University of Guelph

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{{Infobox_University |name = University of Guelph |image = Image:GuelphUniversityLogoCrest.jpg |motto = Rerum cognoscere causas
(To learn the meaning of reality) |established = 1964 |type = Public |chancellor = Lincoln Alexander |president = Alastair Summerlee |city = Guelph |state = ON |country = Canada |undergrad = 15,708 |postgrad = 1,894 |staff = 830 |campus = Urban/Suburban—4.1 km² (1017 acres) |mascot = Gryph |website= uoguelph.ca |}}

Established in 1964, the University of Guelph is a medium-sized university located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. While U of G offers degrees in many different disciplines, the university is best known for its focus on life sciences, based in part on a long-standing history of achievement in Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine and within Canada for its School of Fine Art and Music.

The University of Guelph is frequently ranked by Maclean's magazine as the top comprehensive university in Canada ("comprehensive" indicating institutions with significant research activity and a range of programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including professional degrees). It held this ranking in 1999, 2002 and 2003, with its reputation, innovative research-intensive programs, and lively campus life cited as particular strengths.

The university is also home to the Ontario Veterinary College, Ontario's only veterinary school.

The university is represented in Canadian Interuniversity Sport by the Guelph Gryphons.

Campus

The main university campus spans 1,017 acres (4.1 km²), including a 408 acre (1.7 km²) Guelph Arboretum and a 30 acre (0.1 km²) research park. It is home to 16,219 full-time students (graduate and undergraduate) and 2,740 faculty and staff (2003).

The campus, which mixes old-fashioned brick buildings with more contemporary stone structures, is generally regarded as scenic. It is well-populated with trees, including those which line the main walkways, many of which are paved with red brick. The campus includes an arboretum with an impressive collection of trees.

Image:UofGuelph-JohnstonHall.jpg

In Branion Plaza, at the campus' centre, is the University of Guelph cannon, sometimes called "Old Jeremiah"; originally a British naval gun, its provenance is not well-established. The cannon enjoyed relative tranquility until the 1950s when some entrepreneuring student came up with the idea of painting a message on the highly-visible landmark. The act of "painting the cannon" has since become a campus tradition with students, residences, sports teams, clubs and others braving the early morning hours to paint messages on the cannon, most often about upcoming events but also including birthday announcements and public insults. The etiquette governing "Painting the cannon" is unofficial but well-understood: 1) be finished by the time the first students arrive for classes in the morning, and 2) avoid profanity or coarse language. It is well-accepted practice to "guard" the cannon until sunrise so as to avoid another person or group painting over one's message.

Another highly-visible landmark is Johnston Hall, constructed in 1931. The Johnston Clocktower overlooks Winegard Walk and is visible from much of the campus. The building also overlooks Johnston Green, a popular location for recreational sporting activities and outdoor concerts.

Residences

Image:WatsonHallUOG.jpg

A large portion of students reside on campus in co-ed residences. Those that do typically live in the East Residence (610 residents), Johnston Hall (315), Lambton Hall (400), Lennox (265) Addington (255) Hall, Macdonald Hall (150, female only), Maids Hall (50, also known as Arts House), Mills Hall (160), Watson Hall (67, also known as International House) or the South Residences (1700+ residents split between Mountain, Prairie and Maritime Halls).

The LLC (Living Learning Centre) community is made up of Maids and Watson Halls, as well as two sections of the Dundas area in East known as Eco and French Houses (Freco). The program is conducted so that students who are interested in extra-curricular development of their interests peripheral to academic achievment can cohabitate among others with the same goal. Each individual community has Residence Life Staff personnel assigned to facilitate programming and community development centred around their respective focuses.

Also on campus are the East Village Townhouses that were opened during the Fall of 2001. The townhouses consist of 164 four, five and six bedroom self-contained units. These primarily house upper year students.

Guelph-Humber Campus

Image:Gh logo.gif

The University of Guelph-Humber combines the rich academic tradition of the University of Guelph and the professional, training excellence of Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning by enabling students to earn a university honours degree and a college diploma after four years of full-time study.

The University of Guelph-Humber is clearly providing an exciting and innovative opportunity for students attending university in Canada. From the design of the specialized labs and study spaces to the creation of the programs and curriculum, the University of Guelph-Humber offers a distinct, new option in higher education.

Programs

Guelph-Humber offers the following Bachelor degrees and diplomas:

• Bachelor of Business Administration
  • Diploma in Business Administration

• Bachelor of Applied Computing
  • Diploma in Wireless & Telecommunications Technology

• Bachelor of Applied Science for Family and Community Social Services
  • Social Service Workers' Diploma

• Bachelor of Applied Science for Early Childhood
  • Diploma in Early Childhood Education

• Bachelor of Applied Science for Justice Studies
  • Diploma in Law and Security Administration OR Police Foundations

• Bachelor of Applied Arts
  • Diploma in Journalism, Public Relations, OR Creative Photography Media Studies

This campus is lead by a vice provost rather than a principal:

• Michael Nightingale (2002-2005)
• Dr. John Walsh (January 2006)

Location

The University of Guelph-Humber can be found on the north campus of Humber College, on the south-west corner of Humber College Boulevard and Highway 27. Specifically, it is located at 207 Humber College Blvd. Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M9W 5L7

Student Media

The University of Guelph has two campus newspapers, The Ontarion and The Peak. It also has an online student publication, thecannon.ca, and a radio station, CFRU-FM, which plays host to the cult classic, Free Cheese Radio Show.

thecannon.ca

thecannon.ca is an online publication created for, and funded by, undergraduate students. Although it has a paid editor, all students are encouraged to submit news articles, announcements for upcoming events, opinion pieces, digital photographs, or other content that Guelph students may find interesting or useful.

Founded in September of 2002, the site has features such as Rate-a-Prof, where students share insight and opinions regarding professors, and a free classifieds section, available as a means of buying and selling used textbooks and course materials.

The name of the site is a reference to Old Jeremiah, as the website parallels the use of the cannon as a campus-wide message board.

Campus Traditions

Painting Old Jeremiah

Old Jeremiah is the name of an antique British naval gun that rests in Branion Plaza, at the heart of the University of Guelph campus. Rumoured to have seen battle during the War of 1812, Old Jeremiah was last fired in April of 1913. After World War I, the gun's barrel was plugged and it was brought to campus by students as a sign of remembrance for those lost in battle. It is often referred to simply and affectionately as The Cannon.

Due to its location, the cannon is highly visible and accessible. It lies along Winegard Walk, the main path through campus, and has become one of the university's landmarks.

Sometime during the 1950s, it became a campus tradition for students to paint messages, often birthday congratulations or pub announcements, on the cannon. An unofficial cannon-painting etiquette has since developed, dictating that the cannon must be painted between nightfall and daybreak. It is highly frowned upon to paint the cannon during the day. Thus, a group of students having painted the cannon will often stay up until morning to 'guard' it, lest their message be painted over by another group.

Administrative structure

The University of Guelph is the amalgam of six Colleges:

• College of Social and Applied Human Sciences
• College of Arts
• College of Biological Science
• College of Physical and Engineering Science
• Ontario Agricultural College
• Ontario Veterinary College
• Kemptville College

In addition, the university has partnered with Humber College to create the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto.

Presidents

• Mordechai Rozanski (1993-2003)
• Alastair Summerlee (2003-)

History

The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) began in 1873 as an associate agricultural college of the University of Toronto. Its first building was Moreton Lodge, located where Johnston Hall now stands, which included classrooms, residences, a library, and a dining room. (Several buildings constructed during this time period are still a part of campus life today, including President's Residence, Raithby House, and Day Hall.)

The Macdonald Institute was established in 1903 to house women's home economics programs at the college. The growth spurt from 1900 to 1906 also saw the construction of MacDonald Hall, Massey Hall, and the Bullring (currently known as 'The Ring').

Several important buildings were opened in 1922, including the Ontario Veterinary College main building, Mills Hall (formerly a boys residence, converted to co-ed in 2000), and Food Science. Johnston Hall was constructed in 1931, taking the place of the torn-down Moreton Lodge. Johnston would house the OAC Administration from that year forth.

In 1964, the Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College amalgamated and were granted University status, giving life to the University of Guelph as it is now known.

Shortly after, during the period of 1967 to 1975, massive construction took place, giving rise to many new and expansive buildings such as the McLaughlin Library, the MacKinnon Building, the University Centre, and South Residence.

New construction has been taking place since 2001 as a result of the anticipated rise in enrollment due to the Ontario double cohort and population increases. New buildings already constructed include the Gryphon Dome, the East Village Residences, and Rozanski Hall. A state-of-the-art science complex is currently being constructed.

Alumni

For articles about University of Guelph alumni, see category:University of Guelph alumni.

College Royal

An annual feature of the university is its open house, known as the College Royal. For a weekend each March, every part of the campus and its programs is shown off to the public, from the barns of the Agricultural College to the sugar bush in the arboretum. It is highly popular to visitors of all ages, especially families with children who take advantage of the March break (the usual Ontario school break) date to have an outing.

The 2006 College Royal was visted by Rick Mercer, taping a segment for his show, the Rick Mercer Report.

External links

• UofGuelph Arboretum
• University of Guelph
• University of Guelph Library, Archival and Special Collections has records for history of founding colleges: OAC, Macdonald Institue, and OVC
• University of Guelph-Humber
• thecannon.ca
• Wellington Guelph Community Portal