University of Regina

The University of Regina is a public research university located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Founded in 1911 as a private denominational high school of the Methodist Church of Canada, it began an association with the University of Saskatchewan as a junior college in 1925, and was disaffiliated by the Church and fully ceded to the University in 1934; in 1961 it attained degree-granting status as the Regina Campus of the University of Saskatchewan. It became an autonomous university in 1974. The University of Regina has an enrolment of over 15,000 full and part-time students. The university's student newspaper, The Carillon, is a member of CUP.

The University of Regina is well-reputed for having a focus on experiential learning[10] and offers internships, professional placements and practicums in addition to cooperative education placements in 41 programs. This experiential learning and career-preparation focus was further highlighted when, in 2009 the University of Regina launched the UR Guarantee Program, a unique program guaranteeing participating students a successful career launch after graduation by supplementing education with experience to achieve specific educational, career and life goals. Partnership agreements with provincial crown corporations, government departments and private corporations have helped the University of Regina both place students in work experience opportunities and help gain employment post-study.

The University of Regina History

The University of Regina is a non-denominational university, which grew out of Regina College, founded in 1911. In direct response to the award of the University of Saskatchewan to Saskatoon rather than Regina, the Methodist Church of Canada established Regina College in 1911 on College Avenue in Regina, Saskatchewan, starting with an enrolment of 27 students; it was adjacent to the now long-defunct St Chad's College (a theological seminary for the training of Anglican clergy) and Qu'Appelle Diocesan School, also on College Avenue. James Henry Puntin (architect) designed several buildings on campus including: Regina Methodist College (1910); East & West Towers (1914); Ladies Residence (1914); Gymnasium (1925); Power Plant (1927); Music & Arts Building (1928). "In 1928, Darke Hall was built on College Avenue, [d]escribed...as "an admirable theatre, one which few cities can rival."

In 1934 Regina College became part of the University of Saskatchewan. The University of Saskatchewan a single, public provincial university created in 1907 was modeled on the American state university, with an emphasis on extension work and applied research. The governance was modeled on the University of Toronto Act, 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. In the early part of this century, professional education expanded beyond the traditional fields of theology, law and medicine. Graduate training based on the German-inspired American model of specialized course work and the completion of a research thesis was introduced.

Regina College commenced a formal association with the University of Saskatchewan as a junior college offering accredited university courses in 1925 though continuing as a denominational college of the now-United Church of Canada, the successor to the Methodist Church. Regina College continued as a Junior College until 1959, when it received full degree-granting status as a second campus of the University of Saskatchewan.

Normal School circa 1914

However, in 1934, the United Church was financially hard pressed by the Great Depression and in any case its history from the great Egerton Ryerson of urgent advocacy of universal free public education made its involvement in private schools anomalous. It accordingly fully surrendered Regina College to the University of Saskatchewan. Regina College and its successor Regina Campus of the University of Saskatchewan and University of Regina have—possibly unawares—retained the Methodist motto "as one who serves" (Luke 22.27).

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. In 1961 the college was renamed the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus. In 1974 it became the independent University of Regina.

The original United Church affiliation is, however, symbolically commemorated in the convocation furniture, resumed by the university for ceremonial use from one of the last downtown United Churches, which closed in the 1990s.

Sports

The University of Regina is a member of U Sports and fields men and women's teams in various sports. Its teams bear the name "Cougars" in all sports, except the Regina Rams, which were originally a community junior football team competing in PJFC football without affiliation with the university, and who joined University ranks in 1999 as a member of the Canada West Conference of U Sports. Men's varsity teams include the Regina Rams (football), basketball, cross country, hockey, swimming, track and field, volleyball and wrestling. Women's varsity teams include basketball, cross country, hockey, soccer, swimming, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. The University of Regina is also home to several varsity club teams, including cheerleading, curling, dance team, rowing, men's rugby sevens, women's rugby sevens, women's softball, synchronized swimming, ultimate, and triathlon.

In the summer of 2005, the university hosted the Canada Summer Games.