The Wolfville Campus houses Acadia University Archives[6] and the Acadia University Art Gallery.[7] Acadia offers over 200 degree combinations in the faculties of arts, pure and applied science, professional studies, and theology. The student-faculty ratio is 15:1 and the average class size is 28. Open Acadia offers correspondence and distance education courses.[8]
In 1838, the Nova Scotia Baptist Education Society founded Queen's College (named for Queen Victoria). The college began with 21 students in January 1839. The name "Queen's College" was denied to the Baptist school, so it was renamed "Acadia College" in 1841, in reference to the history of the area as an Acadian settlement.[11] Acadia College awarded its first degrees in 1843 and became Acadia University in 1891,[9] established by the Acadia University Act.[5]
The Granville Street Baptist Church (now First Baptist Church Halifax) has played a supporting role throughout its history, and shares much of the credit for its survival and development. Many individuals who have made significant contributions to Acadia University, including the first president John Pryor, were members of the First Baptist Church Halifax congregation.
In 1851, the power of appointing governors was transferred from the Nova Scotia Baptist Education Society to the Baptist Convention of the Maritime Provinces.[12]
Charles Osborne Wickenden, an architect, and J.C. Dumaresq designed the Central Building, Acadia College, 1878–79.[13]
Clara Belle Marshall, from Mount Hanley, Nova Scotia, became the first woman to graduate from Acadia University in 1879.[14]
In 1891, there were changes in the Act of Incorporation.[12]
Andrew R. Cobb designed several campus buildings including: Raynor Hall Residence, 1916; and Horton House,[15] designed by Cobb in the Georgian style, and built by James Reid of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, which was opened in 1915 as Horton Academy. Today, Horton Hall is the home of the Department of Psychology and Research and Graduate Studies. In 1967 Emmerson Hall was converted to classrooms and offices for the School of Education. It is a registered Heritage Property.[16]
Emmerson Hall, Acadia University, was originally built 1913 as Emerson Memorial Library and shows strong Beaux Arts influences. It was erected to honour the memory of the Reverend R. H. Emmerson (1826–1857), father of the former premier of New Brunswick, H. R. Emmerson.
Unveiled on 16 August 1963, a wooden and metal organ in Manning Chapel, Acadia University, is dedicated to Acadia University's war dead of the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War.[17] A book of remembrance in Manning Chapel, Acadia University was unveiled on 1 March 1998 through the efforts of the Wolfville Historical Society.[18]
Acadia University's Board of Governors and members of the Acadia University Faculty Association (AUFA) have ratified a new collective agreement covering the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2014.[21] The faculty of Acadia University have been on strike three times in the history of the institution. The first was 24 February to 12 March 2004. The second was 15 October to 5 November 2007. The second strike was resolved after the province's labour minister, Mark Parent, appointed a mediator, on 1 November, to facilitate an agreement. The third strike began on 1 February 2022 and ended 1 March 2022 with both sides agreeing to binding arbitration.
In Maclean's 2023 Guide to Canadian Universities, Acadia was ranked fifth in the publication's "primarily undergraduate" Canadian university category, tied with Bishop's University.[22] In the same year, the publication ranked Acadia 33rd, in Maclean's reputation survey.[23]
Faculties
Acadia is organized into four faculties: Arts, Pure & Applied Science, Professional Studies and Theology. Each faculty is further divided into departments and schools specialized in areas of teaching and research.
Research
Acadia has over 15 research centres and 6 research chairs. Undergraduate students have the opportunity to participate in many research opportunities in a small university setting.
The Division of Research & Graduate Studies is separate from the faculties and oversees graduate students as well as Acadia's research programs.
Acadia's research programs explore coastal environments, ethno-cultural diversity, social justice, environmental monitoring and climate change, organizational relationships, data mining, the impact of digital technologies, and lifestyle choices contributing to health and wellness. Acadia's research centres include the Tidal Energy Institute, the Acadia Institute for Data Analytics, and the Beaubassin Field Station. Applied research opportunities include research with local wineries and grape growers, alternative insect control techniques and technologies.[8]
Innovation
The Acadia Advantage
In 1996, Acadia University introduced a new initiative. Named the Acadia Advantage, it integrated the use of notebook computers into the undergraduate curriculum and featured innovations in teaching. By 2000, all full-time, undergraduate Acadia students were taking part in the initiative. The initiative went beyond leasing notebook computers to students during the academic year, and included training, user support and the use of course-specific applications at Acadia.
Acadia is a laureate of Washington's Smithsonian Institution and a part of the permanent research collection of the National Museum of American History. [citation needed] It is the only Canadian university selected for inclusion in the Education and Academia category of the Computerworld Smithsonian Award.
In addition, Acadia University received the Pioneer Award for Ubiquitous Computing. In 2001, it achieved high rankings in the annual Maclean's University Rankings, including Best Overall for Primarily Undergraduate University in their opinion survey, and it received the Canadian Information Productivity Award in 1997 as the first university in Canada to fully utilize information technology in the undergraduate curriculum.
In September 2008, Acadia moved to a student-owned notebook computer version of the Acadia Advantage, now named Acadia Advantage 2.0.[24]
The new Agri-Technology Access Centre in the Innovation Pavilion provides companies and industry organizations with access to specialized technology, lab space, subject-matter expertise and commercialization support services.[citation needed] It also enables Acadia to advance its applied research strength in a priority sector – agriculture – and expand its technology transfer and commercialization activities. The Science Complex renewal project was supported by an investment of $15.98 million by the Federal and Provincial governments.
Athletics
Acadia's sports teams are called the Axemen and Axewomen. They participate in the Atlantic University Sports conference of U Sports.
Men's and women's varsity teams that have won more conference and national championships than any other institution in Atlantic University Sport. [citation needed] Routinely, more than one-third of Acadia's varsity athletes also achieve Academic All-Canadian designation through Canadian Interuniversity Sport by maintaining a minimum average of 80 per cent.
In September 2006, Acadia University announced its partnership with the Wolfville Tritons Swim Club[25] and the Acadia Masters Swim Club[26] to form the Acadia Swim Club[27] and return competitive swimming to the university after a 14-year hiatus. On 26 September 2008, the university announced its intention[28] to return swimming to a varsity status in September 2009.
Fight song
Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencement, convocation, and athletic games are: Stand Up and Cheer, the Acadia University fight song. According to 'Songs of Acadia College' (Wolfville, NS 1902–3, 1907), the songs include: 'Acadia Centennial Song' (1938); 'The Acadia Clan Song'; 'Alma Mater - Acadia;' 'Alma Mater Acadia' (1938) and 'Alma Mater Song.'[29]
Symbols
In 1974, Acadia was granted a coat of arms designed by the College of Arms in London, England. The coat of arms is two-tone, with the school's official colours, garnet and blue, on the shield. The axes represent the school's origins in a rural setting, and the determination of its founders who cleared the land and built the school on donated items and labour. The open books represent the intellectual pursuits of a university, and the wolves heads are a whimsical representation of the university's location in Wolfville. "In pulvere vinces" (In dust you conquer) is the motto.[30]
The university seal depicts the Greek goddess of wisdom Athena in front of the first college hall.[31]
The university also uses a stylized "A" as a logo for its sports teams.
Far above the dykes of Fundy And its basin blue Stands our noble alma mater Glorious to view
Lift the chorus Speed it onward Sing it loud and free Hail to thee our alma mater Acadia, hail to thee
Far above the busy highway And the sleepy town Raised against the arch of heaven Looks she proudly down
Historic buildings at Acadia University
Seminary House, also known as just "Sem", is a Second Empire style-building constructed in 1878 as a home for women attending the university. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997 as Canada's oldest facility associated with the higher education of women.[33] The building now serves as a co-ed residence, and Whitman House on campus now serves as the women's only residence.
Carnegie Hall, built in 1909, is a large, two-storey, Neo-classical brick building. It was designated under the provincial Heritage Property Act in 1989 as its construction in 1909 signified Acadia's evolution from classical college to liberal university.[34]
The War Memorial House (more generally known as Barrax), which is a residence, and War Memorial Gymnasium[35][36] are landmark buildings on the campus of Acadia University. The Memorial Hall and Gymnasium honours students who had enlisted and died in the First World War, and in the Second World War. Two granite shafts, which are part of the War Memorial Gymnasium complex at Acadia University, are dedicated to the university's war dead.[36][37] The War Memorial House is dedicated to the war dead from Acadia University during the Second World War.[36][38]
Student life
At Acadia University, students have access to the Student Union Building which serves as a hub for students and houses many Student Union organizations. The building houses The Axe Lounge, a convenience store, an information desk, two food outlets, and the Sexual Health Resource Centre. The university press, The Athenaeum is a member of CUP.
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy. Statistics Canada defines the Annapolis Valley as an economic region, composed of Annapolis County, Kings County, and Hants County.
Cape Breton University (CBU) is a public university located in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is the only post-secondary degree-granting institution within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and on Cape Breton Island. The university is enabled by the Cape Breton University Act passed by the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. Prior to this, CBU was enabled by the University College of Cape Breton Act (amended). The University College of Cape Breton's Coat of Arms were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority on May 27, 1995.
Wolfville is a Canadian town in the Annapolis Valley, Kings County, Nova Scotia, located about 100 kilometres (62 mi) northwest of the provincial capital, Halifax. The town is home to Acadia University and Landmark East School.
The Acadia Divinity College (ADC) is Baptist theological institute located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is affiliated with the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. It is governed by a board of trustees with members appointed by the Convention and the Board of Governors of Acadia University. The college is also the Faculty of Theology of Acadia University.
Andrew Randall Cobb, ARCA, FRIBA was a Canadian-American architect based in Nova Scotia.
The University of King's College is a public liberal arts university in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Established in 1789, it is the oldest chartered university in Canada, and the oldest English-speaking university in the Commonwealth outside of the United Kingdom. The university is regarded for its Foundation Year Program (FYP), an undergraduate curriculum designed to comprehensively study a variety of intellectual developments—past and present—through great books and ideas. It is also known for its upper-year interdisciplinary programs, particularly in contemporary studies, early modern studies, and the history of science and technology. In addition, the university has a journalism school that attracts students from across the world for its intensive graduate programs in journalism, writing, and publishing.
Kentville is an incorporated town in Nova Scotia. It is the most populous town in the Annapolis Valley. As of 2021, the town's population was 6,630. Its census agglomeration is 26,929.
St. Francis Xavier University is a public undergraduate liberal arts university located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is a member of the Maple League, a group of primarily undergraduate universities in Eastern Canada.
The Acadia Students' Union represents the undergraduate students at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. They are a member of the Canadian Alliance of Students Associations (CASA) and StudentsNS.
Grand-Pré is a Canadian rural community in Kings County, Nova Scotia. Its French name translates to "Great/Large Meadow" and the community lies at the eastern edge of the Annapolis Valley several kilometres east of the town of Wolfville on a peninsula jutting into the Minas Basin surrounded by extensive dyked farm fields, framed by the Gaspereau and Cornwallis Rivers. The community was made famous by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem Evangeline and is today home to the Grand-Pré National Historic Site. On June 30, 2012, the Landscape of Grand-Pré was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Evan McDonald Whidden was a Canadian Christian minister and academic whose career included being President of Brandon College, Dean of Theology at Acadia University, and chairman of the founding conference of the Atlantic Ecumenical Council. An annual scholarship is awarded at Acadia University in his honor.
Saint Mary's University (SMU) is a public university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The school is best known for having nationally leading programs in business and chemistry. The campus is situated in Halifax's South End and covers approximately 32 hectares.
Theodore Harding Rand was a Canadian educator and poet.
George Barton Cutten (1874–1962) was a Canadian-born psychologist, moral philosopher, historian and university administrator. He was president of Acadia University from 1910 to 1922 and Colgate University from 1922 to 1942.
Higher education in Nova Scotia refers to education provided by higher education institutions. In Canada, education is the responsibility of the provinces and there is no Canadian federal ministry governing education. Nova Scotia has a population of less than one million people, but is home to ten public universities and the Nova Scotia Community College, which offers programs at 13 locations.
The Wolfville Historical Society is a registered charity that owns and maintains the Randall House Museum in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. This building dates from c.1812 and is operated as a seasonal museum, open to the public from June to September. The society collects, conserves, exhibits and stores artifacts and documents from the local area, and interprets the house, rooms, contents and the garden. Archives of documents and photographs are available to the public. The Society also supports the publication of books written about Wolfville's history.
Leslie Raymond Fairn was a Canadian architect whose career is notable for its longevity and for the range of styles it encompassed, including Beaux Arts and Modernism. Most of his work was completed in the Maritimes.
Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC) was a publicly owned Canadian university college located at Bible Hill, Nova Scotia. The Nova Scotia Agricultural College merged with Dalhousie University and became Dalhousie's Faculty of Agriculture on 1 September 2012. The popular nickname remains the "AC".
Paul Eric Kinsman, was a Canadian physician and politician in the province of Nova Scotia. He served in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly as a MLA for the constituencies of West Kings (1963–1967) and Kings South (1984). He was also Mayor of Wolfville, Nova Scotia from 1974 to 1976.
William Pearly Oliver worked at the Cornwallis Street Baptist Church for twenty-five years (1937–1962) and was instrumental in developing the four leading organizations to support Black Nova Scotians in the 20th century: Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Colored People (1945), the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission (1967), the Black United Front (1969) and the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia (1983). He was instrumental in supporting the case of Viola Desmond. Oliver was awarded the Order of Canada in 1984.
↑ Board of Governors (19 May 1891). Act of Incorporation(PDF) (Report). Acadia University. Archived(PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
1 2 Longley, Robert Stewart (1939). Acadia University, 1838–1938. Wolfville, Nova Scotia: Acadia University.
↑ Anisef, P.; Axelrod, P.; Lennards, J. (20 July 2015). "University". The Canadian Enxyclopedia (onlineed.). Historica Canada. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
↑ Hill, Robert G. (ed.). "Wickenden, Charles Osborne". Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada 1800-1950. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
↑ Hill, Robert G. (ed.). "Taylor, Sir Andrew Thomas". Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada 1800-1950. Archived from the original on 3 February 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
↑ Green, Rebecca (7 December 2013). "College Songs and Songbooks". The Canadian Encyclopedia (onlineed.). Historica Canada. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
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