Peace and Conflict Studies Program

Peace and Conflict Studies Program

Dates of Creation: 1973-
Note: Further accruals are expected.

Physical Description: 20 cm of textual materials

Administrative History: By 1970, Conrad Grebel University College was offering courses related to peace studies. Donovan Smucker served as director.On 14 May 1974, the College's board of governors authorized the creation of an academic and research program in peace studies. Conrad Brunk became director in 1976. In 1977, the University of Waterloo formally approved the Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) program. When classes began in the 1977/1978 academic year, PACS was the first peace studies program at a Canadian university. Students could take an option, minor or honours.

The research arm was strengthened with the formation of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (Series 24) in 1984. Ron Mathies became director of PACS in 1986; a field-study program was established the same year. A diploma in PACS was begun in 1989. Lowell Ewert was named director in 1997. In 2005 PACS began to offer a major in Peace and Conflict Studies and in 2012 it offered a Master in Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS).

The program is administered by the PACS Administrative Group (PACSAG), which is a committee composed of the permanent CGUC faculty assigned to PACS which meets regularly during the Fall and Winter terms.  PACSAG suggests and approves routine administrative direction and program details. It is chaired by the Director. The PACS Faculty Committee meets less frequently, and is comprised of a representative of each of the nine participating University of Waterloo departments, responsible for reviewing PACS Approved courses and major PACS Plan changes

Note: For newsletters published by the PACS program, see the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, XXVI-24.4 Newsletters.

File list:

1. PACS Annual Reports
   Note: Located in XXVI-2.1.1 Board of Governors. 
2. PACS Administrative Group (PACSAG) Minutes & Correspondence
   1985-Apr 2010
   Scope and content: Includes minutes, agendas, correspondence and supporting documents for PACSAG. PACS Faculty Group minutes after 1999 are also interfiled in this section. An index to the PACSAG minutes precedes the files. Supporting documents in the form of student petitions, scholarship applications, field studies applications and student lists were removed from the files in 2012 and are in the custody of the PACS department.
   Notes: "Undergraduate program review : seven year PACS strategy, 2006-2013" is located with Mar 17 2006 minutes.
3. Administrative Documents and Memoranda
   2002-2004 (incomplete)
4. Degree Program Planning 
   Internal memoranda, 2002-2004 
   Learning Initiatives Grant, 2003
5. Reports
   Self-Study Report & Academic Report, 2005
   Two year progress report towards achieving the seven year strategic plan, 28 Apr 2008
   Certificate program annual report, 30 Apr 2009
   Project Ploughshares annual report, 2008
   Self-Study Report, 2012
   MPACS Program Proposal Brief, vol. 1, Nov 2011
6. PACS program formation
   1971-1977, summary of reports 1988/1989-2003/2004, grad lists 1979-1989
   Note: The following article was removed: Peace studies at Conrad Grebel College / UW Guidelines, January 1974, 2(1), p. 15.
7. Anniversary Celebrations, 2008, 2018
8. Service Learning manual and correspondence
9. PACS Faculty Group, 1977-1984 (incomplete), 1986-1999
   Note: Faculty Group minutes after 1999 are interfiled with PACSAG (XXVI-23/2).
10. Brochures and mailings, [199-]-2009
11. PACS 314, 2001-2005
    Note: Includes records of the Summer Institute course "Conflict Resolution in the Schools."
12. PACS student conferences, 1999-2002
13. MCC United Nations seminars, 1998-2006
14. C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest, 1998-2006
15. Centre for the Study of Religion and Peace, 2010
16. Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies (sample)
17. News clippings
18. Internships
    1. Early years, 1985-2006
    2. Information, [198-], 1997-1999, 2001-2002
    3. Reports and photographs, 1991-2000
19. Student Volunteer in PACS program, 1997-1999
20. PACS Nomination of Peacebuilders Community for the Okinawa peace Prize, 2007-2008
21. Power of Peace Network proposal, 2008-2010
22. International Peace Day speaker Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, 2009
23. Long range planning, 1998-2001
24. "PACS Sessional Course Instructor Guidelines," 2008