Capilano College
Encyclopedia
Capilano University is an undergraduate-focused, public
, coeducational, teaching-intensive university located in the District of North Vancouver
in British Columbia, Canada. It is enabled by the University Act
The university has two regional campuses located in the British Columbia
n cities of Squamish
and Sechelt. Capilano serves the North Shore
, Howe Sound
, and Sunshine Coast
communities, a region spanning from Metro Vancouver to Whistler
.
Capilano enrolled its first students in 1968. The school was established by local school boards and residents of the North Shore and Howe Sound on the need for a public institution serving the local communities. Initial enrollment was 784 students in 1968, and as of 2009, student enrollment has grown to 7,500 students.
Under the direction of President Greg Lee, Capilano was redesignated from a community college to a university. Capilano's academic offerings include liberal arts
, professional, and career programs, leading to certificate
s, diplomas, and degrees
at the primarily undergraduate level.
Capilano's sports teams are nicknamed the Blues, which is coincidentally also the official school colour. The Blues have won numerous national titles in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association
, and even more provincial titles in the British Columbia Colleges Athletic Association.
. The Capilano College Foundation was created in 1970 to provide scholarships and bursaries for students.
In 1970, construction began on the North Vancouver campus in the Lynnmour area. Three years later, the permanent North Vancouver campus opened with 1,965 students in attendance. The first vocational programs were offered in portable buildings brought from West Vancouver Secondary
. The first permanent structure at the North Vancouver campus, the original library building, also opened. In 1976, the Arbutus building at the North Vancouver campus opened, and the Fir building at the North Vancouver campus opened in 1982. In 1991, the Cedar building, the Sportsplex, and Horticulture building were completed. Two years later, a new library replaced the former at the North Vancouver campus, tripling the size of existing library space. In 1996, The Birch building at the North Vancouver campus is completed, housing a performance theatre, classrooms, student services, and providing teaching space. The Child Care Centre also opened in the same year.
The Squamish campus began as liberal art classes that were offered in the fall in Squamish in 1973. The Learning Centre opened in 1974, housing an office, student services, and classes. In 1979, the permanent Squamish campus opened. In 1995, the official induction for the Capilano Squamish campus was held.
Development of the Sunshine Coast campus began in 1977, when the Sunshine Coast School District became part of Capilano’s region and the first college classes were offered in Sechelt. In 1980, the Sunshine Coast campus (then called the Sechelt campus) opened a permanent facility in 1987. The campus now offers training in how to fly jet airplanes and a program in advanced tightrope performance.
with the B.C. Open University in 1990. A second music degree in jazz studies
was offered by 1992. Business administration was offered in 1993. That year, Capilano also conferred its first associate degrees. Tourism management was added to degree offerings in 1997. The college was authorized by the provincial government in 2003 to become the first college in British Columbia to independently grant applied degrees after the dissolution of the B.C. Open University. Capilano was also named by the provincial government as host of the British Columbia Centre for Tourism Leadership and Innovation in 2004, in preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics
. In 2008, Capilano became a candidate for accreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
, joined the OpenCourseWare
consortium, and was redesignated as a university.
. It is approximately a 20-minute drive from Downtown Vancouver. The majority of the programs are offered at this campus.
Capilano University also operates satellite campuses in Squamish
and Sechelt
, although only specialized programs are available at these locations.
program, culture and technology, and British Columbia
studies. Capilano also offers niche programs with an applied focus, such as applied ethics
, illustration
/design (IDEA), and music therapy
.
Capilano has joint partnerships and projects as part of the school's commitment to international education. It has dual degree programs and development partnerships with various schools abroad.
. The centre addresses tourism issues, helps provide tourism education, and is part of the larger British Columbia Tourism and Hospitality Education and Training Consortium. In 2008, the centre was merged into Link BC, an education network for tourism and hospitality with industry organizations. This has resulted in partnerships with organizations, and opportunities for students.
Since 1974, the Capilano University Blues have won 40 provincial titles, nine national titles, eight coach of the Year distinctions and two aggregate champions. Between 1974 and 1999 they held the title for CCAA
Soccer Supremacy Award. In 2008 the Blues won the national championship in soccer.
The CSU provides many services to its members, including a free dayplanner, and a used book sale. A referendum will likely be held in 2011, which will determine whether or not the CSU will also provide supplemental health and dental coverage.
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
, coeducational, teaching-intensive university located in the District of North Vancouver
North Vancouver, British Columbia (district municipality)
The District of North Vancouver is a district municipality in British Columbia and is part of the GVRD. It surrounds the City of North Vancouver on three sides.-Geography:The District of North Vancouver is separated from Vancouver by Burrard Inlet...
in British Columbia, Canada. It is enabled by the University Act
The university has two regional campuses located in the British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
n cities of Squamish
Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway...
and Sechelt. Capilano serves the North Shore
North Shore (Greater Vancouver)
"Vancouver's North Shore" is a term commonly used to refer to several areas adjacent to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:*the District of West Vancouver;*the City of North Vancouver;*the District of North Vancouver; and...
, Howe Sound
Howe Sound
Howe Sound is a roughly triangular sound, actually a network of fjords situated immediately northwest of Vancouver.-Geography:Howe Sound's mouth at the Strait of Georgia is situated between West Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast. The sound is triangular shaped, open on its southeast towards the...
, and Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, British Columbia
The Sunshine Coast is a region of the southern mainland coast of British Columbia, on the eastern shore of the Strait of Georgia, and just northwest of Greater Vancouver...
communities, a region spanning from Metro Vancouver to Whistler
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
.
Capilano enrolled its first students in 1968. The school was established by local school boards and residents of the North Shore and Howe Sound on the need for a public institution serving the local communities. Initial enrollment was 784 students in 1968, and as of 2009, student enrollment has grown to 7,500 students.
Under the direction of President Greg Lee, Capilano was redesignated from a community college to a university. Capilano's academic offerings include liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
, professional, and career programs, leading to certificate
Academic certificate
An academic certificate is a document that certifies that a person has received specific education or has passed a test or series of tests.In many countries, certificate is a qualification attained in secondary education. For instance, students in the Republic of Ireland sit the Junior Certificate...
s, diplomas, and degrees
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
at the primarily undergraduate level.
Capilano's sports teams are nicknamed the Blues, which is coincidentally also the official school colour. The Blues have won numerous national titles in the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association
Canadian Colleges Athletic Association
The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association is the national governing body for organized sports at colleges in Canada. It was formed in 1974. The CCAA hosts nine annual national championships. The CCAA's name in French is l'Association canadienne du sport collégial .Its equivalent body for...
, and even more provincial titles in the British Columbia Colleges Athletic Association.
Founding
The school boards of North and West Vancouver, Howe Sound and Sechelt formed a committee to determine the need for a community college to serve the North Shore. The proposal to build a college on the North Shore passed by a plebiscite in North and West Vancouver and the Howe Sound in 1967. However, the motion was defeated in Sechelt. The provincial government granted approval and Capilano College got its name selected from submissions made by North Shore residents. Capilano opened on September 10, 1968 with 784 students attending classes after hours at West Vancouver SecondaryWest Vancouver Secondary School
West Vancouver Secondary School is a five-year secondary school located in the middle of West Vancouver, British Columbia which educates grades 8 through 12. It is one of the three public high schools in West Vancouver. WVSS is noted for being a very diverse school offering many opportunities for...
. The Capilano College Foundation was created in 1970 to provide scholarships and bursaries for students.
In 1970, construction began on the North Vancouver campus in the Lynnmour area. Three years later, the permanent North Vancouver campus opened with 1,965 students in attendance. The first vocational programs were offered in portable buildings brought from West Vancouver Secondary
West Vancouver Secondary School
West Vancouver Secondary School is a five-year secondary school located in the middle of West Vancouver, British Columbia which educates grades 8 through 12. It is one of the three public high schools in West Vancouver. WVSS is noted for being a very diverse school offering many opportunities for...
. The first permanent structure at the North Vancouver campus, the original library building, also opened. In 1976, the Arbutus building at the North Vancouver campus opened, and the Fir building at the North Vancouver campus opened in 1982. In 1991, the Cedar building, the Sportsplex, and Horticulture building were completed. Two years later, a new library replaced the former at the North Vancouver campus, tripling the size of existing library space. In 1996, The Birch building at the North Vancouver campus is completed, housing a performance theatre, classrooms, student services, and providing teaching space. The Child Care Centre also opened in the same year.
The Squamish campus began as liberal art classes that were offered in the fall in Squamish in 1973. The Learning Centre opened in 1974, housing an office, student services, and classes. In 1979, the permanent Squamish campus opened. In 1995, the official induction for the Capilano Squamish campus was held.
Development of the Sunshine Coast campus began in 1977, when the Sunshine Coast School District became part of Capilano’s region and the first college classes were offered in Sechelt. In 1980, the Sunshine Coast campus (then called the Sechelt campus) opened a permanent facility in 1987. The campus now offers training in how to fly jet airplanes and a program in advanced tightrope performance.
Expansion
Capilano offered its first bachelor degree, a collaborative degree in music therapyMusic therapy
Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their...
with the B.C. Open University in 1990. A second music degree in jazz studies
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
was offered by 1992. Business administration was offered in 1993. That year, Capilano also conferred its first associate degrees. Tourism management was added to degree offerings in 1997. The college was authorized by the provincial government in 2003 to become the first college in British Columbia to independently grant applied degrees after the dissolution of the B.C. Open University. Capilano was also named by the provincial government as host of the British Columbia Centre for Tourism Leadership and Innovation in 2004, in preparations for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
. In 2008, Capilano became a candidate for accreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is an independent, non-profit membership organization recognized by the United States Department of Education since 1952 and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the regional authority on educational quality and institutional...
, joined the OpenCourseWare
OpenCourseWare
OpenCourseWare, or OCW, is a term applied to course materials created by universities and shared freely with the world via the internet. The movement started in 1999 when the University of Tübingen in Germany published videos of lectures online in the context of its timms initiative...
consortium, and was redesignated as a university.
Campuses
Capilano University has three campuses. The main campus is at 2055 Purcell Way in the District of North Vancouver, on Metro Vancouver's North ShoreNorth Shore (Greater Vancouver)
"Vancouver's North Shore" is a term commonly used to refer to several areas adjacent to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:*the District of West Vancouver;*the City of North Vancouver;*the District of North Vancouver; and...
. It is approximately a 20-minute drive from Downtown Vancouver. The majority of the programs are offered at this campus.
Capilano University also operates satellite campuses in Squamish
Squamish, British Columbia
Squamish is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway...
and Sechelt
Sechelt, British Columbia
The District Municipality of Sechelt is on the lower Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Approximately 50 km northwest of Vancouver, Sechelt is accessible to the mainland of British Columbia via a 40 minute ferry trip between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale, and a 25 minute drive from Langdale...
, although only specialized programs are available at these locations.
Profile
Capilano offers six bachelor degrees, sixteen associate degrees, over thirty diploma programs, certificates, and citations.[10] These credentials are conferred by the university under six academic divisions: arts and sciences, business and professional studies, tourism and outdoor recreation, health and education, fine and applied arts, and continuing education. Interdisciplinary programs unique to Capilano include the global stewardshipStewardship
Stewardship is an ethic that embodies responsible planning and management of resources. The concept of stewardship has been applied in diverse realms, including with respect to environment, economics, health, property, information, and religion, and is linked to the concept of sustainability...
program, culture and technology, and British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
studies. Capilano also offers niche programs with an applied focus, such as applied ethics
Applied ethics
Applied ethics is, in the words of Brenda Almond, co-founder of the Society for Applied Philosophy, "the philosophical examination, from a moral standpoint, of particular issues in private and public life that are matters of moral judgment"...
, illustration
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
/design (IDEA), and music therapy
Music therapy
Music therapy is an allied health profession and one of the expressive therapies, consisting of an interpersonal process in which a trained music therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their...
.
Capilano has joint partnerships and projects as part of the school's commitment to international education. It has dual degree programs and development partnerships with various schools abroad.
2010 Winter Olympics
In 2004, the Province of British Columbia established the British Columbia Centre for Leadership and Innovation in Tourism at Capilano University. This establishment came as part of the efforts by the provincial government to capitalize on the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
. The centre addresses tourism issues, helps provide tourism education, and is part of the larger British Columbia Tourism and Hospitality Education and Training Consortium. In 2008, the centre was merged into Link BC, an education network for tourism and hospitality with industry organizations. This has resulted in partnerships with organizations, and opportunities for students.
Athletics
Capilano has eight varsity sport teams that play at the provincial and national levels. The official intercollegiate representing team is the Capilano University Blues. The Blues are based in Capilano University's North Vancouver campus and have their home court in the Sportsplex Building. Capilano University competes at the intercollegiate level in badminton, basketball, golf, soccer, and volleyball.Since 1974, the Capilano University Blues have won 40 provincial titles, nine national titles, eight coach of the Year distinctions and two aggregate champions. Between 1974 and 1999 they held the title for CCAA
Canadian Colleges Athletic Association
The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association is the national governing body for organized sports at colleges in Canada. It was formed in 1974. The CCAA hosts nine annual national championships. The CCAA's name in French is l'Association canadienne du sport collégial .Its equivalent body for...
Soccer Supremacy Award. In 2008 the Blues won the national championship in soccer.
Press
- The Capilano Press Society publishesThe Capilano Review – issued three times a year—a journal which highlights experimental poetry, fiction, drama, and visual art. It also publishes interviews with writers and artists. Since its first publication in 1972 it has been recognized regularly for excellence by the National Magazine awards, the Western Magazine awards, and the Journey Prize Awards.
- Capilano University Editions (CUE), founded in 2008, is the book publishing imprint of the Capilano Press Society, and focuses on Canadian avant garde writing and art.
- The main student newspaper of the college is The Capilano CourierThe Capilano CourierThe Capilano Courier is the student newspaper at Capilano University, a public University located in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. First published in 1968, the Courier is staffed by student volunteers, operating independently of the college's administration and student...
. The Courier, which operates independently of the college and the student society, is staffed by students. It is published weekly.
- Capilano's creative writing students publish an innovative literary magazine, The Liar, in the spring and fall terms, with funding from the English department.
Student organizations
Students enrolled in credit programs at Capilano University are members of the Capilano Students' Union (CSU). The CSU is a registered society under the Society Act of BC, and receives funding from membership fees collected by the university on its behalf. While students ultimately control the CSU, most of its decisions are made by an elected board of directors (the executive committee), governed by the constitution and bylaws of the society. The executive committee consists of six constituency representatives, four issues coordinators, and the students elected to the senate and board of governors.The CSU provides many services to its members, including a free dayplanner, and a used book sale. A referendum will likely be held in 2011, which will determine whether or not the CSU will also provide supplemental health and dental coverage.
See also
- Higher education in British ColumbiaHigher education in British ColumbiaHigher education in British Columbia is delivered by 25 publicly funded institutions that are composed of eleven universities, eleven colleges, and three institutes. This is in addition to three private universities, five private colleges, and six theological colleges...
- List of universities in British Columbia