Excavation begins on construction of the Administration Building addition. Looking northwest towards John Mitchell Building.

Bio/Historical Note: In 1979 portions of the Administration Building (College Building) were declared unsafe. The building that had been at the heart of University life for seven decades was showing its age. A weak roof structure and deteriorating cement precipitated action on the part of the University’s administration. From a number of options available, the choice was made to build a new building adjacent to the original structure. The Administration Building Addition (East Wing) was opened in October 1987, construction having began in the fall of 1985. Designed by Wiens Johnstone Architects of Regina and built by Penn-Co Construction of Calgary, the $6.6 million three-story stone-clad building contained 4,646 square metres of floor space, approximately the same office space as the College Building. The two buildings were directly linked with some of the College Building’s exterior walls in the addition’s interior space.

Architect's colour sketch of the Administration Building addition.

Bio/Historical Note: In 1979 portions of the Administration Building (College Building) were declared unsafe. The building that had been at the heart of University life for seven decades was showing its age. A weak roof structure and deteriorating cement precipitated action on the part of the University’s administration. From a number of options available, the choice was made to build a new building adjacent to the original structure. The Administration Building Addition (East Wing) was opened in October 1987, construction having began in the fall of 1985. Designed by Wiens Johnstone Architects of Regina and built by Penn-Co Construction of Calgary, the $6.6 million three-story stone-clad building contained 4,646 square metres of floor space, approximately the same office space as the College Building. The two buildings were directly linked with some of the College Building’s exterior walls in the addition’s interior space.

Head and shoulders image of Adam Shortt, who donated the initial bulk of the Shortt Collection of Canadiana, which makes up the basis of the University of Saskatchewan Special Collections.

Bio/Historical Note: Adam Shortt was born 24 November 1859 in Kilworth, Ontario. He attended Queen's University with the intention of becoming a Presbyterian minister. When Shortt graduated in 1883 , he pursued graduate studies in philosophy, chemistry and botany. In 1886 Shortt married Elizabeth Smith, one of the first women to receive a medical degree in Canada. In 1887 he was appointed a lecturer in the field of political economy at Queen's. In 1891 he was the first to be appointed the John A. Macdonald Professor of Political Science. While a lecturer at Queen's Shortt was appointed editor of The Queen's Journal. He is credited with establishing the first card catalogue at the Queen's Library. Regarded as the father of professional economics in Canada, Shortt took a historical approach as differentiated from economic theory, as he believed that the economics of nations depend on natural resources, geographic location, and specific economic attributes. Shortt went on to Glasgow University for his MA in political economy. Shortt was one of five men on the shortlist for the position of first president of the University of Saskatchewan. He is most well known for his research into the history of Canadian banking and for his association with the National Archives of Canada. In 1906 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1911. At the time of his death on 14 January 1931, he was a chairman of the Board of Historical Publications at the National Archives, a position he had held since 1918.

Bio/Historical Note: Special Collections at the University of Saskatchewan Library began with the purchase of the Adam Shortt collection of Canadiana in 1921. Dr. Shortt, a professor and University Librarian at Queen's University was an inveterate collector. Indeed, the collection at the University of Saskatchewan was one of his two personal collections. This collection has been augmented over time and now concentrates on western Canadian history. While it includes old and rare materials, such as 18th- and 19th-century editions of explorers' and missionaries' accounts, it also emphasizes the history of First Nations and Metis people. The library is particularly proud to own an original letter/poem written by resistance leader Louis Riel to his jailer just two weeks before he was hanged for treason.

Procession walking past the university residences during the special 75th anniversary convocation.

Two images of outdoor processions. Top image shows procession walking past Saskatchewan Hall during Convocation. Bottom image shows members of procession ascending the stairs into the College Building.

Elevated view of procession walking past Saskatchewan Hall.

Elevated view of procession walking past Saskatchewan Hall.

Elevated view of procession walking past Saskatchewan Hall; Chemistry Building at right.

Elevated view of a bagpiper leading the procession in front of Saskatchewan Hall.

F. Hedley Auld, University Chancellor, congratulates an unidentified male graduate at the Special Golden Jubilee Convocation held in Physical Education gymnasium.

Dr. Akira Hirose, Department of Physics, is presented after receiving an earned DSc in Physics and Engineering Physics at Convocation held in Centennial Auditorium.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Akira Hirose was born in 1941 in Japan. He completed his BSc (Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering) and MSc (Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Physics) at Yokohama National University. Dr. Hirose’s prolific research career in the field of plasma physics was acknowledged with a Fulbright Scholarship in 1967, which he took up at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Hirose completed his PhD there in the Department of Electrical Engineering in 1969. He joined the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Physics as an associate professor in July 1977 following appointments as a research associate (1971–75) and research scientist (1975–77) in the Plasma Physics Laboratory. Dr. Hirose became a tenured professor in 1979, and later served as director of the Plasma Physics Laboratory (1994–2015) and department head of Physics and Engineering Physics (1998–2001). The U of S awarded him an earned Doctor of Science degree in 1994. Dr. Hirose died in 2017 in Saskatoon.

Dr. Chanan Singh, Engineering, awaits presention of an earned DSc in Electrical Engineering at Convocation held at Centennial Auditorium.

Bio/Historical Note: Dr. Chanan Singh earned his MSc and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan and BSc (honours) from the Punjab Engineering College in Chandigarh, India. Dr. Singh was awarded an earned Doctor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the U of S in 1997. From 1997 to 2005 he served as department head of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M and later, from 2012 to 2015, Dr. Singh served as interim head. He held a position as a guest professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. He also served as program director at the National Science Foundation of USA. Dr. Singh is principal and vice-president of Associated Power Analysts Inc. a firm that specializes in developing software and conducting reliability studies of the electric power grid (2024).

Hazel B. Keeler, director of Nursing, presents a BSc to Betty Anne Reynolds, the top graduate in Nursing, at Convocation held in Physical Education gymnasium. Dr. Wes MacAuley, dean of Pharmacy, visible in background.

H. Burnstien and D.J. Reddekopp being presented with the first Bachelor of Religious Studies degrees awarded by the University of Saskatchewan at spring convocation held at Centennial Auditorium.

Dr. Howard R. Nixon, dean of Physical Education, makes presentation of a BSc in Physical Education with great distinction to John Nikolas Evanochko during Convocation held at Centennial Auditorium.