Waterloo University
University of Waterloo is a leading public research university whose main campus is located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on 400 hectares (990 acres) of land in Uptown Waterloo, adjacent to Waterloo Park. The university offers a wide variety of academic programs, which is administered by six faculties, and four affiliated university colleges. Waterloo is a member of the U15, a group of research-intensive universities in Canada.. Waterloo is known for its research programs in mathematics, computer science and quantum computing. Waterloo is also an incubator for many technology companies (e.g., RIM) and the surrounding areas are commonly referred to as the Technology Triangle of Canada.
The university traces its origins to 1 July 1957 as the Waterloo College Associate Faculties, a semi-autonomous entity of Waterloo College (which later evolved into the present-day Wilfrid Laurier University). The entity had formally separated from Waterloo College in 1959, and was incorporated as a university. The university was established in order to fill the need of a program to train engineers and technicians for Canada’s growing postwar economy. Since then, the university had greatly expanded, adding a faculty of arts in 1960, and the College of Optometry of Ontario moving from Toronto in 1967.
The university is co-educational, and has nearly 26,000 undergraduate and over 4,000 post-graduate students. Alumni and former students of the university can be found all across Canada and in 141 countries around the world. Waterloo's varsity teams, known as the Waterloo Warriors compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport.
History
The University of Waterloo was originally conceived in 1955 as the Waterloo College Associate Faculties (WCAF), a semi-autonomous entity within Waterloo College (now Wilfrid Laurier University, formerly known as Waterloo Lutheran University). The non-denominational school was founded in 1957 by Dr. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles in Waterloo, Ontario. The Waterloo College of Arts became affiliated with the University of Western Ontario in 1925.
This university was established in response to community demand for improved education facilities, particularly in technical and scientific fields of study. Renowned for the success of its cooperative education programs, it now has the largest engineering school in Canada.
A plaque was erected just inside the entrance to the university on University Avenue West across from Seagram Drive, Waterloo:
| “ | The University of Waterloo In 1956 community leaders, headed by Dr. J. Gerald Hagey, formed the Waterloo College Associate Faculties, a non-denominational corporation, to provide Waterloo with improved educational facilities, particularly in the technical, scientific and engineering fields. A year later about seventy students, attracted by a pioneer programme in co-operative education, attended the institutions first classes. Full university powers were conferred by a 1959 Act and the next year the University awarded its first degrees. St. Jerome's College, a century-old Roman Catholic educational institution, federated with the University of Waterloo in 1960 and within the next year Renison (Anglican), St. Paul's (United Church) and Conrad Grebel (Mennonite) became affiliate colleges of the University. | ” |
Today Wilfrid Laurier University is reputed for its business and liberal arts programs while the University of Waterloo is reputed for its engineering and math programs. The university's first president, Gerry Hagey, gathered teachers of engineering and basic sciences, and also obtained an initial grant of $625,000 from the government. The first 74 students began classes on July 1, 1957, in makeshift temporary buildings on the Waterloo College campus. In 1958, the University of Waterloo established an extension department.
In January 1958, Hagey and colleagues purchased 74 hectares (180 acres) of farmland a kilometre west of Waterloo College's main campus in order to meet the growing expansion needs. Soon, construction began of the first academic building on the new site, known as the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Building, later renamed Engineering 1 and now named after Douglas Wright, UW's first Dean of Engineering. Through a series of delicate negotiations which turned into bitter hostilities, the "Faculty of Science and Engineering" broke free from Waterloo College, partly due to the fact that the two campuses were now disjoint. Hagey himself was opposed to the break, as his dream had been to establish a world-class university built on the strengths of Waterloo College's liberal arts strengths and the applied science education of WCAF.
The University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario was incorporated and granted a university charter in 1959. In early 1959, the government established three universities: Waterloo Lutheran University, University of St. Jerome's College, and the University of Waterloo.The policy of university education initiated in the 1960s responded to population pressure and the belief that higher education was a key to social justice and economic productivity for individuals and for society. The governance was modelled on the provincial University of Toronto Act of 1906 which established a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate (faculty), responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors (citizens) exercising exclusive control over financial policy and having formal authority in all other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was to provide a link between the 2 bodies and to perform institutional leadership.
Initially, St. Jerome's and Waterloo Lutheran were both expected to federate with the new UW, but in the end Waterloo Lutheran chose to remain independent. Waterloo Lutheran Seminary is currently an affiliate of the nondenominational Wilfrid Laurier University and offers several programs at the master's level and a Doctor of Ministry in pastoral counselling and marriage and family therapy. The Waterloo Lutheran seminary established the Institute for Christian Ethics in 1986. UW then quickly created a faculty of arts in order to gain respect as a university. In the same year, arts students joined the science and engineering students in the new campus.Three more church colleges ended up joining the university. These carried the name of "College" for many years, but this was later changed to the somewhat cumbersome "University College" designation in order to reflect the degree-granting nature of these affiliated institutions. These colleges are: Renison, Conrad Grebel, and St. Paul's. Waterloo created the first Faculty of Mathematics in North America, and the first co-op programs outside of engineering soon followed. The co-op system then was revised in involving four-month terms rather than the initial three-month terms. In 1967, the College of Optometry of Ontario, at the time an independent institution in Toronto, moved to Waterloo and became affiliated with the university as the School of Optometry. In 1967 the world's first Department of Kinesiology was created, which later grew into the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences. The Faculty of Environmental Studies was created soon after. It was renamed the Faculty of Environment in 2008.The University of Waterloo launched its program in architecture in 1967. More recently, in 2004, the School of Architecture was relocated to downtown Cambridge in an effort to enhance the school's facilities and strengthen its community ties. The School, located in a former industrial building on the Grand River, is an important part of plans to bolster the economy of Cambridge's downtown area. Additionally, Architecture is now part of the Faculty of Engineering. It formerly fell under Environmental Studies.In 2001, the University of Waterloo announced its intentions to develop a Research and Technology Park on the university's north campus. The RT Park intends to house many of the high-tech industries in the area and maintain the partnership between university and private-sector innovation. Sybase/iAnywhere Solutions and Open Text Corporation were the first two tenants, and the multi-tenant Accelerator Centre building opened in April 2006. Google has since established an office in the RT Park. The RT Park continues to grow with 2- and 3-storey multi-tenant buildings, again surrounded by ample parking lots. Earlier suggestions to include medium- and high-density residential facilities, with the hope of enabling employees in the RT Park to have the option of not having to commute to suburban detached houses, have so far not come to fruition. In 2010, it was announced that the RT Park would bear the name of David Johnston, who departed Waterloo on October 1, 2010 to become Governor General of Canada.
University of Waterloo's Arms and Flag were registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority on February 15, 2001
Past Presidents
- Gerald Hagey (1958–1969)
- Burton Matthews (1970–1981)
- Douglas Tyndall Wright (1981–1993)
- James Downey (1993–1999)
- David Johnston (1999–2010)
- Feridun Hamdullahpur (2011–Present)
Campus
The brutalist Math and Computer Science building, as seen from what was then the B2 Green.
The Student Life Centre courtyard.
The main campus is located along University Avenue in Waterloo, Ontario on what was, until the 1960s, farmland. Since its creation, a considerable level of commercial and residential development has built up around the Waterloo campus, notably with many offices of high-tech firms. This has resulted in a major urban expansion into the surrounding rural areas, with a consequent loss of prime farmland and degradation of natural areas.
The Dana Porter Arts Library, with sculptures by Ron Baird in the foreground
Over a period of five years (2003–2008), the University experienced its second largest building boom since the 1960s. New buildings completed include the Tatham Building (Co-op Education), the Environmental and Information Technologies Building (chiefly Earth Sciences and Electrical Engineering), expansions to Burt Matthews Hall (Applied Health Sciences) and J.G. Hagey Hall, a building for the School of Architecture, a new Solar Technologies Building, a major addition to the School of Optometry Building, and sundry additions to several Engineering buildings. Currently (2011) under construction are the Quantum Nanotechnology Building, the Engineering 7 Building. Construction of the Math 3, the Environment 3, and Engineering 6 buildings have reached completion and opened their doors in the fall of 2011.
To commemorate individuals who have made major contributions to the University of Waterloo, some buildings, most notably in the Engineering realm, have been renamed. Three examples include Engineering 4 becoming Carl Pollock Hall, Engineering Lecture Hall becoming Rod Coutts Hall, and the aforementioned Engineering 1 becoming the Douglas Wright Engineering Building. Some buildings, such as the Davis Centre (William G. Davis Computer Research Centre), the J.G. Hagey Hall of the Humanities, and Ira G. Needles Hall (Administration) were named after people at their time of inception.
The geographical coordinates of the main UW campus, using the NAD 83 datum,
are
43°28′14″N 80°32′50″W / 43.47056°N 80.54722°W.
WikiMiniAtlas
South entrance to Main Campus. From left to right: Hagey Hall of the Humanities,
Tatham Cooperative Education Centre, South Campus Hall.
A panoramic view of the campus from the BMH Green. From left to right: Davis Centre, Math & Computing,
Student Life Centre, & Physical Activities Complex.
The School of Architecture was relocated to a former mill in Cambridge, Ontario, in 2004.
A new campus for the health sciences program has been built in Kitchener, Ontario and includes a satellite of McMaster University’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine and the School of Pharmacy. The building opened in December 2008. The building has unique elements, such as a colourful curtain wall featuring images of medicinal plants and its use of natural materials such as wood.
The Waterloo Summit Centre for the Environment was opened in 2011 in partnership with the Town of Huntsville, and is located in Huntsville, Ontario. It is currently used as a research and teaching site for the Faculty of Environment.University of Waterloo has a series of residences: University of Waterloo Place; Wellesley Court North; Wellesley Court South; William Lyon Mackenzie King Village; Tutors' Residence; Columbia Lake Townhouses; Minota Hagey Residence; Ron Edyt Village (REV, formerly Village 2); Village 1, and Sweeney Hall. Conrad Grebel University College has a Residence Building. St. Jerome's University College has J.R. Finn Residence and Sweeney Hall.
Faculties
- University of Waterloo Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
- University of Waterloo Faculty of Arts
- University of Waterloo Faculty of Engineering
- University of Waterloo Faculty of Environment
- University of Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics
- University of Waterloo Faculty of Science
About the Faculty Association
The Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) is not a union, but officially represents all regular faculty members who hold definite term, probationary, tenured, or continuing appointments.Founded in 1957 to represent the interests of faculty members in a wide range of areas that affect them at the University, FAUW has negotiated a Memorandum of Agreement with the University Board of Governors that provides a framework governing all aspects of the relationship between the University and faculty members.The Faculty Association has a tradition of collegiality and is characterized by its attempts to reach negotiated agreements with the administration. We hope that you will join with us in our attempts to make this a better place by improving our conditions of employment.
What FAUW does for you
Negotiating salaries and benefits
A team selected by the FAUW Board of Directors negotiates yearly salary changes with a team appointed by the Administration. The Board also nominates three FAUW members to represent faculty interests on the University Pension and Benefits Committee, and liaises regularly with these representatives on developing issues.
Discussing and negotiating policy changes and changes in the terms and conditions of employment
Five members of the FAUW Board sit on the Faculty Relations Committee (FRC), a consultative committee with equal representation from the Administration and the Association. The committee provides a regular forum for the discussion of issues that affect faculty members and is the body responsible for the development and revision of policies that concern terms and conditions of employment of faculty members. The committee meets bi-weekly from September to June.
Advising and protecting faculty members
The Association's Academic Freedom and Tenure (AF&T) Committee assists faculty members with any problem arising with administration regarding terms and conditions of employment. This includes offering advice and guidance on tenure and promotion issues, on annual performance reviews, and on pension and benefit questions that have not been resolved.The Committee also plays an important advisory role in the development and revision of University policies involving terms and conditions of employment of faculty members and of Memorandum of Agreement articles.
Connecting with faculty members across Canada
FAUW maintains regular contact with other faculty associations across Canada through its membership in the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) and the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), and through these organizations participates in attempts to influence government policy affecting the university community. Our membership in OCUFA and CAUT also makes University of Waterloo faculty eligible for the services and assistance provided by these organizations.
Providing information to University of Waterloo faculty members
The Association regularly publishes the FAUW Forum which focusses on matters of concern to faculty members and provides an opportunity for an exchange of views and information. The Association also maintains a Web page, organizes panels and information sessions from time to time, and on occasion communicates with faculty members on important issues by e-mail.
Providing responsible governance
The FAUW Board provides reports on Association activities at the spring general meeting held early in April - when Board elections take place - and at the fall general meeting in December, and invites feedback from members at these meetings. From time to time special general meetings will occur if major issues require discussion.A council of representatives, composed of representatives selected by the Association members of each department or school, provides the FAUW Board with another opportunity to consult with its membership. We welcome your questions or comments at any time.
Academics
Waterloo is a publicly funded research university, and a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Waterloo functions on a term-based system, operating year-round on three different terms, fall, winter and spring. Undergraduate programs comprise the majority of the school's enrolment, made up of 24,377 full time and part time undergraduate students. The university conferred 4,078 bachelor degrees, 209 doctoral degrees, 1,040 master degrees, and 87 first professional degrees in 2008–2009.
Students may apply for financial aid such as the Ontario Student Assistance Program and Canada Student Loans and Grants through the federal and provincial governments. The financial aid provided may come in the form of loans, grants, bursaries, scholarships, fellowships, debt reduction, interest relief, and work programs.
Degrees
Degrees
|
Discipline
|
Master of Accounting
| Accounting |
Master of Actuarial Science
(MActSC) |
Actuarial Science
|
Master of Applied Environmental Studies
(MAES) |
Local Economic Development, Planning
|
Master of Applied Science
(MASc) |
Applied Psychology, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Management Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Design Engineering
|
Master of Architecture
(MArch) |
Architecture
|
Master of Arts
(MA) |
Ancient Mediterranean Cultures, Anthropology, Economics, English, French, Geography, German, Global Governance, History, Philosophy, Planning, Political Science, Psychology, Recreation and Leisure Studies, Russian and Sociology
|
Master of Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology
(MBET) |
Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology
|
Master of Catholic Thought
(MCT) |
Offered conjointly between the
|
Master of Digital Experience Innovation
(MDEI) |
Digital Experience Innovation
|
Master of Engineering
(MEng) |
Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering - Infrastructure Systems, Civil Engineering - Nuclear Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Design Engineering
|
Master of Environmental Studies
(MES) |
Environment and Resource Studies, Geography, Planning
|
Master of Fine Arts
(MFA) |
Studio Art
|
Master of Management Sciences
(MMSc) |
Management Sciences
|
Master of Mathematics
(MMath) |
Actuarial Science, Applied Mathematics, Combinatorics and Optimization, Computer Science, Computational Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, Statistics
|
Master of Public Health
(MPH) |
Public Health (Health Studies and Gerontology)
|
Master of Public Service
(MPS) |
Public Service
|
Master of Quantitative Finance
(MQF) |
Accounting, Computer Science, Statistics
|
Master of Science
(MSc) |
Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Geography, Health Studies and Gerontology, Kinesiology, Physics, Vision Science (Optometry)
|
Master of Social Work
(MSW) |
Social Work
|
Master of Taxation
(MTax) |
Taxation (
|
Master of Theological Studies
(MTS) |
Offered conjointly between the
|
Doctor of Philosophy
(PhD) |
Accounting, Actuarial Science, Applied Economics, Applied Mathematics, Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Combinatorics and Optimization, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Electrical and Computer Engineering, English, Environment and Resource Studies, French, Geography, German, Global Governance, Health Studies and Gerontology, History, Kinesiology, Management Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, Philosophy, Physics, Planning, Psychology, Pure Mathematics, Recreation and Leisure Studies, Religious Studies, Social and Ecological Sustainability (Environment and Resource Studies), Sociology, Statistics, Systems Design Engineering, Vision Science (Optometry)
|
Reputation
| University rankings | |
|---|---|
| ARWU World | 151-200 |
| ARWU Engineering & CS | 52-75 |
| THE-WUR World | 201-225 |
| THE-WUR Engineering/Tech. | 48 |
| Canadian rankings | |
| ARWU National | 7-8 |
| Maclean's Comprehensive | 3 |
| THE-WUR National | 10-11 |
Waterloo has consistently been ranked amongst the top universities in Canada. According to the 2011 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) rankings, the university ranked 151-200 in the world and 7-8 in Canada. The 2011-2012 Times Higher Education World University Rankings placed Waterloo 201-225 in the world. The 2011 QS World University Rankings ranked the university 160th in the world.
In terms of national rankings, Maclean's ranked Waterloo 3rd in their 2011 comprehensive university rankings. In a employability survey published by the New York Times in October 2011, when CEOs and chairmans were asked to select the top universities which they recruited from, Waterloo placed 106th in the world, and sixth in Canada.Several of Waterloo's programs have also gained recognition nationally and internationally. The university's School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED) placed first in Canada in the Corporate Knights 2011 ranking of undergraduate business programs. Waterloo's engineering program has consistently been ranked within the top 100 universities. The 2011-2012 Times Higher Education rankings for the field of engineering and technology, Waterloo ranked 48th in the world and fourth in Canada. The 2011 ARWU's rankings for the field of engineering, technology and computer sciences, had ranked the university 52-75 in the world and 2-3 in Canada. The 2011 QS rankings had also ranked the university 56th in the world, for the field of engineering and information technology. In particular, the 2011 QS rankings for the discipline of computer science and information systems had also ranked Waterloo 36th in the world, and fourth in Canada. Additionally, the 2011 QS rankings had also ranked the university 41st in the world, and fourth in Canada for the discipline of civil and structural engineering. In the 2012 rankings of the top engineering schools in the world by Business Insider, the university ranked 29th in the world, and first in Canada.
Research
In Research Infosource's 2011 ranking of Canada's 50 top research universities, Waterloo was ranked 15th, with a sponsored research income of $144.299 million, averaging $143,300 per faculty member. The Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT), an organization which evaluates universities based on their scientific paper's performances, ranked Waterloo 283rd in the world and 13th nationally in its 2011 rankings. In the 2011 University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP), which rates universities based off their research performance, Waterloo was ranked 185th in the world and tenth in Canada. Waterloo's research in the field of engineering has also received a number of accolades. In the 2011 URAP rankings, Waterloo's research performance in the field of engineering was ranked 43rd in the world, and second in Canada. In the 2011 HEEACT rankings, Waterloo's research performance in the field of engineering was ranked 74th in the world, and second in Canada.
Ties with industry
Through its large co-op program (the largest in the world) and many spin-off companies, the University of Waterloo maintains close ties with the high-tech industry.
UW has a long-standing intellectual property policy that leaves ownership rights with the inventor, rather than the university, which has helped create many spin-off companies that maintain a good relationship with UW. In particular, it has a strong connection with Research In Motion, the makers of the Blackberry, that goes beyond its close physical proximity. Co-founder and CEO Mike Lazaridis was a UW student before he started RIM, and was the chancellor of the university. RIM hires hundreds of UW co-op students each term and a large proportion of its employees are UW alumni.
During his visit to Waterloo in October 2005, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates stated, "Most years, we hire more students out of Waterloo than any university in the world, typically 50 or even more."
Agreement with Microsoft
Bill Gates at the University of Waterloo
The university announced a controversial agreement with Microsoft in 2002. As part of this agreement, the University of Waterloo was to receive $2.3 million in funding from the Microsoft Canada Academic Innovation Alliance and would introduce Microsoft's C# programming language in its Electrical and Computer Engineering programs (also known as ECE.) The university came under harsh criticism for this agreement to develop Engineering courses using Microsoft's .NET Framework. The university administration asserted that this agreement would not jeopardize academic integrity at the institution, although the university president acknowledged making mistakes in announcing the deal.
The School of Computer Science was not part of this agreement, and currently offers Scheme and a choice of C or Python in its introductory courses.
Career fair at RIM Park
A collaborative effort between the University of Waterloo, Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier and Conestoga College the Partnerships for Employment Career Fair is the largest in the country.
Spin-offs
Several companies have roots in, or have been spun off from the university. Some of the most notable spin-offs include:
- Certicom (acquired by Research In Motion) - founded by two Waterloo professors, Scott Vanstone and Gordon Agnew
- Dalsa - founded by Waterloo electrical engineering professor Savvas Chamberlain
- Maplesoft - founded by two Waterloo professors, Keith Geddes and Gaston Gonnet
- Open Text Corporation - originated from the university's Oxford English Dictionary project
- Watcom - founded by F.W. Crigger, K.I. McPhee and J.B. Schueler of the university's Computer Systems Group
- Northern Digital Inc. (NDI) - founded by Jerry Krist, also from the Computer Systems Group
Notable companies founded by alumni
- Research in Motion
- QNX (acquired by Harman International, then acquired by Research in Motion from Harman)
- Quack.com (acquired by America Online : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_Online)
- Sandvine
- MKS Inc. (formerly known as Mortice Kern Systems)
- NexJ Systems (same alumni founded Janna Systems, which was acquired by Siebel Systems, which subsequently was acquired by Oracle Corporation)
- Avvasi (founded by Mate Prgin (Graduate), Michael Gallant (Adjunct Professor) and Alex Leyn (Graduate))
- Digital Leisure
- Desire2Learn
- Teklogix (which was acquired by Psion in 2000, became Psion Teklogix)
- Nulogy
- Kik Messenger
- SocialDeck (acquired by Google in 2010 )
- PostRank (acquired by Google in 2011)
Plans
With a lake and a conservation area on campus, Waterloo is home to a variety of vegetation and wildlife.
The fields just north of the University of Waterloo, before the development of the technology park.
The Faculty of Engineering is in the midst of a $150 million expansion between 2008 and 2012 in the form of three new Engineering buildings. Engineering 5, which opened in October 2010, houses a Student Design Centre that showcases the Waterloo Engineering student teams. Engineering 5 is also the new home for the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering and the Department of Systems Design Engineering. It also houses offices for several members of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Engineering 6 opened on 28 October 2011, and houses the Department of Chemical Engineering. Engineering 7 is still in the planning stage.The university and the City of Kitchener are constructing a health sciences campus, including a School of Pharmacy, in the central Kitchener warehouse district. The project will cost $34 million for the first phase. The Honours co-operative Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy program began in January 2008. Preliminary operations, including staffed medical and optometry clinics, are based out of the former Victoria Public School in Kitchener's downtown.
The Kitchener site will also host a satellite campus of McMaster University's medical school, bringing 28 first-year medical students to Waterloo Region each year to study. They will remain until the end of the three-year McMaster program, and have the option of continuing as a resident in the area.
On October 16, 2006, university president David Johnston announced that the university has entered discussions with the City of Stratford and the Stratford Festival of Canada exploring the possibility of establishing a satellite campus in Stratford. On the same day, Stratford City Council unanimously endorsed a memorandum of understanding to continue exploration of the issue. This was clarified further on March 26, 2008, following a funding commitment in the previous day's provincial budget; the campus is to specialize in digital media and global business, and also has a funding commitment from Open Text corp. The University of Waterloo Stratford Campus together with the Canadian Digital Media Network hosted Canada 3.0, a digital media forum in Stratford that attracted 1,500 attendees. In February, 2010 the campus opened its doors at 6 Wellington St., Stratford.
With donations by alumni and matching contributions from government, the university announced in April 2004 the founding of the Institute for Quantum Computing.
Construction began in September 2008 for the Quantum-Nano Centre, a massive building which will house the Institute for Quantum Computing as well as the new Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology. The building will be located in the centre of campus and its cost will exceed $100M. It is planned to be completed in the year 2012.
Though in preliminary discussion there also have been talks for the initiation of a law program.
The university is planning for its sixth decade (2007–2017) with an "ambitious plan". According to the plan's documentation, some objectives are benchmarked by the following targets:
- By 2017, at least 12 UW academic programs will be the best in North America
- By 2017, at least 12 out of 44 departments/schools will be ranked top 12 in North America
- By 2017, at least 20 UW departments/schools will be ranked top three in Canada
- Each department/school will participate in a doctoral program
- All departments/schools will be ranked top 25% in Canada
UW has opened, in partnership with the Higher Colleges of Technology, a satellite campus in Dubai; the UAE Dubai Men's College campus. During earlier media releases of the Dubai plans, the campus had come under scrutiny for its perceived lack of transparency in the planning stages, as well as issues regarding the labour used, as well as UAE laws restricting the conventional Canadian freedoms of female and homosexual members of staff. In particular, debate has come up in both the student Senate, the university's Board of Governors over possible violations of Policy 33, prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Logo controversy
The old logo (left) versus proposed new logo (right)
In late July 2009, news of a possible remodeling of the university logo surfaced. With a Facebook group reporting over 4000 members just three days after its creation and an article released in the National Post, the new logo has gathered somewhat large student and media attention. The key points offered by those opposing the new logo are that it lacks professionalism, does not portray Waterloo as the academic institution it claims to be, as well as the lack of student consultation in designing the new logo. Those for the new logo believe that it offers a look into the future of the University of Waterloo, capturing its ingenuity and ability to remain ahead of the times.
The three new logos being considered (right)
In the light of the logo controversy, the University of Waterloo administration has released several other designs and opened the floor to community feedback. After considering the feedback, Waterloo's new visual identity will not entirely incorporate a new logo. Instead, the wordmark will be used on marketing materials, and the traditional seal used where a link to tradition is required.
Mascots
- The University's athletics mascot is a lion named King Warrior. The Warriors are the University's sports team and King Warrior's initials, K-W, reflect a common nickname for the cities of Kitchener and Waterloo.
- The mascot for the undergraduate students' Mathematics Society (MathSoc) is the Natural Log (see natural log), which is a wooden log about 60 cm (23.6 in) long.
- The mascot for the Faculty of Mathematics is a 12.2 m (40 ft) long and 3.4 m (11 ft) wide pink tie.
- The mascot for the Engineering Society is a 60 in (152 cm) pipe wrench called The TOOL. It was formerly the RIDGID Tool, because it was donated by the Ridge Tool Company in 1968.
- The mascot for the Faculty of Arts is a statue of a boar which was donated to the University of Waterloo Math Faculty in 1978, and in turn donated to the Arts Faculty. It is one of several copies of Italian sculptor Pietro Tacca's (1577–1640) "Il Porcellino" statue. Some students claim that rubbing the Boar's nose brings luck.
- The mascot for the Faculty of Environment Orientation Week is The Big Banana.
- The mascot for the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences is a Kangaroo.
- The mascot for the Science Society (SciSoc) is Arriba the Amoeba, a giant human-sized amoeba dressed in a lab coat.
- There is also a pair of 14 ft goggles which the Faculty of Science will be introducing for orientation week 2009, and potentially there will be an ongoing theme of goggles as science's mascot. Long term storage for the massive goggles has not yet been decided.
- Arts Students also find solidarity through a recognizable pair of sunglasses that all first-year students to the Faculty receive.
Fight song
Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencement, convocation, and athletic games are: University of Waterloo Seagrams! Seagrams! Vat 69. Warriors, Warriors, Hold that Line! and 'The Black and White and Gold,' with words by K.D. Fryer and H.F. Davis and music by Alfred Kunz.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of the University of Waterloo was granted in 1987. The shield's blazon is as follows:
Or, on a chevron Sable between three lions rampant Gules a chevronel Argent.
The full blazon of the arms (rarely used) continues:
Above the Shield is placed a Helm suitable to an Incorporation (a Salade proper lined Gules) with a Mantling Sable doubled Or, and on a Wreath of the Liveries is set for Crest between two maple branches in saltire a trillium displayed and leaved all Proper, and in an Escrol over the same this Motto "CONCORDIA CUM VERITATE".
Representing Waterloo's location in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, the double-chevron is taken from the coat of arms of Earl Kitchener, and the red lions are taken from the symbol of Arthur, Duke of Wellington, the victor at the Battle of Waterloo.
Housing and Residence
There are 9 primary residence communities for the University which include; Ron Eydt Village(REV), Village 1 (V1), University of Waterloo Place (UWP), MacKenzie King Village (MKV), Columbia Lake Village(CLV), St Jerome's University (SJU), St Paul's University (STP), Renison University College (REN), and Conrad Grebel College. These 9 residences are divided into 2 categories : Waterloo residences and University College residences. Of these 9 residence communities, 6 are more traditional style and the other 3 are suite-style residences.
The traditional style residences resemble dormitories while the suite-style residences are like an apartment. Students living in the traditional style residences typically pay for a room for either themselves or to be shared while sharing a communal shower, kitchen/cafeteria and lounge with the entire floor or the entire residence. Suite-style residents share a suite that contains its own kitchen, bathroom, living area and bedrooms that are separated from other residents not paying and living in the particular suite.The University College residences are separated into a different category from the rest of the residences because these residences are independent, founded by religious institutions and have smaller occupancy capacities. All of the 4 University College residences are traditional style yet the number of occupants per room varies and all of them come with a pre-paid meal-plan. St Jerome's, St Paul's and Renison have religious associations that are not mandatory to follow for residents while Conrad Grebel is a little more faith-driven.
The Waterloo residences have both traditional and suite-style residences. The 2 traditional style residences are Village 1, and Ron Eydt Village. REV composes of only one type of room format which is the double room, where there are 2 students sharing a large single room which are split into 2 sides. V1 however has 3 different housing formats which include the double room with 2 students sharing the same room, the interconnected room where there are 2 separate rooms connected by a door which each have 1 student living in them however both rooms have only 1 entrance door, and finally the single room which has 1 student living inside and 1 entrance door. Both these residences have a cafeteria, a community center with athletic facilities such as a gym, table tennis, and pool and finally a laundry room. Each room in the residences have a work desk with a light, a closet for clothes and accessories, and a single bed, even though a bathroom is not provided for each room these is a common bathroom system for each floor.
The 3 suite-style residences are University of Waterloo Place, MacKenzie King Village, and Columbia Lake Village. UWP has a range of suite formats including 3 room suites, 2 room suits, 4 room suites, and finally a combination of double room and single room suites. There is only one housing format within the MKV residence, which are the 4 room suites. And finally Columbia Lake Village has a townhouse suite format where the residences look like houses with 2 floors with the upper floor for rooms and the lower floor allocated to the living room and kitchen. CLV is primarily for upper year and graduate students, while the other 4 residences are for first year students. Each suite in all 3 residences have a living room, a dining table, a kitchen with a stove, oven, and refrigerator, a cleaning closet which include a mop, broom, and a vacuum cleaner, and finally either 1 or two bathrooms. Each room has a work desk with a light, a closet for clothes and accessories, and finally again a single bed. The residence is made up into separate buildings with each building composing of a lounge with a large screen television, and a laundry room. All of these suite-style residences have community centers with public computers, table tennis and billiards tables available for residents.
Each floor within all residences on campus has a figure called a Don. Dons are responsible for the safety of their respective floor as well as making the floor a friendly and social environment. Dons are also responsible for organizing and executing events for the residents on the floor. And sometimes Dons across all residences collaborate to organize campus wide events.
ResCouncil is a council composing of residents that live on campus. Approximately every 2 buildings within residence have a ResCouncil whose primary goal is to set up and organize residence wide events. They must organize 1 building event, and 1 all residence event. Each ResCouncil consists of 1 president, 1 communications representative, and 1 treasurer, floor representatives from each floor within the residences, and finally general council members. In order to have an executive position such as president, communications rep, or treasurer one must apply with their resume and cover letter. After which the board will read these applications and the applications they see worthy they will call the students for an interview from which point they will decide to appoint them the position or not. And almost all residents can become floor representatives or general members by approaching their respective dons.
General Admission
General Admission
Only students who are graduates of approved universities and colleges** are eligible for admission to Graduate Studies. Application for admission should be made as early as possible using our on-line application for admission. Please check with your chosen department/school for application deadlines and additional application requirements. A non-refundable application fee of $100.00 must be paid with each application.
The department/school of the University of Waterloo in which the applicant intends to pursue graduate study must approve the application and the applicant's proposed program. In addition, applicants must be recommended for admission by the Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) of the appropriate Faculty. At the discretion of the committee, an applicant may be required to write a set of qualifying examinations.
Official admission to any program of graduate studies is in the form of an "Offer of Admission" issued only by the Graduate Studies Office.
For further information, prospective graduate students should contact the department/school to which they seek admission.
The department/school of the University of Waterloo in which the applicant intends to pursue graduate study must approve the application and the applicant's proposed program. In addition, applicants must be recommended for admission by the Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) of the appropriate Faculty. At the discretion of the committee, an applicant may be required to write a set of qualifying examinations.
Official admission to any program of graduate studies is in the form of an "Offer of Admission" issued only by the Graduate Studies Office.
For further information, prospective graduate students should contact the department/school to which they seek admission.
Master's Admission
A 75% overall standing in the last two years, or equivalent, in a four-year Honours Bachelor's degree or equivalent is the minimum requirement for admission to a Master's program. Departments and Faculties may set higher admission requirements. A minimum of two letters of reference from academic referees are required for admission to a Master's program. Departments or Faculties may set higher requirements.
Doctoral Admission
A 75% overall standing, or equivalent, in the previous degree is the minimum requirement for admission to a PhD program. In addition, candidates must demonstrate other superior qualifications, such as advanced research ability. It should be noted that many departments have standards higher than the minimum. Some departments admit exceptional applicants directly into the PhD from an Honours undergraduate program; most admit from the Master's into the PhD; and in certain instances a candidate who has successfully completed one PhD may be admitted into a second PhD in a complementary area. A minimum of three letters of reference from academic referees are required for admission to a PhD program.
Non-degree Admission
Applicants who have already earned a degree and who wish to enrol in a graduate level course to upgrade or add to their skills might consider applying to become non-degree graduate students.
Admission of Students From Outside Canada
If international applicants intend to undertake full-time studies on entry to Canada, they must apply to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, in their home country, for a Study Permit. Admitted students should not leave for Canada until they have in their possession a Letter of Acceptance issued by the Graduate Studies Office and a Study Permit (IMM 1442) valid for study at the University of Waterloo, issued by Citizenship and Canada Immigration. Without these two documents, applicants cannot enrol at the University. Applicants should consult the appropriate Citizenship and Immigration Canada office abroad for instructions to apply for a Study Permit.
An official academic transcript from each post-secondary institution must be submitted if an applicant is offered admission. Transcripts must show all courses, marks and the awarding of degrees. A transcript is considered official only if it is received in a signed and sealed university envelope (signed on the flap by the official in the university office issuing the transcript). A certified English translation must also be included if the official transcripts are written in a language other than English. All transcripts will be verified by the University of Waterloo for authenticity.
An official academic transcript from each post-secondary institution must be submitted if an applicant is offered admission. Transcripts must show all courses, marks and the awarding of degrees. A transcript is considered official only if it is received in a signed and sealed university envelope (signed on the flap by the official in the university office issuing the transcript). A certified English translation must also be included if the official transcripts are written in a language other than English. All transcripts will be verified by the University of Waterloo for authenticity.
Re-Admission
The University reserves the right to refuse admission to any candidate and to refuse re-admission if, in the opinion of the Faculty Graduate Committee, the student's previous progress has not been satisfactory. Students who reapply to a program and are approved for readmission will be required to register for a minimum of one full term, without tuition refund, to complete their progra
Notable alumni and faculty
University of Waterloo people :
Waterloo's graduates have found success in a variety of fields, serving at the heads of diverse institutions both in the public and private sector. Over 156,000 people have graduated from Waterloo residing in over 141 countries. Waterloo graduates have accumulated a number of awards including the Academy Award and the Governor General's Award, and Rhodes Scholarships.
A significant number of prominent business leaders have worked or studied at Waterloo. Examples include John Baker, founder of Desire2Learn, David Cheriton, co-founder and chief scientist of Arista Networks, Mike Lazaridis, co-founder and former co-CEO of Research in Motion, Prem Watsa, chairman of Fairfax Financial and the current chancellor of the Waterloo, Steven Woods, co-founder of NeoEdge Networks and Quack.com. and co-founders of Waterloo Maple, Keith Geddes and Gaston Gonnet. Gonnet was also the co-founder of Open Text Corporation. Several university's faculty members and students have also gained local and national prominence for serving in government. David Johnston, the former president of Waterloo, currently serves as the Governor General of Canada.
A number of the university's faculty and students have also gained prominence in the field of computing sciences. Examples include QNX operating systems co-creators Gordon Bell and Dan Dodge, Rasmus Lerdorf, the creator of the PHP scripting language, Peter Buhr, the creator of the μC++ programming language, Gordon Cormack, the co-creator of Dynamic Markov compression algorithm, and Ric Holt, co-creator of several programming languages, most notably Turing.
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