Acadia University is a 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 Acadia University Act and the Amended Acadia University Act 2000.
The Wolfville Campus houses Acadia University Archives and the Acadia University Art Gallery. Acadia offers over 200 degree combinations in the Faculties of Arts, Pure and Applied Science, Professional Studies, and Theology. The student-faculty ratio is 15:1 and the average class size is 28. Open Acadia offers correspondence and distance education courses.
History
Acadia began as an extension of Horton Academy (1828), which was founded in Horton, Nova Scotia, by Baptists from Nova Scotia and Queen's College (1838). The College was later named Acadia College. Acadia University, established at Wolfville, Nova Scotia in 1838 has a strong Baptist religious affiliation.
It was designed to prepare men for the ministry and to supply education for lay members.
The two major Universities of the day in Nova Scotia were heavily controlled by Denominational structures. King's College (University of King's College) was an Anglican School and Dalhousie University, which was originally non-denominational, had placed itself under the control and direction of the Church of Scotland. It was the failure of Dalhousie to appoint a prominent Baptist pastor and scholar, Edmund Crawley, to the Chair of Classics, as had been expected, that really thrust into the forefront of Baptist thinking the need for a College established and run by the Baptists.
In 1838, the Nova Scotia Baptist Education Society founded Queen's College (named for Queen Victoria). The College began with 21 students in January 1839. The name "Queen's College" was denied to the Baptist school, so it was renamed "Acadia College" in 1841, in reference to the history of the area as an Acadian settlement. Acadia College awarded its first degrees in 1843 and became Acadia University in 1891, established by the Acadia University Act.
The Granville Street Baptist Church (now First Baptist Church (Halifax)) was an instrumental and determining factor in the founding of the University. It has played a supporting role throughout its history, and shares much of the credit for its survival and development. Many individuals who have made significant contributions to Acadia University, including the first president John Pryor, were members of the First Baptist Church Halifax congregation. Similarly, the adjacent Wolfville United Baptist Church plays a significant role in the life of the university.
The original charter of the college stated:
And be it further enacted, that no religious tests or subscriptions shall be required of the Professors Fellows, Scholars, Graduates or Officers of the said College; but that all the privileges and advantages thereof shall be open and free to all and every Person and Persons whomsoever, without regard to religious persuasion ... And it shall and may be lawful for the trustees and Governors of the said College to select as Professors, and other Teaches or Officers, competent persons of any religious persuasion whatever, provided such person or persons shall be of moral and religious character.
This was unique at the time, and a direct result of Baptists being denied entry into other schools that required religious tests of their students and staff.
In 1851, the power of appointing governors was transferred from the Nova Scotia Baptist Education Society to the Baptist Convention of the Maritime Provinces.
Charles Osborne Wickenden (architect), and J.C. Dumaresq designed the Central Building, Acadia College, 1878â€"79.
Clara Belle Marshall, from Mount Hanley, Nova Scotia, became the first woman to graduate from Acadia University in 1879.
In 1891, there were changes in the Act of Incorporation.
Andrew R. Cobb designed several campus buildings including: Raynor Hall Residence, 1916; Horton House, designed by Cobb in the Georgian style, and built by James Reid of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia was opened in 1915 as Horton Academy. Today, Horton Hall is the home of the Department of Psychology and Research and Graduate Studies. Emmerson Hall, built in 1913, is particularly interesting for the variety of building stones used. In 1967 Emmerson Hall was converted to classrooms and offices for the School of Education. It is a registered Heritage Property.
Unveiled on 16 August 1963, a wooden and metal organ in Manning Chapel, Acadia University, is dedicated to Acadia University's war dead of the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. A book of remembrance in Manning Chapel, Acadia University was unveiled on 1 March 1998 through the efforts of the Wolfville Historical Society
In 1966, the Baptist denomination relinquished direct control over the University. The denomination maintains nine seats on the University's Board of Governors.
On 4 January 2008, Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb decided to step down as President and Vice Chancellor of the University before her term expired. Her resignation was effective 29 February 2008. Ray Ivany began his position as President and Vice-Chancellor on 1 April 2009.
On 5 February 2016, it was announced that Ray Ivany would be leaving his post as President of Acadia University at the end of the 2017 academic year. In a statement provided to The Chronicle Herald, Ivany wrote "I came to Acadia in 2009 because I respected the institution’s history, the faculty and staff who had established its reputation, its alumni who care deeply about the university, and its students who, year after year, earn awards and recognition for their work. In my time here, I have discovered the same Acadia magic that attracts students from around the world". It is not yet known who will succeed Ivany as university President.
Faculty strikes
Acadia University's Board of Governors and members of the Acadia University Faculty Association (AUFA) have ratified a new collective agreement news release covering the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2014. The faculty of Acadia University have been on strike twice in the history of the institution. The first was 24 February to 12 March 2004. The second was 15 October to 5 November 2007. The second strike was resolved after the province's labour minister, Mark Parent, appointed a mediator, on 1 November, to facilitate an agreement.
Academics
Profile
As a primarily undergraduate institution, the university places significant importance on teaching and instruction.
The mission of Acadia University is to provide a personalized and rigorous liberal education; promote a robust and respectful scholarly community; and inspire a diversity of students to become critical thinkers, lifelong learners, engaged citizens, and responsible global leaders.
Rankings
Acadia University is consistently ranked among the top universities in Canada for undergraduate studies in the Maclean's comprehensive Canadian Universities rankings, coming second in Canada for the 2014 academic year and among the top five for the past decade. This has been attributed to Acadia's small class size and close relationships between the faculty and the students.
Faculties
Acadia is organized into four faculties: Arts, Pure & Applied Science, Professional Studies and Theology. Each faculty is further divided into departments and schools specialized in areas of teaching and research.
Research
The Division of Research & Graduate Studies is separate from the faculties and oversees graduate students as well as Acadia's research programs.
Acadia's research programs explore coastal environments, ethno-cultural diversity, social justice, environmental monitoring and climate change, organizational relationships, data mining, the impact of digital technologies, and lifestyle choices contributing to health and wellness. Acadia's research centres include the Tidal Energy Institute, the Acadia Institute for Data Analytics, and the Beaubassin Field Station. Applied research opportunities include research with local wineries and grape growers, alternative insect control techniques and technologies.
Innovation
The Acadia Advantage
In 1996, Acadia University pioneered the use of mobile computing technology in a post-secondary educational environment.
This academic initiative, named the Acadia Advantage, integrated the use of notebook computers into the undergraduate curriculum and featured innovations in teaching. By 2000, all full-time, undergraduate Acadia students were taking part in the initiative. The initiative went beyond leasing notebook computers to students during the academic year, and included training, user support and the use of course-specific applications at Acadia that arguably revolutionized learning at the Wolfville, N.S. campus and beyond.
Because of its pioneering efforts, Acadia is a laureate of Washington's Smithsonian Institution and a part of the permanent research collection of the National Museum of American History. It is the only Canadian university selected for inclusion in the Education and Academia category of the Computerworld Smithsonian Award.
In addition, Acadia University received the Pioneer Award for Ubiquitous Computing. In 2001, it achieved high rankings in the annual Maclean's University Rankings, including Best Overall for Primarily Undergraduate University in their opinion survey, and it received the Canadian Information Productivity Award in 1997 as it was praised as the first university in Canada to fully utilize information technology in the undergraduate curriculum.
In October 2006, Dr. Dinter-Gottlieb established a commission to review the Acadia Advantage learning environment 10 years after inception. The mandate of the commission was to determine how well the current Advantage program meets the needs of students, faculty, and staff and to examine how the role of technology in the postsecondary environment has changed at Acadia, and elsewhere. The commission was asked to recommend changes and enhancements to the Acadia Advantage that would benefit the entire university community and ensure its sustainability.
Some of the recommendations coming from the Acadia Advantage Renewal Report included developing a choice of model specifications and moving from Acadia-issued, student-leased notebook computers to a student-owned computer model. The compelling rationale for this was the integral role technology now plays in our lives, which was not present in 1996.
The University was also advised to unbundle its tuition structure so that the cost of an Acadia education is more detailed and students can understand how their investment in the future of the school is allotted. In September 2008, Acadia moved to a student-owned notebook computer version of the Acadia Advantage, now named Acadia Advantage 2.0.
Athletics
Acadia's sports teams are called the Axemen and Axewomen. They participate in the Atlantic University Sports conference of Canadian Interuniversity Sport.
School spirit abounds with men's and women's varsity teams that have delivered more conference and national championships than any other institution in Atlantic University Sport. Routinely, more than one-third of Acadia's varsity athletes also achieve Academic All-Canadian designation through Canadian Interuniversity Sport by maintaining a minimum average of 80 per cent.
Expansion and modernization of Raymond Field was completed in the fall of 2007 and features the installation of an eight-lane all-weather running track and a move to the same premium artificial turf used by the New England Patriots of the National Football League for its main playing field. The Raymond Field modernization was a gift to the university by friends, alumni, and the province. War Memorial Gymnasium also saw the installation of a new playing floor to benefit its basketball and volleyball teams.
In September 2006, Acadia University announced its partnership with the Wolfville Tritons Swim Club and the Acadia Masters Swim Club to form the Acadia Swim Club and return competitive swimming to the university after a 14-year hiatus. On 26 September 2008, the university announced its intention to return swimming to a varsity status in September 2009.
Fight song
Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencement, convocation, and athletic games are: Stand Up and Cheer, the Acadia University fight song. According to 'Songs of Acadia College' (Wolfville, NS 1902-3, 1907), the songs include: 'Acadia Centennial Song' (1938); 'The Acadia Clan Song'; 'Alma Mater - Acadia;' 'Alma Mater Acadia' (1938) and 'Alma Mater Song.'
Symbols
In 1974, Acadia was granted a coat of arms designed by the College of Arms in London, England. The coat of arms is two-tone, with the school's official colours, garnet and blue, on the shield. The axes represent the school's origins in a rural setting, and the determination of its founders who cleared the land and built the school on donated items and labour. The open books represent the intellectual pursuits of a university, and the wolves heads are a whimsical representation of the University's location in Wolfville. "In pulvere vinces" (In dust you conquer) is the motto.
The University seal depicts the Greek goddess of wisdom Athena in front of the first college hall.
The University also uses a stylized "A" as a logo for its sports teams.
Notable among a number of fight songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencement, convocation, and athletic games are: the Acadia University alma mater set to the tune of "Annie Lisle". The lyrics are:
- Far above the dykes of Fundy
- And its basin blue
- Stands our noble alma mater
- Glorious to view
- Lift the chorus
- Speed it onward
- Sing it loud and free
- Hail to thee our alma mater
- Acadia, hail to thee
- Far above the busy highway
- And the sleepy town
- Raised against the arch of heaven
- Looks she proudly down
Historic buildings at Acadia University
Seminary House, also known as the Ladies' Seminary, is a Second Empire style-building constructed in 1878 as a home for women attending the university. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997 as Canada's oldest facility associated with the higher education of women.
Carnegie Hall, built in 1909, is a large, two-storey, Neo-classical brick building. It was designated under the provincial Heritage Property Act in 1989 as its construction in 1909 signified Acadia's evolution from classical college to liberal university.
The War Memorial House (more generally known as Barrax), which is a residence, and War Memorial Gymnasium are landmark buildings on the campus of Acadia University. The Memorial Hall and Gymnasium honours students who had enlisted and died in the First World War, and in the Second World War. Two granite shafts, which are part of the War Memorial Gymnasium complex at Acadia University, are dedicated to the university's war dead. The War Memorial House is dedicated to the war dead from Acadia University during the Second World War.
Student life
At Acadia University, students have access to the Student Union Building which serves as a hub for students and houses many Student Union organizations. The building also houses The Axe Lounge, a convenience store, an information desk and two food outlets. The university press, The Athenaeum, is a member of CUP.
Student government
All students are represented by the Acadia Students' Union. The Union Executive for the 2015â€"2016 academic year: President - Suzanne Gray, Vice President Programming - Jessica Boone, Vice President Academic - Fallis Thompson, Vice President Finance - Matt Gendron, Vice President Communications - Ted Higa. The student newspaper is The Athenaeum.
Residences
Approximately 1500 students live on-campus in 12 residences:
- Chase Court
- Cutten House
- Roy Jodrey Hall
- Eaton House
- Christofor Hall
- Chipman House
- Dennis House - First floor houses student health services
- Whitman Hall (Tully) - All female residence
- Seminary House - Also houses the School of Education in lower level
- War Memorial (Barrax) House
- Raymond House
- Crowell Tower (13 Story High-rise)
- Willett House (former residence)
People
List of Presidents and Vice Chancellors
- John Pryor, 1846â€"1850
- John Cramp, 1851â€"1853 (and 1856â€"1869)
- Edmund Crawley, 1853â€"1856
- John Cramp, 1856â€"1869
- Artemas Wyman Sawyer, 1869â€"1896
- Thomas Trotter, 1897â€"1906
- W.B. Hutchinson, 1907â€"1909
- George Barton Cutten, 1910â€"1922
- Frederic Patterson, 1923â€"1948
- Watson Kirkconnell, 1948â€"1964
- James Beveridge, 1964â€"1978
- Allan Sinclair, 1978â€"1981
- James Perkin, 1981â€"1993
- Kelvin Ogilvie, 1993â€"2004
- Gail Dinter-Gottlieb, 2004â€"2008
- Tom Herman (Acting President), 2008â€"2009
- Raymond Ivany, 2009 â€" present
List of Chancellors
- Alex Colville, 1981â€"1991
- William Feindel, 1991â€"1996
- Arthur Irving, 1996â€"2010
- Libby Burnham, 2011â€"present
Notable alumni
- Heather Gow, Markham - Stouffville Stars Manager
- Edgar Archibald, scientist and politician
- Norman Atkins, Canadian senator
- Ron Barkhouse, MLA for Lunenburg East (Horton Academy)
- Gordon Lockhart Bennett, Lieutenant-Governor of Prince Edward Island
- Arthur Bourns, President of McMaster University
- Libby Burnham, Chancellor of Acadia University
- Bob Cameron, football player
- Dalton Camp, journalist, politician and political strategist
- M. Elizabeth Cannon, University of Calgary's President & Vice-Chancellor
- Paul Corkum, physicist and F.R.S.
- John Wallace de Beque Farris, Canadian senator
- Mark Day, actor
- Michael Dick, CBC-TV Journalist
- Charles Aubrey Eaton (1868â€"1953), clergyman and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the New Jersey's 4th congressional district from 1925 to 1933, and the 5th district from 1933 to 1953.
- William Feindel, neurosurgeon
- Tom Filgiano, dentist
- Dale Frail, astronomer
- Rob Ramsay, actor
- Alexandra Fuller, writer
- Gary Graham, musician, choral conductor
- Milton Fowler Gregg, VC laureate, politician
- Robbie Harrison, Nova Scotian politician and educator
- Charles Brenton Huggins, Nobel Laureate
- Kenneth Colin Irving, industrialist
- Robert Irving, industrialist
- Ron James, Canadian comedian
- Lorie Kane, LPGA golfer
- Gerald Keddy, Member of Parliament
- Joanne Kelly, Actress
- David H. Levy, astronomer
- Peter MacKay, lawyer, Canadian Minister of National Defence
- Henry Poole MacKeen, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia
- Paul Masotti, football player
- Harrison McCain, industrialist
- Donald Oliver, Canadian senator
- Henry Nicholas Paint (1830â€"1921), member of Parliament, merchant, landowner,
- Freeman Patterson, photographer, writer
- Robert Pope, Visual artist author,
- Keith R. Porter, Cell Biologist
- Heather Rankin, member of The Rankin Family
- Jacob Gould Schurman, President of Cornell University
- Catrina Tapley, Senior Canadian Civil Servant
- Stephen Wetmore, Former CEO of Canadian Tire Corporation
- Rev. William A. White, noted black minister and missionary
- Lance Woolaver, playwright
- A. B. Masilamani, Indian Baptist Minister
Honorary graduates
- William Twaits, Chairman and CEO of Imperial Oil Limited
- Rev. William A. White, noted black minister and missionary
See also
- Acadia Divinity College
- Canadian government scientific research organizations
- Canadian industrial research and development organizations
- Canadian Interuniversity Sport
- Canadian university scientific research organizations
- Higher education in Nova Scotia
- List of universities in Nova Scotia
- List of National Historic Sites of Canada in Nova Scotia
References
Further reading
- Longley, R. S. Acadia University, 1838â€"1938. Wolfville, N.S.: Acadia University, 1939.
External links
- Official website