Memorial University of Newfoundland

Memorial University of Newfoundland

File:Mun shieldlogo.gif
Motto	Provehito In Altum (Latin: Launch forth into the deep)
Type	Public
Established	1925
Chancellor	John C. Crosbie
President	Axel Meisen
Academic staff	950 full-time 850 sessional
Undergraduates	~18,500
Postgraduates	~2,500
Location	St. John's , NL , Canada
Campus	Urban 220 acres (890,000 m²)
Athletics	Sea-Hawks File:Seahawks logo.gif
Colours	Claret and White
Affiliations	AUS
Website	http://www.mun.ca

Memorial University of Newfoundland, (popularly known as Memorial University or "MUN") is a comprehensive university located primarily in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

With historical strengths in engineering, business, geology, and medicine, it is perhaps most widely recognized as one of the top comprehensive universities in Canada. With over 20,000 students, it is also the largest university in Atlantic Canada.[1] MUN's four main campuses are served by more than 900 faculty and 2,300 staff members. Memorial University of Newfoundland has featured in the SJTU World university rankings, the TOP 500 and many other rankings. Memorial has also featured in Macleans magazine's top Comprehensive Universities in Canada at the 5th position.

Campuses

MUN has four campuses located in two countries. The main campus in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is split by Prince Philip Drive where the northern section is bounded by the beautiful Pippy Park, and the southern section is largely surrounded by residential areas. The Marine Institute is located on Ridge Road in St. John's within Pippy Park overlooking much of the City. The Sir Wilfred Grenfell College campus is a 185 acre site in Corner Brook and the Harlow campus is in Harlow, England, United Kingdom.

Students and student housing

The St. John's campus of MUN

There are over 20,000 students currently enrolled in full and part time studies at MUN. This number includes both undergraduate and graduate students. Approximately 85% of students are from Newfoundland and Labrador. The most popular programs include Engineering, Business Administration, Nursing, Education, English, Folklore, French, History, Biology, Biochemistry, and Psychology. The university has an international reputation in a variety of disciplines. In particular, it is well recognized as having one of the top folklore departments in the world.

The primary residence complex on the main campus is Paton College, which provides standard residence services in ten residences to approximately 1000 students. The university-run Burton's Pond apartments are also available for independent living on campus; its five buildings house approximately 500 students at any particular time.

History

Memorial University began as Memorial University College (MUC), which opened in September 1925 at a campus on Parade Street in St. John's. The first president was J. L. Paton. It offered the first two years of university studies. MUC's initial enrollment was 57 students, rising to a peak of over 400 in the 1940s. In 1933 it merged with the adjacent Normal School and took responsibility for teacher training. During the College's early years it received considerable support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

The college was established as a memorial to the Newfoundlanders who had lost their lives on active service during the First World War; it was later rededicated to also encompass the province's war dead of the Second World War.[2].

The post-Confederation government elevated the status of Memorial University College to full university status in August 1949, renaming the institution to Memorial University of Newfoundland. The enrollment in MUN's first year was 307 students. In 1961, enrollment having increased to 1400, MUN moved from Parade Street to its present location on Elizabeth Avenue (Main Campus).

The Faculty of Medicine of Memorial University of Newfoundland was established in 1967, and the first students were admitted in 1969. It admits approximately 60 students into the M.D. program each year, and also offers M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs.

MUN maintains a campus in Harlow, England which opened to students in 1969. This campus has been a popular location for internships in Education, and now offers credit courses, work terms, and internships in a number of areas. The campus accommodates approximately 50 students.

Memorial established the Institut Frecker in St. Pierre in 1973, to offer one-semester French immersion programs. It was housed in a building provided by the archdiocese of St. Pierre until 2000. Now known as the Programme Frecker, it is currently run from the Francoforum, a language teaching facility owned by the government of St. Pierre. The program is partly supported by the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador.

In September 1975 a campus was opened in Corner Brook; it was renamed Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in 1979. Currently 1300 students attend Grenfell College, which offers full degree programs in several disciplines, including Fine Arts, and partial programs, which can be completed at the main campus, in many other subjects.

In 1992, the Institute of Fisheries and Marine Technology in St. John's became affiliated with MUN as the Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland. Today it is named the Marine Institute of Memorial University of Newfoundland. It offers both degree and non-degree programs.

In 2001 the province changed its official name from Newfoundland to Newfoundland and Labrador. Some argued that the university should change its name to Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. After some debate it was decided to maintain the current name and acronym. The reason for this was the history of the name. When originally founded, the name "Memorial" was a reference to the soldiers of Newfoundland who gave their lives in World War I. When Newfoundland joined Canada as a province in 1949, Memorial referred to the Newfoundland soldiers of World War I and World War II. When Labrador and Newfoundland joined Canada as one province, many people did not welcome changing the university name to merely incorporate the newly founded province. It was felt that it took away from the spirit of the original name.

In May 2006, Memorial announced it would rebrand itself beginning that fall with a new logo and brand image. [3] Controversy has arisen over this plan, in part because of the logo itself which is much more abstract than the coat of arms used in the past, but also because it only uses the words "Memorial University", omitting the reference to "Newfoundland". The university has stated that the shortened name is for branding purposes only; that the university's full legal name and coat of arms will not be altered, with their use reserved for ceremonial purposes; and that Memorial will promote, not diminish, its connection to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador in all of its marketing.

Nonetheless a number of Newfoundlanders and alumni have expressed concern that the new brand will not accurately reflect Memorial's raison d'être — a memorial to those fighting for Newfoundland in the two World Wars (though 'memorial' clearly remains in all communications); or that it may be too ambiguous in light of other universities with the word "Memorial" in their names, though none of these universities is similar to Memorial; directly competes with Memorial; or located in Canada. (Other schools with names including the word "Memorial" are Lincoln Memorial University, Hubert Kairuki Memorial University, and Florida Memorial University.)

Schools and faculties

Memorial has six Faculties (Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Medicine, and Science) and six Schools (Graduate Studies, Music, Nursing, Pharmacy, Human Kinetics and Recreation, and Social Work). These offer a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Motto, shield, and arms

The university's motto, Provehito in Altum (Launch forth into the deep), captures the spirit of the adventure of learning and urges students to extend the frontiers of knowledge. The shield of arms bears a representation of the sea, books, and a cross. The Arms of Memorial University have as their central element a cross moline, which is a fitting symbol for an institution dedicated to the memory of soldiers of Newfoundland who died during the Great Wars.

Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden

The Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden is a botanical garden operated by the university. It is located at Oxen Pond along Mount Scio Road in the suburbs of St. John's and was founded in 1972. The park has adopted the Twinflower Linnaea borealis as its emblem.

Sports, clubs, and traditions

MUN's sports teams, the Memorial Sea-Hawks, are part of the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) league of Canadian Interuniversity Sport. There are varsity teams in men's and women's basketball, cross-country, soccer, swimming, volleyball and wrestling.

Memorial University also has a very active student media including a radio station, CHMR-FM, and a newspaper, The Muse.

ACEnet

Main article: ACEnet

Memorial, in partnership with 8 other Altantic Canada universities, has established a region-wide High Performance Computing (HPC) facility called ACEnet. Memorial is the lead institution of the project but equipment is also housed at Saint Mary's University ,St. Francis Xavier University, Dalhousie University and the University of New Brunswick.

MUNnel system

The MUNnel System is a series of underground tunnels and overhead walkways linking most major buildings on the St. John's campus.

Notable faculty and alumni

Faculty

• Harold Williams – geologist and world expert on the tectonics of mountain belts
• Elliott Leyton – renowned for studies of serial murderers
• Patrick Parfrey – nephrologist and clinical epidemiologist
• Ian Jordaan – expert in engineering in harsh environments
• Elizabeth Miller – 19th century British Gothic literature
• Neil Rosenberg - Grammy Winning Bluegrass Scholar

Alumni

• Michael Crummey – novelist and poet
• Alan Haskvitz - educator, National Teachers Hall of Fame, Reader's Digest Hero in Education
• Gwynne Dyer – journalist and historian
• Gen. Rick Hillier – Chief of the Defence Staff of the Canadian Forces
• Wayne Johnston – novelist
• Rex Murphy – journalist and commentator
• Fergus O’Byrne - musician
• Danny Williams – Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Harold Williams – geologist and world expert on the tectonics of mountain belts. Generally regarded as Newfoundland's greatest scientist
• Alan Doyle – musician
• Séan McCann – musician
• Bob Hallett – musician
• Brad Gushue – Olympic Gold Medallist (Curling)
• KM Chan - biochemistry professor and politician

External links

• Official site
• Fact Book
• Education: Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage

47°34′15.64″N 52°43′56.73″W