The Quill was established in 1910, and is the second oldest student newspaper in western Canada. It was also the first student run publication at Brandon College. The December (Vol. I, No. 1) edition states that "the demand for such a paper [had] been steadily increasing until at last some definite steps towards bringing one into existence became absolutely necessary." The first step was the election of a committe by the Literary Society to look into the possibilites of the project and report at a special meeting. Following the acceptance of the committee's favorable report, another committee was appointed to outline a policy and nominate officers and staff.
The inagural staff of the Quill, "having examined the reasons for the discontinuance of the Brandon College Monthly some years ago, [found] that these have been to a large extent removed by the development of the College in the intervening years." They felt that the "student body [had] grown to such an extent that the problem of getting suffiecient material for a paper, as well as the financial difficulty, [had] been appreciably reduced." For them, this development "not only justified but demanded the advent of a College paper." The creation of the Quill was also influenced by the awareness of the students involved that their college was in a state of constant change. They felt that they "[could not] allow this important period of [their] College history to pass away and be forgotten." The newpaper enabled them to record the growth and changes on campus for the benefit of the students and friends of the College.
Originally the publication of three editions of the Quill, i.e. Christmas, Easter and a special graduates' number, were planned; the policy on the limited number of issues was to allow the Quill and its staff time to establish themselves, with the aim of expanding into a monthly paper as soon as it was thought advisable to do so. In 1911, the Quill was printed quarterly, with the first three issues of the school year consisting of student publications and professors writings, as well as containg various columns on campus activities. The final issue of that year, and subsequent years, was called the Commencement Issue, and it contained a brief biographical sketch of each member of the graduating class.
In 1927, the Quill was split into two separate entities. In the April edition (Vol. XVI, No. 11), the editorial staff wrote that the Quill's ". . . function and the efficiency with which it has performed that function in the immediate past are . . . doubtful. The present management realize this and feel that the "Quill" as conducted at present can assume neither the utility of a newspaper nor the intrinsic value of a year-book." Subsequently it was decided to publish a fortnightly, or bi-weekly newspaper, which retained the title of "The Quill," as well as a new publication, named The Sickle, which was to act as a yearbook. This decision was also influenced by the belief that by creating a sepaprate newspaper and yearbook "Brandon College [would] then be on a similar basis in this respect as her sister institutions throughout the Dominion." Although the Quill has occassionally ceased production (for a week or two at most) throughout its history, usually due to a lack of student participation in its production and/or financial troubles, it has continued to be published as as newspaper since 1927.
In 1933, the Quill was presented in an entirely new form. Weekly, for three issues a month, a bulletin was published, with a fourth and more substantial issue at the end of the month. The introduction of the new broadsheet form was an attempt to "reduce stale news" and allow the publication to operate with a "greatly reduced budget." The broadsheet format of the Quill was abandoned in 1934-1935.
Further changes were introduced with the January 15, 1963 (Vol. 53, No. 6) edition of the Quill. In the editorial section of that issue, the staff commented that "the Quill has remained as it is, in size, pattern and almost in content for the last fifty years!" In response, they introduced a weekly Quill (the Quill was first published as a weekly in 1937) and proclaimed that "we find the miserly, pamphlet-sized, shrunken-like Quill no more. In its stead, a fully-grown, broad-shouldered, new Quill has risen." Changes included the creation of the Feature and Intervarsity sections, with their own editors, a definite format in the 'lay-out' of articles, and the 'set-up' of pages, as well as a basic and overall reorganization of the Quill staff.
In September 1969 (Vol. 60, No. 1), Acting Editor Tom Brook and the Quill staff clarified the position and purpose of the Quill as follows: "The primary purpose of the Quill is to bring to the attention of the students of Brandon University the issues and events that have direct implications on the lives of these people. We do and will continue to editorialize in our reporting. It may be not as strong as that seen in the past. But the Quill staff does feel that subjective evaluation of events after the case has been put factually is valid, and this shall be a policy that will be adhered to during the coming year." They also took a moment to point out that the Quill, although a student press, was not a commercial newspaper. Furthermore, they wanted "to see the Quill move closer to the concept of the bourgeois pressbut not so close that it loses its identification with students and the issues that concern them."
By 1971, the Quill had adopted the statement of principle of the Student Press in Canada as outline in the Resolutions of the Canadian University Press. Printed on the front page of the September 24 edition, the Quill stated the following policy: It is ". . . our belief 'that the major role of the student press is to act as an agent of social change, striving to emphasize the rights and responsibilities of the student citizen', and 'that the student press must in fulfilling this role perform both an educative and an active function.'" The policy went on to declare that the Quill, as an alternative press (an alternative to the commercial press), rather than a newspaper, was "limited to presenting news which the commerical press does not handle and to providing news analysis." The democratic nature of the Quill was also clearly stated in the policy.
The structure of the Quill was altered again in 1984, when an editorial board was instated, replacing the previous editor-in-chief system (although in most cases there was more than one editor in any given year). This board was to function as an organizing unit, with the collective electing officers for a one year term. The collective was made up of members, who had to contribute something to the Quill in one out of every three issues, in order to vote. Contributions included actual content for the paper, production, typing, photography work, office clean-up, or anything else that helped the Quill function. The central concern of the Quill, at the time of these changes, was to represent the "wide variety of social issues which interest Brandon University students." (September 27, 1984). The 'wide variety of social issues' was expanded upon in the September 3, 1987 edition of the Quill's editorial section: "A major purpse of THE QUILL is to provide the community with news and information pertaining to local, regional, national and international issues of concern to students."
By 1993, the Editorial Board was comprised of the News Editor, the Co-ordinating Editor and the CUP Editor and was responsible for the direction and content of the newspaper each week. By 1996, the CUP Editor had been replaced by the Business Manager on the Editorial Board. Clarifying its relationship with BUSU in the November 18, 1996 edition, Co-ordinating Editor Stacey Brown quoted the Quill Constitution: "The Quill collective shall determine and regulate editorial content and policy and shall set such perimeters on acceptable advertising as it shall collectively see fit. Debate and reasonable documentation must be given beofre boycotting anything in the newspaper." She went on to state that "final decisions on most issues are made by the Editorial Board. . . " The position of Editor-in-Chief was reintroduced sometime around 2001.
Throughout its history, the Quill has been a quarterly, a bi-weekly and a weekly publication. It has been printed in various formats, by a number of different companies and has been financed primarily through funding from BUSU, and at present, advertising and a student levy. In 1997, the Quill became one of the first student newspapers in Canada to produce the paper in a completely digital format.
The Quill has been located at a number of locations on campus. Its first home was at the base of the Bell Tower in the original Clark Hall. In the 1970s it was produced in a mobile trailer near the gymnasium, before moving to the former Students' Union office in the lower level of the McMaster Building in 1980. Finally in 1991, the Quill was moved to its current location on the second floor of the Knowles-Douglas Student Centre.
At present (January 2007), the Quill continues to be a member of the Canadian University Press (CUP), and as such is provided with feature articles, news, graphics and fieldworker assistance. The Quill adheres to the CUP Statement of Principles. As a democratic collective, the Quill is open to all students and staff at Brandon University. An autonomous corporate entity since 2005, the Quill is a student run publication; the articles, editing, layout and distribution are done by the students.
Custodial History
Editions of the Quill have been acquired by the McKee Archives from BUSU and former Alumni.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series has been divided into three sub sub sub series, including: (1) The Quill editions; (2) The Quill duplicates and microfilm; and (3) The Quill special editions.
Notes
Adminitrative information in the History/Bio field was taken from the "Brandon Collge finding aid" prepared by Karyn Reidel for the McKee Archives in 1998 and various editions of the Quill. Post-1927, a handfull of Quill editions contain Literary Supplements.
See sub sub sub series 14.5.3.2 The Quill duplicates and microfilm for information on copies.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 14: BUSU
14.5 BUSU publications
Related Material
Editions of the Brandon College/University Sickle are located at RG 6, sub sub series 14.5.1 (The Sickle).
The Quill and Sickle account book for [1939-1941] is located in the Alfred Angus Murray McPherson collection (21-2006) Box 7, File 7.
The Human Resource Office is responsible for a number of functions for support staff and the academic staff. These include: labour relations, collective bargaining and collective agreement administration, employee relations, recruitment, employee benefit administration, pensions, job evaluation and classification, salary administration, employee records, employee performance appraisal, organizational and staff development, policy development and administration and payroll.
Notes
Information in the History/Bio field was taken from the Brandon University website (http://www.brandonu.ca/Administration/HumanResources/) on December 2, 2005.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 4: Office of the Vice-President
4.2 Office of the Vice-President (Administration and Finance)
The Curriculum and Academic Standards Committee of Senate consists of the Dean of each Faculty/School, the Dean of Students, one representative elected by and from each Faculty or School, two students appointed by the BUSU Council and the Coordinator of the B.G.S. Programme. The University Registrar is to act as Secretary.
The responsibilites of the CAS Committe are to: recommend admission standards; recommend, but not initiate, adoption of new courses, revision of experimental courses to regular courses and deletions of current courses, as well as substantive changes to curriculum and departmental programs, including degree requirements for majors and minors; recommend regulations for the conduct of courses such as course outlines, duration, participation and evaluation procedures; recommend policies for the scheduling and conduct of examinations; recommend policies for the evaluation of new undergrduate degrees, new departments and new departmental majors and minors; recommend regulations on required grade point averages, academic suspension and re-admission of students; recommend candidates for graduation; make recommendations on any other mater pertaining to academic standards and student records; hear undergraduage appeals relating to the academic regulations of the University and make decisions as appropriate.
Custodial History
The records were transfered to the McKee Archives by the Senate Office, Brandon University on February 3, 1998.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of the minutes and related materials for the Curriculum and Academic Standards Committee, a standing committee of the University Senate, for the years September 1968 to September 1987. In addition, these papers contain the minutes of the Admissions Sub-Committee 1968-1976, 1984-1987.
Box 1: Admissions Sub-Committee 1968-1976, CAS Committee September 1968 - April 8, 1974
Box 2: CAS Committee minutes April 15, 1974 - November 18, 1976.
Box 3: CAS Committee minutes November 25, 1976 - August 3, 1978
Box 4: CAS Committee minutes August 22, 1978 - December 21, 1979
Box 5: CAS Committee minutes January 11, 1980 - October 13, 1981
Box 6: CAS Committee minutes October 19, 1981 - May 26, 1983
Box 7: CAS Committee minutes July 4, 1983 - February 8, 1985
Box 8: CAS Committee minutes June 13, 1986 - September 10, 1987
Box 9: CAS Committee minutes Admission Sub-Committee June 20, 1984 - August 18, 1987, CAS Committee minutes March 8, 1985 - May 15, 1986.
Notes
Information in the History/Bio field was taken from the Brandon University Senate Bylaws - Section VIII Committees of Senate.
Accruals
Further accruals expected.
Access Restriction
Closed session material, including closed session minutes of the CAS Committee and the records of the Admissions sub-committee may be used only with the permission of the University Archivist.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 6: Brandon University Senate
6.2 Committees of Senate
Arrangement
Within each box files are arranged chronologically by meeting date.
The Senate Planning Committee conists of: the President or designate, who is Chair; the Vice-President (Academic & Research); the Dean of each Faculty/School; one representative elected by and from each Faculty/School; the University Librarian; and two students appointed by the BUSU Council.
The responsibilities of this Committee are to make recommendations to Senate relating to: academic program priorities; support programs for the academic functions; and the establishement of additional departments faculties, schools and institutes.
In 1985 the Senate Planning Committee was replaced by the Senate Planning and Priorities Committee. The composition and terms of reference for this committee are included in the Senate by-laws from 1985. In 2000 the Senate Planning and priorities committee was disbanded. Its functions were assumed by the Senate Executive Committee until the senate Planning Committee was re-established in 2003.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of agendas and minutes of the Brandon University Senate Planning Committee 1967-1985 and various files from the Senate Planning and Priorities Committee relating to external reviews of programs and areas within the University in the years 1985-1995, as well as a number of miscellaneous file some dating from the era before 1985. .
Notes
Information in the History/Bio field was take from the Brandon University Senate By-laws - Section VIII Committees of Senate.
Finding Aid
A file level inventory for the records of the Planning and Priorities Committee prepared by Alison McNeill Hordern is available with the records.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 6: Brandon University Senate
6.2 Committees of Senate
Related Material
Senate Planning Committee minutes for 1970-1973 are located in RG 6 Brandon University fonds, series 6 Brandon University Senate, sub-series 6.1 Senate minutes.
The Scholarships, Bursaries, Medals and Awards Committee of Senate consists of one member and one alternate elected by and from each Faculty/School, one member and one alternate elected by and from the Seante, and the BGS Coordinator or designate. Only in the absence of the elected members shall the alternates have full powers to participate as the regular member. The University Registrar is the Secretary.
The responsibilities of this committee are to: make decisions on the awarding of the various scholarships, bursaries, medals and awards of Brandon University and forward decisions to Senate for information; make recommendations concerning the addition of new schoarships, bursaries, medals and awards; make recommendations concerning the terms of reference under which scholarships, bursaries, medals and awards are to be offered and to ensure that these terms are adhered to in accordance with the donor's wishes; and to make recommendations concerning the monitoring of trust accounts related to scholarships, bursaries and awards.
Custodial History
Records transfered to the McKee Archives from the Senate Office, Brandon University on March 1, 1998.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of minutes of the Scholarships, Bursaries, Medals and Awards Committee, including reports to Senate and decisions to award scholarships; files detailing the details of scholarships previoulsy awarded by the University but currently not awarded; records concerning the awarding of Board of Governors Entrance scholarships; and records concerning various "awards nights" and "awards programs."
Box 1: Scholarship Committee minutes 1963-1967, March 1969 - May 1972
Box 2: Scholarship Committee minutes May 1972 - October 1974
Box 3: Scholarship Committee minutes November 19, 1974 - September 22, 1976
Box 4: Scholarship Committee minutes October 20, 1976 - April 30, 1979
Box 5: Scholarship Committee minutes June 6, 1979 - May 1, 1981
Box 6: Scholarship Committee minutes June 4, 1981 - May 4, 1983
Box 7: Scholarship Committee minutes June 21, 1983 - October 18, 1984
Box 8: Scholarship Committee minutes November 22, 1984 - December 11, 1985
Box 9: Scholarship Committee minutes January 28, 1986 - Nobember 25, 1986
Box 10: Scholarship Committee minutes January 15, 1987 - July 28, 1987
Box 11: Scholarship Committee minutes September 8, 1987 - Nobember 27, 1987
Box 12: General scholarship files 1959-1971, correspondence concerning Entrance Scholarships 1958-1967, 1971-1974
Box 13: Recipients - Brandon College and Brandon University Entrance Scholarships 1966-1967, 1974-1982
Box 14: Scholarship Committee files pertaining to scholarships and awards previoulsy offered but no longer active.
Box 15: Scholarshipe Committee files pertaining to scholarships and awards perviously offered but no longer active.
Notes
Information in the History/Bio field was taken from the Brandon University Senate Bylaws - Section VIII Committees of Senate.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 6: Brandon University Senate
6.2 Committees of Senate
Arrangement
Files within each box are arranged chronologically.
Some calendars, especially the early ones, are fragile.
History / Biographical
See RG 6, series 6 (Senate), sub-series 6.6 (Brandon College/University Calendars) for history/bio information.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of bound archival copies of the Brandon College calendar dating from 1900 to 1985. Box 1 contains calendars from 1900 to 1944. Box 2 contains calendars from 1945 to 1974. Box 3 contains calendars from 1975-85.
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 6: Senate
6.6 Brandon College/University Calendars
See RG 6, series 6 (Senate), sub-series 6.6 (Brandon College/University Calendars) for history/bio information.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of copies of the Brandon College/University calendar for use by researchers dating from 1913 to the present. There is also a registration guide for 1998-1999. Box 1 contains calendars dating from 1913 to 1956 (not inclusive). Box 2 contains calendars dating from 1957 to 1975. Box 3 contains calendars dating from 1976 to 1985. Box 4 contains calendars dating from 1986 to 1996. Box 5 contains calendars dating from 1998-2009 and a folder containing changes to various calendars.
Notes
Sub sub series 6.6.1 Calendars - bound archival copies is complete to 1970.
Calendar years missing for 6.6.2 Calendars - researchers' copies, include:
1916-1917
1917-1918
1918-1919
1919-1920
1921-1922
1922-1923
1924-1925
1926-1927
1930-1931
1931-1932
1934-1935
1935-1936
1936-1937
1944-1945
1950-1951
1954-1955
2006-2007 (have Graduate Calendar but not General Calendar/Registration Guide)
2007-2008 (have Graduate Calendar but not General Calendar/Registration Guide)
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 6: Senate
6.6 Brandon College/University calendar
All the calendars in the sub sub series were produced by the Senate Office on behalf of Senate. See RG 6, series 6 (Senate), sub-series 6.6 (Brandon College/University Calendars) for additional history/bio information.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of Brandon College and Brandon University miscellanous calendars for spring and summer sessions, the School of Music and the Faculty of Education. It includes summer session calendars for 1967 to 1971; spring and summer session calendars for 1972 to 1979; Department of Music/School of Music calendars for 1957 to 1958, 1962, 1965 to 1968, 1971 to 1972 and 1978; Faculty of Education calendars for 1970 and 1977 to 1978; and Teacher-Training Programme calendars for 1959 to 1960.
Accruals
Further accruals are expected.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 6: Senate
6.6 Brandon College/University Calendars
The conferring of an Honorary Degree bestows honour upon a deserving candidate who has made an outstanding contribution in one or more of the following categories: the University; Society; Professional Life; Public Service; and the Advancement of Knowledge. Nominations can be made by either members of the University community or individuals outside the University. Nominations are considered by Senate. Only those approved by Senate are awarded.
Custodial History
The records in the sub sub series were accessioned as part of a larger group of records transfered to the McKee Archives from the Senate Office in 2003.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of lists of recipients, citations, programmes, newsclippings and draft parchments for Brandon University Honorary Degree recipients.
Notes
Honorary degrees were not awarded in 1991, October 1994, October 1995, May 1996 and October 1997. Information in the History/Bio field was taken from the Honorary Degree Nomination Form.
Accruals
Further accruals expected
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 6: Senate Office
6.5 Convocation Services, Baccalaureates Services, Banquets
Related Material
Newsclippings of a number of the Honorary Degree recipients are located in RG 6, series 10 (Office of Development), sub sub series 10.2.1 (Public Communications - Scrapbooks).
See fonds level description (MG 3 1.14 W. Leland Clark) for history/bio information on W. Leland Clark.
Custodial History
See fonds level description (MG 3 1.14. W. Leland Clark) for custodial history.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of correspondence, information, records, press releases, newspaper clippings, booklets, brochures, maps and grants as well as other records associated with government between 1983 and 1993. A large part of the records consists of correspondence, especially between Clark, his constituents, and other members of the government. This correspondence covers all aspects of Canadian society and government departments, including but not limited to: Agriculture; Communications; Environment; External Affairs; Finance; Indian and Northern Affairs; National Defense; Prime Minister; Justice; Transport; Veteran's Affairs; Youth; Status of Women; Housing; Immigration; Industry, Science & Technology; Health & Welfare; Forestry; Fitness, Youth & Amateur Sport; Employment; Federal Provincial Relations; Consumer & Corporate Affairs; Secretary of State; and various other departments, as well as topics dealing with the municipalities that Clark served. Of these, the departments of Agriculture and the Environment are the most widely represented in these records, due to Clark's positions as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture from 1987-1989 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment from 1989-1993.
The records highlight the political climate of Canada, and especially Western Canada, from 1983 to 1993. Many of the records relate to the affairs of constituents in the Brandon-Souris riding and cover a wide variety of topics. The collection spans the entire political career of W. Leland Clark, from the letters congratulating him on his byelection victory in 1983 to his final days in office in 1993.
Sub-series has one sub sub series (MG 3 1.14.1.1: Parliamentary scrapbooks.
Notes
There are no files in this body of records identified by the following numbers: 31, 34, 110, 452, 453.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
MG 3 Brandon University Teaching and Administration
1.14 W. Leland Clark
Sub sub series consists of playbills from a number of Brandon University Drama Society (BUDS) productions. Plays include: The Mousetrap, Undeer Milk Wood, The Life and Death of Almost Everybody, The Crucible, The Hollow, The Winslow Boy, The Linden Tree, The Rape of the Belt, How the Other Half Loves, The Importance of Being Ernest, Dead and Alive, The Love of Four Colonels, The "Waltz of the Toreadors", Getting Married, Heatbreak House, Antigone and a Comedy Playbill for Mutatis Mutandis, Dock Brief, and Getting and Spending. The sub sub series also includes a playbill for the Brandon University Musical Theatre's production of The Pirates of Penzance; a playbill for The Attic Theatre's production of St. Simeon Stylites and The Dark Lady of the Sonnets; and a programme for a musical theatre evening with students of Earl Davey, Sylvia Richardson and Cedric Vendyback and guests Madrigalia.
Several playbills from the Brandon College era have been located with these records to facilitate administrative control. Programmes include: Martha-By-The Day, Cappy Ricks, My Three Angels, and Be Your Age. Martha-By-The Day was presented by the Students' Association of Brandon College, Cappy Ricks by the Students of Brandon College and My Three Angels and Be Your Age by the Brandon College Literary Board.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 7: Faculties and Schools
7.1 Faculty of Arts
Related Material
Negatives and photographs of various Brandon College/University plays are located in the Brandon University Photograph collection. Newspaper clippings regarding some of the productions are located in the Brandon University - Drama Productions file in the Institutional files in the Reading Room.
Sub sub series consists of a copy of "The Brandon University Labyrinth of Peace Project" by Angela Conrad. The Labyrinth of Peace, which opened on August 10, 2002, is situated in the Assiniboine River Corridor near the Discovery Centre in Brandon, Manitoba. The project was conceived by Dr. Alison Marshall, Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 7: Faculties and Schools
7.1 Faculty of Arts
Related Material
Negatives and photographs of various Brandon College/University plays are located in the Brandon University Photograph collection. Newspaper clippings regarding some of the productions are located in the Brandon University - Drama Productions file in the Institutional files in the Reading Room.
DEANS OF ARTS:
R.F.B. KING (1967-1972)
Ralph Frederick Breach King was born July 16, 1921 in Vancouver, B.C. He obtained his B.A. from the University of British Columbia in 1948, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1951 and 1960 respectively. Before coming to Brandon College in 1963, King held positions in the English Departments of the University of British Columbia, Royal Military College (Kingston), and the Canadian Services College (Victoria). At the latter, he was also the head of the department.
At Brandon College he joined the Department of English as its Head and also acted as, first, the Associate Dean of Arts (1963-1965), and then as the first Dean of Arts (1965-1972) of Brandon University. He continued as Head of the English Department until 1977. In addition, during the interregnum between the Robbins and Dulmage presidencies in 1969-1970, King also served as Acting President of the University.
As Dean, King oversaw the radical change in curriculum that took place just prior to Brandon College becoming an independent University. He supervised the introduction of the major-minor system (instead of three sequences of specialization) and the wide-ranging revisions in the academic program that the new degree structure required. Once Brandon University had been formally constituted in 1967, a need arose to expand and develop teaching staff, and King profoundly influenced the development of the institution through his choice of faculty. King also played an important role in expanding the library collection as Chair of the Brandon College Faculty Library Committee in the 1960s.
King retired in 1986; he was on full-time disability for the last seven years of his appointment due to complications arising from multiple sclerosis. In 1988, the University conferred on him "Emeritus" status.
Ralph F.B. King died June 3, 2002.
MICHAEL BLANAR (1972 - December 31, 1980)
Michael Blanar was born on April 26, 1933, in Montreal, Quebec. He graduated from Loyola College (Universite de Montreal) with his B.A. in 1954, and from the Universite de Montreal with his M.A. in 1956. From 1955-1960, except for 1958-1959 when he was registered as a post-graduate external Ph.D. student at University College, University of London, Blanar taught at Loyola High School in Montreal. In 1960, he graduate from the University de Montreal with his Ph.D.
From 1960-1970, Blanar taught English at Loyola College and directed the Freshman English Program there. For the two years before he came to Brandon University, he was on a leave of absence from Loyola College at Mount Saint Vincent University (Halifax), where he held the position of visiting associate professor in the English Department. In 1972, Blanar accepted the position of Dean of Arts at Brandon University. He held that post until 1981, while teaching part-time; in 1981, he resumed teaching full-time in the English Department, and continued to do so up until his retirement on September 1, 1993.
As a member of the English Department, Blanar developed and taught Written Expression, in addition to teaching other courses. He also acted as: a member of Senate (1981-1988); a member of the Senate Executive Committee; Chairman of the Scholarship Committee; Chairman of the Curriculum and Academic Standards Committee; Chairman of the Brandon University Act Committee; Chair, Tenure Committe; Chair, Promotions Appeal Committee; Chair, Search Committee for Director of Extension; and Chairman, Graduate Studies Committee (Arts Faculty Council). Blanar was also the Senior University Officer of Inter-Universities North for a number of years during the 1980s.
As Dean of Arts, he performed the usual academic administrative responsibilities, and due to the fact that there was no Vice-President (Academic and Research) at the time, he also represented the University at negotiations with the Universitites Grants Commission on Inter-Universities North, on the Inter-University Admission Committee. During his tenure as Dean, Blanar also oversaw the establishment of the Department of Native Studies, the consolidation of the language areas at the University into the Department of Classical and Modern Languages, and the intoduction of a Business Minor into the Economics Department.
In addition to his work at the University, Blanar was also a representative on the Articulation Council for Secondary and Post-Secondary Education for the Province of Manitoba (1982-1986), a member of the Board of Directors and the Brandon representative for the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC), and an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Manitoba Opera Association.
Michael Blanar had three children with his first wife. In 1985, he married Shirley Lyon. Shirley Lyon passed away on March 1st, 2012. Michael Blanar lived in Winnipeg until his death on April 23, 2019.
P.J.C. HORDERN (January 1, 1981 - June 30, 1993)
Peter John Calveley Hordern was born in England on February 5, 1935. He was awarded a State Scholarship to Cambridge University (Latin, History, English) in 1953, and in 1959, completed his B.A. Thological Tripos Part 1 and 2 at that same institution. In 1961, he passed his General Ordination Exam at Lincoln Theological College and in 1961, received his Diploma in Ecumenical Theology from the Unviersity of Geneva, Switzerland. Hordern obtained his M.A. from Cambridge in 1964, and his Ph.D. in Religious Studies from McMaster University in 1972.
In the late 1960s, Hordern was a sessional lecturer in Hebrew at the University of Saskatchewan and a Professor of the Old Testament at the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad. In 1971, he took a position as a Lecturer in the Religion Department at Brandon University. From 1975-1978, he acted as the Chair for the department, and in 1980, he became the Co-ordinator for the Mature Student Centre. In 1981, he became the Dean of Arts; Hordern held this position until July 1993.
During his career at Brandon University, Hordern served the school in a number of additional capacities, including: Chairman of the Student Recruitment Committee, Chairman of the Arts Faculty Council Library Committee, a member of the Executive of the Brandon University Faculty Association, Vice-Chairman of the Arts Faculty Council, Vice-Chairman of the General Faculty Council and Vice-Chairman of the University Senate. In addition, Hordern was also a member of the Executive of the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion, Vice-Chairman (1976) and Co-Chairman (1978) of the Programme Committee for the Annual Conference of the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion, and Chairman of the Manitoba Police Commission. One of his prime research interests was the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Peter John C. Hordern retired from Brandon University in 2005 and on January 26, 2006 he was designated the title of Dean Emeritus. He continues to live in Brandon.
R.E. FLORIDA (July 1, 1993 - December 31, 1999)
Robert Florida was born on September 16, 1939 in St. Louis, MO to Edwin Lowe Florida and Eleanor Camille (nee Greene). He completed his Mech. Eng. degree at the University of Cincinnati in 1962, his Bachelor of Divinity at Tufts University in 1965, his M.A. at McMaster University in 1969 and his Ph.D. at McMaster in 1973.
He joined the Department of Religion at Brandon University in 1969 and retired at the end of 1999. While at Brandon University, Florida served as Dean of Arts from 1993-2000, as Chair of the Religion Department (1974-1975, 1978-1982, 1984-1986, 1991) and as President of the Brandon University Faculty Association (1972-1974, 1979-1980). His research interests focused on Buddhist ethical theory and practice.
During his career, Florida also acted as the Treasurer of the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion from 1980-1986, and as Treasurer of the Canadian Corporation for the Study of Religion from 1986-1989. From July 1989-June 1991, he was an Associate Professor, and member of the Department of Theology and Religion at the University of Swaziland, Kwaluseni, Swaziland (CIDA Project) helping that institution revise its curriculum. In the Spring of 1989, Florida was a Professor for the University of Pittsburg's Semester at Sea, and from January-June 1992 and January-June 1993, he was a Visiting Professor at Mahidol University, Salaya (Bangkok), Thailand.
Robert Florida married his wife Janice in 1963, and together they had two children: Aisha and Michael. At present (January 2006), Florida and his wife live in Victoria, B.C.
C. SCOTT GRILLS (August 2000 - June 30, 2007)
Scott Grills was born on December 31, 1963 in Peterborough, Ontario. He obtained his B.A. (Hons.- sociology) from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1984, his M.A. from the University of Waterloo in 1985 and his Ph.D. (sociology) from McMaster University in 1989.
Prior to becoming the Dean of Arts and Graduate Studies at Brandon University in August 2000, Grills served as the President of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations, and taught in the sociology department at Augustana University College from 1989-2000. In his time at Brandon University, Grills has also served on the Brandon University Research Committee, as Chair of the Senate Graduate Studies Committee, as the Brandon University representative of the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada and as a member of the Province of Manitoba's Working Group on Socio-Economic Status and Tuition Policy.
Scott Grills assumed the position of Vice-President (Academic & Research) on July 1, 2007.
REINHOLD KRAMER - Acting (January 1, 2007 - December 31, 2007)
No biographical information yet.
STEVEN ROBINSON - Acting (January 1, 2008 - July 30, 2009)
Steve Robinson obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Guelph. He also studied Classics at Queen's University. He came to Brandon University in 1996 as a member of the Philosophy Department.
G. BRUCE STRANG (August 1, 2009 - December 31, 2014)
Bruce Strang obtained his Ph.D. in History and an M.A. in History from McMaster University and a B.A. (Honours) from the University of Winnipeg. He came to Brandon University from Lakehead University, where he was a member of the history department. At Lakehead, Strang had also served as Acting Dean of Social Sciences & Humanities and Chair of the Department of History. After stepping down as Dean of Arts, Strang returned to teaching in the history and business administration departments at Brandon University.
DEMETRIOUS TRYPHONOPOULOS (January 1, 2015 - July 1, 2019)
No biographical information yet.
LISA ROBSON - Acting (June 1, 2019 - 2020)
Custodial History
Accession 17-2000 was donated to the McKee Archives by Dr. Robert Florida, Dean of Arts. Accession 24-2000 was donated to the McKee Archives by the Dean's Office in October 1999. Accession 03-2005 was donated to the McKee Archives by the Dean's Office in June 2005. Accession 04-2005 was transfered to the Archives from the Dean of Arts Office in February 2005.
Scope and Content
Sub sub series consists of a number of accessions.
Accession 17-2000, consists of personnel records of faculty members who have left Brandon University or who have left the employment of the University through retirement or death. In addition, the records of the Northern Manitoba Business Institute, which was operated as a feature ofthe Faculty of Arts, are included. This accession contains 36 cm of texutal records and covers the years 1967-1986.
Accession 24-2000, consists of personnel files for the following members of the Faculty of Arts: C. Acosta-Gonzalez, M. Abou, J. Barletta, M. Bartosova, R.Bazillion (University Librarian), M. Blanar, H. Burmeister, D. Campbell, J. Chyzyk, L. Clark, F. Ezeala-Harrison, L. Hallat, K. Hanly, S. Hunter-Harvey (Vice-President Academic and Research), B. Jukpor, L. Kaufman, I.Makus, J. Rastel, M. Ruml, K. Saundrs, J. Skinner, Z. Yiheyis. In addition, the accession also includes miscellaneous records dealing with the Northern Manitoba Business Institute, the Brandon University Foundation, Attrition, and Remunerations of instructional staff. This accession contains 30 cm of textual records and covers the years 1962-1995.
Accession 3-2005, consists of personnel files for Dennis Anderson, William DeHaney, Trevor Denton, Robert Florida and Trevor McNeely. Files include curriculum vitae, correspondence, sabbatical applications, notes, paperwork related to courses and certificates. This accession contains 17 cm of textual records and covers the years 1977-2004.
Accession 4-2005, consists of Dr. Robert Brockway's personnel file. The file contains correspondence and copies of articles written by Brockway. The file consists of 5 cm of textual records and covers the years 1966-1999 (predominantly 1972-1985).
Notes
History/Bio information for Scott Grills was taken from the Dean of Arts page of the Faculty of Arts webpage at http://www.brandonu.ca/academic/arts/Dean's%20Office/dean's%20message.html (December 2005). History/Bio information for Steve Robinson was taken from the Fall/Winter 2008 Alumni News.
Accruals
Further accruals expected.
Access Restriction
Personnel records are closed.
Storage Location
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 7: Faculties and Schools
7.1 Faculty of Arts
