Welcome to Royal Roads University

by Jim Boutilier, Ph.D.

Royal Roads Military College(RRMC) was one of three military colleges in Canada. Founded in 1940, as a naval officer training establishment, Royal Roads passed through a number of academic variations in its 55 years. In 1975, Royal Roads became a degree-granting university.

The federal government decided in February 1994 that it would close RRMC and its francophone counterpart, College Militaire Royal (CMR) in St. Jean, Quebec. These closures were reflections of an international phenomenon, the conversion of defence establishments following the Cold War in North America, Europe and elsewhere.

Within days of the closure announcement, the faculty and staff created the Royal Roads University Planning Committee. Membership was open to all within the RRMC community. The Committee was dedicated to promoting the conversion of Royal Roads into a civilian university. This was an excruciatingly difficult task. To begin with, a deal had to be struck between Ottawa and Victoria over the leasing of the land. Would all or a portion of Hatley Park Estate (650 exquisite forested acres overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca) be leased to the province? If a portion, would the rest be developed, and if so by whom?

These and many other questions were the subject of prolonged and complex negotiations lasting until December 1994. Throughout that period, dedication to equality of treatment for BC and Quebec meant that the fate of Royal Roads became enmeshed with the fate of CMR.

From December 1994 onward, Royal Roads became largely a provincial concern. The Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour was unimpressed by the prospect of creating a university where RRMC had once stood. Nevertheless, the RRU Planning Committee was successful (in marked contrast to CMR) in convincing key cabinet ministers. In June 1995, BC's "newest" university was legislated into a free-standing, degree-granting university.

While details of the lease remain to be finalised, a 140 acre campus has been demarcated around the famed baronial Hatley Castle. Also, substantial federal help has defrayed some costs of conversion.

Staff were engaged during the summer and autumn of 1995 to refurbish and run RRU as well as to map out educational proposals for the university. The goal is to have Royal Roads University's own students enrolling in September 1996 (currently there are 300 University of Victoria students). While a great deal remains to be done, there is every likelihood that we will one day look on RRU as Canada's most successful and visionary defence conversion.

Jim Boutilier is a professor at Royal Roads University and was also one at Royal Roads Military College.

Copyright  © 1996, Victoria Peace Centre Society
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