Memorial University of Newfoundland


Memorial University of Newfoundland, also known as Memorial University or MUN, is a university based in St. John's, with four satellite campuses.
Memorial University offers certificate, diploma, undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate programmes, as well as online courses and degrees. Memorial's five campuses include St. John's, Corner Brook, and Harlow, Essex, United Kingdom.
Founded in September 1925 as a living memorial to Newfoundlanders and Labradoreans who died in the First World War, Memorial is one of the largest universities in Atlantic Canada, and Newfoundland and Labrador's only university. As of 2018, there were a reported 1,330 faculty and 2,474 staff, supporting 18,000 students from nearly 100 countries.
A large part of Memorial's research and development is related to oceans, much of which overlaps with teaching and learning initiatives, and public engagement opportunities.

History

Founding

At its founding, Newfoundland was a dominion of the United Kingdom.
Memorial University began as Memorial University College, which opened in September 1925 at a campus on Parade Street in St. John's. It was founded to honor war dead from World War I, to provide a way of educating school teachers for the local religious schools, and to offer students higher education locally. Before that, there was no path to post-secondary education on the island; students had to go to Canada or to England. Students were first admitted into a non-degree programme in 1925. The original location on Parade Street in St. Johns was established with the help of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. It is the most recent of universities in Atlantic Canada.
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.
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.

Early period

The period from the founding in 1925 until 1949 in Newfoundland was chaotic, reflecting Newfoundland's shifting economic and political situation, from the last flowering of independence, to depression and life on the dole. The 1940 discovery of Newfoundland as a strategic military asset brought a new period of prosperity. Enrollment at the university went through ups and downs during this period, reflecting the shifting fortunes of Newfoundland.
Newfoundland gave up dominion status in 1934, ending self-government in exchange for British Royal Commission rule as a crown colony. Newfoundland remained a crown colony until it joined Canada as a province in 1949.
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. Memorial University was established by the Memorial University Act.
The enrollment in Memorial's first year was 307 students.

Expansion

In 1961, enrollment having increased to 1400, Memorial moved from Parade Street to its present location on Elizabeth Avenue.
On 8 March 1965, the government of Newfoundland announced free tuition for first year students enrolled at Memorial University in St. John's.
The Faculty of Medicine of Memorial University of Newfoundland was established in 1967, and the first students were admitted in 1969. It admits approximately 80 students into the M.D. programme each year, and also offers M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes.
Memorial 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 programmes. 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 programme is partly supported by the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador.
In September 1975 a campus was opened in Corner Brook; it was first renamed Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in 1979 and renamed again in 2010 as Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland. Currently 1300 students attend Grenfell, which offers full degree programmes in several disciplines, including Fine Arts, and partial programmes, which can be completed at the main campus, in many other subjects.
In 1977, the Memorial University of Newfoundland Educational Television Centre implemented the Telemedicine project.
In 1992, the Institute of Fisheries and Marine Technology in St. John's became affiliated with Memorial University 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 programmes.

Controversies

In 2008, the university's hiring process for incoming presidents came under scrutiny for political interference by the province's education minister, Joan Shea.
In October 2019, the Registrar's Office instituted a new fee for students applying for an enrolment verification. Such a document is often required to prove eligibility for student aid for out-of-province students, Medical Care Plan coverage for international students, and other purposes, and the new fee is considered unjust by vice of the fact that out-of-province and international students already pay 30% and 450% more in fees than a Newfoundland resident, respectively. MUNSU consequently announced that it would seek answers from senior administration.

Presidents

The university's motto is Provehito in Altum, 'to launch forth into the deep'. The arms of the University, designed by Alan Beddoe, have as their charges a cross moline, three books, and waves representing the sea, and were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority on September 10, 1992.

Academics

Schools and faculties

Memorial has seven faculties and six Schools. These offer a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.
Memorial's Faculty of Business Administration is recognised as a leader in Canadian business education, offering programmes at undergraduate and graduate level, including a bachelor of commerce, international bachelor of business administration, bachelor of business administration, master of business administration, master of employment relations and PhD degrees.
Students can choose to specialise in the following engineering disciplines: Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Ocean and Naval Architectural Engineering, Engineering Management, and Process Engineering.
The St. John's campus is home to the Faculty of Medicine co-located within the Newfoundland Health Science Center General Hospital. The Faculty of Medicine grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in medicine, while also providing residential and advanced training. It is one of only four medical schools in Atlantic Canada (the others are Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine, University of New Brunswick Medical Training Centre and Université de Moncton Medical Training Centre.
The Department of Biochemistry has a dietetic programme accredited by the Dietitians of Canada and the university's graduates may subsequently become registered dietitians.
Queen's College, an affiliated College of Memorial University, offers diploma and degree studies in theology, pastoral studies, church history and related programmes. It is an associate member of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, and has 166 students.
The university operates the Bonne Bay Marine Station in Gros Morne National Park.

Research

Research at Memorial University spans across six faculties and six schools on the St. John's campus, three schools at Grenfell Campus, and three schools at the Marine Institute, covering a broad range of basic, interdisciplinary, and applied research topics. It also includes specialised centres in marine learning that study ocean technology, aquaculture, sustainable fishery and offshore safety. Over 40% of Memorial's research is ocean-related.
Memorial University recently joined with Dalhousie University and the University of Prince Edward Island to form the , a collaborative research initiative aimed at harnessing the vast potential of the world's oceans. Memorial University is a member of the University of the Arctic, an international cooperative network of universities, colleges, and other organizations concerned with education and research in Arctic region. Memorial is also a member of the International Association of Universities, Universities Canada, Association of Commonwealth Universities, Canadian Virtual University and the Canadian Bureau for International Education.
In 2009, Memorial University launched Yaffle to provide researchers and community partners an opportunity to connect and exchange ideas, expertise, research interests and publicly engaged activities in an open and accessible way. Yaffle is managed by the Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development at Memorial University.

Research Impact

Out of 50 universities in Canada, Research Infosource ranked Memorial University the 20th most research-intensive for fiscal year 2016, with a sponsored research income of $91.178 million, averaging $93,500 per faculty member. Times Higher Education ranked Memorial University 17th among Canadian universities for subject-normalised total citations.
According to Memorial University's President's Report 2017, Memorial's total research funding for fiscal year 2016-17 was over $100 million. Memorial is the seat of 20 active Canada Research Chairs, and 13 sponsored research chairs.

Research Centres and Institutes

Memorial University operates and manages over 30 research units. Some fall under the direct authority of their respective faculties or schools, while others have a pan-university mandate or multi-organization consortium. Below is a sampling of the more prominent units:

Exchange programmes

Presently, Memorial has 134 student programmes, exchanges and research partnership agreements in 40 countries. The Internationalization Office, formerly the International Student Advising Office, stands available to assist international students with housing, health insurance, academics, immigration, and career options. Memorial also has a British campus in Harlow, Essex, and is one of only two universities in Canada with a foothold in the United Kingdom.

Rankings

In October 2019, Maclean's ranked Memorial University seventh out of 15 Canadian universities in its comprehensive university category.

Campuses and facilities

Memorial University has four main campuses and two satellite campuses across three regions of Newfoundland and Labrador, and 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 Pippy Park, and the southern section is largely surrounded by residential areas.

St. John's campus

The largest campus is located in St. John's. Prince Philip Drive runs east–west through the main campus, with Westerland Road bordering it to the west, Elizabeth Avenue to the south and Allandale Road to the east. The majority of the academic buildings are located south of Prince Philip Drive; the Arts and Administration building, Science building, Chemistry and Physics, Mathematics, Music, Education, Physical Education and the Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation. The University Centre is home to the food court, bookstore, campus bar, and the CHMR-FM campus radio station.

Libraries and Archives

The Memorial University Libraries contain collections of university Archives, Fine Arts from the 1880s to present; Human History and Natural Sciences. Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore and Language Archive collection consists of manuscripts, tapes, records, photographs and artifacts pertaining to Maritime Provinces, specifically Newfoundland and Labrador. The Queen Elizabeth II Library contains 1,072,588 monographs, 104,587 maps, 5,655 audio-visual titles and 9,081 journal titles. The Commons, located on the main floor of the library, has computers available for use by students as well as a Digital Media Centre.

Marine Institute

The Marine Institute is a marine polytechnic institution located on Ridge Road in St. John's within Pippy Park, north of the city. It has unique facilities such as a full ship's bridge simulator and the world's largest flume tank. It offers degrees, diplomas, certifications and industry training for the maritime sector.

Grenfell Campus

is a site in Corner Brook. It has approximately 1400 students, 156 faculty, 235 staff and offers programmes in the Arts, Fine Arts, Business, Science, Resource Management and Nursing. It was formerly known as Sir Wilfred Grenfell College until September 10, 2010.

Harlow

The Harlow Campus, located in Old Harlow, Essex, England consists of the Maltings, which can accommodate 30 students and Cabot House which can accommodate 10 students. A former schoolhouse and a teacher's cottage have been converted into a lecture facility and an apartment and a former shop has been converted into apartments. Memorial's Harlow Campus is not a school unto itself. Rather, professional schools and academic departments at Memorial use the Harlow Campus to deliver special programmes. Harlow offers courses in Biology, Business, Drama & Performance, English Cultural Landscape, Fine Arts, Faith, Love & Lore and History & Political Science.

Signal Hill Campus

In 2013, Memorial University purchased the former Battery Hotel located on Signal Hill, overlooking St. John’s harbour. The hotel was a landmark property with a long history within the cultural life of the province. To transform the space from hotel to a university campus, a number of necessary upkeep and maintenance jobs were performed while Memorial conducted a province-wide public consultation to seek input from the Memorial University community and its public partners.
Emera innovation Exchange
Signal Hill Campus opened to the public in September 2018. A large portion of the campus, the Emera Innovation Exchange, serves as Memorial’s innovation and public engagement hub to facilitate university-community collaboration. The campus houses several public-facing university organizations, a large conference centre, and graduate student living accommodations.
Current tenants are the Harris Centre, Gardiner Centre, Genesis, Office of Public Engagement, Office of Strategic Operations and Conference Services, MUN Pensioners' Association, Newfoundland Quarterly and Business & Arts NL.
Conference Centre
The Conference Centre on Signal Hill Campus is a convening space within the Emera Innovation Exchange. It houses several distinct convening spaces, each with full AV connectivity. The Conference Hall overlooks St. John’s harbour and can be divided into three separate venues, or combined as one larger venue with the capacity to host up to 450 people. The Atrium, a multifunctional event space spread over two levels and connected by a seated staircase, was designed to serve as a venue for public events and presentations. YAFFLE Connect, a space operating as a physical manifestation of the Yaffle application, Memorial’s online connecting tool, was designed with small meetings, co-working sessions, dialogues and debates in mind. There are also eight meeting rooms on the lower level of the Atrium and a dining room with a built-in kitchen for private lunches or small dinner receptions.
Accommodations
The Harbour Wing and Tower areas of Signal Hill Campus are dedicated to graduate student living accommodations. There are 87 furnished rooms available, each of them single occupancy with a private washroom. Kitchen and lounge facilities on each floor are common areas shared between about 15 students.

Botanical Garden

The university operates the Memorial University of Newfoundland Botanical Garden. The collection consists of perennial and annual plants, aquatic plant, spruce, fir, and alder trees. The garden 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 as its emblem.

Student body and campus life

There are over 17,000 students currently enrolled in full and part-time studies at Memorial University. This number includes both undergraduate and graduate students. Approximately 85% of students are from Newfoundland and Labrador.

International students

There are currently 2,744 full-time and part-time international students enrolled at Memorial, hailing from 119 different countries around the world. International students comprise 15 percent of the student population, and are served by the Internationalisation Office, headquartered at Corte Real.

Campus housing

Student Residences provides on-campus housing at the St. John's campus in three residential complexes.
Paton College, MacPherson College and Burton's Pond. There is a mess hall for students in residence, the R. Gushue Dining Hall, serviced by Aramark. A meal plan is mandatory for students in Paton and MacPherson.
The Paton College dormitories offer traditional dormitory-style accommodations for approximately 1000 students in nine residences, called Houses, and named after persons associated with the University or Newfoundland and Labrador: Barnes, , , Burke, , , , Rothermere, and Squires.
The newer MacPherson College consists of two similarly-named Halls: Shiwak and Cluett, which house 250 students each, and were officially opened in 2013.
The five Courts of Burton's Pond apartments accommodate a total of 640 students in four-bedroom apartments, and provide a more independent lifestyle on campus. They are, in alphabetical order, Baltimore, Cabot, Cartier, Gilbert, and Guy.

Sports, clubs, and traditions

Memorial's sports teams, the Memorial Sea-Hawks, are part of the Atlantic University Sport league of U Sports. There are varsity teams in men's and women's basketball, cross-country, soccer, swimming, and volleyball. Curling, track and field and wrestling are also available as club sports. The University also has student media, including a radio station, CHMR-FM, and a newspaper, The Muse.

Cultural impact

Postage stamp

On January 1, 1943 and again on March 21, 1946, 'Memorial University College' stamps were issued based on a design by Herman Herbert Schwartz. The 2¢ / 30¢ stamps were perforated 12 and were printed by the Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited.

Hudson and Rex

The Canadian crime dramedy show Hudson & Rex, based on the Austrian show Inspector Rex, films at Memorial University on a regular basis. The Bruneau Centre stands in for the headquarters of the fictional St. John's Police Department, whilst the rest of the campus has been used to portray the equally fictional Heritage University of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Notable faculty and alumni

Books

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