Saint Mary's University, Halifax
Saint Mary's University is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Founded by Reverend Edmund Burke, in 1802 it is the oldest English-speaking, Roman Catholic initiated university in Canada,. In 1841, the Nova Scotia House of Assembly formally gave the university its formal recognition as an academic institute. 11 years later complete legal status to give out degrees was given to the University. In 1913 the Christian Brothers of Ireland were asked by the Archdiocese to direct the college and did so till 1940 when they handed over the duties to the Upper Province Society of Jesus (Jesuits) who did so for 30 years till in 1970, when the university was incorporated with a Board of Governors and a Senate. The university is now quite secular, for example the old Church now serving as an auditorium for classes and home to the University Servers.
Interesting Facts:
- In 1934 it established one of the 1st Commerce Faculties in Canada, which is now known as the Frank H. Sobey Faculty of Commerce, named after Frank H. Sobey who founded the football championships (2002, 2001)
- 1st Atlantic Canadian University to advance to the world finals in the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest World Finals (2001)
- Campus is completely contained within 1 city block, that is about 30 acres large.
- Has an observatory on top of one of its campus' residences, and is the only university in the Region to offer Astronomy.
- Doesn't have a Student Council, but a Student Association (Business' don't like unions, and SMU is now a business school at heart)
- Current cafeteria deal with Aramark has a clause that students can not see the contract, much to the dismay of students.
- In 1959 it was the 1st university in Atlantic Canada to obtain a computer: A Dalhousie University (In spirit more then anything), for Football Université Laval (who saddly beat Saint Mary's in 2003 for the Football championship), most anything else University of New Brunswick (Just because)
