Trinity Western University
Encyclopedia
Trinity Western University (TWU) is a private
, Christian
liberal arts
university
located in Langley
, British Columbia
, Canada
.
The school was founded in 1962 as Trinity Junior College, and now enrolls approximately 4000 students and sits on a 157 acres (63.5 ha) campus
.
TWU is Canada's largest privately funded Christian university. The school has a broad-based liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies core curriculum. TWU offers 42 undergraduate majors
and 17 graduate and post-graduate
programs.
coast. Trinity Junior College was formed as an arts institution associated with Evangelical Free Churches of America soon after, and enrolled its first freshman class in the fall of 1962. In 1972 TW Junior College became TW College and in 1980 it awarded its first baccalaureate
degrees. It was granted its present status as a privately funded Christian university in 1985 and became known as Trinity Western University.
Trinity Western University's motto is "A Mighty Fortress is our God" and its colours are gold and blue.
.
The university has a significant presence in the area. The Langley campus contains several residential dormitories, in which many TWU students live. These dormitories include Douglas Hall, Fraser Hall, Northwest, Robson Hall, and McMillan Hall.
.
The Executive branch of student council comprises seven members. These include the President
, the Vice President
, the Vice President of Finance, the Vice President of Student Relations, the Vice President of Academic Relations, an Executive Director of Events, and the Executive Director of Internal Relations.
The Representative Assembly consists of the following: Senior Class Representative, Junior Class Representative, Sophomore Class Representative, Freshman Class Representative, Natural and Applied Technical Sciences Representative, Humanities and Social Sciences Representative, Professional Studies and Performing Arts Representative, School of Nursing Representative, School of Education Representative, School of Human Kinetics Representative, and School of Business Representative.
The appointed members, in addition to the Executive Director of Events and the Executive Director of Internal Relations, are the Associate Director of Operations, two Events Assistants, an Associate Director of Communications, and a Administrative Assistant.
The other departments that make up council are as follows: Communications Department, Events Department, Media and Finance Department, Faculty Reps Department, Class Reps Department, and the Executive.
There is also a five-member Senate that deals with inner-Council issues and appeals. Complete job descriptions and Student Council structure can be found in the bylaws and policy manual.
In addition to the education on the school's main campuses, TWU’s travel studies and exchange programs enable students to study at partner institutions or universities worldwide.
, to Business Administration, to Nursing
, to Korean Studies
, to Theology
, and awards the following degrees: MA
, MBA, MSN
, MC
, MSt
, MTh, MTS
, MDiv, DMin.
Within these faculties and schools the University awards the following degrees: BA
, BFA
, BSc
, BBA
, BEd
, BHK
, BScN. Honours
programs are also available in a number of majors.
, and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
, and is recognized by the United States Department of Education
.The university's seminary
was accredited by Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
in 1997.
Trinity Western’s students hail from all 10 Canadian provinces, 37 U.S. states
, and 33 foreign countries: 61% Canadian, 28% USA, and 11% international. The University employs a faculty of over 300 instructors and professors, enabling a student/faculty ratio of 11 to 1, and an average class size of 16. Over 85% of the University's professors have doctorate
s.
while attending the 2012 Olympics in London, Coral Reef Biology in Hawaii, Johannine literature
in Turkey, or Cross-cultural communication
s in Guatemala, among others.
Additionally, the University offers 15 semester programs which take place during the Fall and Spring terms. Trinity’s research and exchange partnership
with the University of Oxford
enables students to study as a visiting student at Oxford for either a semester or year.
The Norma Marion Alloway Library is the main library for undergraduate students, holding a circulation of over 300,000 books, 12,000 periodical subscriptions, and computer access to thousands more titles. The University Archives house several special collections: the Mel Smith Archives
, the Robert N. Thompson Archives
, and the Lyle Wicks Papers
, which chronicle Canada’s political history through the works and personal documents of these three political figures. The library also has a Korean
collection.
The graduate school and seminaries each maintain their own individual libraries.
and hands on learning for both students of the university and outside organizations.
The program started in 1998 as the TWU Challenge course and in 2009 The TWU Challenge Course changed names to OMADA Teambuilding to better represent the diversity of programs that were being offered at that time.
Trinity’s Laurentian Leadership Centre
certificate program offers the rare opportunity for third and fourth year TWU students to experience a fully credited semester of study as well as a prestigious Parliamentary, business, communications or NGO internship in Canada's national capital Ottawa
. Although the program is open to students of any major, it is primarily designed for those who plan a career in political science, business, communications, history or international studies, all of which are majors at TWU. It also welcomes visiting students from other educational institutions.
Students live in a restored heritage mansion, the Booth House, just minutes from Parliament Hill
, taking classes in Canadian Governmental Leadership, Ethics & Public Affairs, and Law, whilst participating in an internship in business, communications, government or non-governmental sectors.
TWU Bellingham
Located just across the US border, classes at TWU Bellingham are taught by TWU professors and count toward a degree.
TWU Richmond
Recently announced by President Jonathan Raymond in his 2008 State of the University Address was the grant of a rent-free 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) space to be used toward university education in Richmond.
league, the top university athletics league in Canada, by the Trinity Western Spartans
.
Other teams, not part of the CIS, also compete for Trinity Western University including the TWU Titans
hockey team, who compete in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League
, and the Trinity Western University Bombers
hockey team. TWU Titans, Soccer Male and Female team.
, performances which have been broadcast on a number of occasions on CBC Radio; as well, TWU's choirs have performed frequently with the CBC Radio Orchestra
, the Vancouver Chamber Choir
, and at venues including Carnegie Hall
in New York City and frequent performances at the Orpheum, Vancouver
, and the Chan Shun Concert Hall. TWU's Director of Choral Activities is Wes Janzen, D.M.A., a recognized choral expert at the international level and an adjudicator at numerous Choral Olympics events, now known as the World Choir Games.
, "Mars' Hill
", is a member of Canadian University Press
(CUP) and the Associated Collegiate Press
(ACP). In 2006 it was a finalist for the ACP's National Pacemaker Awards
for best non-daily newspaper, and won the Pacemaker in 2008 and 2010.
, Trinity has made the decision to enact certain “responsibilities" which the University believes accompanies an atmosphere more conducive to learning and community. Beginning in the 2009-10 school year, TWU introduced a "Community Covenant" to replace the "Responsibilities of Membership."
Notably more restrictive than standards imposed by Canadian law and public universities, members of the TWU community agree not to be involved in:
denied accreditation of TWU's program, arguing that the agreement students must sign is discriminatory and that those graduating from Trinity Western's program will discriminate against gay students. The lower courts in British Columbia and, later, the Supreme Court of Canada, ruled in favour of Trinity Western University, stating that there was no basis for the BCCT's decision, and, moreover, that "the concern that graduates of TWU will act in a detrimental fashion in the classroom is not supported by any evidence."
The final analysis of the case, as reported by the Factum of the Intervener, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association
, was that "In the circumstances of this case the Council of the B.C. College of Teachers failed to conduct such an enquiry and erroneously concluded that equality of rights on the basis of sexual orientation trump freedom of religion and association. They do not."
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
, Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
located in Langley
Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)
The Township of Langley is a district municipality immediately east of the City of Surrey in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. It extends south from the Fraser River to the U.S. border, and west of the City of Abbotsford...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The school was founded in 1962 as Trinity Junior College, and now enrolls approximately 4000 students and sits on a 157 acres (63.5 ha) campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
.
TWU is Canada's largest privately funded Christian university. The school has a broad-based liberal arts, sciences, and professional studies core curriculum. TWU offers 42 undergraduate majors
Academic major
In the United States and Canada, an academic major or major concentration is the academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits....
and 17 graduate and post-graduate
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
programs.
History
The Evangelical Free Churches of America established a committee in 1957 to consider the feasibility of a liberal arts college on the PacificPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
coast. Trinity Junior College was formed as an arts institution associated with Evangelical Free Churches of America soon after, and enrolled its first freshman class in the fall of 1962. In 1972 TW Junior College became TW College and in 1980 it awarded its first baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
degrees. It was granted its present status as a privately funded Christian university in 1985 and became known as Trinity Western University.
Trinity Western University's motto is "A Mighty Fortress is our God" and its colours are gold and blue.
Campus
The main TWU campus consists of 157 acre (0.63535702 km²) on the outskirts of historic Fort Langley. Nearby is the Langley City, and the Trans-Canada HighwayTrans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
.
The university has a significant presence in the area. The Langley campus contains several residential dormitories, in which many TWU students live. These dormitories include Douglas Hall, Fraser Hall, Northwest, Robson Hall, and McMillan Hall.
University
Trinity Western University is governed by a Board of Governors and the president who manage the institution as a whole and provide a vision for the future. The current president of TWU is Dr. Jonathan Raymond.Student Association
The Trinity Western University Student Association represents the student body of the university. The student council comprises a total of 15 representatives and 8 appointed members. These 23 people are divided into five different departments which fall under a sixth, the ExecutiveExecutive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
.
The Executive branch of student council comprises seven members. These include the President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, the Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
, the Vice President of Finance, the Vice President of Student Relations, the Vice President of Academic Relations, an Executive Director of Events, and the Executive Director of Internal Relations.
The Representative Assembly consists of the following: Senior Class Representative, Junior Class Representative, Sophomore Class Representative, Freshman Class Representative, Natural and Applied Technical Sciences Representative, Humanities and Social Sciences Representative, Professional Studies and Performing Arts Representative, School of Nursing Representative, School of Education Representative, School of Human Kinetics Representative, and School of Business Representative.
The appointed members, in addition to the Executive Director of Events and the Executive Director of Internal Relations, are the Associate Director of Operations, two Events Assistants, an Associate Director of Communications, and a Administrative Assistant.
The other departments that make up council are as follows: Communications Department, Events Department, Media and Finance Department, Faculty Reps Department, Class Reps Department, and the Executive.
There is also a five-member Senate that deals with inner-Council issues and appeals. Complete job descriptions and Student Council structure can be found in the bylaws and policy manual.
Undergraduate
The University offers undergraduate majors in 42 programs and 56 programs (including minors, concentrations, and certificates), with over 1200 courses from which to choose. The academic structure of the university is as follows:- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences
- School of the Arts, Media + Culture
- School of Business
- School of Human Kinetics
- School of Education
- School of Nursing
- Redeemer Pacific CollegeRedeemer Pacific CollegeFounded in 1999 by Thomas Hamel, Redeemer Pacific College is a Catholic liberal arts college located just outside of Langley, British Columbia. RPC has a unique partnership with Trinity Western University , providing students with a solid foundation in Catholic liberal arts as they work towards an...
– TWU’s constituent college of CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
studies
In addition to the education on the school's main campuses, TWU’s travel studies and exchange programs enable students to study at partner institutions or universities worldwide.
Graduate
The School of Graduate Studies offers 17 programs of study ranging from Interdisciplinary HumanitiesHumanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
, to Business Administration, to Nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
, to Korean Studies
Korean Studies
Korean Studies can refer to:* Korean studies, the academic study of Korea* Korean Studies , an academic journal published by the University of Hawaii...
, to Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, and awards the following degrees: MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
, MBA, MSN
Master of Science in Nursing
A Master of Science in Nursing is an advanced-level postgraduate degree for registered nurses and is considered an entry-level degree for nurse educators and managers. The degree also may prepare a nurse to seek a career as a nurse administrator, health policy expert, or clinical nurse leader...
, MC
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed professional counselor is a licensure for mental health professionals. The exact title varies by state, but the other most frequently used title is licensed mental health counselor . Several U.S. states, including Illinois, Maine, and Tennessee, have implemented a two-tier system whereby...
, MSt
MST
MST may refer to:Science and technology* Madison Symmetric Torus, a physics device at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, U.S.* Mean Square for Treatments, in analysis of variance...
, MTh, MTS
Master of Theological Studies
A Master of Theological Studies is a general academic degree that gives students an introduction to advanced theological studies. The M.T.S usually requires two years of program study to complete. The Latin equivalent for M.T.S...
, MDiv, DMin.
Within these faculties and schools the University awards the following degrees: BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, BFA
Bachelor of Fine Arts
In the United States and Canada, the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, usually abbreviated BFA, is the standard undergraduate degree for students seeking a professional education in the visual or performing arts. In some countries such a degree is called a Bachelor of Creative Arts or BCA...
, BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
, BBA
BBA
BBA may refer to:*Bachelor of Business Administration, degree*Bachpan Bachao Andolan, an NGO against child labour in India*Backyard Brawlers Association, a wrestling promotion based primarily out of Rockville Centre, NY*Balanced Budget Act, U.S...
, BEd
Bed
A bed is a large piece of furniture used as a place to sleep, relax, or engage in sexual relations.Most modern beds consist of a mattress on a bed frame, with the mattress resting either on a solid base, often wooden slats, or a sprung base...
, BHK
Bachelor of Human Kinetics
A Bachelor of Human Kinetics is a four-year academic degree awarded by a university upon the completion of a program of study of Human kinetics. Specializations within this degree can include: Athletic Therapy, Kinesiology, Physical Education, Recreation, and Sport management....
, BScN. Honours
Honors course
Honors course is a distinction applied in the United States to certain classes to distinguish them from standard course offerings. The difference between a regular class and the honors class is not necessarily the amount of work, but the type of work required and the pace of studying...
programs are also available in a number of majors.
University profile
Trinity Western University is a privately funded public Christian university. The TWU focus is on total student development and education. TWU is a member of the AUCCAssociation of Universities and Colleges of Canada
- See also :* G13 * Association of Commonwealth Universities...
, and the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities is an organization designed to help primarily Protestant and evangelical Christian institutions of higher education cooperate and communicate with one another...
, and is recognized by the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
.The university's seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
was accredited by Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada
The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada is an organization of seminaries and other graduate schools of theology. ATS has its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and has more than 250 member institutions...
in 1997.
Trinity Western’s students hail from all 10 Canadian provinces, 37 U.S. states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
, and 33 foreign countries: 61% Canadian, 28% USA, and 11% international. The University employs a faculty of over 300 instructors and professors, enabling a student/faculty ratio of 11 to 1, and an average class size of 16. Over 85% of the University's professors have doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
s.
Programs
TWU offers a liberal arts and sciences curriculum undergraduate and graduate programs within 5 faculties: arts and religious studies, business and economics, natural and applied sciences, social sciences and education. It also offers extensive seminary training whereby students can receive graduate theology degrees. Other programs include Trinity Western Educational Services and Training (TWest-Continuing Studies), cooperative education and aviation studies. Research institutes and centres include the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute, Gender Studies Institute, Religion in Canada Institute, Septuagint Institute, Centre for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Centre for Spiritual Formation in Higher Education, and Religion, Culture and Conflict Research Group.Travel studies
Trinity’s international programs offer students the ability to study all over the world during the summer: studying KinesiologyKinesiology
Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational...
while attending the 2012 Olympics in London, Coral Reef Biology in Hawaii, Johannine literature
Johannine literature
Johannine literature is the collection of New Testament works that are attached by tradition to the person of John the Apostle. The collection is usually considered to include:*The Gospel of John*The First Epistle of John*The Second Epistle of John...
in Turkey, or Cross-cultural communication
Cross-cultural communication
Cross-cultural communication is a field of study that looks at how people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate, in similar and different ways among themselves, and how they endeavour to communicate across cultures.- Origins :The Cold War, the United States economy...
s in Guatemala, among others.
Additionally, the University offers 15 semester programs which take place during the Fall and Spring terms. Trinity’s research and exchange partnership
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
with the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
enables students to study as a visiting student at Oxford for either a semester or year.
Library
Melvin H. Smith, Q.C.
Melvin H. Smith, Q.C. spent 31 years in the public service of British Columbia.Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1934, Mel Smith graduated from UBC with Commerce and Law degrees. In 1960, Smith was called to the Bar of British Columbia. He became a B.C. public servant and served for 31 years...
, the Robert N. Thompson Archives
Robert N. Thompson
Robert Norman Thompson was a Canadian politician, chiropractor, and educator. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota, to Canadian parents and moved to Canada in 1918 with his family...
, and the Lyle Wicks Papers
Lyle Wicks
Lyle Wicks was a British Columbia politician.Born in Calgary, Wicks graduated from McLean High School in Haney, British Columbia, Canada in 1930...
, which chronicle Canada’s political history through the works and personal documents of these three political figures. The library also has a Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
collection.
The graduate school and seminaries each maintain their own individual libraries.
OMADA Teambuilding
OMADA Teambuilding is a leadership and team building program housed in the School of Human Kinetics at Trinity Western University. The program uses experiential educationExperiential education
Experiential education is a philosophy of education that describes the process that occurs between a teacher and student that infuses direct experience with the learning environment and content. The term is mistakenly used interchangeably with experiential learning...
and hands on learning for both students of the university and outside organizations.
The program started in 1998 as the TWU Challenge course and in 2009 The TWU Challenge Course changed names to OMADA Teambuilding to better represent the diversity of programs that were being offered at that time.
Satellite campuses
Laurentian Leadership Centre – OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
Laurentian Leadership Centre
The Laurentian Leadership Centre program, an extension of Trinity Western University, offers third and fourth year students, and recent graduates, an opportunity to experience a fully credited semester of study as well as a Parliamentary, communications, business or NGO internship in Canada's...
certificate program offers the rare opportunity for third and fourth year TWU students to experience a fully credited semester of study as well as a prestigious Parliamentary, business, communications or NGO internship in Canada's national capital Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. Although the program is open to students of any major, it is primarily designed for those who plan a career in political science, business, communications, history or international studies, all of which are majors at TWU. It also welcomes visiting students from other educational institutions.
Students live in a restored heritage mansion, the Booth House, just minutes from Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
, taking classes in Canadian Governmental Leadership, Ethics & Public Affairs, and Law, whilst participating in an internship in business, communications, government or non-governmental sectors.
TWU Bellingham
Bellingham, Washington
Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the twelfth-largest city in the state. Situated on Bellingham Bay, Bellingham is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia...
Located just across the US border, classes at TWU Bellingham are taught by TWU professors and count toward a degree.
TWU Richmond
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
Recently announced by President Jonathan Raymond in his 2008 State of the University Address was the grant of a rent-free 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) space to be used toward university education in Richmond.
TWUSA
Trinity's students are represented by the Trinity Western University Students Association.Athletics
The university is represented in the CISCanadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
league, the top university athletics league in Canada, by the Trinity Western Spartans
Trinity Western Spartans
The Trinity Western Spartans are the athletic teams that represent Trinity Western University in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport , the top university athletics league in Canada. Men's and women's teams currently compete in the following sports:...
.
Other teams, not part of the CIS, also compete for Trinity Western University including the TWU Titans
TWU Titans
The Trinity Western University Titans hockey club is a competitive ice hockey team competing in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League. Today, the BCIHL included teams from Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, University of the Fraser Valley, and Selkirk College...
hockey team, who compete in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League
British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League
During its first year of official operation , the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League consisted of teams from Trinity Western University, Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, University of Northern British Columbia and University of the Fraser Valley...
, and the Trinity Western University Bombers
Trinity Western University Bombers
The Trinity Western University Bombers are a non-contact ice hockey team that compete in the . Ben Kotanen and Kelly Hart started the Bombers in 2000, and the team has since grown in size and popularity...
hockey team. TWU Titans, Soccer Male and Female team.
Fine Arts
Members of TWU’s chamber choirs are often invited to guest perform with the Vancouver Symphony OrchestraVancouver Symphony Orchestra
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra performing in Vancouver, British Columbia. Over 240,000 people attend its live performances each year. It was founded in 1930 and plays in 12 venues. Its home is the Orpheum theatre. With an annual operating budget of $9.5 million, it is the...
, performances which have been broadcast on a number of occasions on CBC Radio; as well, TWU's choirs have performed frequently with the CBC Radio Orchestra
CBC Radio Orchestra
The CBC Radio Orchestra was a Canadian orchestra based in Vancouver, British Columbia that was operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Until the early 1980s CBC had a number of orchestras located in Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax but due to federal government budget cuts they...
, the Vancouver Chamber Choir
Vancouver Chamber Choir
The Vancouver Chamber Choir is a Canadian choir performing in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was founded in 1971 and has commissioned and premiered more than 170 new choral works in almost four decades. VCC performs at home and abroad and has received many honours and distinctions from around the...
, and at venues including Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
in New York City and frequent performances at the Orpheum, Vancouver
Orpheum, Vancouver
The Orpheum is a theatre and music venue in Vancouver, British Columbia. Along with the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Vancouver Playhouse, it is part of the Vancouver Civic Theatres group of live performance venues...
, and the Chan Shun Concert Hall. TWU's Director of Choral Activities is Wes Janzen, D.M.A., a recognized choral expert at the international level and an adjudicator at numerous Choral Olympics events, now known as the World Choir Games.
Student Media
The official student newspaperStudent newspaper
A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, middle school, or other school. These papers traditionally cover local and, primarily, school or university news....
, "Mars' Hill
Mars' Hill
Mars’ Hill is the official student newspaper of Trinity Western University. It is funded by the TWU Student Association and according to its website, "seeks to be a professional and relevant student publication, reflecting and challenging the TWU community, while also addressing local, national...
", is a member of Canadian University Press
Canadian University Press
Canadian University Press is a non-profit co-operative and newswire service owned by almost 90 student newspapers at post-secondary schools in Canada. Founded in 1938, CUP is the oldest student newswire service in the world and the oldest national student organization in North America. Many...
(CUP) and the Associated Collegiate Press
Associated Collegiate Press
The Associated Collegiate Press is the largest and oldest national membership organization for college student media in the United States. The ACP is a division of the National Scholastic Press Association...
(ACP). In 2006 it was a finalist for the ACP's National Pacemaker Awards
National Pacemaker Awards
The National Pacemaker Awards are awards for excellence in American student journalism, given annually since 1927. The awards are generally considered to be the highest national honors in their field, and are unofficially known as the "Pulitzer Prizes of student journalism."The National Scholastic...
for best non-daily newspaper, and won the Pacemaker in 2008 and 2010.
Community Covenant
From time to time TWU has garnered publicity due to the University's policy known as the "Responsibilities of Membership." As a private universityPrivate university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
, Trinity has made the decision to enact certain “responsibilities" which the University believes accompanies an atmosphere more conducive to learning and community. Beginning in the 2009-10 school year, TWU introduced a "Community Covenant" to replace the "Responsibilities of Membership."
Notably more restrictive than standards imposed by Canadian law and public universities, members of the TWU community agree not to be involved in:
- communication that is destructive to TWU community life and inter–personal relationships, including gossip, slander, vulgar/obscene language, and prejudice
- harassment or any form of verbal or physical intimidation, including hazing
- lying, cheating, or other forms of dishonesty including plagiarism
- stealing, misusing or destroying property belonging to others
- sexual intimacy that violates the sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman
- the use of materials that are degrading, dehumanizing, exploitive, hateful, or gratuitously violent, including, but not limited to pornography
- drunkenness, under-age consumption of alcohol, the use or possession of illegal drugs, and the misuse or abuse of substances including prescribed drugs
- the use or possession of alcohol on campus, or at any TWU sponsored event, and the use of tobacco on campus or at any TWU sponsored event.
TWU vs. BC College of Teachers
In 1995, TWU launched a teaching certification program, but the British Columbia College of TeachersBritish Columbia College of Teachers
The British Columbia College of Teachers is the professional self-regulatory body for teachers in British Columbia. It is responsible for setting and enforcing standards for teachers in the province. It assesses applicants to the profession and issues teaching certificates.-Court cases involving...
denied accreditation of TWU's program, arguing that the agreement students must sign is discriminatory and that those graduating from Trinity Western's program will discriminate against gay students. The lower courts in British Columbia and, later, the Supreme Court of Canada, ruled in favour of Trinity Western University, stating that there was no basis for the BCCT's decision, and, moreover, that "the concern that graduates of TWU will act in a detrimental fashion in the classroom is not supported by any evidence."
The final analysis of the case, as reported by the Factum of the Intervener, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association
British Columbia Civil Liberties Association
The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association or BCCLA is a non-government organization in British Columbia, Canada dedicated to the preservation, maintenance and extension of civil liberties and human rights in Canada....
, was that "In the circumstances of this case the Council of the B.C. College of Teachers failed to conduct such an enquiry and erroneously concluded that equality of rights on the basis of sexual orientation trump freedom of religion and association. They do not."