Faculty of Arts fonds: Home

Call Number: Ua 27, Ua Sc 17, Ua Sc 19, Ua Sc 20, Ua Sc 34 (A.80-12, A.82-04, A.83-19, A.84-45, A.85-43, A.85-45, A.86-59, A.87-08, A.87-15, A.87-16, A.87-28, A.87-32, A.87-49, A.88-11, A.88-22, A.88-37, A.88-57, A.89-28, A.89-32, A.89-34, A.94-08, A.94-18, A.94-24, A.95-21, A.95-26, A.95-32, A.95-38)

Title: Faculty of Arts fonds.

Dates: 1960-1986.

Extent: 31.22 m of textual records.

Administrative history: The first instruction in Arts was offered in English, History and Political Economy in 1910. By 1914, bachelor degrees were offered in Arts and in Science, and in 1921 the University established faculties in Arts and Science, Engineering, and Architecture with each faculty governed by a General Faculty Council. In 1929, the Senior Arts Department moved to a new building on the Fort Garry site, then the location of the Faculties of Agriculture and Engineering. The Senior Science Department was moved to Fort Garry two years later upon completion of the Buller Building.

Throughout the 1930s, the Department of Science experienced continuous growth while Arts remained stable. 1938 saw the creation of two new departments, Commerce and Actuarial Science. In the same year, Professor M.A. Parker, first Dean of Arts and Science and the University's first professor, resigned and was replaced by Dr. H.P. Armes. World War II diminished the number of students but 1945 saw a huge increase in enrolment. The departments of Economics and Sociology were created in 1949, and two years later the departments of Icelandic Language and Literature and Geography were formed. In 1956, planning was initiated for a new science complex including buildings for Chemistry, Physics, Pharmacy and Mathematics. The complex was completed in 1959 and included the Allen Physics Building, Parker Chemistry Building and Armes Lecture Hall. In the same year, construction commenced on the Isbister Building for Geography and Commerce.

In an attempt to reflect the "college" heritage of education and residence at the University of Manitoba, construction started on University College in 1962. The Fletcher Argue office tower was completed in 1966, freeing the top two floors of the Tier building for the School of Social Work. The years of 1968 and 1969 saw the creation of five new programs in Linguistics, Canadian Studies, Medieval Studies, Latin American Studies and Soviet Studies.

The year 1970 saw the establishment of Commerce as a separate Faculty. Later that year, the Faculty of Arts and Science, largely on the request of Science, dissolved to become separate faculties. It brought to an end sixty years of affiliation. In 1970, the Faculty of Arts signed an agreement with St. Paul's and St. John's Colleges, to unify their respective faculty members and expand humanities education. In 1974, programs in Native and Women's Studies were established. Art History and Film Studies were added in 1976, and in 1980 the Institute for Social and Economic Research was created through the Federal Department of Health and Welfare. The 1980's saw gradual increases in enrolment but little physical expansion.

Custodial history: The fonds was donated to University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections by the Faculty of Arts in several accessions between 1980 and 1995.

Scope and content: The fonds is divided into six series.  The series are the records of the Dean's Office (1960-1979), the records of the Institute for Social and Economic Research (1980-1986), the records of the Dean's Review Committee in Arts and Science (1966-1969), Arts Faculty Council minutes (1973-1975), minutes of the Faculty Council of Arts and Science and the Arts Council (1969), and lists of the Faculty of Arts senior sticks and lady sticks (ca. 1982).

Source of supplied title: Title based on provenance of fonds.

Restrictions: Folders marked confidential are restricted.

Finding aid: A finding aid is available in the Archives' InMagic database.