University of Manitoba - Definition and Overview

The University of Manitoba (established in 1877) is one of two universities in Winnipeg, Manitoba and was the first university ever established in Western Canada.

It was created to confer degrees on the three founding colleges. They were:

• St. Boniface College
• St. John's College
• Manitoba College

The Manitoba legislature modified the University Act in 1900, so that the university could do its own teaching. This led to the construction of a building in downtown Winnipeg with a teaching faculty of six scientists as professors. In 1929, the University of Manitoba moved to its current home in the Fort Garry area of Winnipeg.

The current colleges are:

• St. Boniface College
• St. John's College
• St. Paul's College
• St. Andrew's College
• University College

In 2002, the University of Manitoba had a total enrollment of approximately 22,000 students (post-grad med: 1.8%, distance: 3.5%, grad: 12%, undergrad: 83%) in 20 faculties.

List of Presidents

1. James Alexander MacLean (1913 - 1934)
2. Sidney Earle Smith (1934 - 1944)
3. Henry Percy Armes, acting (1944 - 1945)
4. Albert William Trueman (1945 - 1948)
5. Albert Henry S. Gillson (1948 - 1954)
6. Hugh Hamilton Saunderson (1954 - 1970)
7. Ernest Sirluck (1970 - 1976)
8. Ralph Campbell (1976 - 1981)
9. Arnold Naimark (1981 - 1996)
10. Emöke J.E. Szathmáry (1996-)

Notable alumni

• Izzy Asper, tax lawyer & media magnate (BA - 1953, LLB - 1957, LLM - 1964)
• Sam Katz, mayor of Winnipeg (BA - 1973)
• William Norrie, mayor of Winnipeg (BA - 1950, LLB - 1955)
• Clayton Riddell, oil tycoon (BSc Honours - 1959)

Notable faculty

• Carol Shields, Pulitzer Prize winning author and former Professor and Chancellor

Athletics

The university is represented in Canadian Interuniversity Sport by the Manitoba Bisons.

See also

• University of Winnipeg

External link

• University of Manitoba (official site) (http://www.umanitoba.ca/)