University History

University of Saskatchewan History: A Brief Chronology

[ See also building chronology ]

1907

  • University of Saskatchewan created:
    • University Act passed by the Legislative Assembly; receives royal assent 3 April
    • University Senate organized; held first meeting 13 November, in the Regina courthouse
    • Justice E.L. Wetmore elected Chancellor
    • D.P. McColl appointed Registrar

    1908

  • Framework in place:
    • First meeting of convocation, 8 January, at the Metropolitan Methodist Church, Regina
    • Board of Governors appointed; held first meeting 22 May
    • Walter Murray formally appointed President by the Board, 20 August

    1909

  • Saskatoon selected as site
  • Board approves purchase of land: 1,170 acres for $112,240.00; 22 April initial sales: 1,300 acres for $147,906.00
  • Board approves appointments of faculty:
    • William Rutherford, Dean of Agriculture
    • John Bracken, Agriculture
    • Alexander Grieg, Agricultural Engineering and Superintendent of Buildings
    • George Ling, Mathematics and Dean of Arts
    • Arthur Moxon, Classics
    • Edmund Oliver, History
    • Reginald Bateman, English
  • Selection of [anticipated] colleges made:
    • Arts with Music, Art, and Commerce
    • Agriculture with Forestry and Domestic Science
    • Education
    • Engineering
    • Law
    • Medicine with Pharmacy
    • Dentistry
    • Veterinary Science
  • First examination given: matriculation exam for W.E. Lloyd, 23 September
  • First classes given, 29 September, in the Drinkle Building

    1910

  • Sod turning ceremony for College [of Agriculture] Building, 4 May
  • Sir Wilfrid Laurier lays corner stone of first building, 29 July
  • Provincial government transfers agricultural extension work to College of Agriculture

    1911

  • Ceremony laying cornerstone for Regina College, a separate institution, held 25 October
  • Little Stone School rebuilt on campus

    1912

  • First class graduates
  • First buildings opened:
    • College [of Agriculture] Building (official opening in May 1913)
    • Emmanuel College
    • University Barn and Livestock Pavilion
    • Dean of Agriculture's Residence, now Faculty Club
    • Saskatchewan Hall
  • The Sheaf publishes first issue
  • Formal opening of Regina College, 14 October

    1913

  • President's Residence built

    1914-1918

  • At least 27 faculty and staff, 253 students and 65 alumni served during World War I; 1 faculty member and 68 students died

    1917

  • Alumni Association formed
  • Summer School established

    1918

  • Influenza epidemic: University residences quarantined; Emmanuel College used as emergency hospital by the City; 16 women staff and student volunteer nurses boarded at the President's residence; 2 students, one a volunteer aid, and 4 University employees died

    1919

  • Four faculty members dismissed.
  • President Murray takes leave of absence following 1919 crisis; George H. Ling appointed Acting President (August 1919-February 1920)

    1920

  • The Sheaf begins weekly publication

    1921

  • College of Pharmacy established; classes previously given through Arts
  • Department of Ceramic Engineering established--the first in Canada

    1925

  • Engineering Building burns

    1926

  • Two-year School of Medical Sciences established

    1927

  • School of Education established

    1928

  • School of Education given College status
  • School of Household Science established
  • Official opening, Memorial Gates, 4 May

    1929

  • Correspondence Courses established

    1930

  • Senior faculty at the top of the pay scale receive 2% reduction in salary to accommodate slight increase in salary for junior staff

    1930-1933

  • Provincial grant to University reduced by 40%
  • Faculty salaries cut by 19%

    1931

  • School of Physical Education founded
  • School of Music established

    1933

  • Unmarried faculty given a year's leave with 3 months pay
  • First University Farm Week hosted by University of Saskatchewan (later Farm and Home Week)

    1934

  • Regina College becomes part of the University of Saskatchewan

    1936

  • St. Thomas More College established
  • College of Accounting established
  • Emma Lake summer art school founded

    1937

  • J.S. Thomson appointed President

    1938

  • School of Nursing established

    1939-1945

  • 2500 students enlist for service in World War II; 202 students killed in action
  • Male students in science, engineering, medicine, and agriculture were not allowed to leave their studies without permission

    1942

  • School of Household Science given College status

    1942-1943

  • President J.S. Thomson on leave to serve as general manager of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; W.P. Thompson appointed Acting President

    1943

  • College of Accounting renamed College of Commerce

    1945

  • University employees receive certification as a trade union
  • Department of Drama established--the first in Canada
  • Department of Slavic Studies established--the first in Canada

    1946

  • College of Graduate Studies established
  • First collective agreement with employees reached
  • Faculty Relations Committee formed

    1948

  • U of S installs first betatron in Canada

    1949

  • W.P. Thompson appointed President

    1950

  • Board statute, prohibiting faculty from running for provincial or federal office, lifted

    1951

  • World's first calibrated cobalt-60 cancer therapy unit established at the University of Saskatchewan

    1952

  • College of Household Science renamed College of Home Economics
  • Faculty Relations Committee renamed Faculty Association
  • First Ph.D. granted

    1953

  • School of Medical Sciences becomes College of Medicine

    1955

  • [Royal] University Hospital opened, 14 May

    1957

  • Centre for Community Studies established

    1958

  • First full-time student counselling service established

    1959

  • J.W.T. Spinks appointed President
  • Amati instruments purchased by University of Saskatchewan

    1960

  • Institute for Northern Studies established

    1964

  • Linear Accelerator Laboratory established

    1965

  • First classes given in Western College of Veterinary Medicine (University of Saskatchewan selected as site in 1963)
  • Campus radio station CJUS-FM goes on the air

    1967

  • Two-campus system formalized with appointment of Principal for Saskatoon campus.

    1968

  • First classes in Dentistry given (College established in 1966)

    1969

  • 4-year BMus, BFA degree programmes established
  • Amati Quartet established

    1971

  • Former University of Saskatchewan professor Gerhard Herzberg wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry
  • College of Graduate Studies renamed College of Graduate Studies and Research

    1973

  • Program of Legal Studies for Native People established

    1974

  • R.W. Begg appointed Acting President
  • Regina campus becomes a separate university
  • School of Nursing given College status
  • University support staff go on strike

    1975

  • R.W. Begg appointed President
  • University Employees' Union affiliates with CUPE, as Local 1975
  • Diane Jones sets world record in indoor pentathalon

    • 1976

  • Native Law Centre established--the first in Canada
  • Joint venture agreement reached between University and SEDCO to build Western Canada's first research park
  • School of Physical Therapy established

    1977

  • University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association granted collective bargaining rights
  • Exchange program established with State University of Chernivtsi, Ukraine

    1978

  • Administrative and Supervisory Personnel Association granted collective bargaining rights
  • Regional Psychiatric Centre established--first in world to be affiliated with a university

    1980

  • L.F. Kristjanson appointed President
  • Rt. Hon. John G. Diefenbaker Centre opened to house the former Prime Minister's papers, memorabilia, personal library and Sir John A. Macdonald collection.

    1981

  • Museum of Antiquities opens - the only museum of its kind at a Canadian university

    1984

  • Centre for the Study of Cooperatives established--the first in Canada

    1988

  • University Faculty go on strike

    1989

  • B.A. Holmlund appointed Acting President, July
  • J.W.G. Ivany appointed President, November
  • CUPE 3287 (sessional lecturers) formed

    1990

  • College of Home Economics phased out

    1991

  • First collective agreement with CUPE 3287 reached
  • University selected to administer Yeltsin Fellowship Fund

    1995

  • Doug Wilson Award established
  • College of Pharmacy renamed College of Pharmacy and Nutrition

    1997

  • Nobel Plaza built in Bowl, honouring Gerhard Herzberg and Henry Taube

    1998

  • College of Physical Education renamed College of Kinesiology
  • Place Riel Theatre closes as movie theatre

    1999

  • R. Peter MacKinnon appointed President
  • University of Saskatchewan chosen as site for Canadian Light Source

    2000

  • Virtual College of Biotechnology established

    2001

  • College Building declared national historic site

    2002

  • Special Advisor on Aboriginal Initiatives appointed
  • Unique memorandum of understanding signed with Wanuskewin Heritage Park to develop joint initiatives relating to First Nations awareness and education

    • 2003

  • New Amati Quartet in Residence established
  • University of Saskatchewan starts hosting University of the Arctic's undergraduate studies office

    • 2004

  • "Campus Vets," featuring students, faculty and staff at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, airs on the Life Network
  • Canadian Light Source synchrotron officially opens

    • 2005

  • College Building rededicated after extensive heritage conservation project
  • College of Emmanuel and St. Chad moves to Lutheran Theological Seminary building
  • Dean of University Library appointed - the first appointment of its kind in Canada

    • 2006

  • College of Agriculture renamed College of Agriculture and Bioresources
  • University Council approves phasing out of Extension Division
  • University hosts Vanier Cup - first time the national football championship is held outside Ontario