University of King's College

The University of King's College is a public liberal arts university in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Established in 1789, it is the oldest chartered university in Canada, and the oldest English-language university in the Commonwealth outside the United Kingdom. The university is regarded for its Foundation Year Program (FYP), an undergraduate curriculum designed to comprehensively study a variety of intellectual developments—past and present—through great books and ideas. It is also known for its upper-year interdisciplinary programs, particularly in contemporary studies, early modern studies, and the history of science and technology. In addition, the university has a journalism school that attracts students from across the world for its intensive graduate programs in journalism, writing, and publishing.

The university was founded by royal charter in Windsor, Nova Scotia as the King's Collegiate School in 1788, but the school moved to its current location in Halifax after a fire destroyed a large portion of the original university in 1920. The relocation was made possible with the help of Dalhousie University, which has since maintained a joint Faculty of Arts and Sciences with King's, which provides students with access to Dalhousie's facilities and services. Furthermore, students from King's and Dalhousie can enrol in courses offered at either institution as the campuses are located adjacent to each other. Despite this academic partnership, the University of King's College remains independent under its own charter.

History

Late 18th century and 19th century

During the British evacuation of New York in 1783, Charles Inglis, the rector of Trinity Church, led the flight of Loyalists, later called United Empire Loyalists (UEL), to Windsor, Nova Scotia. In 1788, the resettled Loyalists founded the King's Collegiate School in Windsor, named after King George III. In the following year, the University of King's College emerged from the collegiate while an act was passed for "the permanent establishment and effectual support of a college at Windsor," and £400 per annum was granted towards its maintenance. The college opened in 1790, and received a royal charter from George III in 1802, becoming Canada's first English-speaking, degree-granting university. Even though the University of New Brunswick traces its history to another King's College at Fredericton established in 1785, it did not initially receive degree-granting powers through a Royal Charter until 1827. Similarly, McGill University traces its origins to 1801 but did not receive a Royal Charter until 1821.

Windsor was chosen as the location of the college, as it was described at the time as "a cherished semi-rural retreat for generations of Nova Scotians." A significant reason for the establishment of King's College was to discourage young, male Nova Scotians from studying in the United States, where they might be exposed to republican ideals. The founding of a College or Seminary of learning on a liberal plan in that province [Nova Scotia] where youth may receive a virtuous education and can be qualified for the learned professions, is, we humbly conceive, a member of great consequence, as it would diffuse religious literature, loyalty, and good morals among His Majesty's subjects there.

If such a seminary is not established the inhabitants will have no means of educating their sons at home, but will be under the but will necessity of sending them for that purpose either to Great Britain... or else some of the states of this continent, where they will soon imbibe principles that are unfavourable to the British Constitution.

On this, Inglis, the Archbishop of Nova Scotia and a founder of the college, was clear:...one of the principle motives for pushing [the college] forward was to prevent the importation of American Divines and American politics into the province. Unless we have a seminary here, the youth of Nova Scotia will be sent for their education to the Revolted Colonies—the inevitable consequences would be a corruption of their religious and political principle.

Academics

Since 1972, King's has been offering its Foundation Year Program (FYP) for undergraduate students, an intensive survey course of history, philosophy, and literature in the Western tradition. The core texts program has "a national reputation for excellence as an alternative first-year of undergraduate studies", and is regarded as a prototype for similar liberal arts programs elsewhere. The Canadian news magazine Maclean's likewise reflected this view in a discussion of small, specialized undergraduate programs in Canada, expressing "it's unlikely that any of the other programs would exist if not for the Foundation Year at King's". In 2008 and 2009, the FYP program was ranked first in Canada by the National Survey of Student Engagement.

King's students take the FYP in their first year, then choose a specific degree program to pursue in their final three years. Furthermore, the college offers First-Year Interest Groups (FIGs), which are small study groups meant to supplement student learning in the FYP as well as the individual's academic interests; these are open to students from any program and generally consist of tutorials, study sessions, and social events. Because of King's affiliation with Dalhousie, it is common for students at King's to take some classes for their major and/or minor through Dalhousie University. With the exception of the journalism program, King's students graduate with joint degrees from both institutions. King's students are also eligible to complete these degrees in any subject from Dalhousie's Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or Faculty of Science.

The specialized Contemporary Studies Program (CSP), the Early Modern Studies Program (EMSP), and the History of Science and Technology Program (HOST) are offered jointly with Dalhousie University as combined honours degrees requiring a second honours discipline. If the students decide to do a King's subject as their primary honours subject, they are required to write an honours thesis, varying in length from program to program. A Bachelor of Journalism program is offered as either a four-year honours degree or an intensive one-year program to students already holding a bachelor's degree. King's College and Dalhousie University also jointly offer a 10-month Master of Journalism program and a two-year limited residency Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Nonfiction program.

Student life

Traditions

Once every two months, formal meals are held. Students wearing traditional academic gowns are led into the meal hall by a bagpiper. Once they have found their seat, a Latin grace is said. Afterwards, the catered meal begins. These meals were formerly held at regular intervals, but were suspended from 2001 until 2003. They were reinstated during the presidency of William Barker at his behest.

The UKing's Literary Society (formerly the Haliburton Society), a student-run literary society, has hosted discussions concerning poetry and prose since 1884. The society remains the longest-standing university literary society throughout the Commonwealth of Nations and North America. The society took its original name from the Canadian politician Thomas Chandler Haliburton. It adopted its current name in 2020, as a result of a long-standing controversy over Haliburton's pro-slavery views.

Residence

The residences are built in the Georgian style typical of the original campus. Each "bay", as the original residences were termed in Windsor, is modelled on the system of 'staircases' at England's Oxford University. Each has also been named with a seemingly ironic moniker: North Pole Bay sits atop the university's boiler rooms, and is arguably the warmest location on campus; Chapel Bay is named after the campus chapel, but is located the furthest distance from it; Radical Bay originally housed the refined, quiet divinity students; Middle Bay, which was named for its location as it is between Chapel and Radical, is named ironically as being the only non-ironic name; in addition, there is Cochran Bay, named after the first president of the college, William Cochran, and is the closest to the campus chapel.

Often residence-wide parties, known as 'bay parties,' occurred, but were cancelled in 2003. However, there was a brief revival during the 2005–2006 school year, with both Radical Bay and Cochran Bay hosting several highly successful events. In place of this tradition, each Bay now organizes a themed-event on campus during different times of the school year.

Another consequence of increased enrolment has been a more unbalanced composition of the residences. Traditionally, students from all years of study have lived in residence, but increasingly, very few upper year students continue to live on campus, thus making way for more first years. In 2006, Alexandra Hall, traditionally the all-women's residence, was made co-ed for the first time with rooms in the basement alternating between male and female occupants as well as one wing of the first floor becoming all-male. In addition, two of the five bays were re-converted to co-ed living spaces in 2006.

People

Chancellors

• Edwin Gilpin (1891–1897)
• Edward Jarvis (1897–1911)
• Sir Charles J. Townshend (1912–1922)
• John Hackenley (1937–1943)
• Ray Lawson (1948–1956)
• Lionel Avard Forsyth (1956–1957)
• H. R. Milner (1957–1963)
• Robert H. Morris (1964–1969)
• Norman H. Gosse (1971–1972)
• Roland Ritchie (1974–1988)
• G. Hamilton Southam (1988–1996)
• Trevor Eyton (1996–2001)
• Michael Meighen (2001–2013)
• Kevin G. Lynch (2013–2018)
• Debra Deane Little (since 2020)

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