The Institution

1942
The Ottawa Association for the Advancement of Learning was established to develop Carleton College. The College offered only evening classes in introductory university subjects, with some courses in public administration.

1943
The Ottawa Association for the Advancement of Learning was incorporated and the Institute for Public Administration was established..

1945
Beginning of day classes and full-time teaching in arts, science, journalism, and first-year engineering. Establishment of the Faculty of Arts and Science.

1946
Move from rented premises to First Avenue campus, formerly Ottawa Ladies’ College. First degrees awarded in journalism and public administration.

1947
The College committed itself to develop pass and four-year honours programs.

1949
First undergraduate pass degrees in arts, science, and commerce awarded. Formation of Senate.

1950
First honours degrees in arts and science awarded.

1952
The Carleton College Act, 1952 passed by the Ontario Legislature. This changed the corporate name to Carleton College and confirmed the power to grant degrees. Property for Rideau River campus acquired.

1953
Establishment of the School of Public Administration.

1954
Appointment of Architectural Associates for Carleton to prepare a master plan for Rideau River campus, and to design the first group of buildings. First honorary degree (LL.D.) conferred on Dag Hammarskjöld, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

1955
First Master of Arts degree awarded.

1957
The Carleton University Act, 1957. Establishment of the School of Engineering. Establishment of the Institute of Canadian Studies.

1958
First Master of Science degree awarded.

1959
Move to Rideau River campus, following construction of the Henry Marshall Tory Building (science), the Maxwell MacOdrum Library, and Norman Paterson Hall (arts).

1961
First Ph.D. degree in science awarded. First degrees in engineering awarded.

1962
Southam Hall, the University Commons, Renfrew House and Lanark House (residences) completed. Norman Paterson Hall extended, and University Union opened.

1963
First Master of Engineering degree awarded. Reorganization into the Faculties of Arts, Engineering, Science, and Graduate Studies and Research.

1964
The C.J. Mackenzie Building (engineering) completed.

1965
The E.W.R. Steacie Building (chemistry), Grenville House and Russell House (residences), Maintenance Building, and Heating Plant completed.

1966
First Ph.D. degree in engineering awarded. The Physics Building completed (designated in 1972 as the Herzberg Laboratories for Physics). Establishment of the Schools of International Affairs and Commerce.

1967
Loeb Building (social sciences) completed. Integration of St. Patrick’s College as a division of the Faculty of Arts. Integration of the School of Social Work.

1968
First Ph.D. degree in arts awarded. First Master of Social Work degree awarded. Establishment of the School of Architecture.

1969
Controlled Environmental Facility (biology), Administration Building, Glengarry House (residence), and University Commons (residence cafeteria) completed.

1970
University Centre and Parking Garage completed.

1971
Arts Tower completed.

1972
Architecture Building completed. School of Social Work accommodated on the Rideau River campus.

1973
St. Patrick’s College moves to new facility on the Rideau River campus. First degrees in architecture awarded. New athletic complex containing 50-metre pool and fitness centre opened. School of Industrial Design established.

1974
Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research expanded into the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. School of International Affairs renamed the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Master of Journalism program approved for September 1974. Master of Arts programs in anthropology and in religion approved for September 1975. Program leading to Certificate in the Teaching of English as a Second Language established.

1975
Lester B. Pearson Chair for International Affairs approved for January 1, 1975. Establishment of Gerhard Herzberg Lecture Series in Science.

1976
First Dunton Alumni Award presented, January 1976. Creation of the Paterson Centre for International Programs in March 1976. Division of the Faculty of Arts into two separate faculties: the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Social Sciences, effective July 1976. First Master of Journalism degrees awarded, November 1976.

1977
Opening of the Criminology and Corrections concentration at St. Patrick’s College, April 1977.

1978
School of Continuing Education established. Credit courses offered on cable television for the first time. Institute of Biochemistry established.

1979
St. Patrick’s College ceased to operate as an academic unit of the University. Academic programs of the college continue as University programs, except for the Unified Liberal Arts Program.

1980
Establishment of the School of Computer Science. Establishment of the Chair of Office Automation in the Faculty of Engineering.

1981
Establishment of the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Graduate Studies and Research in Chemistry, a joint program with the University of Ottawa. Establishment of a joint Ph.D. program in economics with the University of Ottawa.

1982
Establishment of the Ottawa-Carleton Centre for Geoscience Studies, representing the combined research strengths of Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, with programs leading to M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in most areas of geology. Establishment of a joint master’s program in computer science with the University of Ottawa.

1983
Establishment of four joint graduate programs with the University of Ottawa: the Ottawa-Carleton Centre for Graduate Studies and Research in Biology; the Ottawa-Carleton Centre for Graduate Studies and Research in Physics; the Ottawa-Carleton Institute for Graduate Studies and Research in Electrical Engineering; and the Ottawa-Carleton Graduate Specialization in Neuroscience.

1984
Establishment of three joint graduate programs with the University of Ottawa in the areas of civil engineering, mechanical and aeronautical engineering, and mathematics and statistics.

1985
Master of Management Studies program established in the School of Business. The School of Public Administration offers a concentration in development administration in conjunction with the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. An additional floor on one wing of the Herzberg Laboratories for Physics is constructed to house the School of Computer Science.

1986
The Social Sciences Research Building, the first new building on campus in a decade, is built to accommodate the rapidly-expanding research activity in the Faculty of Social Sciences. Construction of an annex on top of the Architecture Building to provide additional space for the Faculty of Engineering.

1987
The Institute of Women’s Studies is established. The Arts Tower is renamed Davidson Dunton Tower/ Edifice Davidson Dunton in honour of Arnold Davidson Dunton, former Carleton University President and Director of the Institute of Canadian Studies. Major revisions to the Undergraduate Exchange Agreement with the University of Ottawa extend opportunities for students to study at both universities. The University launches the Carleton University Challenge Fund, the largest fund-raising campaign in its history.

1988
Canada’s first full Bachelor of Engineering program in Aerospace Engineering is established. Bell-Northern Research Limited and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council provide funding for an Industrial Research Chair in Computer-Aided Engineering within the Department of Electronics. The Departments of Electronics and Systems and Computer Engineering are major partners in the Telecommunications Research Institute of Ontario (TRIO), one of seven “centres of excellence” chosen by the provincial government for scientific research. The Faculty of Science introduces cooperative education programs in computer science and biochemistry/biotechnology.

1989
The University launches its first major program of construction and renovation in more than 20 years. Four capital projects are initiated: an addition to the MacOdrum Library; the Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering; a 400-bed residence building; and an addition to Southam Hall. A fifth project, the Life Sciences Research Building, is completed in 1989. The Institute of Political Economy is established. The Canadian Centre for Trade Policy and Law, a joint initiative of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton and the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa, is established.

1990
A new Ph.D. program in computer science, offered jointly with the University of Ottawa, is established. The University introduces a Bachelor of Social Work degree program. The Paul Menton Centre for Persons with Disabilities is opened. The Centre for Research in Particle Physics is established to carry on the work of the National Research Council’s large-scale physics projects.

1991
Establishment of the Carleton University Development Corporation. $11 million extension to the MacOdrum Library opened. The university’s $30 million Challenge Fund campaign surpassed its goal; $1.5 million “enhancement” campaign announced. Registrarial services for arts and social sciences re-organized into two separate offices. Establishment of the Centre for Analytical and Environmental Chemistry. Establishment of the School of Comparative Literary Studies. Establishment of the School for Studies in Art and Culture (bringing together the Departments of Art History, Film Studies, and Music). Establishment of the international exchange agreement between Carleton University, four Swedish universities, and three other Canadian universities (Laval, York, and the University of British Columbia). Establishment of the Carleton University/Polish faculty exchange agreement. Establishment of the Chair for Management in Technological Change. Establishment of M.A. programs in political economy, communication, legal studies, and applied language studies. Establishment of the women’s history field in the Ph.D. program in history. Establishment of the Ph.D. program in public policy in the School of Public Administration.

1992
The University celebrates its 50th anniversary. Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, which includes a new B.A. program in environmental studies, is established. Department of Civil Engineering renamed Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to reflect emphasis on the environment and new undergraduate program in environmental engineering. School of Journalism renamed School of Journalism and Communication, and Institute of Canadian Studies becomes School of Canadian Studies. The Centre for Aboriginal Education, Research and Culture is established. A new Ph.D. program in public policy, the first of its kind in Canada, is offered by the School of Public Administration, and a master’s program in Canadian art history is introduced. The Carleton University Art Gallery and the Minto Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering are opened. The Governor General of Canada and Head of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, His Excellency the Right Honourable Ramon John Hnatyshyn, grants the arms and flag of Carleton University at the fall convocation ceremonies.

1993
Centre for Memory Assessment and Research established. Teaching and Learning Resource Centre established. Institute of Soviet and East European Studies renamed Institute for Central/East European and Russian Area Studies. Carleton University hosts the 1993 Learned Societies Conference. Construction begins on new Inco Centre. Institute of Women’s Studies renamed Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s Studies. Administration Building renamed Robertson Hall.

1994
New Industrial Research Chair in Performance Engineering of Real-Time Software established. The Inco Centre officially opened. Research Facility for Electron Microscopy opened. New Ph.D. program in Public Policy established. New Bachelor of International Business program approved. Colonel By Child Care opened. Construction begins on the new Carleton Technology and Training Centre.

1995
Carleton Technology and Training Centre opened. Bachelor of Humanities undergraduate degree program established. College of the Humanities approved.

1997
Two new faculties created: the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Public Affairs and Management. Department of Religion joined the College of the Humanities. School of Architecture modified its program to create a four-year degree program, with the professional designation provided by the two-year master’s program. Bachelor of Arts program improved with standardization of programs across all departments and introduction of programs to allow students to improve their academic skills and to “tailor” their degrees to specific goals. Physics undergraduate degree program replaced with an applied physics program. Several small language programs closed: German, Italian, Russian, Spanish) as well as undergraduate programs in Comparative Literary Studies and Classics. New undergraduate program in Communications Engineering established. Co-operative education programs offered in all engineering programs.

The following graduate programs were established: Ph.D. in Cognitive Science; Ph.D. in Communications; Master of Arts in Film Studies; Master of Public Administration (with a Concentration in Innovation, Science, and Technology Policy); and the Graduate Certificate in Conflict Resolution.

Chancellors

1952 — 1954
Harry Stevenson Southam

1954 — 1968
Chalmers Jack Mackenzie

1969 — 1972
Lester Bowles Pearson

1973 — 1979
Gerhard Herzberg

1980 — 1990
Gordon Robertson (Emeritus 1992 - )

1990 — 1992
Pauline Jewett

1993 —
Arthur Kroeger

Presidents

1942 — 1947
Henry Marshall Tory

1947 — 1955
Murdoch Maxwell MacOdrum

1955 — 1956
James Alexander Gibson (acting)

1956 — 1958
Claude Thomas Bissell

1958 — 1972
Arnold Davidson Dunton

1972 — 1978
Michael Kelway Oliver

January 1 — May 15, 1979
James Downey (pro tempore)

1979 — 1989
William Edwin Beckel

1989 — 1996
Robin Hugh Farquhar

1996 —
Richard J. Van Loon