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University of Saskatchewan | HearLore
Common questions
When was the University of Saskatchewan established and by what legislation?
The University of Saskatchewan was established on the 19th of March 1907 when the provincial legislature of Saskatchewan passed an Act to create the institution. This legislation incorporated the university as a publicly funded but independent entity modeled after the American state university system.
Where is the University of Saskatchewan located and what is the campus size?
The University of Saskatchewan is located in Saskatoon on a 1,300-acre campus with an additional 1,000 acres allocated for Innovation Place Research Park. The site was officially chosen on the 7th of April 1909 after a vote that saw Saskatoon defeat other lobbying cities including Regina and Battleford.
What major scientific discoveries did the University of Saskatchewan make regarding cancer treatment?
The University of Saskatchewan constructed the world's first non-commercial cobalt-60 therapy unit in 1951 which revolutionized cancer treatment. Sylvia Fedoruk was a member of the research team that developed this facility and later became the first female chancellor of the university.
Who was the first president of the University of Saskatchewan and when did the university admit its first students?
Walter Murray served as the first president of the board of governors for the University of Saskatchewan. The university admitted its first 70 students on the 28th of September 1909 shortly after the site selection in Saskatoon.
How many University of Saskatchewan students and faculty died during World War I?
The Memorial Gates erected in 1927 bear the inscriptions of the names of 67 university students and faculty who lost their lives while on service during the Great War. Of the 342 students, faculty, and staff who enlisted for World War I, 100 were wounded and 33 were awarded medals of valour.
University of Saskatchewan
On the 19th of March 1907, the provincial legislature of Saskatchewan passed an Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province, creating an institution intended to serve citizens without regard to race, creed, or religion. This bold legislative move established the University of Saskatchewan as a publicly funded but independent entity, modeled after the American state university system with a specific focus on extension work and applied research to meet the needs of a largely agrarian province. The university was granted a charter that explicitly stated no woman should be deprived of any advantage or privilege accorded to male students, a progressive clause for the early 20th century. The site for this ambitious project was chosen on the 7th of April 1909, after a politically influenced vote that saw Saskatoon defeat other lobbying cities like Battleford, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, and Regina. Walter Murray, the first president of the board of governors, had preferred the provincial capital of Regina, but the decision to locate the university in Saskatoon set the stage for a unique relationship between the institution and the city. The first buildings were constructed shortly after the site selection, and the university admitted its first 70 students on the 28th of September 1909, marking the beginning of a new era in Canadian higher education.
The Bowl And The War
The original architectural plan called for the university buildings to be constructed around a green space known as The Bowl, a design that has become one of the most recognizable campus signatures. David Robertson Brown of Brown & Vallance designed the initial Collegiate Gothic structures, including the College Building, which was the first to be started and opened in 1913. The original buildings were constructed using native limestone, known as greystone, which was mined just north of the campus. When the local supply of limestone was exhausted, the university turned to Tyndall stone quarried in Manitoba, yet the greystone remains the defining material of the early campus. The Memorial Gates, erected in 1927 at the corner of College Drive and Hospital Drive, stand as a solemn testament to the university's involvement in the First World War. A stone wall bears the inscriptions of the names of the 67 university students and faculty who lost their lives while on service during the Great War. Of the 342 students, faculty, and staff who enlisted for World War I, 100 were wounded and 33 were awarded medals of valour. The hallways of the Old Administrative Building are decorated with memorial scrolls honoring alumni who served in both World Wars, ensuring that the sacrifice of these individuals remains a central part of the university's identity.
When did the Canadian Light Source facility open at the University of Saskatchewan?
The Canadian Light Source facility opened on the 22nd of October 2004 as the site of Canada's national facility for synchrotron light research. This facility is the size of a football field and is considered one of the largest and most innovative investments in Canadian science.
In 1951, three years after building the first betatron facility in Canada, the university constructed the world's first non-commercial cobalt-60 therapy unit, a discovery that revolutionized cancer treatment. Sylvia Fedoruk, a member of the cobalt-60 research team, went on to become the first female chancellor of the university and later served as Saskatchewan's lieutenant-governor from 1988 to 1994. The success of these facilities led to the construction of a linear accelerator as part of the Saskatchewan Accelerator Laboratory in 1964, placing university scientists at the forefront of nuclear physics in Canada. The university also used the SCR-270 radar in 1949 to image the Aurora for the first time, demonstrating its early commitment to diverse scientific inquiry. This legacy of innovation continued with the selection of the university as the site of Canada's national facility for synchrotron light research, the Canadian Light Source. This facility, which opened on the 22nd of October 2004, is the size of a football field and is considered one of the largest and most innovative investments in Canadian science. The university is also home to the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, which develops DNA-enhanced immunization vaccines for both humans and animals, further cementing its reputation as a global leader in medical research.
The Politics And The People
The governance model of the university was based on the University of Toronto Act of 1906, creating a bicameral system that included a senate to manage academic matters and a board of governors to oversee finances. The president was responsible for linking the two governing bodies and providing institutional leadership, a structure that has evolved into a tricameral system today. In May 2014, the university experienced significant turmoil when Provost and Academic Vice President Brett Fairbairn resigned following the firing of the executive director of the School of Public Health. President Ilene Busch-Vishniac refused to resign but was fired two days later, highlighting the complex political dynamics within the institution. The university has also been home to notable figures such as John Diefenbaker, the 13th prime minister of Canada, who served as the university's chancellor and is buried near the Diefenbaker Canada Centre. The university has produced a wide array of leaders, including 78 Rhodes Scholars, and has been a training ground for numerous premiers, governors general, and Supreme Court judges. 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.
The Campus And The Community
The university campus is situated upon 1,300 acres, with another 1,000 acres allocated for Innovation Place Research Park, creating a vast green belt that separates the university from the surrounding city. The original buildings are now connected by skywalks and tunnels, forming a cohesive architectural circle around The Bowl. The campus includes a variety of student residences, such as Saskatchewan Hall, the first student residence completed in 1912, and Qu'Appelle Hall, which officially opened in 1916. The university also maintains a relationship with the independent community radio station CFCR-FM and operates its own campus radio station, CJUS-FM, which was revived in 2005 as an internet radio broadcast. The university's athletic teams, known as the Saskatchewan Huskies, compete in U Sports and have won the Vanier Cup as national champions on three occasions, in 1990, 1996, and 1998. The Huskies Track and Field team has won the national championships on 12 occasions, making it the most successful team on campus. The university also hosts the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery and the Kenderdine Art Gallery, which celebrate the artistic achievements of local and international artists.
The Future And The Past
In 2017, the University of Saskatchewan appointed Dr. Jacqueline Ottmann as the Vice Provost Indigenous Engagement, marking a significant step in the university's commitment to Indigenization, Reconciliation, and Decolonization. The university provides services to Indigenous people in more remote communities through programs like the University of Saskatchewan Summer University Transition Course, which brings first-year Indigenous students to campus before the start of the school year. The science outreach Kamskénow program runs out of the College of Arts and Science, offering hands-on learning in Saskatoon classrooms based on each of the Division of Science disciplines. This program was chosen as the joint winner of the 2014 Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Award for the North America region. The university continues to expand its land holdings and facilities, with the College Building being declared a National Historic Site of Canada on the 27th of February 2001. The university's commitment to research and education remains strong, with over 200 academic programs offered and a student body that includes 15,005 full-time students and 3,552 part-time students as of 2006.