Students | 6,257 (2023) [4] |
Undergraduates | 5,497 |
Location | 923 Robie Street, Halifax , , Canada |
Campus | Urban, 32 ha (79 acres) |
Colours | Maroon and white |
Nickname | Huskies |
Sporting affiliations | U Sports, AUS |
Mascot | Husky |
Website | smu.ca |
Saint Mary's University (SMU) is a public university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The school is best known for having nationally leading programs [5] in business [6] and chemistry. [7] The campus is situated in Halifax's South End and covers approximately 32 hectares (79 acres). [8]
Saint Mary's is the second-oldest English-speaking and first Roman Catholic-initiated university in Canada. The Roman Catholic church founded Saint Mary's College in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1802. It was established in Glebe House, on the corner of Spring Garden Road and Barrington Street, with the aim of extending educational opportunities for Catholic youth and training candidates for the clergy. [9]
In 1840 the Nova Scotia Legislature bestowed the degree granting charter to Saint Mary's and eleven years later granted the university formal legal status. Saint Mary's collapsed in 1883, but was revived in 1903 by Cornelius O'Brien, then Archbishop of Halifax. It reopened as a high school in a new campus on Windsor Street, near the junction with Quinpool Road. [9]
In 1913 the Christian Brothers of Ireland were asked by the Archdiocese of Halifax to direct the college and academic programs. Degree-granting resumed in 1918. With this change of leadership the university's reputation thrived as a liberal arts institution and expanded its undergraduate programs, with the most notable being the Faculty of Commerce in 1934 (now known as the Sobey School of Business), which was the first of its kind in Canada. In 1940 the Upper Province of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) was invited to succeed the Christian Brothers as both administrators and faculty. A Roll of Honour at Saint Mary's University is dedicated to students of Saint Mary's College who volunteered for the Second World War. [10]
Due to rapid growth the college was fast outgrowing the Windsor Street campus, and so the Gorsebrook Golf Club was purchased in 1943. Construction of the new campus was delayed by wartime steel shortages. [9] The relocation was completed in 1952. The former college building was rented by the Halifax school board and the overcrowded Saint Patrick's Boys' School was relocated there. [11] The modern Saint Patrick's High School opened on the site in 1954 and operated until 2007. The old Saint Mary's College building was rented for a time by the Maritime Conservatory of Music before it was sold to the city in 1968 and demolished to make way for the expansion of Saint Patrick's. [11] [12]
The next 30 years would see the university flourish under Jesuit supervision, with such advancements as the formal recognition of the "college" as a university in 1952 and purchasing the first computer in Atlantic Canada (a Royal McBee LGP-30) in 1959. In 1970 the Jesuits formally incorporated the university under the "Acts of Incorporation" which gave all administrative and academic duties to the Board of Governors and Academic Senate, making Saint Mary's a secular institution. [13] Saint Mary's University was established by the Saint Mary's University Act, 1970. [14]
In 1951, the High School moved with Saint Mary's College to the Robie Street campus where they occupied three classrooms on the second floor of the new McNally building. The High School offered an embellished junior matriculation for grades 9,10,11 and many of the boys entered Saint Mary's directly upon graduation although some went to Saint Patrick's or Queen Elizabeth to attend grade 12. The Jesuit influence, which incorporated the principles of a sound mind and a sound body, meant that everyone who attended the high school became an active participant in intramural hockey, football, and basketball.
With fewer than 100 students enrolled in any one year, developing teams to represent Saint Mary's University High School on the extracurricular level seemed daunting but with the astute coaching of the future Hall of Fame coach, Frank "Mr Basketball" Baldwin, success was achieved. Saint Mary's High School "A" and "B" basketball teams won three straight Halifax City Championships. Back to back Provincial Headmasters Championships by the "A" team in 1960–61 and 1961–62 epitomized the rich athletic tradition cultivated by the Jesuits. This accomplishment was even more significant when you consider that the school drew its athletes from fewer than 100 students.
The Saint Mary's University High School closed in 1963. A plaque detailing the history of the high school was placed at the entrance to the McNally building in 1988 as part of a Twenty Five year reunion.
Since then the university has continued expansion of its academic programs with the most notable being the offerings of doctoral level studies in astronomy and business and the accreditation of the business school with the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). At the same time the university has expanded its campus facilities with noted additions of the Burke–Gaffney Observatory in the 1970s and the Sobey Building in 1998. In 1992, the Faculty of Commerce was renamed the Sobey School of Business, after Frank H. Sobey, founder of Sobeys. In 2001, SMU's Huskies were the first Atlantic Canadian university team to advance to the world finals in the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest World Finals.[ citation needed ]
In early 1994 workers renovating the Rice Residence found that an exterior wall on the 16th storey was dangerously unstable and posed a hazard to those walking below. Over 250 students were moved to the Halifax Hilton, which had recently gone out of business, which was used as a temporary residence while repairs were carried out. [15]
In the 1990s the provincial government sought to cut funding to Nova Scotia's universities. Teacher education programs were consolidated at Mount Saint Vincent University, Acadia University, and Université Sainte-Anne, while the education faculties at Saint Mary's and Dalhousie were wound up and the 140-year-old Nova Scotia Teachers College was closed altogether. [16] The Saint Mary's education program ended in the spring of 1996. It was not forcibly closed by the province, but the minister of education stated that he would only licence teachers who had graduated from the three approved universities. [17]
In 2013 the Saint Mary's High School basketball achievement was recognized at the Hall of Fame events and a plaque containing the names of all of the players who represented the school on the 1959–1962. The plaque can be seen in the Tower at Saint Mary's University.
Saint Mary's comprises four faculties:
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The Saint Mary's 80-acre (32 hectare) campus is located in the south end, not far from Downtown Halifax and just down the road from Dalhousie University. Major buildings include:
Over the past decade many of the older buildings on campus have been substantially renovated. In March 2005, Saint Mary's started the “Science Building Renewal Project” which was estimated to cost $100 million. [8] This project is part of the larger project the “University’s Strategic Directions and Academic Plan” which was developed in consultation with students, faculty and local citizens in order to meet both the needs of the university and local community over the next decade. The project focused on modernising and expanding the science faculty's resources, generally renewing the architectural, mechanical and electrical infrastructures of the Science Building, providing additional office and research space to faculty members, improving lab layout, and integrating with future campus developments.
The university completed construction of the Atrium and Global Commons project in late 2009. The three-storey $17.5 million complex links the Science Centre, the Burke Building and the Patrick Power Library. The space features a common area, theatre style classrooms, offices and study spaces. The project also features advanced green environmental technologies, has fully integrated hard and Wi-Fi systems, a food outlet and a three-storey green wall.
The 62-year-old McNally Building recently underwent a $27 million renewal thanks in large part to the Canadian governments Infrastructure Renewal Programme. Most of the interior of the four floor, four wing complex was rebuilt.
Construction of the new Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness began in October 2010. This complex, an extension of the Tower Fitness Centre, houses new space for community health and wellness activities and is the new home for the Centre for the Study of Sport and Health. The $8 million project was funded by a donation from real estate developer and manager Richard Homburg and the university's capital campaign.[ citation needed ] It opened in 2012.
960 Tower Road, a three-storey, 28,000 square foot building, opened in 2013. It is home to the English as a second language program as well as the Sobey School Business Development Centre, which moved back to campus from a downtown location. [18] The university stirred controversy when it demolished the former Halifax Infants’ Home in 2014. [19]
SMU's new Dauphinee Centre ice arena sits on the site of the 54 year old Alumni Arena. Made possible through generous donations from the estate of the late alumni Bob Dauphinee and SMU parents Glen and Nancy Holmes. The Dauphinee Centre is connected to the Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness, by a pedway and features an NHL regulation ice surface, heated viewing gallery, community meeting rooms, canteen facilities and capacity of 1200 fans.
Construction is presently underway on the new $30-million, Entrepreneurship and Innovation HUB at the southern edge of the campus. 42,700-square-foot building will be integrated with the Loyola Academic Complex and the Sobey Building. University administration anticipate completion of the building by 2023. [20]
The Saint Mary's University mace shows the religious background of this now secular institution. There are crests for the Archdiocese of Halifax. the LaSalle Christian Brothers, the Irish Christian Brothers and the Jesuits.
On 27 May 2002, Canada Post issued "Saint Mary's University, 1802–2002" as part of the Canadian Universities series, based upon a design by Steven Slipp, based on photographs by James Steeves and on an illustration by Bonnie Ross. The 48¢ stamps are perforated 13.5 and were printed by Ashton-Potter Canada Limited. [21]
In June 2021, Saint Mary's University announced a rebranding of its logo, backgrounds and tag lines. [22]
This article needs additional citations for verification .(February 2021) |
University rankings | |
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Global rankings | |
Canadian rankings | |
Maclean's Undergrad [23] | 4 |
Maclean's Reputation [24] | 39 |
The annual Maclean's rankings evaluate universities on 13 performance measures. Maclean's evaluates universities in three categories, with Saint Mary's being ranked amongst other universities the publication categorized as "primarily undergraduate" institutions. In Maclean's 2023 rankings, Saint Mary's was ranked third amongst 19 "primarily undergraduate" universities in Canada. [23]
The Canadian University Report is conducted annually by The Globe and Mail , and reflects the opinions of more than 33,000 undergraduate students across the country as gathered in a student satisfaction survey. Saint Mary's University is in the "small" category of along with 15 other universities with enrolment between 4,000 and 12,000 students.
The Canadian University Report stated that overall student satisfaction had a grade of B+ in 2013, the same as in 2012, A− in quality of teaching, A− in class size, A− in buildings and facilities and improvement shown in six key categories.
The Huskies won back-to-back Canadian University Football Championships (2001 & 2002), the third university to do so (after Manitoba and Western). [25]
In 2010, the men Huskies won their first CIS University Hockey Cup by defeating the Alberta Golden Bears 3–2 in overtime.
The Saint Mary's University Students' Association (SMUSA) is the official representation of the students of Saint Mary's University. The association was incorporated in 1966, however, unofficially has represented students for many years previous. The Association main offices are located on the top floor of the student centre at the heart of campus. [ citation needed ]
SMUSA provides such services as a safe drive program, tutor database, online book exchange, health and dental plans and the Gorsebrook Lounge. SMUSA also operates many departments that help in the mission of serving students and making their lives at Saint Mary's the best possible. These departments include the volunteer department, events and programming, marketing and communications, the yearbook, the information desk and husky patrol.
The Saint Mary's University Students Association is represented federally by the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations and provincially by StudentsNS (formerly ANSSA). [ citation needed ]
SMUSA came under scrutiny after their first-year student orientation in 2013. A traditional chant promoting non-consensual sex with underage girls was posted on Instagram, and then picked up by traditional media. Student union president Jared Perry resigned as president of Students Nova Scotia but stayed on as head of the university's student association. [26] Saint Mary's University Communications manager Steve Proctor opined that "nobody actually doing the cheer believed in what it was" but the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre reported that it received calls from survivors specifically regarding the cheer. [26] Peter MacKay, a federal cabinet minister from Nova Scotia, also criticized the chant as "offensive and dangerous". [27] A review conducted in the following months detailed a plan to require sensitivity training for the frosh leaders and to discuss informed consent with the incoming students. The university also changed the name "Orientation Week" to "Welcome Week" for 2014. [28]
Saint Mary's University is home to numerous student based sports clubs that provide club members with the opportunity to get involved in a variety of athletic activities. Clubs include, but are not limited to:
The Saint Mary's University Academic Senate is the part of a bicameral university governance structure responsible for academic decisions at the university. It is paired with a board of governors responsible for administrative and financial decisions. [34] The Senate has ten ex-officio members: the president, vice-presidents, deans, registrar, director of student services, director of continuing education, and university librarian. Fifteen faculty members are elected to three year terms and five students are elected by the general university population to one year terms. [35]
The academic senate is governed by the Saint Mary's University Act and subject to the powers of the university's Board and is responsible for the educational policy of the university in addition to:
Acadia University is a public, predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada, with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level. The enabling legislation consists of the Acadia University Act and the Amended Acadia University Act 2000.
Dalhousie University is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus in Saint John, New Brunswick. Dalhousie offers over 200 degree programs in 13 undergraduate, graduate, and professional faculties. The university is a member of the U15, a group of research-intensive universities in Canada.
Mount Saint Vincent University, often referred to as the Mount, is a public, primarily undergraduate, university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was established in 1873. Mount Saint Vincent offers undergraduate Arts, Science, Education, and Professional Studies undergraduate programs. The Mount has 13 graduate degrees in Applied Human Nutrition, School Psychology, Child and Youth Study, Education, Family Studies and Gerontology, Public Relations and Women's Studies. The Mount offers a doctorate program and a Ph.D. in Educational Studies through a joint initiative with St. Francis Xavier University and Acadia University. The Mount offers over 190 courses, ten undergraduate degree programs, and four online graduate degree programs.
Cape Breton University (CBU) is a public university located in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the only post-secondary degree-granting institution within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and on Cape Breton Island. The university is enabled by the Cape Breton University Act passed by the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. Prior to this, CBU was enabled by the University College of Cape Breton Act (amended). The University College of Cape Breton's Coat of Arms were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority on May 27, 1995.
Mount Allison University is a Canadian primarily undergraduate liberal arts university located in Sackville, New Brunswick, founded in 1839.
The University of King's College is a public liberal arts university in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Established in 1789, it is the oldest chartered university in Canada, and the oldest English-speaking university in the Commonwealth outside of the United Kingdom. The university is regarded for its Foundation Year Program (FYP), an undergraduate curriculum designed to comprehensively study a variety of intellectual developments—past and present—through great books and ideas. It is also known for its upper-year interdisciplinary programs, particularly in contemporary studies, early modern studies, and the history of science and technology. In addition, the university has a journalism school that attracts students from across the world for its intensive graduate programs in journalism, writing, and publishing.
The Saint Mary's Huskies are the men's and women's athletic teams that represent Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their primary home turf is Huskies Stadium, located in the centre of the university's campus.
The Schulich School of Law is the law school of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Founded in 1883 as Dalhousie Law School, it is the oldest university-based common law school in Canada. It adopted its current name in October 2009 after receiving a $20-million endowment from Canadian businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich.
St. Francis Xavier University is a public undergraduate liberal arts university located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is a member of the Maple League, a group of primarily undergraduate universities in Eastern Canada.
NSCAD University, also known as the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), is a public art university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university is a co-educational institution that offers bachelor's and master's degrees. The university also provides continuing education services through its School of Extended Studies.
Université Sainte-Anne is a French-language university in Pointe-de-l'Église, Nova Scotia, Canada. It and the Université de Moncton in New Brunswick are the only French-language universities in the Maritime Provinces.
The Halifax Forum is an arena and multi-purpose facility in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Its uses include sporting events, bingo, ice skating, concerts and markets. It was built in 1927 on the site of the former Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition which was badly damaged by the Halifax explosion in 1917. It opened on 26 December 1927 and incorporated the first artificial ice surface east of Montreal. It is the second biggest arena in Nova Scotia, and the fifth biggest in Atlantic Canada. The building was added to the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 2003.
J. Colin Dodds was the President of Saint Mary's University, Halifax, in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.
Frank Hoyse Sobey, OC was a Canadian businessman and art collector who was the primary builder of the Sobeys chain of supermarkets.
The Nova Scotia Teachers College (NSTC) was a normal school located in the Canadian town of Truro, Nova Scotia.
Halifax, Nova Scotia has the largest selection of education options in Atlantic Canada.
The Sobey School of Business is the business school of Saint Mary's University (SMU), located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Originally established in 1934 as the Saint Mary's University Faculty of Commerce, the program was one of the first business programs in Canada. The school is consistently ranked as one of the top business schools in Canada. Most recently, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) placed Sobey's MBA program in the top ten in Canada. In November, 2018, Corporate Knights placed the Sobey MBA at number 8 in its Better World MBA ranking. It is the most comprehensive business school in Atlantic Canada. In 1992, the Faculty of Commerce was renamed the Sobey School of Business after Frank H. Sobey, the founder of Empire Company Limited and Sobeys. The Sobey School of Business offers a well-respected Bachelor of Commerce program, with a wide range of specialties, including entrepreneurship, finance, accounting, computing and information systems and human resource management and industrial relations. The School also provides a range of graduate-level programs including a Master of Business Administration, a Master of Finance, a Master of Applied Economics, a Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and a well-respected Ph.D. program. Also under the Sobey School's umbrella are executive and professional development courses and the Saint Mary's University Entrepreneurship Centre.
Higher education in Nova Scotia refers to education provided by higher education institutions. In Canada, education is the responsibility of the provinces and there is no Canadian federal ministry governing education. Nova Scotia has a population of one million people, but is home to ten public universities and the Nova Scotia Community College, which offers programs at 13 locations.
The Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University, also known as Dalhousie Medical School, is a medical school and faculty of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
The Saint Mary's Huskies men's ice hockey team is an ice hockey team representing the Saint Mary's Huskies athletics program of Saint Mary's University. The team is a member of the Atlantic University Sport conference and compete in U Sports. The team plays their home games at the Dauphinee Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.