New Campus FAQ

New Campus FAQ

  1. Where is the new campus located?

    The address of the new campus is 40 Springborough Blvd. The address will eventually be 150 Ambrose Circle, located just off of 69th St. south of 17th Ave.SW. The 40-acre parcel of land in southwest Calgary was purchased in 2002 at a cost of $2.75 million, and is now valued at over $18 million. Located on a west facing slope, it has beautiful views of the mountains and is in walking distance of a major recreation centre, shopping centre, and future Light Rail Transit station.

  2. What kind of facilities will be built on the new campus?

    The new campus will encompass four major buildings; a library able to sustain over 140,000 volumes and significant growth for the next 10 years, a residence building accommodating 134 students in a traditional student residence facility, an academic building serving over 1,000 full-time equivalent students and housing classrooms, lecture theatres, administrative offices, student lounge, and cafeteria, and finally a gymnasium/performing arts building which will accommodate athletics, music, and all large assemblies including chapels.

  3. What is the timetable for building the new campus?

    Elan Construction Ltd. is on schedule to complete construction of the full campus by August 1, 2008. It is therefore expected that the campus will be fully operational for the September 2008 academic year.

  4. How much will it cost?

    The estimated cost for Phase 1 (library, residence, academic, and gym/arts) is $36M. This number includes construction costs, architectural fees, furnishings/finishings/equipment, parking lots, site services, signage, landscaping, permitting, consultants, insurance, and bonding.

  5. How will construction costs be financed?

    Construction of Phase 1 of the new campus will be financed through a combination of contritubions from Alliance and Nazarene congregations, individuals, foundations, and corporations, along with proceeds from the sale of college commercial interests, internal financing and long-term mortgage debt. The amount of mortgage debt will depend upon the total charitable gifts received towards the project.

  6. How has the money been spent that has been donated to the C&MA phase of the campaign to date?

    Funds that have been donated since 2000 by churches, individuals (both alumni and non-alumni donors) and companies have gone to pay for costs related to: the relocation of the CBC/CTS campus from Regina to Calgary, severance payments to non-transferring employees, purchase of furnishings and finishings and equipment for leased space, tenant improvements, purchase of 40 acres of land (which is now valued at over $18 million), re-zoning costs, architectural work and permit costs. Current and new pledges will help to meet the construction costs of our new campus facilities.

  7. Why do you need to build a campus; why can’t you remain in your present Calgary location?

    The new campus will be a facility that promotes holistic education which occurs in community. Physical space needs to be designed with this objective in view, something not characteristic of a dispersed office tower campus. Community life has been a distinguishing feature of our educational program for decades, and for us to graduate students with the benefits this brings requires that we develop a campus which intentionally fosters this critical aspect. In our new facility, we will be able to effectively nurture partnerships, develop unique programs with hundreds of churches, support branch campuses, coordinate centres, and provide a full range of university level programs, including some requiring specialized and dedicated space (e.g., gymnasium, laboratories, performing arts). Our present lease comes due in the summer of 2008 and a projected new lease rate would be financially untenable for us, given Calgary's downtown lease market.

  8. I already support secular schools through my tax dollars and now it appears this new university college will be a duplication of the kind of education offered there. Why is it necessary for you to off er this kind of education?

    In Canada, university education has been in the hands of the public institutions. Accrediting bodies were historically reluctant to accredit Christian institutions. The result was a decreased Christian influence in the university scene. Christian young people who attend the secular universities often face pressure on their faith. A Christian world-view is frequently ignored and when acknowledged is sometimes discredited. Christian faculty teach in an atmosphere of political correctness which may exert subtle pressure on them to be silent about their faith. The Christian university gives opportunity for our youth to develop a Christian worldview while developing skills for service in a particular field. The education received in a Christian university setting is therefore substantively different than that obtained in a public setting. Like the public universities, we offer open, critical and thoughtful debate but in a context where the Christian perspective is respected and honoured. As an undergraduate teaching institution we excel in quality of education.While the public universities emphasize research, we emphasize classroom instruction and teacher/student interraction. Our students rate us
    very high in quality of instruction and knowledgeability of faculty. Students therefore leave well prepared for graduate work or
    professional training.

  9. Do you receive funding from the provincial government? Are there any "strings attached" to this funding?

    Ambrose receives some provincial funding for accredited arts and science programs. Ministry programs and capital projects, like the new campus, do not receive provincial funding. The arts and science programs receive funding because the Province of Alberta has determined they are of university quality (i.e., accredited) and deemed a public service. No "strings" are attached. The province does not fund land and buildings because these are privately owned and governed by Ambrose.

  10. I am an AUC alumnus as well as a member of an Alliance church. Should I give my gift directly to the Campaign or as part of my congregation’s commitment?

    The decision is yours to make. If you choose to the Melvyn and Marion Sylvester Atrium alumni project, you will be recognized individually for your contributions. If you choose to give as part of your congregation’s pledge, you may wish to let the Campaign Office know so that we can accurately assess support from our alumni/alumnae.

  11. I am an alumnus of NUC. How can I participate in the campaign?

    NUC alumni will have opportunity to contribute directly to the capital campaign through the Arnold E. Airhart Lecture Theatre alumni project. Those attending Nazarene churches also continue to support the operating fund through their local church education budget and through a special campaign appeal that was launched in May, 2007.

  12. I already support the operational needs of the schools. Can I put that donation towards the Campaign?

    We ask you to carefully consider making a gift over and above your regular operational contributions. Our operating costs will continue throughout the Campaign and your regular, faithful giving is essential for the schools to be successful. As well, the Campaign will require everyone to make a significant commitment in order to raise funds of this magnitude, which is why we provide the opportunity to make a pledge over three years.

  13. There are so many other important projects. Why should we support the building of a new campus for Ambrose?

    We are aware that there are many good projects to support. We believe that the capital campaign for a new campus is also worthy of your support because …IT’S ABOUT INVESTING IN PEOPLE The campaign to build a new campus is ultimately about equipping followers of Christ to serve him effectively in the Church and in the world. The new campus will better enable us to invest in the training of a new generation of servant leaders who will go on to have a redemptive influence in the communities and countries of the world. IT'S ABOUT OUR FAMILY Ambrose is an integral part of the Alliance and Nazarene church families. We work in co-operation with each other to fulfill Christ's call on our lives. Supporting Ambrose is a critical way we demonstrate commitment to our denominational mandate and identity. IT’S ABOUT A COMMITMENT TO OUR HERITAGE We are going to build on the heritage we have been given by those who have gone before. We are passionately committed to the truth of God’s inspired Word, to the church we exist to serve and to a lost world in need of the saving message of Jesus Christ. IT’S ABOUT LOOKING TO THE FUTURE As we hold on to unchanging truths, we are launching into the future with exciting initiatives as we add Arts and Science University degrees to our undergraduate and seminary ministry training. Our aim is to equip men and women to be “salt and light” in all sectors of Canadian society and around the world. IT’S ABOUT ETERNITY The investment that we make in a new campus now will enable us to welcome a growing number of students for decades to come. It is no exaggeration to say that their impact on the world will go well beyond time and on into eternity… the only lasting investment we all can make! Thank you for considering your part in this legacy project!

  14. Is there a need for another Christian university college when Trinity Western, Tyndale, Redeemer, Kings, Taylor, Nazarene and Atlantic already exist?

    We are asking God for a great renewing movement in Canada. All through the history of the church, educational movements have been at the centre of renewal. Even in Canadian history this has been true. Almost one hundred years ago, God raised up the Bible School movement whose influence shaped the church and society for half a century and beyond. We believe God is inviting us to be one of the founding institutions that ushers in this new movement. For this to work from a strategic point of view, every region and every major city in Canada needs a Christian university of at least 2,000 to 3,000 students. A network of schools this size, under the control of the Spirit, will have an enormous impact for good in our churches and society. All Christian university colleges, with the exception of Trinity Western, were established in the last fifteen years. During this period, enrolment at these institutions has more than doubled to over 5,000 students.

  15. What new programs are you planning to introduce in the next 5 years?

    In addition to expanding the depth of many of the programs that we already offer (both Ministry and Arts and Science), we are currently poised to offer a number of new programs in the next few years. We are launching a BSc: Biology major fall 2008.  We are nearing approval to offer an after-degree education program for fall 2009.

  16. Are All Faculty Members Christian?

    Yes: their personal commitment to Christ will be demonstrated by signing either the Alliance or Nazarene statements of faith; if they are not part of the sponsoring denominational families, a more general statement of Faith, such as the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is being considered.

  17. How Does the Faculty of Arts & Science support the historical committment of the founding institutions to Biblical and Theological Education?

    Committed to Our Heritage

    The educational work of The Christian & Missionary Alliance in Canada and the Church of the Nazarene Canada was historically rooted in a commitment to train pastors and missionaries. Canadian Bible College/ Canadian Theological Seminary and Canadian Nazarene College were created primarily for this purpose. These schools each have a proud legacy of graduates who went out to serve Jesus Christ as pastors and missionaries around the globe.

    Committed to the Bible

    The historical commitment to train pastors and missionaries in Bible, theology and practical ministry is still central to our mission. Our theological library is the largest in western Canada. In the past year we have hired an Old Testament, a New Testament, a Theology and a Youth Ministry professor. Our onSite missions practicum program is sending more students overseas than ever before. The missionary in residence program is still in place. A large percentage of our students are enroled in Bachelor of Theology, Bachelor of Ministry and Master of Divinity programs.

    At the core of each Arts & Science program are courses in Bible and theology. All courses are taught from a Christian perspective. All faculty members are committed to Jesus Christ. Some Arts & Science graduates enter limited access nations as non-traditional missionaries. Many serve in para-church organizations.

  18. How will Ambrose further the mission of The C&MA in Canada, The Church of the Nazarene (CoN) Canada, and the broader evangelical church?

    Ambrose continues to prepare men and women for pastoral and missionary service in the theological and devotional traditions of The C&MA and The CoN. This has not changed. We will also support the new missionary strategies by graduating the professional men and women our denominations say they now need. Furthermore, our graduates will fill our churches and become "marketplace" Christians who share our historic C&MA/Nazarene/Evangelical commitment to Christ-like living and missions. The new arts and science program promotes academic growth and personal development leading to professional competence, responsible citizenship and a life of service to God and neighbour.Their informed evangelical witness in the marketplace will also support the Church's mission.

  19. How is Ambrose related to the C&MA in Canada and the CoN Canada?

    Ambrose University College is the successor institution to CBC/CTS/AUC/NUC and is officially designated college of both The C&MA in Canada and The Church of the Nazarene--Canada. We are related theologically, financially, constitutionally, and morally, and our institutional mission is to serve our churches. Both Alliance and Nazarene church families are supporting the Ambrose campaign for a new campus. The board of the new Ambrose University College is comprised of representatives from both denominational constituencies, based on the proportion of assets invested.

  20. What programs does Ambrose offer?

    Ambrose offers ABHE accredited ministry degrees and provincially accredited BA degrees in Christian Studies, Music, Behavioural Science, English Literature, Business Administration, History, and General Studies. Many of these degrees are currently offered as three or four year degrees and as both Majors and Minors. Ambrose Seminary continues to offer both an MDiv, Masters of Arts in 1) Biblical and Theological Studies, 2) in Leadership and Ministry, 3) Intercultual Ministries. It also offers diplomas in Intercultural Ministries, Christian Studies, and Chinese Ministries

  21. How will Ambrose programs benefit students?

    Students will continue to access programs for preparation as pastors and missionaries. Many missionaries now rely on specific skills to gain access to nations that are closed or hostile toward the Christian message. As well, missionaries often need job skills to financially support their ministry. We now have greater opportunities to provide future missionaries with the education they require.In our Arts and Science program, students will have the opportunity to prepare for their career from a Christian perspective. To enable them to have a truly redemptive influence in our communities and the countries of the world, we must provide them with marketable skills for the new mission field right here in our own backyard: the office towers, courtrooms, factories, and businesses across our nation. In the new academic environment of a university college, our students will be encouraged to think biblically about their vocational and professional careers. They will be the backbone for this new missionary force. In the new university college, the arts and science programs will lead students toward careers in education, business, social work, law, journalism and a wide range of other fields, with degrees recognized throughout Canada. Our degrees will now be recognized in public institutions where in the past students received little credit for their years of work at CBC/CTS and CNC. They will also be prepared to pursue postgraduate education in a variety of fields, as well as biblical and theological studies. The university college provides a Christian environment for our students to study and live – a redemptive, Christian environment that embodies the lifestyle that they have lived at home.