Jump to content

Simon Fraser University

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Simon Frasier University)
"SFU" redirects here. For other uses, see SFU (disambiguation).
Simon Fraser University
Coat of arms of SFU
MottoNous sommes prêts (French)
Motto in English
"We are ready"
TypePublic
Established1965; 59 years ago (1965)
Academic affiliations
ACU, CARL, CUSID, Universities Canada
EndowmentCA$605 million (2021)[1]
BudgetCA$653 million (2022)[2]
ChancellorTamara Vrooman
PresidentJoy Johnson
Vice-ChancellorJoy Johnson
Academic staff
1,095
Students30,380 (Fall 2022)[3]
Undergraduates25,690 (Fall 2022)
Postgraduates4,690 (Fall 2022)
Location
Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Campus3 (Burnaby, Surrey, Vancouver)
LanguageEnglish
TaglineCanada's Engaged University
Colours   
Light red, dark red[4]
NicknameRed Leafs[5]
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division II – GNAC
MascotRed Leafs
Websitewww.sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It maintains three campuses in Greater Vancouver, respectively located in Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, and Vancouver. The 170-hectare (420-acre) main Burnaby campus on Burnaby Mountain, located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and comprises more than 30,000 students and 160,000 alumni. The university was created in an effort to expand higher education across Canada.[6]

SFU is a member of multiple national and international higher education associations, including the Association of Commonwealth Universities, International Association of Universities, and Universities Canada. SFU has also partnered with other universities and agencies to operate joint research facilities such as the TRIUMF, Canada's national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics, which houses the world's largest cyclotron, and Bamfield Marine Station, a major centre for teaching and research in marine biology.

Undergraduate and graduate programs at SFU operate on a year-round, three-semester schedule.[7] In 2015, SFU became the second Canadian university to receive accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.[8]

History

[edit]
The newly constructed university in 1967, with the Academic Quadrangle as a centre of the campus

Simon Fraser University was founded upon the recommendation of a 1962 report entitled Higher Education in British Columbia and a Plan for the Future by John B. Macdonald. He recommended the creation of a new university in the Lower Mainland and the British Columbia Legislature gave formal assent on March 1, 1963, for the establishment of the university in Burnaby.[9] The university was named after Simon Fraser, a North West Company fur trader and explorer. The original name of the school was Fraser University, but was changed because the initials "FU" evoked the profane phrase "fuck you".[10][11] In May of the same year, Gordon M. Shrum was appointed as the university's first chancellor. From a variety of sites that were offered, Shrum recommended to the provincial government that the summit of Burnaby Mountain, 365 meters above sea level, be chosen for the new university. Architects Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey won a competition to design the university, and construction began in the spring of 1964. The campus faces northwest over Burrard Inlet. Eighteen months later, on September 9, 1965, the university began its first semester with 2,500 students.[9]

The campus was noted in the 1960s and early 1970s as a hotbed of political activism, culminating in a crisis in the Department of Political Science, Sociology, and Anthropology in a dispute involving ideological differences among faculty. The resolution to the crisis included the dismantling of the department into today's separate departments.[12][better source needed] During this time, Thelma Finlayson became the university's first female faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences. She would later become their first professor emerita upon her retirement in 1979.[13]

21st century

[edit]

In 2007, the university began offering dual and double degree programs by partnering with international universities, such as a dual computing-science degree through partnership with Zhejiang University in China and a double Bachelor of Arts degree in conjunction with Australia's Monash University.[14] It has also partnered with India's Premiere "Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay".

In 2009, SFU became the first Canadian university to be accepted into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).[15] Starting in the 2011–2012 season, SFU competed in the NCAA's Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) and has now transitioned all 19 Simon Fraser teams into the NCAA.

On September 9, 2015, SFU celebrated its 50th anniversary. Over its 50 years, the university educated over 130,000 graduates.[16]

A breach of SFU's systems in February 2020 exposed the records of 250,000 students.[17] A second attack in February 2021 resulted in the exposure of 200,000 records.[18] A class action lawsuit was filed against SFU in March 2021.[19]

In early 2022, Burnaby City Council announced they would officially support the SFU Gondola as part of the TransLink expansion project. This is included in the Mayors’ Council’s approval of the Transport 2050 regional transportation strategy announcement.[20]

Campuses

[edit]
Aerial view of the Burnaby Mountain Campus

Simon Fraser University has three campuses, each located in different parts of Greater Vancouver. SFU's original campus is located in Burnaby, atop Burnaby Mountain. The Vancouver campus consists of multiple buildings in downtown Vancouver and the Surrey campus is located inside Central City.

The downtown campus has expanded to include several other buildings in recent years, including the Segal Graduate School of Business. In September 2010, SFU Contemporary Arts[21] moved into the Woodward's redevelopment, known as the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts.

SFU's three campuses are all accessible by public transit. The Vancouver campus is a block away from the Waterfront SkyTrain station while the Surrey campus is adjacent to the Surrey Central SkyTrain station. The Burnaby campus is linked to the Production Way–University, Burquitlam, and Sperling–Burnaby Lake SkyTrain stations by frequent shuttle bus service.

Technology and Science Complex 2 (TASC 2), housing major research laboratories and offices
Blusson Hall, containing the Faculty of Health Sciences

Burnaby campus

[edit]
The Academic Quadrangle at the Burnaby Mountain Campus with the jade boulder in the foreground[22]
The Academic Quadrangle Gardens
Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, part of Simon Fraser University's Vancouver campus

The main campus is located atop Burnaby Mountain, on Traditional Coast Salish Lands, including the Tsleil-Waututh (səl̓ilw̓ətaɬ), Kwikwetlem (kʷikʷəƛ̓əm), Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw) and Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm) Nations.[23] The campus is at an elevation of 365 metres, overlooking the Burrard inlet to the north. All major departments in the university are housed at the Burnaby campus. The library on the main campus is called the W. A. C. Bennett Library, named after the Social Credit Premier of B.C. who established it. The campus also has two gym complexes, named the Lorne-Davies Complex and Chancellor's Gym. An international-sized swimming pool is located within the Lorne-Davies Complex. Since the School of Contemporary Arts relocation to the Woodward's location, the Burnaby campus production theatre has been vacant. Located within the heart of the campus are the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and three art galleries. The campus has been awarded numerous architectural awards over the years, including the gold medal for Lieutenant-Governor 2009 Awards in Architecture and the 2007 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada's Prix du XXe siècle.[24][25]

The Burnaby campus is composed of a vast complex of interconnected buildings spanning across 170 hectares (420 acres) of land on Burnaby Mountain, from the eastern end of the campus to the western side, where the UniverCity urban village is located. The campus consists of the following buildings:

  • West Mall Complex (WMC)
  • Lorne Davies Gym Complex
  • Chancellor's Gym Complex
  • Convocation Mall
  • W. A. C. Bennett Library
  • Halpern Centre
  • Maggie Benston Centre (MBC)
  • SFU Theatre
  • Gym, Pool, Fitness Centre
  • Robert C. Brown Hall (RCB)
  • Academic Quadrangle (AQ)
  • Shrum Science Centre (SSC)
    • SSC Biology (B)
    • SSC Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology (K)
    • SSC Chemistry (C)
    • SSC Physics (P)
  • South Science Building (SSB)
  • Applied Sciences Building (ASB)
  • Education Building (EB)
  • Technology and Science Complex (TASC) I
  • Technology and Science Complex (TASC) II
  • Blusson Hall (BLU)
  • Saywell Hall (ASSC)
  • Strand Hall
  • Trottier Observatory and Science Courtyard[26][27]

Due to the contemporary Brutalist architecture of the Burnaby Mountain campus, many buildings, including the WAC Bennett Library and Academic Quadrangle have been used for location shots in various films and television programmes over the years.[28]

Library, archives, museums and galleries

[edit]

Each campus has its own library, the largest of which is the W.A.C. Bennett Library based on the SFU Burnaby campus, which holds over 2.7 million print and microform volumes.

SFU also has a Museum of Archeology and Ethnology, which holds many exhibits created by students as part of the museum studies courses offered in the Department of Archaeology. Archaeological collections arising from excavations and other research by faculty, staff and students are housed in the museum. Several large wooden sculptures ('totem') poles from the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria represent the major art traditions of the indigenous coastal peoples of British Columbia. The museum holds an extensive collection of Indonesian wayang kulit shadow puppets and ethnographic objects from around the world. The museum's image collection holds over 120,000 35 mm slides and digital images of archaeological and ethnographic interest.

The SFU Library's Digital Collections provide internet access to digitized documents from a number of archival collections, such as Harrison Brown's Xi'an Incident collection,[29] and the history of British Columbia and Western Canada in general, including documents from the Doukhobor migration from the Russian Empire to Saskatchewan and then to British Columbia assembled for donation to the university by John Keenlyside.[30] Other highlights of the collection include The Vancouver Punk Collection, which includes more than 1200 posters as well as photographs, zines, and ephemera, the British Columbia Postcards Collection, and more than 9800 editorial cartoons from Canadian newspapers.[31][32][33][34]

Simon Fraser University's art galleries include: SFU Gallery on the Burnaby campus (established 1970), Audain Gallery at the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts in Vancouver (established 2010), and Teck Gallery at Harbour Centre in Vancouver (established 1989). SFU Galleries stewards the Simon Fraser University Art Collection, which includes, in its holdings of over 5,500 works, significant regional and national artworks spanning the last century.

The Bill Reid Centre for Northwest Coast Art Studies at SFU houses a collection of 50,000 objects, primarily digital images and digitized textual documents, which document the art, culture and history of different First Nations cultures of the Northwest Coast. The collection includes explorers' drawings, sketches, paintings and original photography.[35]

Residences

[edit]
Central City, home to SFU Surrey

The SFU Burnaby campus provides residence to 1766 SFU and FIC students in six different areas, all located on the western side of the campus.

  • The Towers (officially opened in fall of 2004) are three dormitory-style buildings. One of the Towers features a 14-room hotel called "The Simon Hotel".
  • McTaggart-Cowan Hall (built in 1985), a traditional-style dormitory building.
  • Shell House (built in 1967), traditional-style dormitory building.
  • The Townhouse Complex (built in 1993) are 3-level townhouse units accommodating up to 4 students per unit. There are a total of 99 units.
  • Hamilton Hall (built in 1993 and renovated in 2009) is a studio-style building for graduate students.
  • Louis Riel House (built in 1969 and closed in 2015) was an apartment-style building (unfurnished) used for family and graduate housing. Although the residents tried to prevent the building's closure, it officially closed in September 2015, due to mould problems.[36]

UniverCity

[edit]
Main article: UniverCity

UniverCity is an urban community located on top of Burnaby Mountain, adjacent to Simon Fraser University. It has won several awards for sustainable planning and development.[37] Envisioned in 1963 by Arthur Erickson and Geoffrey Massey, the area adjacent to the university was not officially rezoned for development until 30 years later. Development of the community began in early 2000, when Simon Fraser University commenced construction on a new residential and commercial area occupying approximately 81 hectares (200 acres) adjacent to the campus. As of September 2011, approximately 3000 people live in UniverCity. The main commercial district on University High Street now houses restaurants, stores, and a 20,000 square foot Nester's Market. A new elementary school, University Highlands Elementary, opened on September 1, 2010. Several new residential developments are currently in progress, including the construction of a 12-storey high rise in the heart of UniverCity.[38]

Surrey campus

[edit]
The School of International Studies is housed within Harbour Centre.

The Surrey campus consists of two buildings located in Whalley / City Centre, Surrey. The main building is part of Central City, an architectural complex adjacent to the Surrey Central SkyTrain station. It was established in 2002 to absorb the students and programs of the former Technical University of British Columbia, which was closed by the provincial government. It has since expanded to house the Surrey operations of other SFU programs. The Central City complex that houses the campus was designed by architect Bing Thom and opened in 2006. The Fraser Library,[39] a branch of the SFU Library, is located at the second floor on this campus and is the only branch with a games room, where arcade games and console games are available. It also loans equipment to students in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology.[40][41]

A separate five-floor building opened on April 25, 2019,[42] across the street from the existing Central City complex. The 20,458-square-metre (220,210 sq ft) building is LEED Gold certified[43] and mainly houses the Sustainability Energy Engineering (SEE) program[42] and supports 440 full-time students with engineering labs, computer labs, classrooms, lecture halls and office spaces.[44]

Vancouver campus

[edit]
The School for the Contemporary Arts within the Woodward's Building

The Vancouver campus was launched in the 1980s with a storefront classroom. It was the first urban university classroom in British Columbia. A significant portion of funding for the building of the campus came from the private sector. The Vancouver campus has eight buildings spread across the downtown core: SFU Harbour Centre, the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, the Segal Graduate School of Business, SFU Contemporary Arts at the restored Woodward's Building, SFU Charles Chang Innovation Centre, SFU Vancity Office of Community Engagement at 312 Main, SFU VentureLabs, SFU Collection at Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art, and SFU Contemporary Arts at 611 Alexander Visual Arts Studio. The original campus building at Harbour Centre, a rebuilt heritage department store, officially opened on May 5, 1989. Today, the entire campus serves more than 70,000 people annually. Approximately 10,000 are graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in courses and degree programs based downtown. The Belzberg Library[45] is based at the Vancouver campus.

In September 2010, SFU Contemporary Arts relocated to the historic Woodward's district in downtown Vancouver known as the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. The 130,000-square-foot (12,077 m2) SFU facility is part of the Woodward's revitalization project. The new facility accommodates the increasing enrolment of students in the programme and new cultural facilities, including the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental theatre, screening rooms, sound studios, and art galleries.

Governance

[edit]

The university is governed in accordance with the British Columbia University Act.[46]

Convocation

[edit]

The convocation is composed of all faculty members, senators, and graduates (degree holders, including honorary alumni) of the university. Its main function is to elect the 4 convocation senators. Convocation ceremonies are held twice annually to confer degrees (including honorary degrees) as well as award diplomas and certificates.

Carole Taylor, the tenth chancellor of Simon Fraser University

Board of governors

[edit]

The board is composed of the chancellor, the president, two student members, two faculty members, one staff member, and eight individuals appointed by the British Columbia government. Conventionally, the board is chaired by one of the government appointees. The board is responsible for the general management and governance of the university.

Board members as of July 30, 2020:[47]

  • Christopher Lewis, board chair, alumni order-in-council
  • Dr. Tamara Vrooman, O.B.C., chancellor
  • Professor Joy Johnson, president
  • Mike Cordoba, alumni order-in-council
  • Corbett Gildersleve, undergraduate student member
  • Alexandra Gunn, graduate student member
  • Angie Hall, order-in-council
  • Carolyn Hanna, staff member
  • Dr. Anke Kessler, faculty member
  • Dr. Mary-Catherine Kropinski, faculty member
  • Mike Lombardi, order-in-council
  • Paula Martin, order-in-council
  • James Stewart, deputy board chair, order-in-council
  • Denise Williams, alumni order-in-council
  • Joan Young, order-in-council
  • Li-Jeen Broshko, general counsel and acting university secretary
  • Valerie Rodden, board of governors' assistant
  • Nicole Shin, board of governors' assistant

Senate

[edit]

The senate is composed of the chancellor, the president, vice-president, academic, vice-president, research, deans of faculties, dean of graduate studies, dean of continuing studies, associate vice-president, academic, university librarian, registrar (as senate secretary), 14 student members, 28 faculty members, and 4 convocation members (who are not faculty members). The senate is chaired by the president. The academic governance of the university is vested in the senate.

Chancellor

[edit]

The chancellor is appointed by the board of governors on nomination by the alumni association and after consultation with the senate for a three-year term, which can be renewed once. The main responsibilities of the chancellor are to confer degrees and represent the university in formal functions.

  • Gordon M. Shrum (January 1, 1964 – May 31, 1968)
  • Kenneth P. Caple (June 1, 1968 – May 31, 1975)
  • Jack Diamond (June 1, 1975 – May 31, 1978)
  • Paul T. Cote (June 1, 1978 – June 15, 1984)
  • William M. Hamilton (June 15, 1984 – May 31, 1987)
  • Barbara J. Rae (June 5, 1987 – June 4, 1993)
  • Joseph Segal (June 5, 1993 – June 4, 1999)
  • Milton Wong (June 5, 1999 – May 31, 2005)
  • Brandt Louie (June 1, 2005 – June 17, 2011)
  • Carole Taylor (June 17, 2011 – June 13, 2014)
  • Anne Giardini (June 13, 2014 – June 13, 2020)
  • Tamara Vrooman (June 13, 2020 to present)

President and vice-chancellor

[edit]

The board of governors appoints the president and vice-chancellor based on a selection process jointly established by the board of governors and the university's senate. As the chief executive officer and chair of the senate, the president is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the university.

The last president that was appointed was Joy Johnson, who began her term on September 1, 2020. Johnson succeeded Andrew Petter, who held a decade-long post as president from 2010 to 2020.[48] Johnson's term ends on September 1, 2025, after which she may choose to seek another 5-year term.[49]

Academics

[edit]

There are eight faculties at Simon Fraser University:

Undergraduate

[edit]

In the Fall 2021 semester, SFU had 25,595 undergraduates, with 12,812 of them being full-time and 12,783 part-time.[3] International students made up 21% of the undergraduate student body, of which over 85% came from Asia, the highest proportion being from China at 43%.[51] SFU's undergraduate student union is known as the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS).

Graduate

[edit]

The university enrolled 4,701 graduate students in the Fall 2021 semester, with international students constituting 32% of the graduate student population.[3] A Graduate Student Society[52] supports and advocates for graduate students at the university.

Continuing education

[edit]

SFU also offers non-credit programs and courses to adult students. As of 2016, SFU Continuing Studies offers more than 300 courses and 27 certificate and diploma programs, mostly delivered either online or part-time from SFU's downtown Vancouver or Surrey campus. Continuing Studies also manages a part-time degree completion program, called SFU NOW: Nights or Weekends, for working adults pursuing a bachelor's degree.[53]

Staff unions

[edit]
The Maggie Benston Centre, home to many of the administrative activities at SFU

Teaching assistants, tutor markers, sessional instructors, language instructors, Graduate Facilitators and Research Assistants at SFU are unionized. The union, the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU), is independent. Faculty and lecturers are members of the Faculty Association. Staff are members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Administrative and Professional Staff Association (APSA), or Polyparty. A few positions at the university, such as some in Human Resources and senior administrative positions, fall outside the five associations or unions above.

Under the previous president, Andrew Petter, SFU's administration has incurred a number of grievances and bad faith bargaining judgments.[54][55][56] During their most recent rounds of bargaining, both the TSSU and CUPE local 3338 resorted to job action, and the BC Labour Relations Board found SFU's administration to be bargaining in bad faith with the CUPE local.[55] Conflicts since then include unpaid wages (in Fall 2013, 18% of TSSU members reported that they were not paid on the first payday; by the term's third payday, some members still had not received their wages),[54] and a health plan, redundant with the provincial health plan available to all international students after their first three months in-province and costing double a prior plan's cost, in which international students are automatically enrolled.[56]

Rankings and reputation

[edit]
University rankings
World rankings
ARWU World[57]301–400
QS World[58]319
THE World[59]301–350
USNWR World[60]359
Canadian rankings
ARWU National[57]13–16
QS National[58]13
THE National[59]12–15
USNWR National[60]12
Maclean's Comprehensive[61]1
Maclean's Reputation[62]10

Simon Fraser University has placed in various international post-secondary school rankings. In the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities rankings, the university ranked 301–400 in the world and 13–17 in Canada.[57] The 2024 QS World University Rankings ranked the university 318th in the world and thirteenth in Canada.[58] The 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings placed Simon Fraser 251–300 in the world, and 11–13 in Canada.[59] In U.S. News & World Report 2022–23 global university rankings, the university placed 317th in the world, and 12th in Canada.[60] In Maclean's 2023 rankings, the university placed first in their comprehensive university category. The university also placed ninth in Maclean's reputation category.[62] Simon Fraser University was ranked despite having opted out from participation in Maclean's graduate survey since 2006.[63]

In the World’s Universities for Real Impact (WURI) 2022 rankings, SFU ranked 18th in the world, and 1st in Canada.[64][65] In QS's 2022 graduate employability ranking, the university ranked 301–500 in the world, and 10–17 in Canada.[66]

Research

[edit]

In 2020, Simon Fraser University received a sponsored research income (external sources of research funds) of C$167.256 million, the 17th highest in Canada. In the same year, the university's faculty averaged a sponsored research income of $188,600, while graduates averaged $34,000.[67][68]

Simon Fraser's research performance has been noted by several bibliometric university rankings, which uses citation analysis to evaluates the impact a university has on academic publications. In 2019, the Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities ranked Simon Fraser 378th in the world, and 16th in Canada.[69] In University Ranking by Academic Performance's 2018–19 rankings, the university placed 362nd in the world, and 15th in Canada.[70]

SFU also works with other universities and agencies to operate joint research facilities. These include Bamfield Marine Station, a major centre for teaching and research in marine biology; TRIUMF, a powerful cyclotron used in subatomic physics and chemistry research. SFU is also a partner institution in Great Northern Way Campus Ltd in Vancouver. In March 2006, SFU approved an affiliation agreement with a private college for international students to be housed adjacent to its Burnaby campus. This new college named Fraser International College, which was in the Multi Tenant Facility (now renamed as "Discovery 2 Building") located in Discovery Parks Trust SFU site,[71][failed verification] is now moved into "Discovery 1 Building" after Discovery Parks Trust returned the building to Simon Fraser University. The MODAL Research Group, based at Simon Fraser, partners with multiple Canadian universities and arts organizations to carry out multi-disciplinary research in the arts with an emphasis on the study of artistic learning and engagement.[72]

In 2008, SFU has the highest publication impact among Canadian comprehensive universities and the highest success rates per faculty member in competitions for federal research council funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).[73]

In 2017, Simon Fraser University entered into an agreement with Huawei to receive cloud computing equipment.[74]

In 2022, Simon Fraser University announced the creation of the cross-disciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (INN) [75] research hub to empower neuroscience-related research and collaboration across the university.

Student life

[edit]

The student newspaper The Peak was established shortly after the university opened and is circulated throughout the university. CJSF 90.1 FM has been SFU's campus community radio station since the early 1970s. The Simon Fraser Student Society provides funding for over 300 campus clubs. Various campus events include the annual Terry Fox Run, Gung Haggis Fat Choy, Clubs Week, and other multi-cultural events.

The Tau chapter of Phrateres, a non-exclusive, non-profit social-service club, was installed here in 1966. Between 1924 and 1967, 23 chapters of Phrateres were installed in universities across North America, including the Theta chapter nearby at the University of British Columbia.

Greek organizations

[edit]

Six Greek organizations have formed SFU arms, although none are recognized by the university pursuant to a policy enacted in 1966:[76]

Fraternities:

Sororities:

  • Kappa Beta Gamma International Sorority, Alpha Gamma Chapter[78]
  • Delta Alpha Theta National Sorority, Beta Chapter
  • Alpha Pi Phi International Sorority, Eta Chapter
  • Tau Sigma Phi National Sorority, Epsilon Chapter

Co-ed Professional Fraternities:

Athletics

[edit]
Main article: Simon Fraser Red Leafs

The university's varsity sports teams are called the Simon Fraser Red Leafs, and the mascot is a Scottish Terrier named McFogg the Dog. In sports and other competitions, there tends to be a strong rivalry between SFU and The University of British Columbia.

The team is the first and currently the only athletic program from outside of the United States that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).[79] Before joining the NCAA, the team used to compete in both the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS, now U Sports) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). In total, SFU has 15 varsity sport teams and 300 athletes. All varsity teams compete for their respective NCAA national championships, except for the Women's Wrestling team which competes for the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship (www.ncwwc.com).

Beside the varsity teams, SFU also houses various competitive club teams, including Men's Lacrosse, who currently competes in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association, and Men's Hockey, who currently competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League. Other club teams include rugby, cheerleading, rowing, quidditch, and field hockey.

SFU has won the NAIA NACDA Director's Cup five times, among others.[80][failed verification] On Friday, July 10, 2009, the NCAA announced that it had accepted SFU as a Division II member and would begin after a two-year transition period. SFU later competed in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.[81] It is the first Canadian university to be accepted as a member of the NCAA at any level.[82] In 2012, the team was accepted as the first international full member of the NCAA.[79]

Many former team athletes later represented Canada during the Olympic Games, including gold medalists Carol Huynh and Daniel Igali, and Olympic medalists Sue Holloway and Hugh Fisher. Other team alumni include: Jay Triano, Chris Rinke, wrestler Ari Taub, and Carolyn Murray.

Notable alumni

[edit]
Statue of Terry Fox in the Academic Quadrangle plaza

As of 2023, the university's alumni network included over 180,000 graduates from over 140 countries.[83] Alumni have received a number of academic awards. As of 2011, four SFU graduates have been named Rhodes Scholars, including Joel Bakan.[84]

SFU faculty and alumni have won 43 fellowships to the Royal Society of Canada, three Rhodes Scholarships and one Pulitzer Prize.[85] Among the list of alumni includes three premiers of British Columbia (Glen Clark, Gordon Campbell and Ujjal Dosanjh), Vancouver Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini, Prime Minister of Lesotho Pakalitha Mosisili, Max Planck Institute director Robert Turner, and humanitarian and cancer research activist Terry Fox.

Another notable alumni was Terry Fox, an athlete and an alumnus of SFU who embarked on the run across Canada to raise money and awareness for Cancer research. Fox's Marathon of Hope had a lasting legacy, with the Terry Fox Run being held around the world in commemoration of his efforts. In 2001, SFU conferred an honorary degree to Betty Fox, mother of Terry Fox and honorary chair of the Terry Fox Foundation.

Other notable alumni from the university include:

Bettina Bradbury, fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Margaret Trudeau, author and social advocate
Ujjal Dosanjh, former Premier of British Columbia

Honorary alumni

[edit]

At each convocation, SFU awards honorary degrees to various people from around the world for their activities and pursuits. In 1967, SFU awarded an honorary LL.D. (doctor of laws) to Marshall McLuhan, the first honorary degree awarded by the university.[93] Ida Halpern, an ethnomusicologist whose professional papers are held in part by SFU, was similarly awarded an honorary LL.D. in 1978.[94] On April 20, 2004, SFU conferred honorary degrees upon three Nobel Peace Prize recipients: the 14th Dalai Lama, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and human rights activist Shirin Ebadi. Other honorary alumni include award-winning filmmaker Costa-Gavras,[95] skier Nancy Greene Raine, Milton Wong, Doris Shadbolt, economist Jeffrey Sachs, Peter Gzowski, Douglas Coupland, Lui Passaglia, Romeo Dallaire, Canadian businessman Stephen Jarislowsky, Iain Baxter, American agriculturalist Cary Fowler, experimental psychologist Steven Pinker, primatologist and environmentalist Jane Goodall,[96] Martha Piper, Sarah McLachlan, Rick Hansen, Kim Campbell, Ray Hyman, Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam (Rocket Scientist and Former President of India) and Bill Nye.[97][98][99][100]

Arms

[edit]

The school's original coat of arms was used from the university's inception until 2006, at which point the Board of Governors voted to adapt the old coat of arms and thereby register a second coat of arms. The adaptation replaced two crosslets with books after some in the university asserted the crosses had misled prospective international students into believing SFU was a private, religious institution rather than a public, secular one.[101] In 2007, the university decided to register both the old coat of arms and the revised coat of arms featuring the books. In 2007, a new marketing logo was unveiled, consisting of white letters on block red.[102]

Coat of arms of Simon Fraser University
Notes
Granted April 20, 2007
Escutcheon
Quarterly first and fourth Azure three fraises Argent second and third Argent three antique crowns Gules all within a bordure quarterly Argent and Gules on a chief Gules an open book proper bound and edged Or between two cross crosslets fitché Or.
Motto
NOUS SOMMES PRÊTS[103]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 2021 SFU Endowment Stewardship Report (PDF) (Report). Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 11, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  2. ^ "Budget and Financial Plan 2022-23" (PDF). Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "SFU Enrolment Portal". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  4. ^ "SFU brand colours". Communications & Marketing. Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on July 15, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  5. ^ Henderson, Will (September 6, 2022). "SFU Announces New Varsity Team Name". Communications & Marketing. Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  6. ^ Macdonald, John B. (1962). Higher Education In British Columbia and a Plan For the Future (pdf). Vancouver, Canada: The University of British Columbia. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Beaton, Belinda A. (March 23, 2015) [2012-02-08]. "Simon Fraser University". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  8. ^ "Institutional Directory". NWCCU. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2019.
  9. ^ a b Pound, Richard W.; Musson, James; Myers, Jay; Ballantyne, Elizabeth; Dionne, Richard, eds. (2005). The Fitzhenry and Whiteside Book of Canadian Facts and Dates (3 ed.). Fitzhenry and Whiteside. OCLC 52540711.
  10. ^ "50 little-known facts about 50-year-old Simon Fraser University". The Province. January 30, 2016. Archived from the original on January 31, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  11. ^ McLeod, Brad (January 6, 2015). "Simon Fraser vs. Louis Riel". The Peak. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  12. ^ Stone, V. (September 26, 1994). "Protest at SFU: another view". The Peak (Letter to the editor). Vol. 88, no. 4. Archived from the original on September 1, 2005. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  13. ^ "SFU's First Professor Emerita Turns 100". Faculty of Science. Simon Fraser University. June 25, 2014. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  14. ^ Fee, Jane; Thorbes, Carol (November 4, 2008). "SFU teams up with Australia to offer double degree" (Press release). SFU Public Affairs and Media Relations. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  15. ^ Murphy, David; MacLachlan, Don (July 10, 2009). "SFU first Canadian school in NCAA" (Press release). SFU Public Affairs and Media Relations. Archived from the original on March 17, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  16. ^ "Simon Fraser University celebrates 50th anniversary". CBC News. September 9, 2015. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
  17. ^ Midgal, Alex (September 21, 2020). "SFU ransomware attack exposed data from 250,000 accounts, documents show". CBC News. British Columbia. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  18. ^ "SFU warns cyberattack exposed personal information of about 200,000 students, staff and alumni". CBC News. British Columbia. February 15, 2021. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  19. ^ Salisi, Jaymee (March 28, 2021). "Lawsuit filed against SFU for data breach". The Peak. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  20. ^ Chan, Kenneth (January 28, 2022). "Burnaby City Council confirms official support for SFU Gondola's quickest route". Daily Hive. Archived from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  21. ^ "SFU.ca". SFU.ca. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  22. ^ "The Reflecting Pond Boulder: A Monument To Failure". The Peak. May 24, 2019. Archived from the original on April 3, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  23. ^ "Traditional Acknowledgements". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
  24. ^ "Awards and Achievements - Campus Planning". Facilities Services. Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on December 26, 2013.
  25. ^ "Prix du XXe siècle – 2007 Recipients". Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. Archived from the original on September 6, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  26. ^ Conner, Shawn (November 24, 2001). "SFU observatory gets $2.7-million gift". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on July 6, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  27. ^ Jennifer Moreau (April 11, 2015). "SFU opens new multimillion-dollar observatory". Burnaby Now. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  28. ^ "SFU in films and television". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011.
  29. ^ "Harrison Brown: The Sian Incident and Beyond". Edocs.lib.sfu.ca. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  30. ^ "Doukhobor Collection of Simon Fraser University". Special Collections. lib.sfu.ca. Archived from the original on October 7, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  31. ^ "Collection highlights and introduction: Special Collections and Rare Books". lib.sfu.ca. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  32. ^ "The Vancouver Punk Collection". Special Collections. lib.sfu.ca. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  33. ^ "British Columbia Postcards Collection". Special Collections. lib.sfu.ca. Archived from the original on October 5, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  34. ^ "Editorial Cartoons Collection". Special Collections. lib.sfu.ca. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  35. ^ "Bill Reid Centre for Northwest Coast Art Studies at Simon Fraser University". Archived from the original on June 16, 2013.
  36. ^ Bjornson, Leah (February 23, 2015). "Louis Riel residents form working group to protest potential closure". The Peak. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  37. ^ "UniverCity Honoured With ULI Award for Excellence". UniverCity. April 24, 2009. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  38. ^ "Current Developments". UniverCity. Archived from the original on April 25, 2012.
  39. ^ "Fraser Library (SFU Surrey)". Archived from the original on January 21, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  40. ^ "Fraser equipment". Archived from the original on January 23, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  41. ^ "About Fraser Library, Surrey | SFU Library". www.lib.sfu.ca. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  42. ^ a b McMillan, Braden (April 25, 2019). "SFU opens new sustainable building as first phase of Surrey campus expansion". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  43. ^ "Surrey building nets LEED gold certification for leadership in sustainability". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  44. ^ Meadahl, Marianne (November 8, 2016). "Backgrounder: SFU moves ahead with Surrey campus expansion" (PDF). atom.archives.sfu.ca (Press release). Simon Fraser University. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022 – via SFU Press Releases Collection.
  45. ^ "Belzberg Library". Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
  46. ^ "University Act [RSBC 1996] Chapter 468". Government of British Columbia. Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  47. ^ "Board of Governors". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  48. ^ Petter, Andrew (August 18, 2020). "Thank you Simon Fraser University for 10 engaging years" (Blog). Simon Fraser University President's Office. Archived from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  49. ^ Carrigg, David (January 8, 2020). "Joy Johnson appointed new president of Simon Fraser University". The Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
  50. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Former Presidents & Chancellors – President's Office – Simon Fraser University". Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  51. ^ "Fall 2021 International Student Report" (PDF). Simon Fraser University. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  52. ^ "Graduate Student Society at Simon Fraser University". Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  53. ^ "Continuing Studies". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  54. ^ a b Sandeborn, Tom (June 3, 2013). "TSSU files complaint over unpaid wages". The Tyee. Archived from the original on March 20, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  55. ^ a b Reid, Marelle (April 26, 2013). "SFU bargaining in bad faith". Burnaby Now. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  56. ^ a b Friday, Melissa (September 8, 2014). "TSSU files grievance over international student health plan". The Peak. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  57. ^ a b c "2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities". ShanghaiRanking Consultancy. 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  58. ^ a b c "QS World University Rankings - 2025". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  59. ^ a b c "World University Rankings 2025". Times Higher Education. TES Global. 2024. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  60. ^ a b c "Best Global Universities in Canada". U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News & World Report, L.P. June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  61. ^ "Canada's Best Comprehensive Universities for 2025". Maclean's. Rogers Media. October 10, 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  62. ^ a b "Canada's Best Universities in 2025 by National Reputational Ranking". Maclean's. Rogers Media. October 10, 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  63. ^ "11 universities bail out of Maclean's survey". CBC News. April 14, 2006. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
  64. ^ "The WURI Ranking 2022 was presented at the Third WURI Conference, Sponsored by UNITAR and other organizations" (Press release). Seoul: The Institute for Industrial Policy Studies. Korea Newswire. June 10, 2022. Archived from the original on March 24, 2023.
  65. ^ Balzer, Jess (June 27, 2022). "SFU named top Canadian university for innovation, entrepreneurial spirit". Burnaby Now. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  66. ^ "QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022". Quacquarelli Symonds. September 23, 2021. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  67. ^ "World University Rankings By 2018". NTU Rankings. 2018. Archived from the original on October 25, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  68. ^ "Canada's Top 50 Research Universities 2021". Research Infosource Inc. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  69. ^ "World University Rankings By 2019". NTU Rankings. 2019. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  70. ^ "2018-2019 Ranking by Country". Informatics Institute of Middle East Technical University. 2018. Archived from the original on November 4, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  71. ^ CKNW.com Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  72. ^ "About us". MODAL Research Group. Archived from the original on October 16, 2015. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
  73. ^ "Research that matters". Simon Fraser University. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  74. ^ Hainsworth, Jeremy (January 13, 2020). "Huawei technology reaches across Canadian, European research networks". Richmond News. Glacier Media (which owns Richmond News). Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  75. ^ "Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology | SFU Research". www.sfu.ca. Archived from the original on January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  76. ^ "Report to Senate From Faculty Council" (PDF). Simon Fraser University. April 4, 1966. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 12, 2014. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
  77. ^ "Chapters | Phi Kappa Pi". Archived from the original on December 11, 2013.
  78. ^ "Kappa Beta Gamma". Archived from the original on September 4, 2013.
  79. ^ a b Stewart, Monte (August 2, 2012). "NCAA paves way for Simon Fraser to become first international member". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  80. ^ "SFU.ca". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on August 25, 2007. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  81. ^ "Canadian college granted entrance into NCAA DII". CNN/Sports Illustrated. Time Inc. (which owns Sports Illustrated). July 10, 2009. Archived from the original on July 15, 2009.
  82. ^ Brown, Gary (July 10, 2009). "Simon Fraser application accepted". NCAA. Archived from the original on December 1, 2009.
  83. ^ "Alumni Association". www.sfu.ca. Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  84. ^ Payne, Sarah (December 22, 2011). "Coquitlam student St. John is Rhodes Scholar". Tri-City News. Glacier Media (which owns Tri-City News). Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  85. ^ "SFU profs named Royal Society fellows". Simon Fraser University News.
  86. ^ "Apple Leadership - Isabel Ge Mahe". Apple (Canada). Archived from the original on July 11, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  87. ^ "Lesotho.gov.ls". Government of Lesotho. Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  88. ^ Broberg, Brad (March 14, 2014). "CFO of the Year 2014: Mark Okerstrom". Puget Sound Business Journal. American City Business Journals. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  89. ^ Drouet, Jessica (June 5, 2018). "Antony Page named dean of FIU's College of Law". Miami's Community News. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  90. ^ Parral, César A. (April 27, 2016). "Dra. Alice Pérez deja cargo de Vicerrectora de Investigación" [Dr. Alice Pérez leaves her position as Vice-Rector for Research]. University of Costa Rica (in Spanish). Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  91. ^ "Profil Yohana Yembise". VIVA (in Indonesian). October 28, 2016. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  92. ^ Canadiana. Vol. 2. National Library of Canada. 1975. p. 1409.
  93. ^ "SFU 2008 Honorary Degree Recipients". Sfu.ca. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  94. ^ Borden, Charles E. (December 16, 2013) [2007-06-28]. "Ida Halpern". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on April 18, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  95. ^ "Convocation Address by Dr. Costa Gavras" (PDF). Simon Fraser University. October 6, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 30, 2012. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  96. ^ "SFU honorary degrees acknowledge two inspiring individuals". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  97. ^ "Truth as a Measure of Life and Politics - aq November 2004". Simon Fraser University. April 20, 2004. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2011.
  98. ^ "Convocation Dialogue with Kim Campbell and David Baines". Simon Fraser University. June 12, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  99. ^ "Ray Hyman – Honorary Degree Recipient". Simon Fraser University. October 4, 2007. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
  100. ^ Bryce, Ian (October 9, 2015). "Bill Nye receives honorary degree from SFU". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  101. ^ Colcleugh, Stuart (February 7, 2007). "SFU's new coat of arms". Simon Fraser University. Archived from the original on December 28, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  102. ^ Colcleugh, Stuart (February 7, 2007). "SFU launches new brand". Public Affairs and Media Relations. Simon Fraser University. Vol. 38, no. 3. Archived from the original on April 3, 2007.
  103. ^ "Simon Fraser University". Canadian Heraldic Authority. November 12, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2021.

Further reading

[edit]
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Simon Fraser University.
Retrieved from "https://wiki.riteme.site/w/index.php?title=Simon_Fraser_University&oldid=1256902296"