[20] Carleton's faculty was composed largely of part-time professors who worked in the public service, some of whom eventually left the government for full-time tenure positions.

[21] James Gibson, chair of the Committee on Symbols and Ceremonials, proposed a Latin motto, "Opera nobis aeterna", derived from the Walt Whitman poem "Pioneers!

[25] Though the acquisition of land tracts now part of the current campus began in 1947, it was only in 1952 that the college gained possession of the entire 150-acre property, a significant portion of which was donated by Harry Stevenson Southam, a prominent Ottawa business magnate.

An increasing share of these students came to the school from outside the National Capital Region, prompting the university to open its first purpose-built residence halls, Lanark and Renfrew Houses in the fall of 1962.

Saint Patrick's College was founded by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate to meet the higher educational needs of Ottawa's growing English-speaking Catholic population.

The arrival of a new decade ushered in the inauguration of the long-awaited Nideyinàn (formerly University Centre), designed to be the linchpin for student life on campus, housing a student-operated pub and other administrative services.

Rising attention towards recreation and fitness, coupled with generous grants from the provincial government, spurred the construction of the Athletics Centre in 1974, housing a multiplicity of different sports facilities, including a pool, squash courts, and gymnasium.

In 2018, Carleton purchased the Dominion-Chalmers United Church located in Ottawa's Centretown neighbourhood to serve as a community and cultural hub, and host to artistic performances and academic lectures.

Located in the heart of Carleton's campus, the Nicol Building was designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects and provides 115,000 square feet of new, collaborative learning space.

[40] In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Carleton joined other Canadian post-secondary institutions in a decision to suspend in-person classes for the remainder of the 2019–2020 academic year, effectively moving instruction online.

The Board of Governors oversees the corporate affairs of the institution, including finances, real property, risk management, and strategic direction.

The faculty oversees a variety of disciplines in the humanities and social science fields, including African studies, anthropology, English, French, geography, history, music, psychology, and sociology.

[73] The School of Public Policy and Administration is the oldest such academic division in Canada and one of the most respected, with the university's first graduate degree in the discipline being granted in 1946.

The Nesbitt Biology Building contains several climate-controlled greenhouses that are host to an annual Butterfly Show in late September to early October, attracting visitors throughout the National Capital Region.

[100] In 2015, Maclean's began publishing program rankings for biology, business, computer science, education, engineering, mathematics, medicine, nursing, and psychology.

The campus became the subject of Modern U, an exhibition by local artist Adrian Gröllner that sought to highlight the late modernist architecture embodied by many of Carleton's early buildings.

[120] Past notable exhibitions include The Other NFB, which featured photography taken by the now-defunct Still Photography Division of the National Film Board of Canada during World War II and through the post-war years,[121] Here Be Dragons, which sought to display new experimental forms of protest art,[122] and Dorset Seen, showcasing Inuit printmaking and its relation to the Inuit experience with the Canadian identity.

[124] In 2018, Carleton purchased Dominion-Chalmers United Church, securing a future rehearsal and performance space for its Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

It continues to host religious services for the church's congregation as well as serve a variety of user groups from the community at large in addition to providing programing and experiential learning opportunities in arts and performance.

[134] RRRA hosts a variety of events for students in residence, including an annual formal,[135] and runs Abstentions, a convenience store located in Teraanga Commons.

[127] Graduate students elect an executive and council members to represent their respective interests within the organization, which in turn advocates on their behalf and provides a variety of services that cater to postgraduates, which include the operation of a Grad Lounge and Mike's Place, a student pub located in Nideyinàn specializing in Anglo-Indian cuisine, namesake of late Prime Minister and former Chancellor Lester B. Pearson.

From an administrative perspective, Carleton does not formally recognize fraternities and sororities, and has prohibited them from tabling in the Nideyinàn Atrium and Teraanga Commons while wearing their letters.

[140] In early 2016, a Carleton sorority became the locus of controversy after an incident in which several chapter members decided to pop 80 balloons simultaneously during a meeting in the Tory Building, followed by celebratory screaming which falsely triggered an active shooter lockdown on campus.

The Department of English Language and Literature supports the student-run writers' zine, In/Words, featuring creative writing and short stories from Carleton students.

Between 1999 and 2019, Dave Smart served as the head men's basketball coach at Carleton, and is credited for building the team's capacity to its current reputation of repeated success.

The Ravens women's team has helped to develop a number of professional players including Marlee Ball, Nicole Gilmore, Alyssa Cerino and Catherine Traer.

The game evolved into an iconic highlight within student life at Carleton, gaining a sordid reputation for heavy drinking and outlandish parties.

[158] The team planned to form an independent corporate entity with its own revenue stream—a model that has proven successful at other schools, notably Laval University.

These include Rosemary Barton and Andrew Chang, co-anchors of The National, Paul Watson, Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist, Greg Ip, chief economics commentator for The Wall Street Journal, Trina McQueen, founding president of the Discovery Channel, media mogul Conrad Black, Robert MacNeil, news anchor and journalist, Peter Worthington, Canadian News Hall of Fame inductee, Arthur Kent, Emmy Award–winning war correspondent, Nahlah Ayed, Middle East correspondent for the CBC, and Edward Greenspon, former Editor-in-Chief of The Globe and Mail.

[170][171] Other alumni in entertainment include the Canadian rapper k-os, Eisner Award–winning comics author Ryan North, YouTube personality Cristine Rotenberg, pop singer Mia Martina, actress Melody Anderson, and Grammy award–winning setar player Kayhan Kalhor.