| Ryerson University |
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| Motto: |
Mente et Artificio
(With mind and hand) |
| Established: |
1948 Ryerson Institute of Technology (1948-1963). Later renamed Ryerson University (1964-present) |
| Type: |
Public |
| President: |
Sheldon Levy |
| Staff: |
600 |
| Undergraduates: |
24,000 full-time |
| Postgraduates: |
1,100 full-time |
| Location: |
Toronto, ON, Canada |
| Campus: |
Urban |
| Sports team: |
Ryerson Rams  |
| Colours: |
gold & blue [1] |
| Mascot: |
Eggy the Ram |
| Affiliations: |
AUCC, IAU, COU, ACU, CIS, OUA, Ontario Network of Women in engineering, |
| Website: |
ryerson.ca |
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| Brandmark and crest images © Ryerson University |
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Ryerson University, commonly referred to simply as Ryerson, is a public university in Toronto, Canada. It has 24,000 full-time students, [2] and offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Its urban campus surrounds Yonge and Dundas Square, with the majority of its buildings in the blocks northeast of the square. The university offers several programs which are unique in Canada across its five faculties.
The university was originally established in 1948 as Ryerson Institute of Technology. In 1963-64 its name changed to Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. In 1993 Ryerson gained full university status and changed its name once again to Ryerson Polytechnic University. Since 2002 it has been known simply as Ryerson University.
In addition to offering full time Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees, the university also offers part time degrees and certificates through its Chang School of Continuing Education, with over 65,400 annual enrollments.
The university has a large body of commuter students, with only 840 students living in residence across three residence buildings.
Recently, the university has been undertaking the largest campus expansion in its history, with six new buildings constructed within the last decade and two additional constructions already announced. There has also been extensive renovation to several buildings, including the Ryerson Theatre, which is one of the largest theatres in downtown Toronto with over 1200 seats. The theatre is home to several red carpet premieres as part of the Toronto International Film Festival.
History
In 1852 at the core of the main campus, the historic St. James Square, Egerton Ryerson founded Ontario's first teacher training facility, the Toronto Normal School. It also housed the Department of Education and the Museum of Natural History and Fine Arts, which became the Royal Ontario Museum. An agricultural laboratory on the site led to the later founding of the Ontario Agricultural College and the University of Guelph. St. James Square went through various other educational uses before housing a namesake of its original founder.
Egerton Ryerson was a leading educator, politician, and Methodist minister.[3] He is known as the father of Ontario's public school system. He is also a founder of the first publishing company in Canada in 1829, The Methodist Book and Publishing House, which was renamed The Ryerson Press in 1919 and today is part of McGraw-Hill Ryerson, Canadian publisher of educational and professional books. Although not affiliated with the university, the well known publishing company still bears Egerton Ryerson's name for its Canadian operations.
The Normal School on Gould St. 1856
The Ryerson Institute of Technology was founded in 1948 and its name was changed in 1964 to Ryerson Polytechnical Institute. It became a university-degree granting institution in 1971 accredited by both provincial government legislation and by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). That year, it also became a member of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU). In 1992, Ryerson became Toronto’s second school of engineering following accreditation from the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board. A flag bearing the Ryerson crest was carried aboard the space shuttle Columbia (until the shuttle was tragically lost in 2003), signifying Ryerson’s collaboration in research with Canadian astronaut Roberta Bondar. Research funding tops $9 million for the period 1986-92. In 1993 Ryerson received approval to also grant graduate degrees (master's and doctorates). The same year it changed its name to Ryerson Polytechnic University reflecting a stronger emphasis on research associated with graduate programs and its expansion from being solely an undergraduate university-level college. In June 2001, the school renamed itself again, assuming its present identity as Ryerson University. Today, Ryerson University offers programs in chemical, civil, mechanical, industrial, electrical and computer engineering. The university is also one of only two Ontario universities to offer a program in aerospace engineering.
Fight Song
Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencement and convocation, and athletic games are: The School Song' (ca 1950), with words by Rennie Charles and music by Al Sauro. [4]
Organization
Ryerson is divided into a number of faculties including the Faculty of Arts; the Faculty of Communication & Design; the Faculty of Community Services; the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science; and the Ted Rogers School of Management. The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is Canada's leading provider of university-based adult education [5]
The Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science grants Bachelor of Architectural Science, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Engineering degrees in 17 programs. Students can choose to specialize in the following disciplines: Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Architecture, Project Management and Building Science. [6]
The Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science offers graduate programs in: Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Architecture, Biomedical Physics, Buiding Science, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Networks, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Molecular Science, Environmental Applied Science and Mechanical Engineering.
Campus
RAC, Ryerson Athletic Center
Statue of Egerton Ryerson, on campus of Ryerson University.
The university's urban campus is located in the Downtown Toronto core, surrounding Yonge and Dundas Square. It is easily accessible by Subway from Dundas Station. The campus surrounds Kerr Hall, one of the older buildings on the Ryerson campus. The Ryerson campus is a collection of buildings, some of which built by Ryerson, but many others which are historic buildings that were converted for use by Ryerson such as the Theatre School's building, which was formerly the Ontario College of Pharmacy, built in 1841.
Campus Expansion
In recent years, the campus has undergone the largest campus expansion of its history. Six new buildings have been constructed within the past decade and two further constructions are in the planning stages, including a Learning Success Centre at the corner of Yonge and Gould Streets on the site of Sam the Record Man's former flagship store. This represents over $210 million in new construction.
George Vari Centre for Computing and Engineering
The George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre
"The George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre'' was to have been originally designed by Santiago Calatrava (designer of the atrium of Brookfield Place). Nearby residents fought the inclusion of a tower component. The project was withdrawn and re-tendered[7].
Completed in 2004 by Moriyama & Teshima Architects and home to electrical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, mathematics and aerospace engineering. The state-of-the art building cost $65 million to complete.
The building was officially renamed in 2005 to the George Vari Centre for Computing and Engineering after a five million dollar donation from George and Helen Vari.
Ted Rogers School of Management
Ted Rogers School of Management
Previously known as Ryerson's Business Building; however, it was changed to the current name, Ted Rogers School of Management, after a $15 million donation from Ted Rogers. This latest addition is located within a new wing of the Toronto Eaton Centre at the southeast corner of Bay and Dundas Streets, the Ted Rogers School of Management occupies three floors of the nine-floor wing (two floors are occupied by retail uses, with an above-grade parking garage occupying the remaining three storeys). The integration of the Ryerson faculty with commercial uses in the same building has been praised as an innovative solution for the downtown university.[8]
Academics
Profile
Bas relief carving at Ryerson
According to the Globe and Mail's University Report Card 2006, Ryerson is ranked fifth of the medium size universities in the category of 'Preparation for Employment'. Webometrics ranking of world universities, has placed Ryerson University at 432nd most committed university to web publication and to the worldwide open access to knowledge overall.
Annual funded research has increased more than four times the amount over a decade ago, from $2.4 million to $10 million.
Twelve undergraduate degree programs are unique among Canadian universities: arts and contemporary studies, disability studies, early childhood education, fashion, graphic communications management, health services management, image arts, information technology management, international economics, occupational and public health (occupational health and safety option), radio and television and retail management.
Faculty
In November 2005, Professor Arne Kislenko won TVOntario's first Best Lecturer Series. In 2006, Ryerson University had two professors in the semi-finals for TVO's second Best Lecturer Competition. Philosophy professor Dr. James Cunningham, and radio and television arts professor Dana Lee were semi-finalists.
Library
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The Ryerson Library collection consists of over 500,000 books, 3,700 print journal titles and over $2 million of electronic resources, including approximately 23,000 e-journals, e-books, databases and indexes, geospatial data, and catalogued websites or electronic documents. Most of the electronic resources can be accessed remotely by Ryerson community members with Internet access, although authentication of Ryerson Library registration is required for access to all commercial resources It is one of the largest university libraries in Canada consisting of eight floors designed in a typical brutalist style.
Student Life
Ryerson has 23,400 full time undergraduate students, 1600 students in master and Ph.D programs [9].
Noted alumni
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Ryerson alumni include actors such as Eric McCormack of Will & Grace, Kenny Hotz of Kenny vs Spenny and Nia Vardalos of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Isodore Sharp, noted businessman and philanthropist, is also a Ryerson alumnus.
Facilities
Associations
References
See also
External links
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