January
The flag went up, the cake was cut and so began a year-long celebration marking UVic's 40th birthday and the 100th anniversary of its predecessor, Victoria College. Pictured above: 2003 Celebration organizer Alison Ducharme with the anniversary flag.
 Dr. John Borrows (law) wins one of 14 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards for establishing university-level aboriginal legal programs and writing extensive legal texts.
To help buffer a 30 per cent rise in undergraduate tuition and a 15 per cent increase in graduate fees, the board of governors approves a budget framework for 2003-04 that boosts financial aid for students by $1.9 million.
UVic's law school is again ranked number one in the country in a survey of recent law graduates by Canadian Lawyer magazine. The school has taken the top spot in seven of the last eight surveys.
February
The faculties of humanities and social sciences get senate approval to expand admissions criteria to include life skills such as leadership ability and commitment to pursuit of personal goals. The criteria came into effect for the 2003-04 winter term.
March
Four UVic faculty members-Dr. Ben Koop (biology), Dr. Arthur Kroker (political science), Dr. Allan Antliff (history in art) and Dr. Sara Ellison (physics & astronomy) are awarded Canada Research Chairs.
After months of public consultation, UVic's campus development committee recommends a new campus plan to manage physical development of the campus to accommodate future growth in student spaces and programs. The plan identifies environmentally significant natural areas for protection and commits the university to incorporating sustainable practices into planning, construction and operations. The plan is approved by the board of governors in May.
The Vikes women's basketball team wins its ninth national title.
April
John Kilcoyne (law) wins the 2003 Award for Excellence in Teaching from the UVic Alumni Association.
As the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) crisis worsens in parts of Asia and Canada, UVic health services creates separate reception and examination areas for patients with suspected respiratory illnesses and offers secondary screening clinics for those arriving or returning from SARS-
affected areas. Travel advisories and SARS updates are provided on the UVic Web site throughout the spring and summer.
UVic hosts a 2003 anniversary version of Community Week, a series of musical performances, lectures and other special events to celebrate the university's ties with the community.
UVic's Institute for Integrated Energy Systems (IESVic) is fueled by a $405,000 federal grant to advance its research on sustainable energy systems and clean energy alternatives.
Funded by a $680,000 grant from the Counselling Foundation of Canada, UVic creates the Applied Career Transitions (ACT) program to offer graduates the help they need to launch their professional careers.
UVic faculty members are awarded $2.1 million from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) to fund research on a wide range of social, economic and cultural topics.
May
The first annual Legacy Awards night (held in November 2002) celebrating UVic achievement wins gold for best alumni event from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education.
 Tours, demonstrations, displays, contests and plenty of hands-on activities entertain hundreds of visitors at the faculty of science open house in May. Pictured: chemistry professor Reg Mitchell as "Dr. Zonk."
Funded with $250,000 from the Imperial Oil Charitable Foundation, the faculty of education launches CETUS-the centre of excellence in teaching and understanding science-to help elementary and secondary school educators teach science more effectively.
The division of continuing studies scoops up a half dozen individual, program and marketing awards from the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education.
June
 Dr. John Oleson (Greek & Roman studies) is awarded a UVic Distinguished Professorship for career achievement.
UVic researchers are awarded a total of $7.7 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to finance research projects and equipment across the full range of science and engineering disciplines.
 At June convocation, Ron Lou-Poy is installed as UVic's ninth chancellor. Congratulating him is former chancellor Norma Mickelson.
The new chancellor (see photo above) confers degrees on 3,100 new graduates and awards six honorary degrees. To mark UVic's 40th anniversary, the final convocation ceremony features graduates from the class of '64.
Sixteen UVic research projects receive a total of $3.6 million from the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund.
 A 4.5-metre housepost, commissioned by UVic's class of 2003, is erected in front of the Student Union Building. The post was carved out of a single red cedar log by Lekwungen artist Butch Dick, left.
The new Technology Enterprise Facility-a technology transfer partnership between UVic and Discovery Parks-is officially opened at the north end of campus.
 UVic astronomer Dr. Julio Navarro, who studies the structure and dynamics of galaxies, wins a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship, worth $30,000 US.
UVic wins an Energy Innovators Initiative Award from Natural Resources Canada's office of energy efficiency. Among B.C. postsecondary institutions, UVic is second in a 2002 audit of energy consumption.
 Dr. Brad Anholt (biology) and Dr. Taneli Kukkonen (philosophy) are awarded Canada Research Chairs.
Electrical and computer engineering professor Dr. Wolfgang Hoefer is elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada-the country's highest academic accolade. Pictured: Anholt.
July
Nine UVic researchers are awarded more than $3.1 million in grants from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
UVic's centre on aging is awarded $687,500 over three years from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. The grant will support research on health promotion in older adults and factors influencing everyday competence and cognition in later life.
August
UVic's new regional facility for interdisciplinary environmental research hosts an Open House to showcase how the university is becoming a national and international leader in water quality research and watershed science.
September
 UVic invites the community to celebrate its 40th birthday and the 100th anniversary of its predecessor, Victoria College, with a two-day campus celebration featuring events, attractions and activities for the entire family. Pictured: alumnus Mario Biello models some of 1,200 commemorative scarves handed out to grads.
UVic becomes the first B.C. university to offer a bachelor degree in software engineering.
At a special convocation ceremony, UVic awards an honorary degree to Mary Robinson, Ireland's first woman president and the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The campus development committee (CDC) review committee holds three public meetings to hear comments from people with an interest in the CDC and the associated planning process at UVic.
UVic faculty and staff earn three awards from the Canadian Bureau for International Education for their innovation, leadership and service in international education.
October
 UVic is awarded $62.4 million-the largest research grant in its history-from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund to lead Canada in the construction of NEPTUNE, the world's largest cable-linked seafloor observatory. Pictured: NEPTUNE Canada project director Dr. Chris Barnes (earth & ocean sciences).
UVic ingenuity goes on display at an open house hosted by the University of Victoria assistive technology team (UVATT). The multidisciplinary group of faculty, students and staff develops and tests new devices for people with disabilities.
The faculty of engineering celebrates its 20th anniversary with an open house, featuring a robot, animation workshops and a race car designed by students.
UVic is designated as one of five centres for European studies in Canada by the European Commission, which recently awarded the university a three-year, $300,000 grant. The money will help strengthen the existing European studies program at UVic.
 Dr. Jim Tully (political science) and Dr. Angus McLaren (history) are named UVic Distinguished Professors for their career accomplishments. Pictured: Tully.
The B.C. Addictions Foundation gives UVic and its partners $10 million to operate a provincial centre for addictions research.
 UVic salutes home-grown research excellence by presenting the first annual Craigdarroch Research Awards to Dr. Alan Astbury (physics & astronomy), Dr. Robin Hicks (chemistry), Dr. Alan Pence (child & youth care), Dr. Will Hintz (biology) and to the multidisciplinary project, "Healthy Youth in a Healthy Society," led by Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater (psychology). Pictured: Astbury and Hicks.
November
The second annual Legacy Awards celebrating the achievements of UVic alumni, faculty and athletes takes place at the Victoria Conference Centre. To celebrate the anniversary of UVic and its predecessor, Victoria College, 10 Distinguished Alumni Awards are presented - one for each decade since 1903.
UVic moves up a notch to third place in the annual Maclean's magazine university rankings.
Ottawa gives UVic $4.5 million to pay for the indirect costs associated with federally funded research.
December
The division of continuing studies opens its new building at the intersection of Gabriola and Ring roads.
 At fall convocation, 1,250 students graduate and the university awards four honorary degrees, including one to jazz star Diana Krall who charmed a packed University Centre Farquhar Auditorium with a performance instead of a speech.
Two UVic students are awarded 2004 Rhodes scholarships (see story >>).
Three of Victoria's leading citizens - Ted Harrison, Ben Pires and Dr. Richard Stanwick - win Community Leadership Awards from UVic for their longstanding contributions to the community and the university (see story >>).
UVic receives a $900,000 grant to finance a Community University Research Alliance partnership that will link UVic researchers with First Nations community members and elders to study and revitalize aboriginal languages.
Lois Jones, Marie Elliott, John Newcomb and the financial reporting team from accounting services and the budget office win President's Distinguished Service Awards to recognize staff excellence (see story >>).
|
