University of Prince Edward Island

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University of Prince Edward Island
Université de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard
UPEI.jpg
Former names
 Prince of Wales College (1860); Saint Dunstan's University (1855)
MottoFides, Scientia, Beneficium (Latin)
Motto in English
Faith, Knowledge, Service
Type Public
Established1969;56 years ago (1969)
Endowment $40 million (2019)
Chancellor Hon. Diane Griffin
President Wendy Rodgers, BA, MA, PhD
Academic staff
246 permanent and 28 term faculty
Students5,533 [1]
Undergraduates 4,983
Postgraduates 550
Address
550 University Avenue
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
C1A 4P3

46°15′32″N63°08′17″W / 46.259°N 63.138°W / 46.259; -63.138
CampusMixed rural/urban
Colours Rust, Green and Gold [2]
Nickname UPEI Panthers
Sporting affiliations
 ACU; U Sports; AUCC; AUS; CBIE
MascotPride the Panther
Website www.upei.ca
University of Prince Edward Island Logo.svg

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is a public university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the only university in the province. Founded in 1969, the enabling legislation is the University Act, R.S.P.E.I 2000. [3]

Contents

History

The university traces its roots back to 1804, when Lt. Governor Edmund Fanning and the Legislative Council of Prince Edward Island called for the establishment of Kent College. By 1820, the first Kent College building, known as "the National School", or James Breading's School was erected. Later succeeded by Central Academy, which received a Royal Charter in 1834.

The Colleges were renamed for the Prince of Wales in honour of the future King Edward VII in 1860. [4] The University of Prince Edward Island also traces its roots back to its two earlier predecessor organizations, St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales College, founded in 1855 and 1860 respectively. [5] The two institutions were merged in 1969 by the government of Alex Campbell as part of a campaign to integrate the Island's Roman Catholic and Protestant communities, which had previously maintained the two separate institutions of higher learning. Holland College was later created to fill the void left by the merger of Prince of Wales College into the university. The University of Prince Edward Island is a non-denominational university established in 1969 by the amalgamation of Prince of Wales College (PWC) founded in 1834, and St. Dunstan's University (SDU) founded in 1855. [5] The first student to enrol was Elizabeth Rollins Epperly, who would later become president. [6] Its predecessor institutions ceased to operate although St. Dunstan's still retains its charter and the lands that were home to Prince of Wales became the campus for Holland College. UPEI is located on the former St. Dunstan's campus.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, UPEI received a $500,000 grant from the Public Health Agency of Canada's Immunization Partnership Fund to develop and implement the Island Vaccine Education Program, intended to increase uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among vulnerable families. [7]

Legacy

On 8 May 2004 Canada Post issued 'University of Prince Edward Island, 1804-2004' as part of the Canadian Universities series. The stamp was based on a design by Denis L'Allier and on a photograph by Guy Lavigueur. The 49¢ stamps are perforated 13.5 and were printed by Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited. [4]

Campus

An aerial view of the UPEI campus in 2008 UPEI (2633716968).jpg
An aerial view of the UPEI campus in 2008

UPEI's campus, located at the corner of Belvedere and University Avenues in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island's capital city, is built on 134 acres (54 hectares) of land. The Confederation Trail runs alongside its eastern boundary.

Original SDU buildings in the central quadrangle have been renovated to retain integrity of their exterior aesthetic design while meeting modern standards. Main Building, built in 1854, and Dalton Hall, built between 1917 and 1919, are on the registry of Historic Places of Canada. [8] [9]

The War Memorial Hall (more generally known as Memorial Hall) is a landmark building on the campus of UPEI. Built as a men's residence building in 1946, Memorial Hall honours alumni who had enlisted and died in the First World War, and in the Second World War. [10]

Over the past three decades, UPEI has experienced significant growth with many new buildings integrated into the campus, including Central Utility Building (1973), Duffy Science Centre (1967), Blanchard Hall (1973), Bernardine Hall (1968), Robertson Library (1975), Atlantic Veterinary College (1986), Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre (1990), Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall (1990), Food Technology Centre, K.C. Irving Chemistry Centre (1997), W.A. Murphy Student Centre (2002), MacLauchlan Arena (2004), Bill and Denise Andrew Hall residence facility (2006), expansions to the Atlantic Veterinary College (2007 and 2009), Regis and Joan Duffy Research Centre (2007), a research and development laboratory which is home to the National Research Council of Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and other partners, and Don and Marion McDougall Hall (2008). The most recent addition is the Health Sciences Building, home to the School of Nursing and Applied Human Sciences programs. [11]

In October 2004, the UPEI administration undertook an official campus plan to improve the aesthetics of modern buildings constructed since the amalgamation which do not enhance the original SDU design, and to take overall campus aesthetics into account for future developments on and adjacent to the campus.

Organization

The current president and vice-chancellor is Dr. Wendy Rodgers, who began her appointment on June 1, 2024. [12] The current chancellor is the Honourable Diane Griffin, who was installed on April 5, 2024. [13]

Academics

UPEI's seven faculties (arts, business, education, nursing, science, sustainable design engineering and veterinary medicine) and two schools (Mathematical & Computational Sciences and Climate Change & Adaptation) offer a wide range of programs and degrees to undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. Co-op programs have been established in Business Administration, Computer Science, Physics, and Dietetics. The University is presently developing a Faculty of Medicine, in association with the Memorial University of Newfoundland. [14]

Master's and Doctoral degree programs were first introduced through the Atlantic Veterinary College and, beginning in 1999, a Master of Science degree was offered through the Faculty of Science. In that same year the first students were admitted to the university's new Master of Education program. As of 2010, in addition to the MEd graduate program, the Faculty of Education offered a PhD in Educational Studies. The university also now offers a Master of Arts in Island Studies. Recently the Faculty of Business Administration began offering an Executive Master of Business Administration degree. Since 1998, The Centre for Conflict Resolution Studies has been offering courses leading to a Certificate in Conflict Resolution Studies. The Master of Applied Health Services Research (MAHSR) program is coordinated by the Atlantic Research Training Centre (ARTC).

The Faculty of Education offers one-year (12 months) post-degree bachelor's degrees with specializations in international, adult, and indigenous education, French immersion and human resources development, a Master of Education (MEd) in leadership in learning, and a PhD in Educational Studies.

The Department of Applied Human Sciences has an accredited dietitian program. The university is accredited by a professional organization such as the Dietitians of Canada and the university's graduates may subsequently become registered dieticians.

The Faculty Development Office provides professional development courses applicable to many sectors and industries, including development programs for administrative assistants and new managers; collaboration, conflict, and communication training; and, financial management courses. [15]

Rankings

University rankings
World rankings
Canadian rankings
Maclean's Undergraduate [16] 8
Maclean's Reputation [17] 37

In Maclean's 2023 Guide to Canadian Universities, UPEI was ranked eighth in the publication's category for "primarily undergraduate" Canadian universities. [16]

Research

UPEI manages over $17 million in annual research expenditures. [18] The on-campus biosciences and health research facility is used by researchers from UPEI, National Research Council (Canada), and Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada. [11]

UPEI houses the L.M. Montgomery Institute, founded in 1993, which promotes scholarly inquiry into the life, works, culture, and influence of the Canadian writer, L.M. Montgomery. The collection consists of novels, manuscripts, texts, letters, photographs, sound recordings and other Montgomery artifacts and ephemera. [19]

UPEI joined with Dalhousie University and Memorial University of Newfoundland to form the Ocean Frontier Institute, a collaborative research initiative aimed at harnessing the vast potential of the world's oceans.

Student life

Athletics

The UPEI Panthers have nine teams playing in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) and the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), including men's and women's ice hockey, soccer, basketball, as well as women's field hockey and rugby union and co-ed swimming.

The UPEI campus provides its students with many athletics amenities typically found on university campuses. The CARI Complex is a public recreation facility located on the campus and includes two hockey rinks (the MacLauchlan Arena as well as a practice rink) as well as two 25-metre swimming pools (a shallow recreational wading pool, and an eight-lane competitive pool with diving boards). [20] [21] In 2009 UPEI inaugurated the UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place [22] which was built in part to host the 2009 Canada Games. It consists of a "class 2" eight-lane 400-metre running track and rugby field that has spectator seating for 1,335.

Student Union

The UPEI Student Union (UPEISU) is the students' union representing full-time undergraduate students at the university. It is funded by a student fee collected by the university, and provides advocacy, services, and amenities. The UPEISU Executive and UPEISU Council are elected through general elections of the UPEI full-time undergraduate student body. The Executive is made up a President, VP Academic, VP External, VP Student Life, and VP Finance. The UPEISU Council sits bi-weekly throughout the academic semester and includes representatives from faculty and special interest groups. [23]

The amenities and services provided by the UPEISU include: Health and Dental Insurance, Charlottetown Transit System UPASS, Representation and Advocacy - including membership and lobbying in partnership with Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), Inspiring Innovation Fund, Student Academic Enrichment Fund, Off-Campus Housing Coordination, Volunteer Match Maker, Promotions and Advertising, UPEI Student Handbook, and the W.A. Murphy Student Centre (in collaboration with UPEI). [24]

The businesses and operations of the UPEISU include: [25]

The UPEI Student Union publishes the school newspaper called The Cadre , which gained attention by becoming one of the first Canadian publications to print the controversial Muhammad cartoons from the Jyllands-Posten . [26]

Residence

The University of Prince Edward Island provides student accommodations in four different residence buildings on campus: Bill and Denise Andrew Hall, Blanchard Hall, Bernardine Hall, and a mixed-use Performing Arts Centre and Residence. Bill and Denise Andrew Hall has two-room suites with single bedrooms. [27] In Blanchard Hall, each suite has two single bedrooms with a kitchenette and a living room. [28] Bernardine Hall (known as "Bernie" to the students) offers suites with two double bedrooms and a shared bathroom. Although the hall is co-ed, one floor is female-only. [29]

Opened in 2023, the Performing Arts Centre and Residence features two towers of residence apartments and lounges with classroom space and a 400-seat auditorium on the main floor. [30]

UPEI/SDU/PWC notable people

List of presidents

In 2015 each of the first five presidents were recognized as Founders of the University. [31]

Being a long-standing university and college in the Maritime province of Prince Edward Island (called the Cradle of Confederation) UPEI/SDU/PWC have been in a position to provide education to a long list of people who have gone to notable achievements. The most well known graduate (of Prince of Wales College) is Lucy Maude Montgomery, author of "Anne of Green Gables" and other books. The most distinguished Saint Dunstan's graduate may be James Charles McGuigan, Cardinal-Priest of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome.

Religion

Medical

Business

Prince Edward Island Lieutenant Governor (Viceregal)

Prince Edward Island Premier

Prince Edward Island Members Legislative Assembly

Canada national government

Provincial/local governments of Canada

Arts and letters

Education

Philanthropist

Prince Edward Island law/legal

Other Canada law/legal

U.S. government

Prince Edward Island local government

Military

Athletics

Honorary degrees

Following is a partial list of Past Honorary Degree Recipients from UPEI: [33]

Notable UPEI faculty and administration

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Edward Island</span> Province of Canada

Prince Edward Island is an island province of Canada. While it is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", "Birthplace of Confederation" and "Cradle of Confederation". Its capital and largest city is Charlottetown. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1934 in Canada</span>

Events from the year 1934 in Canada.

Catherine Sophia Callbeck is a retired Canadian politician and the current and ninth Chancellor of the University of Prince Edward Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holland College</span> Provincial community college for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island

Holland College is the provincial community college for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island (PEI). It is named after the British Army engineer and surveyor Captain Samuel Holland. A significant percentage of college enrolment are international students on student visas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UPEI Panthers</span> Athletic teams of the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown

The UPEI Panthers are the men's and women's athletic teams that represent the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. The UPEI Panthers have teams playing in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) conference of the U Sports, including men's and women's ice hockey, soccer, basketball, cross country running, curling as well as women's rugby. The women's field hockey team competes in an Atlantic league where the winner is then allowed to compete in the U Sports playoffs. UPEI also offers a club-level men's rugby team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince of Wales College</span> Former college in Canada, predecessor of the University of Prince Edward Island

Prince of Wales College (PWC) is a former university college, which was located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. PWC merged with St. Dunstan's University in 1969 to form the University of Prince Edward Island.

St. Dunstan's University (SDU) is a former university which was located on the northern outskirts of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. SDU merged with Prince of Wales College (PWC) in 1969 to form the University of Prince Edward Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government House (Prince Edward Island)</span> Residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island

Government House of Prince Edward Island, often referred to as Fanningbank, is the official residence of the lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island. The vice-regal residence is located in the provincial capital of Charlottetown. It stands in the provincial capital at 1 Terry Fox Drive; while the equivalent building in many provinces has a prominent, central place in the capital, the site of Prince Edward Island's Government House is relatively unobtrusive within Charlottetown, giving it more the character of a private home.

The politics of Prince Edward Island are centred on a provincial government resembling that of the other Canadian provinces. The capital of the province of Prince Edward Island is Charlottetown, where the lieutenant governor and the premier reside, and where the provincial legislature and cabinet are located.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy MacMillan</span> Canadian hockey coach and player (1943–2023)

William Stewart MacMillan was a Canadian hockey coach and player. MacMillan played and later coached in the National Hockey League (NHL). After several years with the Canada national team, including playing at two World Championships and the 1968 Winter Olympics, winning a bronze medal, MacMillan made his NHL debut in 1970 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played for Toronto, the Atlanta Flames, and New York Islanders between 1970 and 1977, and retired from playing in 1978. He became a coach during his final year, spent in the minor CHL and moved to the NHL in 1979 when he became an assistant coach for the Islanders. He was named the head coach of the Colorado Rockies in 1980, also serving as general manager the next season. MacMillan stayed with the team as they relocated in 1982 to become the New Jersey Devils, and was let go early in the 1983–84 season. Billy is the brother of Bob MacMillan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlottetown</span> Capital city of Prince Edward Island, Canada

Charlottetown is the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, Charlottetown was an unincorporated town until it was incorporated as a city in 1855.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Higher education in Prince Edward Island</span>

Higher education in Prince Edward Island refers to education provided by higher education institutions in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. In Canada, education is the responsibility of the provinces and there is no Canadian federal ministry governing education. Prince Edward Island has two post-secondary institutions authorized to grant degrees: one university, the University of Prince Edward Island, and one college, Maritime Christian College. There are also two community colleges: Holland College, which operates centres across the province, and Collège de l'Île, which offers post secondary education in French. The governing body for higher education in Prince Edward Island is the Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning, headed by the Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning, the Honourable Allen Roach.

The Prince Edward Island Liberal Party, a political party in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island chooses its leadership by an open vote of party members at a convention called by the party executive when there is a vacancy in the leadership. The first convention was held when Alex W. Matheson sought reelection as leader in 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Prince Edward Island general election</span> Canadian provincial election

The 2015 Prince Edward Island general election was held May 4, 2015, to elect members of the 65th General Assembly of Prince Edward Island. Under amendments passed by the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island in 2008, Prince Edward Island elections are usually held on the first Monday of October in the fourth calendar year, unless it is dissolved earlier by the lieutenant governor of Prince Edward Island due to a motion of no confidence, or at the request of the premier. The current government had hinted that an election would be held "before Mother's Day" 2015, and such a dissolution would avoid any conflicts with the next federal election, expected to be held in October 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wade MacLauchlan</span> Canadian politician

H. Wade MacLauchlan, is a Canadian legal academic, university administrator, politician and community leader. He served as the fifth president of the University of Prince Edward Island from 1999 to 2011, becoming president emeritus in 2012. He served as the 32nd premier of Prince Edward Island from 2015 to 2019. His government was defeated in the April 23, 2019 general election. MacLauchlan announced his intention to step down as Liberal leader on 26 April 2019, and completed his term as Premier on 9 May 2019.

George Edward MacDonald is the Chair of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown. He is an Associate Professor of history, teaching about Canadian political history, Atlantic Canada and Prince Edward Island.

Charles William John Eliot, commonly known as Willie Eliot or C.W.J. Eliot, was a Canadian academic and university administrator. Best known for being the third President of the University of Prince Edward Island, Eliot also served as President of the Classical Association of Canada and Chair of the Association of Atlantic Universities, among other positions. He was a member of the Order of Canada and was posthumously recognized as a founder of the University of Prince Edward Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalie Jameson</span> Canadian politician

Natalie Jameson is a Canadian politician, who serves as Minister of Education and Lifelong Learning in the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island. She represents the district of Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 U Sports Women's Ice Hockey Championship</span> Canadian university ice hockey championship

The 2020 U Sports Women's Ice Hockey Championship was scheduled to be held March 12–15, 2020, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, to determine a national champion for the 2019–20 U Sports women's ice hockey season. The tournament was cancelled after two semi-final games had been played due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the cancellation, the 2020 U SPORTS women’s hockey championship was named the SCORE! Event of the Year by PEI Amateur Sport.

References

  1. ↑ "2022–2023 Full-Time plus Part-Time Enrolments" (PDF). Association of Atlantic Universities. 2022-10-01. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
  2. ↑ "Visual identity and graphic standards guidelines". issuu.com. University of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  3. ↑ "University Act, R.S.P.E.I 2000" (PDF). Province of Prince Edward Island. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2014.
  4. 1 2 "University of Prince Edward Island, 1804-2004". postagestampguide.com. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  5. 1 2 "University of Prince Edward Island". The Canadian Encyclopedia .
  6. ↑ "UPEI honours Dr. Elizabeth 'Betsy' Epperly through plaza dedication". University of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  7. ↑ Public Health Agency of Canada (2022-10-12). "Immunization Partnership Fund". Government of Canada . Archived from the original on 2022-11-04. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
  8. ↑ "Main Building - University of Prince Edward Island". Canada's Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Dalton Hall - University of Prince Edward Island". Canada's Historic Places. Parks Canada. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Memorial Hall". University of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  11. 1 2 "UPEI". Archived from the original on 2014-08-26. Retrieved 2014-08-21.
  12. ↑ "About the President". University of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  13. ↑ "About the Chancellor". University of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  14. ↑ Chang, Arturo (8 October 2021). "UPEI creating medical school 'co-degree' in partnership with Memorial University". CBC News . Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  15. ↑ "Faculty Development Office". University of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  16. 1 2 "Canada's Best Primarily Undergraduate Universities for 2025". Maclean's. Rogers Media. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  17. ↑ "Canada's Best Universities in 2025 by National Reputational Ranking". Maclean's. Rogers Media. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  18. ↑ "Research - About Us". University of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Welcome to the L. M. Montgomery Institute". University of PEI. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Aquatics Facility Description". Capital Area Recreation Inc. Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  21. ↑ "Hosting History" (PDF). Capital Area Recreation Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  22. ↑ "UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place". University of Prince Edward Island. Archived from the original on 20 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-28.
  23. ↑ "UPEISU Council". upeisu.ca/council/. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  24. ↑ "UPEISU Services". upeisu.ca/services/. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  25. ↑ "upeisu.ca/businesses/". UPEISU Businesses. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  26. ↑ "P.E.I. student paper publishes cartoons of Prophet". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2006-02-08. Archived from the original on February 3, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-05.
  27. ↑ "Bill and Denise Andrew Hall". University of PEI - Residence Services. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  28. ↑ "Blanchard Hall". University of PEI - Residence Services. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  29. ↑ "Bernardine Hall". University of PEI - Residence Services. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  30. ↑ "Performing Arts Centre and Residence". University of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  31. ↑ Phillips, Nicole. "UPEI honours all past-presidents as Founders of the University". University of Prince Edward Island. Marketing and Communications.
  32. ↑ "Morrison, Dr. Heather G." Government of Prince Edward Island. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  33. ↑ "Past Honorary Degree Recipients". University of PEI. Retrieved March 21, 2019.

Histories of the University

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