Expanded academic programs, services and facilities respond to students’ needs
As another school year begins, Carleton University is taking stock of how its award-winning faculty, staff and students have pushed academics, resources and facilities to new heights in Canada.
In the last decade, competition among students applying to Carleton has grown intense. Almost 70 per cent of those applying to BA programs at Carleton in 2012 had averages of 80 per cent and above. Since 1995, Carleton’s entering grade average has increased from 75 per cent to 82.6 per cent.
The student population has steadily grown, with the ranks of our international students rising by more than 40 per cent, enriching diversity and learning.
An increasing number of Carleton undergraduate students recognize the value of continuing their education and they’re going on to complete graduate degrees. Over the past decade, the number of students doing advanced degrees has increased by almost 25 percent. This could be in part due to the 85 per cent satisfaction rating students at Carleton give the overall quality of their education.
The value of a university education was validated by a recent report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The Education at a Glance 2013 study confirmed that higher education can make all the difference in tough economies. The unemployment rate for the highly educated rose just 1.5 percentage points from 2008 to 2011, versus 3.8 percentage points for those with low education levels. Fifty-one per cent of adult Canadians had some post-secondary education as of 2011, up 11 percentage points since 2000.
The university has continued to listen and respond to the needs of its students, faculty and employers anxious to recruit. The number of programs offered at Carleton has increased by almost 40 per cent over the last 10 years. The number of courses offered within these programs is up almost 25 per cent over the same period.
Smaller courses, with less than 40 students, have increased by almost 40 per cent, ensuring low student-to-instructor ratios that allow personalized attention to flourish. This dedication to student needs, along with a vast array of student services and support, has steadily built on an excellent student experience at Carleton, where an award-winning mental health support strategy has been implemented. Building on Carleton’s reputation for promoting accessibility, the university will host an international accessibility conference in July 2014.
In 2013-‘14, Carleton is adding more than 40 faculty members to a strong team of instructors and researchers who were awarded 17 research grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and 166 grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada this year.
In the last five years, Carleton has added 17 new Canada Research Chairs for a total of 24, and seven faculty members became fellows of the Royal Society of Canada during that period, bringing the total to 28. Twelve Carleton faculty members have been inducted into the Order of Canada; the university has four Endowed Chairs.
Consistently ranked among Canada’s top 50 research universities, Carleton has 28 research centres and more than 1,200 research projects underway, including more than 500 current tri-council funded projects.
When students graduate with a Carleton degree, they are increasingly better equipped to take on real-world challenges and more intensely prepared for potential careers. The number of students who participate in work terms has increased by almost 50 per cent, while students enrolled in the co-op stream of their program has skyrocketed over the last 10 years by 277 per cent.
Regardless of the course of study, any student at Carleton can do a minor in entrepreneurship and Carleton is dedicated to creating the next generation of talented risk-takers who create their own jobs and provide work for others. Our programs have led to the creation of hundreds of companies and our latest emphasis is on supporting students to globalize early and benefit from a business idea that is international from the start.
Resources and facilities are directly tied to the quality of the student experience and Carleton never stops looking for new ways to enhance what it offers. Carleton has expanded its available residence spaces over the years to accommodate growing student demand. Today, there are nearly 4,000 students in residence, an increase of more than 30 per cent over the last decade.
Over the summer, construction commenced on a three-storey addition to Herzberg Laboratories that will provide more study and lounge areas for undergraduate and graduate students, more office space and consolidate some Faculty of Science centres.
The $5.5-million project, which is scheduled to be completed in spring 2014, is being built with sustainability in mind and will cover approximately 15,000 square feet.
The first floor of the addition will house the Science Student Success Centre and the Math Tutorial Centre, with rooms for groups to meet. The second floor will include the Interdisciplinary Institute and Environmental Science, while the third floor will house the Health: Science, Technology and Policy programs.
The addition will free up lab space in the existing Herzberg wings and provide offices for graduate students and others. It offers casual space on each floor that looks out onto the river.
Though Carleton’s new Fitness Centre officially opened for use this summer, its 11,000 square feet of workout space will be new to most returning students. The space contains state-of-the-art fitness equipment, including 15 new treadmills and 56 new cardio machines. Students will also enjoy increased space for stretching and mat workouts, brand new weights and weight machines and two water refill stations.
A new Aboriginal centre will officially open in October in a central location off our main student quad. As well, a sexual assault support centre has been constructed to help students in need and organize education programs.
The MacOdrum Library continues is transformation. Slated for completion at the end of this year, the new design incorporates current trends in learning commons and library design that emphasize social and group learning spaces.
Two new additions accounting for more than 45,000 square feet of library space, along with extensive renovations to approximately 34,700 square feet of the existing interior, will provide students with an entirely new library experience. Students will enjoy new group study rooms, digital media areas, special collections study areas and help desks. The most striking aspect of the project is the glass front, allowing for greater transparency and natural light.
With sustainability a key concern, Carleton is proud that the library achieved a rating of 3.5 Green Globes. The project makes Carleton a leader among Canadian universities in modern university library design.
In spring 2013, the university issued a request for expression of interest to construct another new student residence to accommodate more people on campus. Construction of a new parking garage continues.
Meanwhile, construction of new stands on the athletic field has been completed in time for the return of Ravens football after a 15-year hiatus, a move that’s creating a buzz across campus and beyond as the university gears up for Throwback 2013, the return of homecoming. Carleton offers excellent opportunities for young athletes on 15 varsity teams. The men’s basketball team will be competing for its 10th CIS basketball championship this year after its ninth record-breaking win in 2012-’13.
These are just a few highlights of Carleton’s evolution over the years and as the entire Carleton community looks forward to a new and exciting year, more enhancements and developments will be announced. Carleton is dedicated to providing the best student experience possible to all of its students this year and in years to come.