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University of Calgary Calendar 2021-2022 About the University of Calgary Historical Highlights
Historical Highlights

1922

  • Calgary Normal School (formerly Alberta Normal School) relocates onto the Institute of Technology and Art campus (now SAIT).

1945

  • The Normal School becomes a southern extension of the University of Alberta Faculty of Education.

1946

  • Citizens form the Calgary University Committee.

1947

  • The Calgary Branch of the University of Alberta offers the first two years of a Bachelor of Education degree. A.L. Doucette is appointed the first director. Land is set aside in Houndsfield Heights for an eventual university.

1950

  • The Board of Governors at the University of Alberta sells all land south of 24th Avenue because the Calgary Branch of the University of Alberta would never grow large enough to use it.

1951

  • First years of the BA and BSc are offered.

1953

  • First year of BComm is offered.

1957

  • The name changes to University of Alberta in Calgary (UAC). By now the first years of the BSc (Eng) and BPE are offered.

1958

  • Sod-turning for the present campus. The Department of Public Works begins levelling the land.

1960

  • The new campus opens with two new buildings, Arts and Science A. McMahon Stadium opens. M.G. Taylor is appointed principal.

1961

  • The name changes to University of Alberta, Calgary. The first physical education building opens.

1962

  • The 80-acre research park is designated. Campus patrol arrives. Full degree study is offered.

1963

  • Students begin a drive for autonomy from the University of Alberta.

1964

  • H.S. Armstrong is appointed President. Name changes to University of Alberta at Calgary. The football Dinos begin to play.

1965

  • On May 1 UAC is granted academic and financial autonomy. The residence complex, Calgary Hall (now Craigie Hall), Science B and the Meteorological Station are completed. The Faculty of Engineering and the Division of Continuing Education are founded.

1966

  • The Universities Act passes, creating the University of Calgary. F. C. Manning is appointed as the first Chair of the Board of Governors. The Senate and School of Social Welfare are established.

1967

  • The first convocation is held March 29.
  • The first recipient of a degree, Doctor of The University of Calgary, is Lester B. Pearson.
  • Faculties of Business and Fine Arts are established.

1969

  • A.W.R. Carrothers is named President. School of Nursing is established.
  • The Social Sciences Building, Mathematical Sciences Building and Physical Plant open.

1970

  • General Faculty Council is renamed General Faculties Council.
  • First students are admitted to the Faculty of Medicine.

1971

  • Faculty of Environmental Design is established.
  • Four year degree programs begin.
  • Dinnies Den opens as the first pub on campus.

1974

  • W.A. Cochrane is named President.

1975

  • Faculty of Law is established.

1976

  • Faculty of Arts and Science is divided into the University College and the Faculties of Science, Social Science, and Humanities. Day Care Centre opens. Arctic Institute of North America is relocated here.

1978

  • Norman E. Wagner is named President.

1979

  • The Canadian Institute of Resources Law is established.

1981

  • The University College becomes the Faculty of General Studies.
  • The University of Calgary Press is established.

1982

  • The University of Calgary is selected as the 1988 Olympic Games venue for the athletes' village and speed-skating events.

1984

  • A $17 million supercomputer is acquired.

1985

  • Calgary Hall is re-named Craigie Hall in memory of former Vice-President (Academic) Peter Craigie.

1988

  • The Winter Olympics come to campus.
  • Murray Fraser is named President.

1991

  • The university celebrates its 25th anniversary.

1992

  • NASA space shuttle Columbia blasts off carrying a University of Calgary science experiment.

1993

  • The university raises more than $45 million in its first national fundraising campaign. Students commit $2.2 million to the Building on the Vision campaign.

1994

  • The University of Calgary hosts the 1994 Learned Societies Conference in June and welcomes a record 8,100 delegates representing 105 societies and conferences from 24 countries.

1995

  • Site dedication ceremony held for the new Rozsa Centre.

1996

  • Terry White is appointed President.

1997

  • The university launches U of C 101 - a four-day orientation session for new students and the first program of its kind in Canada.

1999

  • Largest Information Commons of its kind in North America opens in MacKimmie Library.
  • New 400-bed Cascade Hall residence welcomes students.

2001

  • Dr. Harvey P. Weingarten is appointed as seventh President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calgary.

2003

  • The Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta is created with a $15-million gift from the Alvin and Mona Libin Foundation and a $5-million donation by David and Gail O'Brien helped launch a world-class undergraduate educational centre in the Faculty of Medicine.

2004

  • Allan Markin, chairman of Canadian Natural Resources, donates $18 million to establish an Institute for Public Health.

2005

  • Seymour Schulich donates $25 million to the university's engineering faculty. The faculty is renamed the Schulich School of Engineering in honour of the donation.

2006

  • The university marked its 40th anniversary with a series of celebrations touching on almost every area of the campus community.

2007

  • Official opening of a branch campus called University of Calgary-Qatar, will bring state-of-the-art nursing education, in Qatar’s capital city of Doha.

2008

  • University of Calgary launches Canada's fifth veterinary program in the new Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

2010

  • Elizabeth Cannon, Dean of the Schulich School of Engineering, is officially selected as the University of Calgary’s eighth president and vice-chancellor.

2011

  • Taylor Family Digital Library (TFDL) opens January 2011.
  • The new Energy Environment and Experiential Learning (EEEL) Building opens.

2013

  • The Taylor family donates $40 million to establish the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning.
  • The Faculty of Education is re-named Werklund School of Education in recognition of Dr. David P. Werklund's $25 million donation.

2014

  • The University of Calgary is named the number one university in Canada under the age of 50 and ranked as one of the top ten young international universities.
  • The Faculty of Medicine is re-named the Cumming School of Medicine in honour of a $100 million donation from Geoffrey Cumming.

2015

  • Two new residences: Aurora Hall (for undergraduate students) and Crowsnest Hall (for graduate students) open on main campus.

2016

  • The University of Calgary marked its 50th Anniversary as an autonomous institution.