Concordia University of Edmonton

Last updated

Concordia University of Edmonton
Concordia University of Edmonton Crest.png
Former names
Concordia College (1921–1995); Concordia University College of Alberta (1995–2015)
MottoInitium Sapientiae Timor Domini
Motto in English
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom
Type Public Independent
Established1921
Chancellor Stephen Mandel
President Dr. Tim Loreman
Students2,333
Undergraduates 1,822
Postgraduates 289
Location, ,
Canada

53°33′32″N113°26′38″W / 53.559°N 113.444°W / 53.559; -113.444
CampusUrban Residential
Colours blue   and gold  
Affiliations AUCC, ACAA
MascotThunder
Website http://concordia.ab.ca
Concordia University of Edmonton Logo.svg

Concordia University of Edmonton, is a publicly funded independent academic institution [1] in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; accredited under the Alberta Post-secondary Learning Act. [2] Concordia offers arts, science, and management undergraduate degree programs, as well as graduate degree programs in education, information technology, information security, and psychology. Concordia is primarily funded by tuition and private donations and as of 2022, receives nearly one third of its funding from the government of Alberta. [3]

Contents

History

Concordia University of Edmonton was founded in 1921 as Concordia College by the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod to prepare young men for preaching and teaching in the Christian church. It was essentially a high school for many decades. It introduced co-education in 1939, offering general study courses and an accredited high school program. In 1967, Concordia began offering first-year university courses in affiliation with the University of Alberta. Affiliation for second-year courses began in 1975. [4] The university graduated its first cohort of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science three-year degrees in 1988, gradually expanding to other disciplines and four-year programs. A formal separation between the high school and college (degree granting) was initiated in 1994.

The affiliation with the University of Alberta officially ended in 1991 by mutual agreement. Concordia College operated as a denominational college affiliated with the public sector until 1987, when the Province of Alberta allowed Concordia to start operating as a private degree-granting university college. [5] Concordia changed its name from Concordia College to Concordia University College of Alberta in 1995. The high school program that had run within Concordia since 1939 separated into an independent institution called Concordia High School in 2000. Both institutions shared the same campus until July 2011. [6] In 2014, the Alberta government announced that Concordia would be allowed to drop the word "college" from its name, allowing Concordia to call itself a university. [7] On May 1, 2015, Concordia University College of Alberta was renamed Concordia University of Edmonton. [8]

Although the university had indicated its intention to continue relationships with Lutheran organizations and alumni, in November 2015 Concordia removed references to Christianity from its mission statement, effectively self-identifying as a secular institution. [9] Concordia's religious constituency had not fully funded the school since 1978, and in 2015, with religious financial support at 0.1 per cent of the school's $30 million budget, the board decided to secularize. [10] The secularization was formally announced in April 2016. [10]

On January 4, 2022, the Concordia University of Edmonton Faculty Association (CUEFA) began a strike over concerns surrounding pay and workload. [11] This was the first strike by an Albertan faculty association since they had gained the right to do so under the Labour Relations Code in 2017. [12] The strike lasted for 11 days, with CUEFA and the university reaching a four-year collective agreement on January 15. [13] As a result of the strike, the start of the 2022 winter semester was delayed until January 19.

On June 2, 2024, the union representing Concordia's faculty stated it did not have confidence in either school president Tim Loreman or board chair John Acheson, citing a dysfunctional workplace, ongoing leadership problems, and an excessive use of disciplinary measures against faculty members. Faculty members also expressed concerns about a lack of transparency from administration, recent staff restructuring, the financing of new buildings, and a fear of retribution if they speak out. The school's board of governors replied that it had full confidence in the president. [14]

The university also recently faced criticism for the use of its public funding dollars in the $1.75 million purchase of the historic Magrath Mansion in 2021. [15] [ failed verification ]

Programs and faculties

The university has five faculties and two schools: Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Management, Faculty of Science, School of Physical Education and Wellness, and School of Music. The university offers 45 majors and minors in the fields of arts, science, and management; two after-degree programs, three master's degrees, and several graduate certificates and diplomas. The University of Lethbridge had a small extension campus at the university from 2012 to 2015. [16] Bright Horizons Childcare and the Concordia Lutheran Seminary also share the university grounds.

Campus life features a community orchestra, a community choir, a women's choir, a touring choir, and regular drama productions. There are three dormitory buildings on campus: Founders Hall, Eberhardt Hall, and Wangerin House. Two more residences are designated for students taking after-degree or masters' programs. The university has a gymnasium and a large athletic field on campus. In the past the field was sometimes used for spring practice by the Edmonton Elks football team. [17]

Crest

Concordia's crest was designed in 1921 and was in continual use as a logo until 1991, when it was updated to remove the word "college" from the title. In 2010 the crest was retired as the visual identity of Concordia. It remains in use on legal documents as a seal, and on degree diplomas. A new logo was adopted in 2010. It reflects Concordia's front entrance of the historic Schwermann Hall, built in 1926, which also mirrors the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany, on which Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses, sparking the Reformation. Further, the logo's curved lines represents the shore and waters of the North Saskatchewan River, which lies directly below Concordia in the Highlands neighborhood of Edmonton. [18]

Hole Academic Centre Hole Academic Centre Concordia College Edmonton Alberta Canada 04A.jpg
Hole Academic Centre
Concordia campus from Ada Boulevard Concordia University of Edmonton Campus.jpg
Concordia campus from Ada Boulevard

Notable alumni

Athletics

The Concordia Thunder compete in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (Provincial Level) and the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (National Level). Team sports include: badminton, basketball, curling, golf, hockey, soccer, cross country running, and volleyball. Each sport includes participation by both men and women on separate teams with the exception of hockey, which only has a men's team. Thunder alumni include: Andrew Parker, a basketball player who competes for the Edmonton Energy of the International Basketball League. [22] Another notable Concordia alumnus, Daniel Veenstra, became prominent in the diving world by placing a spot on the 2012 Canadian Olympic team.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concordia University</span> University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Concordia University is a public English-language research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the three universities in Quebec where English is the primary language of instruction. As of the 2022–23 academic year, there were 49,898 students enrolled in credit and non-credit courses at Concordia, making the university among the largest in Canada by enrollment. The university has two campuses, set approximately seven kilometres apart: Sir George Williams Campus is the main campus, located in the Quartier Concordia neighbourhood of Downtown Montreal in the borough of Ville Marie; and Loyola Campus in the residential district of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. With four faculties, a school of graduate studies and numerous colleges, centres and institutes, Concordia offers over 400 undergraduate and over 120 graduate programs and courses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Alberta</span> Public research university in Edmonton, Canada

The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta, and Henry Marshall Tory, the university's first president. It was enabled through the Post-secondary Learning Act. The university is considered a "comprehensive academic and research university" (CARU), which means that it offers a range of academic and professional programs that generally lead to undergraduate and graduate level credentials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lutheran Church – Canada</span>

Lutheran Church – Canada (LCC) is a confessional Lutheran denomination in Canada. It is the second largest Lutheran body in Canada after the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC). Together with the ELCIC and the Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations, it is one of only three all-Canadian Lutheran denominations. LCC was founded in 1988 when Canadian congregations of the St. Louis–based Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) formed an autonomous church body with a synodical office in Winnipeg, Manitoba. LCC has no substantial theological divisions from LCMS and continues to have cooperative and sharing arrangements.

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a polytechnic and applied sciences institute in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luther College (Iowa)</span> Lutheran college in Decorah, Iowa, US

Luther College is a private Lutheran liberal arts college in Decorah, Iowa. Established as a Lutheran seminary in 1861 by Norwegian immigrants, the school today is an institution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The upper campus was listed as the Luther College Campus Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concordia University, St. Paul</span> Private Lutheran university in St. Paul, Minnesota

Concordia University, St. Paul, is a private university in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was founded in 1893 and enrolls nearly 5,900 students. It is a member of the Concordia University System, which is operated by the second-largest Lutheran church body in the United States, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. The school was a two year college until 1964. The present name Concordia University, St. Paul was adopted in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concordia College (New York)</span> Private college in Bronxville, New York

Concordia College (CCNY) was a private college in Bronxville, New York. It was sponsored by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) and was a member of the Concordia University System. It was chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York to offer associate, bachelor, and master's degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concordia University Wisconsin</span> Lutheran university in Mequon, Wisconsin, US

Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) is a private Lutheran university in Mequon, Wisconsin. It is part of the seven-member Concordia University System operated by the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concordia University Nebraska</span> Lutheran university in Seward, Nebraska, US

Concordia University, Nebraska is a private Lutheran university in Seward, Nebraska. It was established in 1894 and is affiliated with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod as one of seven schools in the Concordia University System. The university is organized into three schools: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Education, and the College of Graduate Studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concordia University Texas</span> Private university in Austin, Texas, U.S.

Concordia University Texas is a private university in Austin, Texas. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and online degrees as well as an adult degree program for part-time and returning students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burman University</span> Seventh-day Adventist college in Alberta, Canada

Burman University is an independent publicly funded university located in Lacombe, Alberta, Canada. It is sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada. It is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist education system, the world's second largest Christian school system. By date of founding, it is the oldest university in Alberta. The school's official mission statement is to educate learners to think with discernment, to believe with insight and commitment and to act with confidence, compassion, and competence. The university places emphasis on service in local and global communities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MacEwan University</span> University in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

MacEwan University is a public undergraduate university located in the downtown core of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concordia University Chicago</span> Lutheran university in River Forest, Illinois, US

Concordia University Chicago is a private university in River Forest, Illinois. Formerly a college exclusively for parochial teacher education, Concordia-Chicago now offers more than 100 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and enrolls more than 5,000 students. The university is a member of the Concordia University System, a nationwide network of colleges and universities affiliated with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS).

Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) is a Lutheran seminary situated on the north bank of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, the provincial capital of Alberta, Canada. The seminary is located near the campus of Concordia University of Edmonton, and is part of the Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Alberta Campus Saint-Jean</span> French language faculty of the University of Alberta

The Campus Saint-Jean (CSJ) is the French-language section of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, at 84 Avenue and rue Marie-Anne Gaboury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higher education in Alberta</span>

Higher education in Alberta refers to the post secondary education system for the province of Alberta. The Ministry of Advanced Education in Alberta oversees educational delivery through universities, publicly funded colleges, technical institutions, and private colleges. These institutions offer a variety of academic and vocational pursuits. Students have access to post-secondary options through most regions of Alberta, and a developed articulation system allows for increased student mobility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concordia High School (Edmonton)</span> Private school in Canada

Concordia High School, originally named Concordia College, and subsequently Concordia College High School until 1997, was created with the purpose of preparing young men to attend the Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. Once ordained, they would return to the Canadian Prairies to open up new Lutheran churches. Concordia was established in 1921 with a first class of eighth grade boys. In the 1940s the school became co-ed and became an academic prep school. After World War II the high school continued as a grade nine to twelve program.

Concordia University is a public university in Montréal, Quebec.

References

  1. "Types of Publicly Funded Post Secondary Institutions". Government of Alberta.
  2. "Post-secondary Learning Act". Province of Alberta. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
  3. "University Budget". Concordia University of Edmonton. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  4. "History". Concordia University of Edmonton. December 5, 2016.
  5. "University". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on August 21, 2009. ...in Alberta where, in the late 1980s, the provincial government authorized 3 denominational colleges, previously affiliated with the public sector, to operate as private degree-granting universities (Augustana University College, formerly Camrose Lutheran College; Concordia College; King's University College).
  6. "History of Concordia High School". Archived from the original on December 3, 2014.
  7. Stolte, Elise (July 2, 2014). "Alberta names five new universities". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on September 10, 2014.
  8. "Memorandum" (PDF). Lutheran Church-Canada . April 14, 2015. p. 84. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  9. "Concordia University of Edmonton no longer a Christian institution". February 1, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Lee, Kritstine (April 22, 2016). "Concordia University sheds longtime religious affiliation". Edmonton Journal.
  11. "CUEFA : 2022 Strike". www.cuefa.ca. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  12. Cummings, Madeleine (December 7, 2021). "Concordia University of Edmonton faculty association could be first in Alberta to strike". CBC News. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
  13. Burgess, Bridget. "Collective Bargaining". Concordia University of Edmonton. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  14. Cummings, Madeleine (June 2, 2023). "Concordia University of Edmonton faculty pass non-confidence vote in school's president". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation .
  15. "Concordia University of Edmonton acquires historic Magrath Mansion - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  16. "U of L officially opens new Edmonton campus - UNews". www.uleth.ca.
  17. "Eskimos QMI". Sun Media. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  18. ""Renewal and change at university college," The Canadian Lutheran 25.4 (July / August 2010): 43" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  19. "Nathan Fillion" . Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  20. "Legislative Assembly of Alberta" . Retrieved January 27, 2016.
  21. Brian Swane (October 9, 2010). "As awards pour in Lam remains Modest". Edmonton Examiner. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  22. Dushenski, Lawrence (May 24, 2011). "Edmonton Energy: Basketball Saved Andrew 'AGP' Parker". North Pole Hoops. Retrieved October 13, 2022.