nd
(As of April 10, 2006)
Vision
To develop excellence in environmental research and learning based on a deep understanding and commitment to the concept and practice of sustainable landscapes and livelihoods.
The School of Environment will provide an interdisciplinary focus on the intersection of science, communities and the environment.
Mission
To establish the Uof S as the ‘Environmental University’ on the Prairies; and, to be recognized as the leader in Canada, and known internationally, in the development and delivery of innovative environmental research and learning initiatives based on the societal need to achieve sustainable landscapes and livelihoods.
Background
A Framework for Action: University of Saskatchewan Integrated Plan 2003–07 recognized the critical importance of environmental research and training to the future of this institution and the social, economic and environmental well-being of the Province of Saskatchewan. In addition, the
Framework for Action acknowledged the potential for the University to make a distinct contribution in the broad field. The plan called for innovations in three specific areas to enhance environmental scholarship at the U of S:
• coordinating environmental sciences undergraduate programs;
• capitalizing on existing and proposed inter-disciplinary environmental sciences centres; and
• developing a collaborative graduate concentration in environmental sciences
A School of Environment provides an opportunity to address these goals in a unique and sustained fashion. The University has a made a major commitment to the study of the environment in recent years, including the allocation of Canada Research Chairs, the development of research centres, and the investment in significant scientific infrastructure supportive of environmental research. Noteworthy is the unique capabilities of the Canadian
Light Source. These investments have fostered a wide range of world-class environmental research at the University of Saskatchewan that needs to be more widely recognized. The School will provide a highly visible focus for the diversity of activities falling under the environmental umbrella.
Programs and Students
The School will enhance the learning milieu and provide greater visibility to environmental training at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. It can generate and build on synergies between education and research by bringing together graduate students, undergraduate students
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2 and world-class environmental scholars. It has further potential in bringing cutting-edge research experience to the undergraduate curriculum and helping recruit our most promising students to graduate studies and research careers.
Graduate Education – The School will provide an environmental focus for graduate degrees in the environment. A sustainable graduate student population with 60 new graduate students is attainable.
One of the School’s potential strengths lies in its close connection and interdependence with environmental programming and research in the traditional colleges (Agriculture, Arts & Science,
Engineering, Medicine, Nursing, Veterinary Medicine). The School proposes to build on these existing synergies. The School will develop Masters’ and Doctoral programs - either as a stand alone degree or through a collaborative venture with existing college graduate programs. Both these models provide opportunities to bridge current college and/or discipline boundaries and in all cases will ensure enhanced environmental content through an interdisciplinary capstone course in the environment.
The potential also exists to develop a professional master’s degree in environmental studies, possibly on a cost-recovery basis. This program would be targeted at professionals, from a wide range of disciplines, requiring advanced knowledge to address environmental issues. The demand for a professional master's degree is strong, and will likely increase with the increased role of Aboriginal people in environmental resource management. To date, only Simon Fraser
University offers such a program, so there is room to provide quality, graduate programming for resource management professionals to meet their on-going learning requirements.
Undergraduate Education – The School will provide a platform of undergraduate courses around which existing undergraduate degree programming will be rationalized (B.A.Env., B.Sc.Env.,
Certificate): Our target is to double our current enrolment in undergraduate environmental programming by attracting 160 new students.
Research Focus
The School is essential in establishing a stronger and more formal presence for the U of S as a leader in environmental research. Saskatchewan has undergone one of the world’s most substantial landscape changes of the past century and is facing some of its most intense climate changes in the century ahead. A sustainable future for the province is dependent on striking a careful balance between resource use and environmental quality. This future includes a growing role for Aboriginal people in environmental decision-making and management. A strong environmental research capacity is essential to the economic and social development of
Saskatchewan.
Significant research and scholarly work related to environmental issues is currently being undertaken by individuals housed within the colleges of Agriculture, Arts & Science,
Engineering, Nursing, and Veterinary Medicine, and associated centres. The School of
Environment provides an opportunity to connect researchers and to further develop expertise related to the environment. A sampling of current areas of research activity includes:
•
Sustainable landscapes and livelihoods
•
Hydrology and water resources
•
Environmental assessment and management
•
Climate change
•
Alternative energy
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Biodiversity and ecosystem health and integrity
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Mining reclamation
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Environmental toxins and eco-toxicology
•
Legal, economic and political frameworks and impact
•
Agro-forestry
•
Soil quality and systems
•
Land use and change over time
•
Waste management and reclamation strategies
•
Environmental engineering
•
Environment and human health
Affiliated Research Units
The School will facilitate interactions between a number of existing and proposed University research centres including:
ƒ Toxicology Centre
•
Hydrology Centre
•
Centre for the North
•
Centre for Studies in Agriculture, Law and the Environment (CSALE)
In addition, the School will benefit from close proximity of external organizations with an environmental focus including the Canadian Light Source, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada,
Environment Canada, Saskatchewan Research Council, Saskatchewan Environment, Parks
Canada, National Hydrology Research Centre, National Wildlife Research Centre, and the
Saskatchewan Centre for Soil Research.
Faculty and Staff
In the short term, we envisage a number of new and existing positions to be drawn together to form the school. We anticipate these would be in the form of a number of new faculty positions, including an Executive Director responsible for the overall leadership of the school with a particular emphasis on fostering research innovations; a number of existing faculty positions drawn from appropriate/cognate/contributing disciplines (Agriculture, Arts and Science, others); a number of ‘joint’ appointments from existing departmental faculty; a number of ‘adjunct’ appointments from co-located partners, some support staff to provide technical, administrative and dedicated support; affiliation with Canada Research Chairs and ‘Priority Determination’ positions currently on campus; and the creation of a new University of Saskatchewan Centennial
Chair position from the University’s capital campaign.
Space and Infrastructure
The School of Environment will be located in dedicated space in Kirk Hall (basement/first floor) and have associated facilities (e.g., labs) in the Agriculture and Engineering buildings. Existing and planned infrastructure (e.g., Toxicology Expansion) will be appropriate for the initial activities of the School (first five years).
Structure and Governance
New faculty will be appointed to the School. Where appropriate, a cross-appointment or duty assignment could be made to existing academic units under formal agreements. Some existing faculty will be cross-appointed to the School under formal agreements with existing academic units, and some will be made Associate members of the School in a manner consistent with current Associate membership policies. The School will be an interdisciplinary unit with some
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4 processes managed within existing college structures (e.g., annual assessment, tenure and promotion) and some managed externally through direct relationships to senior administration and Council (e.g., curriculum). The Executive Director of the School will in certain instances report to the Provost, but in all others will report through the Dean of Agriculture or to the Dean of Arts and Science.
Objectives and Accountabilities
The School is a new initiative to be launched in 2006 that will be measured in 2011 against the following seven objectives:
1. Development of a common undergraduate platform for existing and new program offerings in all areas of environmental studies and environmental science.
2. Recognition as the Canadian university leader in graduate programming and research in understanding environmental issues associated with sustainable landscapes and livelihoods worldwide but with a clear focus on northern plains and parkland, boreal, and arctic regions.
3. Development of strong linkages between environmental science, agricultural science, social and health science leading to unique research opportunities and new programmatic initiatives.
4. Create an interdisciplinary visibility and focus in environmental and natural resources research; show how interdisciplinarity works!
5. Specific increases in student learning opportunities and research intensiveness, including new graduate programs, and increased overall environmental research (e.g., grants and contracts), in areas strongly identified with the School (i.e., graduate teaching and research that would not otherwise have occurred at the UofS, and not attributable to pre-existing collaborative structures).
6. Establish the UofS as the ‘Environmental University’ on the Prairies; and, the leader in
Canada, and known internationally, in the development and delivery of innovative environmental research and learning initiatives based on the societal need to achieve sustainable landscapes and livelihoods (as measured by external reputational surveys).
7. Build on existing University strengths in community research to develop strong links with the people of Saskatchewan including members of the Aboriginal community, and rural and remote communities.
Demand
Multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral in nature, environmental employment includes business and work activities (including employment of environmental practioners, labourers and support staff) related to one of the following categories:
• environmental protection, regulation and remediation;
• conservation and preservation of natural resources; and
• environmental sustainability.
The environmental sector of the economy continues to experience significant growth. Between
1999 and 2003, environmental employment grew by 13.7% (from 221,000 to 251,000). During the same period the Canadian work force experienced an 8.4% growth rate; the environmental work force grew 60% faster than workforce as whole. Of particular importance in the planning and implementation of the new School of Environment, is that fact that much of this growth was in the ‘environmental practioner’ class (66% of environmental employment falls in this class, which is comprised of in-the-field, hands-on, professional-level jobs in industry and regulatory government areas). In 2003, 67% of people employed in the environmental sector of the economy
(up from 55% in 1999) held University degrees. Increased professionalism in this expanding field
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1
As demonstrated in the below table, environmental employment cuts across traditional sectors and shows strengthening ties to other growing sectors of the economy (e.g., health):
5
The region comprised of the prairies (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta), Nunavut and the
Northwest Territories has the second largest proportion of environmental practioners in Canada
(24% in 2003). British Columbia and Yukon have an additional 16% of all practioners.
Private, Public and Community Demands
Environmental companies are an important in the western regions’ economic growth. The
Western environmental market is valued at over $8.8 billion. In 2003, Saskatchewan’s list of environmental industry participants included 179 companies and practioners, 25 government organizations (federal, provincial and municipal departments, agencies and Crown Corporations) and 12 associations. The sector is characterized as being populated by small, active, financially stable and highly competitive firms.
2
New infrastructure such as the International Test Centre for CO
2
Capture in Regina and the
Canadian Light Source in Saskatoon are expected to help bolster the growth of the environmental industry in Saskatchewan. Other initiatives to develop complementary environmental
1
Canadian Council for Human Resources in the Environment Industry, 2004 Environmental Labour
Market (ELM) Report, http://www.eco.ca/portal/default.aspx?lang=0
2
Saskatchewan Advanced Technology Association, State of the Saskatchewan Technology Industry,
(November 2005).
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6 infrastructure (e.g., Institute for Energy, Environment and the Economy at the UofC) are occurring in other western provinces.
The strengths of Western Canada’s environmental sector lie in the following areas:
•
Air quality monitoring
•
Alternative energies
•
Environmental consulting
•
Oil and gas industry solutions
•
•
Remediation
Solid waste management
•
Water and wastewater management.
3
Encompassing private sector development as well as public services and research institutions, he environmental sector is expected to continue to develop at a fast pace. There is growing consumer demand for responsible environmental stewardship, acknowledgement for the principles of sustainable growth, and legislative initiatives to protect the environment and conserve natural
4
resources.
Aboriginal peoples have engaged and continue to develop their role in managing natural resources and developing strategies for sustained landscapes and livelihoods. In addition, human health issues have clearly emerged as a driver of further development of the environmental sector.
Current Enrolment in Environment Programs at UofS (and our competitive environment)
Enrolment in existing U of S undergraduate programs (see table below) related to the environment has been steadily increasing over the last five years, suggesting a solid base for
School of Environment development of a new undergraduate platform with environmental specializations. Healthy enrolment increases (with the exception of Agriculture) – exponential in the three years since introduction of the new Environmental Toxicology program – highlight student interest in unique, focused environmental science programs.
University of Saskatchewan
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS IN ENVIRONMENT
Regular Session Undergrad Head Count by College, Sub College and Major
Includes All Full-Time and Part-Time Students and All Program Years
College Major/
Program
2000/
2001
2001/
2002
2002/
2003
2003/
2004
2004/
2005
42 31 14 14 17
Environmental Earth Sciences
6 3 5 7 8
14 18 18 19 13 Arts &
Science
Arts &
Science
Land Use & Environmental Studies 44 36 42 37 54
3
Industry Canada, http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inea-ae.nsf/en/ea02183e.html
4
Canadian Council for Human Resources in the Environment Industry, 2004 Environmental Labour
Market (ELM) Report, http://www.eco.ca/portal/default.aspx?lang=0
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Arts &
Science
Engineering* Agricultural & Bioresource
Engineering*
TOTAL 106 88 83 88 134
* The Agricultural and Bioresource Engineering (ABE) program in the College of Engineering offers three streams. One stream - Natural Resources Engineering – focuses primarily on environmental issues. The University currently does not track enrolment by stream and consequently numbers are not available. In addition, a number of other undergraduate programs in Engineering feature significant environmental content. The College of Engineering, recognizing the increasing importance to environmental considerations in all aspects of human activity, forecasts a growing demand for an undergraduate degree in environmental sciences or environmental studies as part of a dual-degree program or as a significant part of current programs.
But what is happening across the country at the undergraduate, and especially graduate level, suggests even more strongly that unique environmental programming is required to satisfy demand and position the UofS as a leader in the environmental field (see attached listing). A sample of recent initiatives includes:
•
In 2005, a merger of three environmental programs and ‘institutes’ created a new Centre for Environment at University of Toronto with introduction of a new ‘professional’
M.Env.Sc. program to complement existing M.A. in Environmental Studies, M.Sc. in
Environmental Science, Ph.D.
•
In 2004, a new Faculty of Environment was created at University of Manitoba
•
At Dalhousie, a new M.E.S. was introduced as a feature program with ties to fisheries management, oceanography and cold-ocean sciences similar to M.E.S. degrees offered in different areas (e.g., Planning) at York University and University of Waterloo
•
Ryerson University now offers a M.A.Sc. in Environmental Applied Science and
Management
•
Simon Fraser University offers a M.R.M and a unique M.R.M./M.B.A combination through their well-established School of Resource Management
•
UBC has M.A., M.Sc., Ph.D. programs in Resource Management and Environmental
Studies with a strong conservation and coastal/oceans focus
•
In the last decade, the merger of three environmental departments at University of
Alberta to create Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department, with complementary programming to Renewable Resources and Conservation Biology programs
In short, the number of creative initiatives in the environmental field has accelerated; the UofS needs to keep pace with such developments and in fact increase our institutional commitment to offer our own ‘unique’ package of undergraduate and graduate programming.
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Selected Environmental Programs at Other Canadian Universities
Source: Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Please note that this survey is not intended to be comprehensive. Programs at the
University of Saskatchewan were not included.
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
First Nations University of Canada
•
B.A.Sc. in environmental health and science
McGill University
•
B. Eng in bioresource engineering
•
B.A. faculty program in environment
•
B.Sc. in agriculture and environmental science
•
B.Sc. in agriculture and environmental science, major in environmental biology
Queen’s University
•
B.A. in environmental studies
•
B.Sc. in engineering (biosystems – environmental engineering option)
•
B.Sc. in environmental science
University of Alberta
•
B.Sc. honours specialization in environmental earth sciences
•
B.Sc. in ecology
•
B.Sc. in environmental and conservation sciences
•
B.Sc. in environmental and conservation sciences/B.A. in native studies (combined degrees)
•
B.Sc. with major in environmental science
University of British Columbia
•
B.A. in environmental studies
•
B.A.Sc. in environmental engineering
•
B.Sc. in agroecology
•
B.Sc. in biology (conservation biology/ecology and environmental biology options)
•
B.Sc. in environmental science
•
B.Sc. in global resource systems
•
B.Sc. in natural resources conservation
University of Guelph
•
B.Sc. (Eng) in environmental engineering
•
B.Sc. (Eng) in water resources engineering
•
B.Sc. honours ecology
•
B.Sc. honours in wildlife biology
•
B.Sc. in biomedical toxicology
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B.Sc. in environmental sciences with majors in ecology/environmental economics and policy/natural resources management/earth and atmospheric science/environmetrics/ environmental monitoring and analysis/environmental geography/environmental protection
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B.Sc. in environmental toxicology
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B.Sc. minor in GIS and environmental analysis
University of Manitoba
•
B.Sc. in environmental science
•
•
B.Sc. (joint honours/joint major) in ecology
Bachelor of environmental studies
University of Northern British Columbia
•
B.A. in environmental studies
•
B.A.Sc. in environmental engineering
•
B.Sc. in environmental science
•
B.Sc. in natural resources management (majors in resource recreation/wildlife and fisheries)
University of Regina
•
B.A. in resource and environmental studies
•
B.A.Sc. in environmental systems engineering
•
B.Sc. in environmental biology
University of Toronto
•
B.A. in environment and human society
•
B.A. in environment and science
•
B.A. in environment and toxicology
•
B.A. in environmental management
•
B.A. in environmental studies
•
B.A. in society and environment
•
B.A. or B.Sc. in international development and environmental studies
•
B.Sc. in conversation biology
•
B.Sc. in ecology
•
B.Sc. in environment and health
•
B.Sc. in environmental analysis and monitoring
•
B.Sc. in environmental biology
•
B.Sc. in environmental chemistry
•
B.Sc. in environmental geosciences
•
B.Sc. in environmental physics
•
B.Sc. in environmental science
•
B.Sc. in environmental science and technology
•
B.Sc. in toxicology
York University
•
B.A. in environmental and health sciences
•
B.Sc. in biology with conservation ecology stream
•
B.Sc. in environmental science
•
Bachelor of environmental studies
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Dalhousie University
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M.A.Sc. in environmental engineering
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M.Eng. in environmental engineering
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Master of environmental studies
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Master of marine management
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Master of resource and environmental management
McGill University
•
M.Sc. in bioresource engineering
•
M.Sc. in renewable resources
•
Ph.D. in bioresource engineering
•
Ph.D. in renewable resources
Queen’s University
•
M.Sc. in pharmacology and toxicology
•
•
Master of environmental studies
Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology
Simon Fraser University
•
M.Sc. in environmental toxicology
•
Master of resource and environmental management
University of Alberta
•
M.Ag. in renewable resources
•
M.Eng. in environmental engineering
•
M.Sc. in environmental engineering
•
•
M.Sc. with specialization in environmental biology and ecology
Ph.D. in environmental and natural resources economics
•
Ph.D. in environmental engineering
•
Ph.D. with specialization in environmental biology and ecology
University of British Columbia
•
M.A. in resource management and environmental studies
•
M.Sc. in resource management and environmental studies
•
Ph.D. in resource management and environmental studies
University of Calgary
•
M.E.Des. (planning, environmental science, architecture)
•
M.Eng. in environmental engineering
•
Ph.D. in environmental engineering
University of Guelph
•
M.Sc. in environmental biology
•
M.Sc. in toxicology
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Ph.D. in environmental biology
•
•
Ph.D. in resource and environmental economics
Ph.D. in toxicology
University of Manitoba
•
M.Sc. in environment and geography
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Master of environmental science
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Master of natural resources management
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Ph.D. in natural resources and environmental management
University of Northern British Columbia
•
M.A. in natural resources and environmental studies
•
M.Sc. in natural resources and environmental studies
•
Ph.D in natural resources and environmental studies
University of Ottawa
•
M.A.Sc. in environmental engineering
•
M.Eng. in environmental engineering
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M.Sc. in chemical and environmental toxicology
•
Ph.D. in environmental engineering
University of Regina
•
M.A.Sc. in environmental systems engineering
•
Ph.D. in environmental systems engineering
University of Toronto
•
Collaborative M.Sc. program in environment and health
•
Collaborative Master’s in toxicology
•
Collaborative Master’s program in environmental engineering
•
Collaborative Master’s program in environmental studies
•
Collaborative Ph.D. in toxicology
•
Collaborative Ph.D. program in environment and health
•
Collaborative Ph.D. program in environmental engineering
•
Collaborative Ph.D. program in environmental studies
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Master of environmental science
York University
•
Bachelor of laws/master in environmental studies
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Master of environmental studies
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Ph.D. in environmental studies
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