University of Manitoba

Historical photo of the university

The University of Manitoba is a non-denominational university, founded by Alexander Morris, that received a charter on February 28, 1877, becoming the first university to be established in all of western Canada.[5] It officially opened on June 20, 1877[9] to confer degrees on students graduating from its three founding colleges: St. Boniface College (Roman Catholic/Francophone), St John's College (Anglican), and Manitoba College (Presbyterian). The U of M would grant its first degrees in 1880.[10]

The University would add a number of colleges to its corporate and associative body since. In 1882, the Manitoba Medical College, founded by physicians and surgeons, became a part of the University. The College's Bacteriological Research Building would be designed by architect Charles Henry Wheeler in 1897,[11] while the Science Building, between 1899–1900 by architect George Creeford Browne.[12] Other colleges soon followed:

• Methodist Church's Wesley College (1888)[13]
• Manitoba College of Pharmacy (1902)
• Manitoba Agriculture College (1906)
• St. Paul's College (1931)
• Brandon College (1938)
• St. Andrew's College (1946)

In 1901, the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba would change the University Act so as to allow the University to do its own teaching. In 1905, a building in downtown Winnipeg became the University's first teaching facility, with a staff of six science professors. The governance would be modeled on the provincial University of Toronto Act (1906), which would establish a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate (faculty), who are responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors (citizens), who exercise exclusive control over financial policy and have formal authority in all other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was to provide a link between the two bodies and to perform institutional leadership.[13]

In the early part of the 20th 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.[13]

The Manitoba Medical Alumni Association would erect the Medical Corps Memorial, dedicated to the memory of the graduates and students of the University of Manitoba Medical College, who had laid down their lives during the North West Rebellion (1 name); 1900 South African War (1 name); and The Great War [i.e., World War I] (7 names).[14]

The first school of architecture in western Canada was founded in 1919 at the University of Manitoba.[15]

By 1920, the University would be the largest university in the Canadian Prairies and the fifth largest in Canada, with 1,654 male and 359 female students, as well as 184 academic staff (including 6 women). It had eight faculties: Arts, Science, Law, Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, Pharmacy, and Agriculture.[16]

Robson Hall – Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law was an affiliated college, the Manitoba Law School, which was founded in 1914 by the University and the Law Society of Manitoba. In 1920, the college had 123 students (including 5 women), and 21 academic staff.[16] The college would become a full part of the university in 1966.[17]

Originally located on Broadway, the University would move to its permanent site in Fort Garry in 1929, following the addition of more programs, schools, and faculties. The university maintained the Broadway facilities for many years.[10]

The University would establish an Evening Institute in 1936.

St. Andrew's College, which originally trained the ministry for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, became an affiliated college in 1981. The College would be the first Ukrainian-language college opened by the Orthodox Church in North America. Today, it remains a home to a large Ukrainian cultural and religious library.

Responding to population pressure, the policy of university education would be initiated in the 1960s.[13] As result, in 1967, two of the colleges that had originally been part of the University of Manitoba were given university status of their own by the provincial government: United College, which had been formed by the merging of Wesley College and Manitoba College, would become the University of Winnipeg; and Brandon College would become Brandon University.

St. Boniface College and St. John's College, two of the founding colleges of the University, still remain part of the University of Manitoba. St. Boniface is the University's only French-language college, offering instruction in French, as well as facilities for the training of teachers who expect to teach in the French language. St. John's, which dates back to 1820, offers instruction in Arts and Science and, among other special programs, prepares men and women for the ordained ministry of the Anglican Church.

On 28 February 2002, Canada Post issued 'University of Manitoba, 1877–2002' as part of the Canadian Universities series. The stamp was based on a design by Steven Slipp, based on photographs by Mike Grandmaison and on an illustration by Bonnie Ross. The 48¢ stamps are perforated 13.5 and were printed by Ashton-Potter Canada Limited.[18]

University of Manitoba Administration Building.

The William Norrie Centre on Selkirk Avenue is the campus for social work education for inner-city residents. The University operates agricultural research stations near Glenlea and Carman, Manitoba.[8] The Ian N. Morrison Research Farm near Carman is a 406 acres (164 ha) facility 70 km (43 mi) from Winnipeg, while the Glenlea facility is approximately 1,000 acres (405 ha) and is 20 km (12 mi) from Winnipeg. [21]

The Brodie Centre is the main building of the Bannatyne campus, which not only connects the various health education facilities but also the Neil John MacLean Health Sciences Library and the Joe Doupe Fitness Centre.

The College of Pharmacy, originally located at Fort Garry, moved to the Bannatyne campus on October 16, 2008 with the opening of the 95,000 sq ft (8,800 m²) Apotex Centre.[23] The Faculty of Pharmacy Apotex Centre is detached from the rest of the Bannatyne complex, located right across from the main entrance of the Brodie Centre.[24]

The Dental Building is the westernmost building of the entire campus, housing the Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry. The College encompasses the entirety of dental education offered at the U of M, including the School of Dental Hygiene.[25]

Although the College of Nursing also belongs to the consolidated Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, it remains on the Fort Garry campus until additional facilities can be built at Bannatyne.

The Max Rady College of Medicine has 27 academic departments found throughout the Bannatyne campus, the Health Sciences Centre, and other Winnipeg health sciences facilities.[26] Each department is involved in teaching, research, service and clinical activities with an academic staff of approximately 1,630 faculty members.[26] The college also consists of several centres, institutes, and research groups, often in partnership with other health sciences organizations.[26]

Since its establishment, the University of Manitoba has had eleven presidents in total, including:[41]

• James Alexander MacLean[42][43][44] (1913–1934)
• Sidney Earle Smith (1934–1944)
• Henry Percy Armes (1944–1945, acting)
• Albert William Trueman (1945–1948)
• Albert Henry S. Gillson (1948–1954)
• Hugh Hamilton Saunderson (1954–1970)
• Ernest Sirluck (1970–1976)
• Ralph Campbell (1976–1981)
• Arnold Naimark (1981–1996)
• Emőke J. E. Szathmáry (1996–2008)
• David T. Barnard (2008–present)

Andrew Knox Dysart served as Chancellor from 1944 to 1952.

Since its establishment, the University of Manitoba has had fourteen chancellors in total. However, following the first chancellor, between 1904 and 1908, no successor was appointed by the Government.[45] The Vice-Chancellor is currently also the president, David Barnard.[46]

• Bp. Robert Machray (1887–1904)
• Rev. Samuel P. Matheson (1908–1934)
• John W. Dafoe (1934–1944)
• Justice Andrew Knox Dysart (1944–1952)
• Dr. Victor Sifton (1952–1959)
• Justice Samuel Freedman (1959–1968)
• Dr. Peter D. Curry (1968–1974)
• Hon. Richard S. Bowles (1974–1977)
• Dr. Isabel G. Auld, CM (1977–1986)
• Dr. Henry E. Duckworth, OC (1986–1992)
• Dr. Arthur Mauro, OC OM (1992–2001)
• Dr. Bill Norrie, CM (2001–2010)
• Harvey Secter, OM (2010–2019)
• Anne Mahon (2019–June 2022)[46]

• Reg Alcock: former President of the Treasury Board of Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal cabinet
• Robert Archambeau: ceramic artist, Governor General's Award winner
• Arthur Henry Reginald Buller FRSC FRS: mycologist
• Patricia Churchland and Paul Churchland, former Professors of Philosophy: known for the school of eliminative materialism
• Jean Friesen, former Deputy Premier and Minister of Intergovernment Affairs of Manitoba Premier Gary Doer's NDP cabinet
• Aniruddha M. Gole: IEEE Fellow
• Frank Hawthorne FRSC, Professor of Mineral Sciences
• Larry Hurtado, Professor of Early Christianity and New Testament Languages (1975-1996): founding director of the Institute of the Humanities (1990-1992)
• Guy Maddin, former professor: film director
• Nathan Mendelsohn, Professor of Mathematics
• H. Clare Pentland, Professor of Economics
• Zalman Schachter-Shalomi: pioneer of the Jewish Renewal Movement
• Arthur Schafer: prominent ethicist, director of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics
• Carol Shields: Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Vaclav Smil: energy systems scientist and policy analyst
• Peter St John, 9th Earl of Orkney, former Professor of Political Studies, now a senior scholar
• Fernando de Toro, professor and dean
• H. C. Wolfart, Professor of Linguistics

The academic staff are represented by two unions. The professors are represented by the University of Manitoba Faculty Association,[47] while sessional instructors and teaching assistants are represented by the CUPE Local 3909,[48][49] and professors at the Faculty of Dentistry are represented by the University of Manitoba Dental Clinical Staff Association.[50]

The support staff are divided among many unions. The support staff and the campus security are represented by the AESES,[51] though the support staff at the Faculty of the Engineering are represented by CUPE Local 1482.[52] All outside workers are represented by the CAW Local 3007.[53]

As of 2010, there have been 96 Rhodes Scholars from the University of Manitoba, more than from any other university in Western Canada.[55][56]

The students at the university are members of the University of Manitoba Students' Union (UMSU). UMSU represents students at the Board of Governors and Senate, as well as providing programs and support to students. The University of Manitoba Graduate Students' Association (UMGSA) also represents over 3,000 graduate students at the University of Manitoba. The UMGSA is guided by its vision, goals and governing documents, all of which focus on promoting and providing graduate student advocacy, offering services and support to students, as well as developing and encouraging involvement in the graduate student community.

The National Panhellenic Conference sororities on campus are Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta, and Alpha Phi.[57] Fraternities on campus include Delta Upsilon, Delta Kappa Epsilon, and Phi Delta Theta.[58] Fraternity Rush and Sorority Recruitment occur during the first weeks of school in September.

Students can participate in the University of Manitoba Orchestra.[59]

• Bumsted, John M. 2001. The University of Manitoba: An Illustrated History. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press.
• Frazer, W. J. 1966. "A History of St. John's College, Winnipeg." M.A. thesis, University of Manitoba.
• Kinnear, Mary. 1992. "Disappointment in discourse: Women university professors at the University of Manitoba before 1970." Historical Studies in Education 4(2).
• Régnier, P.R. 1964. "A History of St. Boniface College." M.A. thesis, University of Manitoba.
• Hippocrates on the Red: the History of the Manitoba Medical School