Academic Council held its first meeting March 7th, 1972, and its constitution was ratified May 10, 1972. The Academic Governance Council (AGC) was established in December 2008, with its Bylaws approved by AGC at its first meeting in January 2009 (Motion AGC-05-01-20-2009). AGC is responsible for academic standards, integrity, policies, programs, as well as scholarship, research, and creative activities at MacEwan University.
Academic Affairs first appeared on organizational charts on June 15, 1976. Possibly preceded by the Academic Division (org chart from June 29, 1971).
Within a shared governance framework, Academic Affairs is responsible for academic program development and delivery, scholarly activity, academic policies, enrolment management, educational technology, the Office of Teaching and Learning Services, and a number of supporting functions to support learner success and faculty engagement. In addition, Academic Affairs is accountable for the institutional and educational technology mandate at MacEwan as well as the requirements of Institutional Research.
Retirees of MacEwan University
The association was formed in winter 2015 by the President's Group Task Team and the Retired Staff Seed Group as part of the University's retiree engagement strategy. Its intention was to continue retiree relationships with the University and one another, and was created as an umbrella group for all categories of retired employees: faculty, staff, out-of-scope, and administration. On May 28, 2015, the Board of Governors approved the name “Retirees of MacEwan University” and on March 19, 2019, the structure was formalized with the approval of the bylaws by the association's Leadership Group.
Dorothy Helen Gray was born in Brantford, Manitoba on May 28, 1941 and spent her early years in Calgary and Toronto. She received degrees from the University of Alberta, a BEd in 1966 and an MEd in 1990. In 1979, Dorothy became a faculty member of Grant MacEwan Community College. During her time at MacEwan she was the recipient of both the MacEwan Medallion and the Emeritus Award.
During her professional career as an English instructor and following her retirement, she was actively involved in volunteering with the Students' Association, MacEwan Day and Open House. Passionate about local history, she maintained a close connection with Dr. J. W. Grant MacEwan and his family.
Following her death in February 6, 2012 at the Edmonton General Hospital, the Dorothy Gray Award was established to recognize a university employee who had demonstrated service and support to Students' Association programs, services and initiatives above and beyond their job requirements. In 2012 the Students' Association named the Gray Gallery, space for student art works, in her honour.
Established in 1985, the Alumni Association's goals were to re-establish contact with past alumni and to provide access to resources and services to meet the needs of its members. It reported to a variety of departments including Community Relations, the Students' Association, and College Advancement. In 2015, Alumni Relations and Fundraising merged into a single department named Alumni and Development.
Arts and Cultural Management program
The Arts Administration program was proposed in 1972 , funded in 1979, and was the first college-level arts administration certificate to be established in Canada. In 2000 it was renamed Arts and Cultural Management, and in 2004 it became possible to complete the program entirely online. In 2010, it became a two year diploma program. In 2022, it transitioned to a major and diploma exit option available in the Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Selected by The Alberta Colleges Commission, the Board of Governors of Edmonton College held its first meeting on April 29, 1970. Chaired by Barry Moore, membership also included Winnifred Ferguson, Robert Guebert, Fred Kurylo, and Edward Stack. Early priorities included changing the name of the institution, and on July 15, 1970 it was agreed that the Honourable Dr. J. W. Grant MacEwan be selected as namesake. The Board also identified the intent of the College as a community college that would not focus on university transfer, which set it apart from other Alberta institutions. It subsequently hired the first president, John L. Haar, who accepted the Board's offer on October 16, 1970.
The Board of Governors of Grant MacEwan University is a corporation, as set out in the Alberta Post-Secondary Learning Act. As the senior authority for the University, the Board is accountable to the Minister of Advanced Education and ultimately, the people of Alberta. The Board manages and operates the University within its approved mandate, establishing policies to govern the affairs of the University. On an annual basis, the Board submits a Comprehensive Institutional Plan and Audited Financial Statements to the Minister.
The Faculty Association formally began when faculty met to establish an academic staff association on July 29, 1971. A proposal for the Faculty Association was submitted August 10, and the constitution was approved on September 16, 1971.
The Grant MacEwan University Faculty Association (GMUFA) negotiates the terms and conditions of employment for their members and ensures the application and interpretation of the Collective Agreement.
The nursing program began on February 2, 1972 when it was approved in correspondence from the Committee on Nursing Education of the Universities Coordinating Council from a proposal submitted by Nursing Chair Dr. George Monckton. Seventy-four students were admitted for the first class in September, 1972, and in April, 1974, the Occupational Health Nursing Program with given approval to operate with 32 students enrolled. To increase the opportunities for educational advancement of Registered Psychiatric Nurses, a supplementary program leading to a general nursing diploma was approved in May, 1974, and admitted 9 students. In July, 1975, the department was reorganized and enlarged under a new name: Health Sciences Department. The basic nursing program then admitted 80 students in September and 30 in January, 1975. Its first degree, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing was first offered in September, 2007. The Faculty of Nursing was created July 1, 2016.
Mike was born in the borough of Harrow, London, England on April 8, 1947 to Sidney and Edna Fitt. He spent his teenage years developing a passion for jazz at the 100 Club, and the Ken Colyer Jazz Club in London. In 1971, Mike and Canadian wife Liz Macfarlane moved to Canada, living in Jasper, Vancouver, and Edmonton, where Mike managed a family business, worked as a bank clerk at CIBC, and in sales and purchasing at HMV, Virgin Megastore, and A & B Sound (Edmonton). A keen collector, he amassed a significant collection of phonographs from the 1920’s through 1990’s, with a focus on British Trad-revival and Duke Ellington. He also wrote detailed discographical notes and assisted with research on the 24-volume The Jazz Discography by Tom Lord. He returned to the United Kingdom permanently in 2015 due to poor health. He died in August, 2019.