Canada's newest university will be ready for September

University of Ontario Institute of Technology will welcome its first class of students in September

Oshawa, ON - Just one year after its official creation through the passage of Bill 109 by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology is well on its way to greeting its first class of students this September.

"Every day here the excitement builds," says Dr. Gary Polonsky, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. "The government of Ontario made a brilliant, strategic decision in creating a new university, focused particularly on education and research in high-end professional programs. My colleagues have worked around the clock since then to provide our students with a superb educational experience, dedicated to serving each student individually, and to partner with them toward their significant success in their chosen field upon graduation."

The university's first and largest academic building, as well as the first phase of a new residence, will be ready for students when they arrive on campus in September. In addition, construction of two more academic buildings, as well as a new, 73,000-square-foot campus library began this spring. These buildings are scheduled for completion for 2004. In addition, a world-class, year-round tennis centre, and a championship, regulation soccer field will open this year, and will be available to university students. Other athletic facilities, including a twin-pad arena, will be ready in 2005.

Over the next few years, further building will take place at the Oshawa campus. After 2006, additional facilities will be constructed, mostly on a beautifully treed, 160-hectare (400-acre) property directly north of the current campus.

University of Ontario getting ready for its first class page 2Senior university administrators, all seven university deans, as well as more than 30 professors have been hired. "These individuals come from the finest universities in Canada and around the world," notes Polonsky. A number of these faculty left tenured positions to take up professorships at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

All nine degree programs have received government approval. The programs are: Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Integrated Justice Studies, Bachelor of Commerce (Honours), Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Manufacturing Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Nuclear Engineering, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biological Science, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physical Science, Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Radiation Science, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Honours). The university's Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Nuclear Engineering and the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Radiation Science programs are unique in Canada.

Another outstanding feature of the new university is that it is Ontario's first laptop-based university. Each student at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology will use a current model of the IBM ThinkPad and classrooms and labs will be fully networked. As well, major public areas of the campus will feature wireless network access, enabling students to connect to the Internet, the student intranet and other electronic resources from just about anywhere on campus.

As of June 16, more than 800 students had accepted an offer of admission to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. The university is prepared to accept approximately 200 more students for the 2003-04 academic year, to assist with the double-cohort demands on the province's universities.

Enrolment at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology is projected to reach 6,500 by 2010. Additional undergraduate programs, graduate and doctoral programs, and world-class research opportunities will be developed. For more information about university programs or admissions, please visit www.uoit.ca, e-mail admissions@uoit.ca or call 1.866.844.8648.

About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.