Simon
Fraser University took the first
steps on a journey toward academic excellence in the fall of
1965. Today, like the Canadian explorer for whom we are named,
SFU is recognized at home and around the world as a trailblazer
an institution that fosters discovery, diversity and
dialogue through innovative teaching, research, and community
outreach.
My first year at SFU has been both
challenging and rewarding. I salute the students and faculty
whose achievements in 2001 have helped SFU rank once again as
one of Canada's leading universities, and the dedicated staff
who work so hard to maintain our tradition of innovation and
success. This report summarizes our collective accomplishments
over the past year, and points to future developments.
SFU serves more than 25,000 students
at two campus locations: Burnaby Mountain and Harbour
Centre in downtown Vancouver. With first-rate liberal arts
and science programs, distinctive interdisciplinary and professional
programs, and strong research and graduate programs, SFU attracts
the best Canadian and international scholars as both professors
and students.
In the next few years, the Burnaby
campus will be dramatically transformed by the building of a
new market-housing community. The endowment generated from this
project will benefit the core programs offered on this campus.
In addition, the B.C. government's Double the Opportunity program
will allow for significant expansion of the Schools of Computing
and Engineering Science.
Downtown, the Harbour Centre campus
continues to grow and prosper, with the new Morris J. Wosk Centre
for Dialogue emerging as one of the nation's most sought-after
locations for the discussion of urgent issues on the national
and international agenda. We will be expanding the range of
our graduate programs in business at the downtown campus, and
are pursuing a new home for our School for the Contemporary
Arts in a downtown location.
Several major academic developments
span both campuses and involve a comprehensive review of all
undergraduate curricula, and new initiatives in areas such as
Health Research and Education, International Studies, Forensic
Studies, and Cognitive Science.
With these achievements and initiatives,
SFU is poised to create the university of the future
built on a great tradition, but stepping beyond to realize still
more distinctive opportunities in research and learning. As
we prepare to move forward, I hope you will be inspired to join
us.
Sincerely,
Michael
Stevenson,
President and Vice-Chancellor
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