Engineering Undergraduate Society

Previous/other names: The Engineering Society

Prominent date(s) of activity: 1902 - present

History: The Engineering School at UNB was established in 1889. In 1902 the Engineering Society was founded to foster interest in the field of engineering, develop professional contacts, and create a fun and enjoyable university experience for its members.

In 1919 a cooperative engineering supply store was established to supply students with instruments, paper, technical books, etc. at prices as near cost as possible.

In 1984 the Engineering Undergraduate Society was restructured to encompass the seven different societies representing Engineering specialties: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Forestry Engineering Geological Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Surveying Engineering. This change was meant to foster a greater sense of unity among Engineering students across the various specialties.

Activities: Group activities are concentrated during two main annual events: Engineering Week, which has consisted of an Airband Contest, smoker, beer brewing contest, Coaster Derby, Coaster Derby Pub, softball tournament, the Engineering Gala, and the Engineering Weekend, which featured an annual broomball tournament that began in 1988. The society also participates in a variety of charity events, and runs a store to raise funds. Beginning in 2002, the group has organized an annual robotics competition.

The EUS also publishes a faculty newspaper (The Piller), and executes the Engineering Expo job fair.

Note(s): The Engineering Undergraduate Society is the oldest student organization at UNB.

The group is also partly responsible for the distribution of the Engineering Endowment Fund (EEF). The EEF comes from a $1000 fee that has been added to the tuition of Engineering students at UNB since 2006-2007. The fund is used to improve the engineering facilities, buildings, and equipment, and to support improvements in research and teaching within the faculty. Members of the Engineering Undergraduate Society are nominated to a committee alongside faculty to decide which projects get funded by the program. When the Engineering Endowment Fund program was initiated by students in 1995, Engineering students were asked if they would be willing to make a tax deductable donation of $50 per student.

Source(s):

• UA Case 173.
• University Monthly, vol. 28, no.2, 1908, p. 58
• University Monthly, vol. 28, no.6-7, 1909, p. 201.
• University of New Brunswick Year Book for Nineteen Thirty-Three, 1933, p. 54.
• Up the Hill, 1955, p. Organizations.
• The Brunswickan, vol. 118, no. 20, 1984, p. 5.
• The Brunswickan, vol. 123, no. 20, 1989, p. 3.
• Up the Hill, 1990, p. 108.
• The Brunswickan, vol. 129, no. 22, 1995, p. 24.
• The Brunswickan, vol. 141, no. 20, 2008, p. 1.
• The Brunswickan, vol. 142, no. 24, 2009, p. 1.
• The Brunswickan, vol. 144, no. 19, 2011, p. 2.

© UNB Archives & Special Collections, 2014