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Catharine Parr Traill College was opened as a female college in 1964. It was named for Catharine Parr Traill, local author and amateur botanist. Principals have been Marion Fry, Nancy Sherouse, James Neufeld, Dan Dempster, Robert Chambers, Lynn Neufeld (acting), David Page (acting) – several occasions, Heather Avery, Michael Peterman, Michael Eamon.

The Committee on Colleges serves as one of the central means of coordinating the activities and policies of the colleges and the University. It serves a dual purpose, reporting to Senate on academic matters, and to the President, in an advisory capacity regarding buildings and finance. It is composed of heads of colleges and representatives from dining services, student health services and athletic services committees. The Committee is also concerned with off-campus housing, the supervisory system, selection of college heads, telephone directories, dining hall services, pub policies, college admissions, etc.

The Committee on Colleges originated with a report entitled "Trent University. The Report of the Committee on Colleges" on April 15, 1964. In the report student life based on social and academic activities within a college setting were recommended. The Committee felt that the colleges should provide an interactive atmosphere of interdiscplinary, social, international and cultural lifestyles in order for residential and non-residential students to acquire the most positive experience possible from college affiliation and life on campus. The Committee wanted to encourage a healthy rivalry between colleges which would benefit both scholarship and undergraduate activities. This would be done by having the colleges within walking distance of one another so that all undergraduates could participate in activities together. The college system would involve faculty and students living and working together by being teaching colleges. Instead of having classes and residences separate, the university would offer lectures, tutorials and seminars in the colleges. In the report the Committee made recommendations as to the size and style of residential rooms needed and the size and style of furniture required. The report also specifies different room requirements such as junior and senior commons rooms, the college library, dining hall, tutorial offices, seminar rooms, lecture rooms, visitor's rooms, don's rooms, master's lodge, administrative offices and a Porter's lodge. The Committee continues to meet as one of the central means of coordinating the activities and policies of the colleges and the university. The Committee now serves a dual purpose to the Senate, on academic matters, and to the President, in an advisory capacity regarding buildings and finance. Members on the Committee are heads of colleges and representatives from dining services, health services, student health services and athletic services committees. The Committee has evolved to take under consideration off-campus housing, the supervisory system, selection of college heads, telephone directories, dining hall services, pub policies and college admissions besides many more concerns.

The Committee on Colleges served as one of the central means of coordinating the activities and policies of the colleges and the University. It served a dual purpose, reporting to Senate on academic matters, and to the President, in an advisory capacity regarding buildings and finance. It is composed of heads of colleges and representatives from dining services, student health services and athletic services committees. The Committee was also concerned with off-campus housing, the supervisory system, selection of college heads, telephone directories, dining hall services, pub policies, college admissions, etc.

Although Computer Science was offered at Trent University as an interdisciplinary study from 1973 to 1983, one could not major in this discipline until 1983 when the Computer Studies Program was established.

The Trent University Computer Services Committee was originally established as a Presidential Advisory Committee in 1968. The members of the Committee were Professor Tyson (Chair), Professor Barret (Secretary), Professor Earnshaw, Mr. Lewis, Professor Stanford, Mr. Weinzweig, Mr. Pollock, and Professor Carter. By 1971, the committee had become a Standing Committee of the Senate with a mandate to ensure that faculty members were provided with access to a modern, high-speed computer, which was considered a basic requirement of research in many fields; to provide basic instruction in computer programming and in the capabilities and limitations of computers; and, to ensure that sufficient facilities were provided so that the computer could be regarded as a part of the average student's computational apparatus.

In 1966 and 1967, there was both a Dean of Arts and a Dean of Science. In 1967, Professor Thomas Nind became Dean of Arts and Science and, in concert with a number of Associate Deans, this position has existed until the present, sometimes under the name Dean and Provost. In 1996 the responsibilities of the Provost and Dean of Arts and Science were divided between Vice-President Academic and Dean of Arts and Science. The office of the Dean of Arts and Science has been filled by the following incumbents: Thomas Nind, Walter Pitman, David Cameron, George Hamilton, David Gallop, David Morrison, Robert Campbell, John Syrett (acting), Colin Taylor, etc. For further information about the unit and its leadership, see A.O.C. Cole, Trent: The Making of a University, pp. 126-129; D'Arcy Jenish, Trent University: Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence, 2014; and the course calendars (available in the Archives Reading Room).

The position of Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Officer was created in the (approximately) 1968-69 academic year. Previous to this time, the small number of graduate students at Trent University were looked after by the Registrar's Office. The Senate search committee responsible for hiring a Dean of Graduate Studies and University Research Officer. Since 1985, the Associate Dean of Arts and Science has been responsible for the position of Dean of Graduate Studies and University Research Officer.

The Department of Anthropology first began operation in 1965. Anthropology at Trent is an interdisciplinary pursuit, including biological, cultural and applied anthropology, linguistics and archaeology. The Department provides a variety of courses, both practical and theoretical, ranging from the scientific to the humanistic.

The Department of Biology has been in operation since the University opened in 1964. Programs of study lead to single and joint-major, three-year and four-year science degrees. Many students do joint majors in Anthropology, Chemistry, Environmental and Resource Science, Geography or Psychology. Faculty members of the Department also supervise graduate students in the Watershed Ecosystems Graduate Program within which one may study toward an M.Sc. or Ph.D. degree.

The Department of Communications is responsible for the production of the University calendar (formerly a responsibility of the Registrar’s office), and, among other responsibilities, for communicating to the public news releases and statements issued by Trent University.

The Department of Geography at Trent University was established in 1968 and consisted of two staff members: Professor H.M. Helleiner and Professor W.P. Adams. There were two courses offered that year: Introduction to Geography, and Geography of Canada. The total student enrolment was 144. Over the years, the Department has grown in terms of faculty, courses offered, and enrolment of students.

The History Department at Trent University established itself when the University was first opened. It began offering courses in History during the University's first academic year (1964/1965). The faculty was comprised of Thomas H.B. Symons, who was also the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University, and J.D.P. Martin, who was also the University Librarian. By the following academic year, the number of faculty had tripled. Over the years, the department has grown steadily. In 1995 the History Department had 26 faculty members, which included two Professors Emeriti, and offered 61 courses. As well, a graduate level history program was added in 1971.

The Department of Information operated from 1967 to 1981 under the directorship of Jim English.

The Department of Mathematics has been in operation since the University opened in 1964.

The Department of Philosophy has been in operation since the University opened in 1964.

The Department of Political Studies has been in operation since the University opened in 1964.

The Department of Sociology has been in operation since the University opened in 1964. In September 1998, the departmental website explained that building on a common core of required courses in theory and method, the sociology program at Trent offers two main concentrations: 1) social structures and social policies, in areas such as social inequality, families, health, and criminal justice, and 2) social interaction and culture, in areas such as religion, media studies, and ethnic and sexual identities.

Past Chairs of Sociology:
Bernard R. Blishen 1966-1968
J.C. McDonald 1968-1969
Rod F. White 1969-1974
John Hillman 1974-1977
A.D. Lewis 1977-1980
Andrew L Wernick 1980-1982
Pradeep Bandyopadhyay 1982-1985
Alena Heitlinger 1985-1988
John Hillman (Acting) 1988-1989
Roy T. Bowles 1989-1995
Alena Heitlinger 1995-1998
James Conley 1998-2004
Stephen Katz 2004-2007
Barbara L. Marshall 2007-2010
Susan Apostle-Clark 2010-2013
Deborah White 2013-2016
Gillian Balfour 2016-2018
Momin Rahman 2018-2022
Peri Balantyne 2022-

The Department of English has been in operation since the University opened in 1964.

The Association of the Teaching Staff was created in 1967 and existed until the union was formed in 1981. The purpose of the Association was to promote scholarship, the welfare of the University and of its academic staff, and in affiliation with the Canadian Association of University Teachers and with the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations, to contribute to the advancement of the standards of the Canadian University community. (taken from the Constitution, RG 15 Box 1 Folder 1). In 1981, certification was granted, and in 1983 the ATS became the Trent University Faculty Association (TUFA).

The Frost Centre for Canadian Heritage and Development Studies was established to promote interdisciplinary research on many aspects of Canadian society. The first class of graduate students was enrolled in 1985 in the interdisciplinary MA program. The program was first introduced under the name Canadian Heritage and Connectional Studies. The first Chair was Prof. Sandy Lockhart of the Sociology Department. The next Chair was Robert Page (1985-1986), then Bruce Hodgins, John Marsh, and, in 1996, John Wadland, in 2000 Joan Sangster, in 2006 Jim Struthers, in 2009 Julia Harrison, etc. The department has undergone name changes. For further information about the department and its administration, see A.O.C. Cole, Trent: The Making of a University, pp. 126-129; D'Arcy Jenish, Trent University: Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence, 2014; and the annual course calendars (available in the Archives Reading Room).

Trent University was the first post-secondary Canadian institution to establish a well-defined Department of Native Studies. The Department was established in 1972, although an earlier effort, the “Indian and Eskimo Studies Program,” had been underway since 1969.