Harrison House (Fredericton)


Harrison House is a university residence at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It was built in 1962 as part of the largest building program ever at UNB which included several other residences and faculty buildings. When it was built, it was operated as an all-male residence, but from September 1991 to present, it has been a co-ed residence on the UNB Fredericton campus. The mascot for Harrison is the Husky and the house colours consist of red, and black.

Residence community at UNB

At UNB in 2011, there are fourteen different residence houses to choose from, each with its own character, culture, and traditions. There are one men's, two women's, nine co-ed, one apartment style, and one suite style residence. Most of the early residences have changed in format from single-gender houses to co-educational style configurations since their original construction from the late 1950s and early 1960s. Harrison changed from male residence to co-ed residence for autumn 1991.

Community organization

The UNB residence community is loosely based upon the Oxbridge system of separate colleges within a federalised university system. As such, Harrison is part of a larger community of residences at UNB. It is located as part of campus' central 'quad' zone. The residence community has various staff and leadership, and at the house-level, a Don -- who lives in the residence. The Don is assisted by floor Proctors and educational Proctors -.

UNB social life

The social aspect of life in residence, and particularly in Harrison has changed substantially over the years with each subsequent time period referring to a past period as a utopia. Accurately, each change has imposed a different degree of controls on social activity.
At one time, many residences operated in-house bars wherein they hosted regular parties. In later years, the bars were abolished, and the Dean of Residence office operated Campus Bar Services, a travelling bar service. Bar Services would be hired by each residence when hosting a regulated social event, of which several were permitted per term. There is now a limit of one such party per term. These limitations have been enforced to alter the image of UNB as a party-school. Also, the Liquor store on Prospect Street was named the busiest in the province, anecdotally because it was closest to UNB.

Harrison House student self government

The residents at Harrison elect a house committee to act as peer-leaders. The committee also works with the Residence Coordinator, Don, floor proctors, and educational proctors to coordinate house social, educational, charity, athletic activities, etc.

Harrison House Presidents List

2020-2021 Cole Morash

2019-2020 Lexi Gavin

2018-2019 Louisa Gauvin

2017-2018 Holly Russell

2016-2017 Logan Blanchard

2015-2016 Dakota Van Dijk

2014-2015 Brett Pineau

2013-2014 Kyle Merritt

2012-2013 Chris Cormier/Erin Ferguson

2011-2012 Richard Sawler

2010-2011 Mark Devereux

2009-2010 Carolyn Wilson

2008-2009 Scott Carter

2007-2008 Brian Koval

2006-2007 Andrina DiFrancesco

2005-2006 Kyle Dorken

2004-2005 Kyle MacKenzie

2003-2004 Brent McCumber

2002-2003 Patrick "Hayseed" Rosebrook

2001-2002 Adam "Country" Harris

2000-2001 Erin Hardy

1998-2000 James "Jimbo" Titus

1997-1998 Andrew Dawson

1996-1997 Ryan Howard

1995-1996 Melanie Morrissey

1994-1995 Doug MacLean

1993-1994 Daniel Léger

1992-1993 Larry Whitman

1991-1992 Sean Daly

1990-1991 Dean Mullin

1989-1990 Ed Turpin

1968-1969 Alexander "Sandy" Hogan

1967-1968 Doug Mathews

Harrison House Don List

2017 House Don System Abolished

2016-2017 Phil Taber

2013-2016 Hannah Connon

2012-2013 Bronwyn Bonney

2010-2012 Brian Beaudette

2008-2010 Krystal Ford

2007-2008 Paul Mysak

2006-2007 T. M. Balls

2005-2007 G. M. Bowen

2003-2004 Bryna Fraser

2000-2003 Vicki Hape-Gould

1999-2000 Caroline Jones

1998-1999 Alexandre Banks

1997-1998 Rashmi Geol

1996-1997 Karen Geldart

1993-1996 Andrew Johnston

1992-1993 Ric Cuthberson

1990-1992 George Multamaki

198?-1990 Zalman Starr

1984-1985 Tony Giles

1983-1984 Peter Lovell

?-1983 Don MacAdam

1969-1977 Ken Windsor

1968-1969 Don Andrus

1966-1968 Mariano Piquer

Ken Windsor

Ken Windsor was Harrison Don from 1969–77 and was killed in car accident in Poland in 1979. An Associate Professor of History at UNB, he was responsible for many of the traditions and innovations within Harrison House and across the residence system as a whole. From tolerating the Pumpkin Sacrifice to introducing the student Janitorial Service, he inspired a generation of Harrisonians.

Resident janitorial service

For many years, Harrison has had a UNB-sponsored student run co-operative house janitorial students whose employees were house residents. The basic idea was that if the residents were able to maintain an adequate level of cleanliness, they would benefit from the income as well as gaining responsibility.
The residence is one of two UNB residences that still maintains the student run Janitorial Service, also known as J-Staff.
Supervisor List
2018/19 - Brandon Horvath & Kordell Walsh
2017/18 - Cabot Morgan & Amanda Short

House events

Harrison House maintains the longest running tradition at UNB, The Great Pumpkin Sacrifice, which began in 1973. For the event a large pumpkin is carved in the face of the Roman god Janus. One side of the face is a happy face, the other a not-so-happy one. This represents the 'academic' harvest and that some are happy with the crop reaped, while others are not. House residents decorate campus and the city with pumpkins in the lead-up to the event, and mark the coming of the event by a two-minute howl at midnight on each of the seven days prior to the event. Silence marks the daylight hours of 31 October in a mark of the solemnity of the occasion and the judgement that will come in the sacrifice.
Leading up to midnight on Halloween, the Great Pumpkin is escorted by a cast of actors, wise-people, and house residents guarded by the Pumpkin's militia out of the house front doors, and across campus, blessed at the former Lady Dunn Hall courtyard, and returned to Harrison House where it is risen to the roof and sacrificially dropped and exploded. Although the event has always been prescribed to take place a midnight on Halloween, for several years in the early 2000s, the timing was adjusted to just before 10 PM, so that it would not interfere with university quiet hours.

Orientation week

For a few years, until the fall of 2006, Frosh Week in Harrison House included The Mr. and Mrs. Harrison contest. This was a voluntary cross-dressing pageant, in which new Harrisonians went before a panel of judges, composed of Orientation Committee members.

50th anniversary

House leadership has begun planning for a 50th anniversary celebration to be held from 29 to 31 October 2011 to coincide with the 39th annual Great Pumpkin Sacrifice.

Harrison House in the community

House charity

Residence's plan an all day curling tournament to raise money for Right To Play.

Notable alumni