University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa (Université d'Ottawa) (also known as Ottawa U, uOttawa, and U of O) is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. Formerly a liberal arts college, it has been teaching pure and applied sciences in both English and French since the 19th century. The institution received university status in 1866 and in 1889 was decreed a pontifical university by Pope Leo XIII. The university has been conferring Bachelor's degrees since 1872, Master's degrees since 1875, and Doctorates since 1888. Saint Paul University is federated with the university and is also located in the city of Ottawa. The enabling legislation is The University of Ottawa Act, 1965. The University of Ottawa is ranked 5th in research-intensity, and 9th in total research funding in Canada. It is a member of the U15, a league of the most research-intensive universities in the country. It is known for its areas of studies in Medicine, Sciences, Law, Political Science and International Affairs.

History


The University of Ottawa was founded in 1848 as the Roman Catholic College of Bytown by Monseigneur Joseph-Bruno Guigues, OMI. The college was originally for boys only and taught a classical liberal arts curriculum. Morning classes were taught in French and afternoon classes in English. The campus was originally located in the Lower Town district of the city of Bytown on the site of what is now the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica. One of the original buildings still stands at the intersection of Sussex Drive and Guigues Avenue. The college moved to its current location in Sandy Hill in 1856 when land was donated by notary Louis T. Besserer. On August 15, 1861, the College of Ottawa became the College of Ottawa. In 1866 the college received a Royal charter from London, England to become the University of Ottawa. In 1889, the University of Ottawa was granted a pontifical charter by Pope Leo XIII to grant degrees in philosophy, theology and canon law. The pontifical charter would later be transferred to Saint Paul University during a reorganization in 1965.

The Main Academic Building was constructed in various stages between 1865 and 1885 and was destroyed by fire in 2 December 1903. The 300,000 volume library was destroyed in the fire in 1903.

Louis Zephirin Gauthier (architect) designed the Science Hall on Wilbrod Street, (1899-1900). Albert Olszewski Von Herbulis (architect) designed a new campus plan (1904), the Main Beaux-Arts Arts and Sciences Building (1904-05) and addition wings of Tabaret Hall (1922-3).

Academic Hall was completed in 1901 and still stands to this day as one of the oldest buildings still in use by the university. The Main Academic Building was rebuilt in various stages from 1905 to 1931. The design for the new building was inspired by the Capitol Building in Washington by architect A. O. Von Herbulis. The building was renamed in 1971 to Tabaret Hall in honour of Father Joseph-Henri Tabaret, OMI.

Women began attending classes on campus in 1919.

In 1935, the Catholic Centre was organized at the University of Ottawa. In 1939 the Canadian Officers' Training Corps and the Royal Canadian Air Force began using some of the university's facilities. In 1942, temporary military barracks were constructed on campus for the Canadian Women's Army Corps. A total of 1158 students and alumni enlisted in the war effort.

The University of Ottawa was restructured and made non-denominational in 1965. The Ontario legislature passed the University of Ottawa Act in 1965, making the university a provincially funded institution. Saint Paul University was founded at this time and the university's theology programs were transferred.

In March 2010, a speech by conservative American columnist Ann Coulter on the Ottawa campus was cancelled by her security staff due to student protests. University vice-president and provost Francois Houle had previously sent Coulter an email warning that hate speech could lead to criminal charges. Coulter criticised the university for intimidation, accusing Houle of "promoting hatred against [...] conservatives", and it was subsequently revealed that president Allan Rock had strong internal opposition to her views.

Academics


The average entering grade as of the Fall 2008 was 81.6%, of which 33.6% of students had an average of 85% or higher. However, the admission requirements only state that a minimum grade of 70% is required for prerequisite courses. While other universities in the area provide tables of entrance averages considered to be competitive, there is no comparable table currently available on the University of Ottawa website.

The largest faculties by number of students are Social Sciences (22.7%) and Arts (19.6%). The remaining students are mostly enrolled in the faculties of Health Sciences (12.2%), Science (10.7%) and Management (10 %). The faculties of Engineering, Medicine, Education, Law and Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies make up the remaining 25% of students.

The Biomedical Science program boasts a highly flexible curriculum that allows students to customize their education. Its limited enrolment ensures that students entering the program will be responsible enough to plan their degree stategically.

The university launched Canada's first program in biopharmaceutical sciences.

The National Program of the university's Faculty of Law allows students to receive both a civil law and common law degree in four years.

The university is partnered with The Ottawa Hospital as well as the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario as teaching hospitals. Students also get exposure to Montfort Hospital in Ottawa and the Centre Hospitalier des Vallées de l'Outaouais hospitals in the Gatineau/Hull area.

The university's faculty of engineering is accredited by the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers in the following disciplines: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Software Engineering.

Of the total student population, 69.4% of students use English and 30.6% use French as their primary language of communication with the university. The university offers a French immersion study program that includes a French immersion designation on the student's diploma, as well as the option to obtain a Second Language Certificate in French. A Second Language Certificate can also be obtained in English. The university allows students to produce their work in French or English regardless of the language of instruction of the course, with the exception of language courses.

The university is federated with the Catholic Saint Paul University (French: Université Saint Paul), which has faculties of Canon Law, Human Sciences, Philosophy and Theology.

Rankings
The University of Ottawa's medical school received an A+ in its 2010 review conducted by the CACMS. It also had the highest percentage of medical graduates to be matched to their first choice specialities in Canada. The University of Ottawa's department of Chemistry was ranked third out of the only canadian universities to be known world-wide for excellence in chemistry. Its department of neurosciences is ranked 1st in Canada, and 2nd in clinical medicine, in citations per paper (highest impact) from 2000-2004 by Science Watch newsletter, published by Thomson Scientific in 2005, which uses university science indicators to examine the research of 46 Canadian universities in 21 different scientific fields.

The 2004 Financial Times global survey of EMBA programs ranked the U of O Executive MBA 65th out of 220 worldwide. The EMBA program also scored a "Best in Canada" distinction across three categories in "career progress achieved by graduates", "calibre of program faculty", and "international component of its curriculum (ranked among the top 10 in the world)". In the 2007 rankings, the university placed 87th out of the top 90 EMBA programs.

The Corporate Knights magazine 2005 survey of business schools ranked the university’s undergraduate program 4th in Canada. In the 2007 survey of business and law rankings, the undergraduate business program placed 10th, and the University of Ottawa's Common Law program was ranked 1st in Canada. The rankings use additional components of social and environmental impact management infused into their curricula.

In the Times Higher Education World University rankings for 2011-12, the University of Ottawa was ranked 185th overall (first time in the top 200), and placing 9th overall in Canada.

The 2008 international table "Academic Ranking of World Universities" produced by Shanghai Jiao Tong University rated University of Ottawa in the 7-18 bracket nationally, and in the top 201-302 of 500 universities in the world. In the THES - QS World University Rankings of the top 500 universities in the world for 2009, the University of Ottawa placed 226th, and 13th overall in Canada

In 2005, the School of Management was featured in the Princeton Review’s Best 143 Business Schools Worldwide, which produces test preparation, such as the SAT's and information regarding college admissions.

The University has often fielded some of the top student debaters in the world. In 1981 and 1982 Martin LaPlante and Michael McCulloch of the university were finalists in the World Universities Debating Championship. In 2005, the University of Ottawa won the World Universities Debating Championship, defeating the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and University of Toronto in the final. The winning team from the university consisted of Jamie Furniss and Erik Eastaugh.

The Maclean's 2010 university ranking guide, that takes a measure of the "undergraduate experience", ranked the school 11th in the Medical Doctoral peer grouping.

Maclean's also published their first Law School rankings in 2007, which the university placed 1st in National Reach, 3rd in Supreme Court Clerkships, and 4th Overall in Canada for their Common Law Program. In the Civil Law Program, the school placed 1st in National Reach, 1st in Supreme Court Clerkships, and 2nd Overall.

In August 2006, the University of Ottawa announced, along with 10 other Canadian universities, that it disagreed with the ranking of Canadian universities as put forth by Maclean's magazine. The universities will be in a sense boycotting their rankings by refusing to participate in future surveys by the magazine. The reason for the boycott is that the university disagrees with the methodology used in reaching the ranking.

Research
The university is a member of the U15, a group that describes itself as the leading research-intensive universities in Canada. For the 2006-2007 period, total research revenues were $229 million. According to the RESEARCH Infosource 2007 publication, the university's ranking among Canadian universities was 5th in research intensity and 9th in total research funding.

The university has an office of Technology Transfer and Business Enterprise designed to set up contract research, manage intellectual property and develop external partnerships for research work.

The university houses over twenty research centres and institutes and is affiliated with several research institutes in the Ottawa area. The faculty of medicine is affiliated with the Ottawa Health Research Institute, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the University of Ottawa Eye Institute among others.

The university is a member of the High Performance Computing Virtual Laboratory (HPCVL), led by Queen's University. The HPCVL mission is to provide supercomputer power to a number of universities in Eastern Ontario: Queen's University, Royal Military College of Canada, the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. Researchers are provided with the computational power needed to solve increasingly complex problems.

Publications
University of Ottawa Press, which was founded in 1936, deals with French Canadian civilization, literature, philosophy, medieval studies, translation studies, law, the social sciences, the physical sciences and engineering.

Campus
The university is situated near downtown Ottawa. It is within walking distance of the Rideau Canal, Sandy Hill, Rideau Centre, Byward Market, National Arts Centre, Supreme Court of Canada, Government agencies, and Parliament Hill. The university is also serviced by the OC Transpo transit system which links the campus to a wide range of amenities in the City of Ottawa.

Student life
The university is home to over 175 student clubs and organizations. All student services are provided bilingually.

Fraternities and Sororities
UOttawa is home to a number of fraternities and sororities, both local and international. The Greek life at UOttawa is a generally understated affair and there is no "Greek row" on campus. The University of Ottawa Greek Council (of which nearly all fraternities and sororities are members) provides a forum for the Campus Greeks to coordinate events together and otherwise collaborate. Fraternities and sororities are active on campus, participating in fund raising events, campus clean ups, days of service and more.

Fraternities

 * Sigma Chi (ΣΧ)
 * Alpha Epsilon Pi (ΑΕΠ)
 * Delta Pi (ΔΠ) founding local fraternity at the University of Ottawa in 1989
 * Omega Theta Alpha (ΩΘA)

Sororities

 * Delta Delta Delta (ΔΔΔ) International women's fraternity
 * Nu Sigma Pi(ΝΣΠ)
 * Sigma Beta Phi (ΣBΦ)
 * Sigma Psi Alpha (ΣΨΑ)


 * Xi Delta Theta (ΞΔΘ)


 * Omega Phi Sigma (ΩΦΣ)


 * Zeta Theta Xi (ΖΘΞ)

Student government
The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) claims to represent undegraduate students of the university, while the Graduate Students' Association des étudiant.e.s diplômé.e.s (GSAÉD) claims to represent its graduate students.

On April 9, 2008, the university presented a draft version of a Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct. Students held a rally in opposition of the proposed code, with representatives from the two student associations stating that it had the potential to stifle student dissent and the rights of students for free speech with respect to university affairs. Around 3000 out of 43000 students signed a petition against the code of conduct and hundreds participated in the April 25 rally. As of August 2008, the university announced the draft code has been abandoned in favour of a "different solution that will be created and agreed upon by all members of the university community, including students, professors, staff and the University administration".

The solution adopted by the University of Ottawa to replace the non-academic student code of conduct was announced on December 4, 2008 with the launch of a web site outlining a new Declaration of Rights for members of the University community.

Media
There are two weekly newspapers published by students, the Fulcrum in English and La Rotonde in French. , and a campus radio station, CHUO where actor/comedian Tom Green and model/MTV VJ Quddus both hosted late-night shows at different times for several years. The Undergraduate English Students' Association publishes the arts and literary journal Ottawa Arts Review.

Residences
On-campus residences are situated in downtown Ottawa. With a capacity to house over 3000 full-time students, UofO has seven residence buildings: four traditional-style buildings: Thompson, Stanton, Marchand, and Leblanc, the dormitory/apartment hybrid 90 University (opened in 2002), and two apartment-style buildings: Brooks and Hyman-Soloway (opened in 2005). At uOttawa all first year undergraduate students are guaranteed a place in residence.

The main residential complex (including 90 University, Stanton, and Marchand) is open during the summer as a hotel to independent travellers, conference attendees, school groups, and others. Additionally, the 20th floor of 90 University is open year-round as a short-term hotel, catering particularly to visiting professors and researchers.

Is not unusual that last minute students, unavailable to secure on-campus residence, are housed at Saint Paul University's suite-style residence opened in 2006 on the campus of Saint Paul University, which is federated with the University of Ottawa. Saint Paul University is located at 200 Main Street, a 15 minute walk from the main campus or a 5 minute shuttle ride.

Recently the university has been featured in national coverage criticizing the residence system, particularly drugs, cleaning and upkeep of housing from year to year.

Athletics


The university is represented in Canadian Interuniversity Sport by the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The University of Ottawa competes in basketball, ice hockey, Canadian football, rugby, soccer, swimming, volleyball, and track and field.

The Gee-Gees football team won the national championship, the Vanier Cup, in 1975 and 2000 and also appeared in the championship game in 1970, 1980, and 1997. In 2010 the Gee-Gees quarterback, Brad Sinopoli, won the Hec Crighton Award for the CIS Most Outstanding Player. Brad had 2756 passing yards, 22 TDs, 13 INTs, and a pass completion rating of 61.1%.

Prior to the formation of the CFL, Ottawa won the Ontario Rugby Football Union Championship in 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889 and the Quebec Rugby Football Union Championship in 1894, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904. They also won the Canadian Dominion Football Championship in 1886, 1887, 1888, 1894, 1896, 1897, 1901.

Prior to adopting the current mascot, students used the university's colours, garnet and grey, to refer to the school's sports teams. The abbreviation of the two colors, GG, eventually developed into the Gee-Gee mascot used today. The term gee-gee is a UK colloquialism for 'a horse.'

Scholarships
The University joined Project Hero, a scholarship program cofounded by General (Ret'd) Rick Hillier, for the families of fallen Canadian Forces members.

Bilingualism
In 1848, the institution — then called Bytown College — brought together Francophone and Anglophone students. From the outset, the college’s founders, the Oblates, believed that their institution should promote reconciliation and a better understanding between French and English Canada.

In 1965, the “Université d’Ottawa - University of Ottawa” was created by an act of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. With its new provincial charter as a publicly-funded institution, the University was given the dual mandate of furthering bilingualism and biculturalism, as well as preserving and developing the French culture in Ontario and in Canada.

The University of Ottawa implemented a policy on promoting bilingualism in 1974. Today, students have the choice to study in English, French, or both depending on their programme of study. Controversy has arisen over the years regarding implementing a course to be taught in both languages over alternating years, and eliminating English courses altogether in some faculties.

A study of full professors' employment contracts carried out by the Human Resources Service as part of Vision 2010 concluded that about half of the professors are actively bilingual when they are hired. Ninety-seven percent of support-staff positions are designated as “actively bilingual” and 93% of these positions are held by bilingual staff.

From time to time the bilingual nature of the University of Ottawa has been the subject of linguistic debate. For example in October 2005, the Canadian French newspaper Le Droit reported on an internal memo to University of Ottawa recruiting officers heading to a recruitment fair in Toronto who were directed to speak solely in English while manning the booth. This sparked debate on the widely-held perception that students must speak French to study at the University of Ottawa. In fact just under 70 per cent of University of Ottawa students are anglophones, but most of the administration employees are francophones.

In March 2006, an open letter appeared in Le Droit signed by several University of Ottawa professors voicing their concerns on the status of French at the university. In the ensuing weeks, opinion pieces and letters to the editor ignited vigorous debate.

In June 2006, the university established a Task Force on Programs and Services in French mandated to submit to the senate a development plan for programs and services in French for 2007-2012 that will help the university fully assume its mission and commitment to promote and develop French culture in Ontario. A final report will be submitted to the senate in the spring of 2007.

The university is a member of L'Association des universités de la francophonie canadienne, a network of academic institutions of the Canadian Francophonie.

Finances
The University of Ottawa's endowment as of April 2009 is $129.2 million.

In the 2006-2007 fiscal year, approximately 61% of the university's sources of funding were from operating and research grants. Tuition made up approximately 23%. Remaining sources of funding included investment income, donations, student housing, capital grants and sale of services, among other items.

The university also reported that over half of the expenditures for 2006-2007 were related to salaries and benefits. Buildings, renovations, furniture, equipment and supplies collectively made up 23.3%. Scholarships and bursaries made up 5.9%.

In May 2007, the university surpassed their fund raising campaign goal of $200 million a year ahead of schedule. Alumnus Ian Telfer, CEO of Goldcorp Inc., presented the school with a $25 million gift which put their total fund raising campaign to $226 million. The gift by Telfer was also the biggest donation in history made to a Canadian business school.

Notable people and alumni
The University of Ottawa currently reports 153,086 alumni.