Flag Policy

Responsibility: USask Governance Office
Authorization: Board of Governors
Approval Date: Oct 1, 1979
Reformatted: Mar 30, 2001
Amended: Mar 29, 2016 / Dec 11, 2018

The Canadian flag displayed on the top of the Thorvaldson Building is the official flag of the university that is half-masted as a sign of respect and mourning upon death:

To pay respect to deceased students, faculty and staff as well as member of the Senate and the Board of Governors who worked and studied at the University of Saskatchewan;

To pay respect to the Sovereign, the Prime Minister of Canada, the Premier of Saskatchewan, current or former chancellors of the university or other distinguished persons.

A second flag pole at the front of the Peter MacKinnon Building is used to display the flag of a country or other entity to mark special dates or to recognize an association with the university.

Lowering the flag to half-mast

The Canadian flag on the Thorvaldson Building will be flown at half-mast in respect of all faculty, staff and students who die while an employee, student or member of a governing body of the University of Saskatchewan. This includes part-time as well as full-time students, faculty and staff. The flag will also be flown at half-mast to recognize retired members of the university faculty.

The Canadian flag on the Thorvaldson Building will be flown at half-mast on the death of the Sovereign, the Prime Minister of Canada, the Premier of Saskatchewan, current or former chancellors of the university or other distinguished persons as designated by the president, a vice-president or the university secretary and chief governance officer.

The flag will be flown at half-mast to mourn lives lost in tragic national and international events. In such cases, a decision to lower the flag and the period during which it remains at half-mast will generally mirror the practice of the Province of Saskatchewan.

Other individuals and events may be recognized by lowering the flag at the discretion of the president of the university.

The flag will also be flown at half-mast on nationally agreed occasions:

• National Day of Remembrance of the Battle of Vimy Ridge (April 9th)

• National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job (April 28th)

• National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism (June 23rd)

• Police and Peace Officer’s National Memorial Day (Last Sunday in September)

• Remembrance Day (November 11th)

• National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women (December 6th)

Procedure summary

The University Secretary and Chief Governance Officer will be informed of the death of any person for whom the flag should be flown at half-mast or any event or individual the president of a vice-president wishes to have recognized. The flag will be flown at half-mast on one occasion:

• On the day of death of the deceased, if the information is received before 10:00 a.m., or on the day of the funeral

• If the funeral has already occurred, the USask Governance Office will choose an appropriate day to lower the flag.

• If the deceased was a member of council, a tribute will be given at Council, and if the funeral date has passed, the flag will be lowered on the date of that Council meeting.

• If the deceased was a vice president and there will be a memorial on campus with family, the flag will be lowered on that date.

• The USask Governance Office will make the necessary arrangements for the flag located on the Thorvaldson Building

• Other Canadian flags that are controlled by the university will comply with this policy.

Second Flagpole

A second flagpole in front of the Peter MacKinnon Building is used to display the flag of a country or other entity to mark special dates or to recognize an association with the university, as determined by the president in consultation with the University Secretary and Chief Governance Officer.

Procedure Summary

• Any request to display the flag of a country or entity other than the Canadian flag should be forwarded to the USask Governance Office, and should include a rationale for the display of such flag, as well as a proposed date or dates.

• The University Secretary and Chief Governance Office will forward the request, along with any pertinent information, to the president, who will make the determination whether the request will be granted.

The USask Governance Office will make the necessary arrangements to have the flag displayed on the date or dates determined by the president.