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About the University of Calgary

The University of Calgary acknowledges the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Blackfoot Confederacy (comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai First Nations), as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and the Stoney Nakoda (including the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Wesley First Nations). The City of Calgary is also home to Metis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. The University of Calgary acknowledges the impact of colonization on Indigenous peoples in Canada and is committed to our collective journey towards reconciliation to create a welcome and inclusive campus that encourages Indigenous ways of knowing, doing, connecting and being.

The University of Calgary is a co-educational, non-denominational government supported institution possessing the right of conferring degrees, other than degrees in Divinity, within the Province of Alberta. It is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities and of Universities Canada.

The University of Calgary is expected to achieve focused outcomes that support and encourage engagement, economic, social, and cultural prosperity, and are valuable to all Albertans. For more on our institutional strategies and plans, see: ucalgary.ca/about/our-strategy/strategies-and-plans.

For more information about the University of Calgary see: About | University of Calgary (ucalgary.ca).

For a comprehensive list of university policies and procedures, see: https://www.ucalgary.ca/legal-services/university-policies-procedures.

Institutional Heraldry
Coat of Arms

The University of Calgary combines the best of long-established university tradition with Calgary's frontier spirit of originality and innovation.

Our logo was designed to reflect bold thinking and a connection with the origins of Calgary. The logo has two components: the crest and the wordmark. The crest represents and respects our historical heraldry while the more contemporary wordmark reflects our focus on the future.

The university also has an official Coat of Arms, which represents and respects our historical roots.

The Coat of Arms consists of a shield, an escroll containing the motto and the wordmark in vertical format.

The shield consists of two parts, the upper part (the chief) separated from the lower (the base) by an arched line symbolizing the Chinook arch. The ground colour of the chief is scarlet, commemorating the North West Mounted Police under whose influence Western Canada was settled. Upon this colour is a pair of open books bound in gold. Between the books is a white rose, symbolic of Alberta. The ground colour of the base is gold, indicative of golden sunshine or golden grain. Upon this is a black bull's head with red horns and crossed staves bearing red flags, reminiscent of the family crest of Lt. Col. J.F. Macleod, the NWMP officer who founded Fort Calgary.

Below the shield, printed on an escroll, is the university's motto, "Mo shuile togam suas" (translated as "I will lift up mine eyes"), rendered in Gaelic uncial letters. The scroll is white; the draped ends are red. They were granted to the university in 1966 by Lord Lyon King of Arms at Edinburgh.

The official coat of arms with logos may be found here: https://www.ucalgary.ca/brand/brand-standards/logos.

Official Colours

The university has two official colours: red and gold.

Tartan

The University of Calgary has an official tartan that incorporates the university's official colours of red and gold in its design. It was designed by Jim Odell, a University of Calgary Education and Fine Arts graduate and accredited in a 2001 ceremony presided over by Duncan Paisley of Westerlea, President of the Scottish Tartans Society and director of the Register of All Publicly Known Tartans.

The Mace

Certain formal occasions involve the use of special regalia, the significance of which is now symbolic but most of which has practical origins. In early times the mace was used first as a weapon to protect and second as a symbol of authority.

The mace carried into Convocation is a symbol of the authority of the Chancellor. It represents the Crown and the authority vested in the Chancellor to grant degrees. It is always carried in front of the Chancellor at Convocation. One interesting tradition in the use of maces is that if the real authority (the Queen) was present in person, the mace would be inverted.

Governance and Leadership
Board of Governors

The Board of Governors oversees the management and operation of the University’s business and affairs. The Board oversees the development of the overarching strategic direction and policy framework for the University, ensures that the University’s activities are consistent with its mandate, oversees the efficient and effective use of financial and human resources to meet institutional objectives and ensures that institutional risk is appropriately managed. These duties are mainly discharged through oversight of the President and senior officers, who are responsible for the management and day-to-day operation of the University. In this way, the Board assumes responsibility for the stewardship of the University.

The Board is established by the Post-Secondary Learning Act and is a corporation named "The Governors of the University of Calgary".

For more information on the Board of Governors, please visit: ucalgary.ca/secretariat/.
General Faculties Council

Subject to the authority of the Board of Governors, General Faculties Council is primarily responsible for the academic affairs of the University. The activity of the Board of Governors and the General Faculties Council is supported by the University Secretariat.

For more information, including a current General Faculties Council membership list, please refer to the University Secretariat website: ucalgary.ca/secretariat/general-faculties-council.

The Senate

The Post Secondary Learning Act 2003 states that it is the duty of the Senate to inquire into any matter that might benefit the University and enhance its position in the community.

The Senate also elects the Chancellor and authorizes the conferring of honorary degrees.

Email: senate@ucalgary.ca
Website: ucalgary.ca/secretariat/board-governors
Honorary Degrees (HD and OTUC) and Emeriti
Honorary Degree (HD) Recipients

Honorary Degrees from The University of Calgary are conferred upon the authorization of the University's Senate, a body of community and University representatives established under the Universities Act.

Anyone may nominate a candidate for an honorary degree and nominations are accepted year-round. Normally excluded from consideration are those currently holding elected office, as well as current members of the University community.

Full details, including nomination forms and a list of recipients, may be obtained from the Senate Office.

Fax: 403.284.9524
Email: senate@ucalgary.ca
Location: Administration Building, A164
Website: ucalgary.ca/chancellorandsenate/honours/honorary-degrees
Members of the Order of the University of Calgary (OTUC)

The Order of The University of Calgary was established to honour individuals who have made distinguished contributions to the University or contributions to the community that bring honour to the University. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and volunteers are eligible to be inducted into The Order of the University of Calgary; thus, the University family is able to acknowledge its own members.

Full details, including nomination forms and a list of recipients, may be obtained from the Senate Office.

Fax: 403.284.9524
Email: senate@ucalgary.ca
Location: Administration Building, A164
Website: ucalgary.ca/chancellorandsenate/honours/order-university-calgary
Chancellors Emeriti

For a list of former chancellors, please see: ucalgary.ca/chancellorandsenate/chancellor/former-chancellors.
Presidents Emeriti

For a list of former presidents, see: ucalgary.ca/president/about-office/former-presidents.
Faculty Emeriti