DRAFT UNTIL APPROVED BY SENATE
Minutes of a meeting of the Senate of Simon Fraser University held on Monday, ?
December 1, 1997 at 7:00 pm in Room 3210 WMC
Open Session
Present: ?
Blaney, Jack, President
pro tern
and Chair
Barrow, Robin
Absent: ?
Baert, Jessica
Bawa, Parveen
Beattie, Suzan
Berggren, J. Len
Blazenko, George
Boland, Larry
Cleveland, William
Bowman, Marilyn
Dunsterville, Valerie
Chan, Albert
Etherington, Lois
Clayman, Bruce
Giffen, Ken
Coleman, Peter
Hassan, Nany
D'Auria, John
Howlett, Michael
Dobb, Ted
Lewis, Brian
Emmott, Alan
McInnis, Dina
Gagan, David
Nip, Harry
Gillies, Mary Ann
Overington, Jennifer
Jones, Cohn
Segal, Joseph
Jones, John
Tam, Lawrence
Kanevsky, Lannie
Whitbread, Katherine
Kirczenow, George
Wickstrom, Norman
. ? Marteniuk, Ron
Mathewes, Rolf
Mauser, Gary
In attendance:
Morris, Joy
Fizzell, Maureen
Naef, Barbara
Law, Francis
Ogloff, James
Pinfield, Larry
Osborne, Judith
Parmar, Neelam
Percival, Paul
Peterson, Louis
Pierce, John
Reed, Clyde
Russell, Robert
Sanghera, Balwant
Warsh, Michael
Waterhouse, John
Winne, Phil
Wong, Tim
Wortis, Michael
Yagi, Ian
Yerbury, Cohn
Watt, Alison, Director, Secretariat Services
10
?
Grant, Bobbie, Recording Secretary
S.M. 1/12/97
Page
2
1.
Approval of the Agenda
The Agenda was approved as distributed.
2.
Minutes were approved as distributed.
4. ?
Report of the Chair
There were no objections to a request from the Chair to move to Agenda Item 4
prior to 'Business Arising from the Minutes'.
i) On behalf of Senate, the Chair extended congratulations to Senator
Robert Russell on his election to the Board of Governors by and from faculty
members jointly.
last meeting with respect to the
wished to present a
90
second
the Centre which is being built
campus. He reported that the
from the Federal Government,
expected completion time is
ii) As a result of interest expressed at the
Centre for Dialogue, the Chair advised that h
informational video for Senate's viewing on
downtown across from the Harbour Centre
University has received four million dollars
construction is now underway and the
approximately 14 months.
3.
?
Business Arising from the Minutes
i)
?
S.97-81 -
SCAR - ad hoc Committee on the Role of Senate/University
Governance (For Information)
The Chair reported that the proposal from SCAR had resulted from concerns
expressed about Senate's role in reviewing University policies.
In response to an inquiry about the difference in the way faculty and student
senators versus administrative senators were selected to the committee, Senate
was advised that SCAR felt this was the most expedient way to establish
membership.
In response to a request for clarification as to voting members, it was noted that all
members are voting and that the Director of Secretariat Services and the
Secretary of Senate are ex-officio members.
Concern was expressed about Terms of Reference, point 1. It was suggested that
the wording contradicts the University Act which states that academic
governance rests with Senate, whereas the wording implies that there are polices
affecting academic governance that do not fall directly within the jurisdiction of
Senate. Senate was informed that the intent of SCAR was to make mention that
some policies currently come before Senate, some do not. Of those which now
do not come before Senate, the Committee will review those to determine if any
have academic implications and therefore ought to be presented to Senate. The
Chair indicated that Point 1 would be reworded to reflect discussion.
.
.
S.M. 1/12/97
Page 3
Concern was expressed about the deadline of May 30th, and opinion was
expressed that some issues, particularly the policy on research ethics, should be
addressed before that. The Chair indicated that they would try for the end of
March.
5. ?
Reports of Committees
a)
Senate Nominating Committee
i) ?
Paper S.97-82 - Elections
Senate was advised that no nominations were received for the one position
noted on Senate paper S.97-82 and the vacancy will be carried forward.
b)
Senate Committee on Academic Planning/Senate Graduate Studies
Committee
i)
PaDer S.97-83 - ProDosed Master of Environmental Toxicolo
gy
Program
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by B. Clayman
'that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of
Governors, as set forth in S.97-83, the proposed Master of
. ?
Environmental Toxicology Program, including
New courses: BISC 651, 655, 656, 657, 658, 854, 855, 856"
Francis Law, Department of Biological Sciences, was in attendance in order to
respond to questions.
Senate was advised that the proposal represents a professional degree rather than
a research degree program and, following completion of the program, graduates
will be eligible to apply for certification from the American Board of Toxicology.
There is significant demand for graduates with this credential in British Columbia
and elsewhere in Canada.
Question was called, and a vote taken.
?
MOTION CARRIED
Senate received information that SGSC, acting under delegated authority,
approved a change of title for BISC 650, 652 and a change of number - BISC 651
to BISC 654.
ii)
Paper S.97-84 - Faculty of Education - Graduate Curriculum Revision
Senate received information that SGSC, acting under delegated authority,
approved a change of credit requirement for the Intermediate and Elementary
Mathematics Program in the Faculty of Education.
0
S.M. 1/12/97
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iii)
?
Paper
Graduate
S.97-85
Programs
- Revised Membership - Assessment Committee for New
?
is
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by B. Clayman
"that Senate approve, as set forth in S.97-85, the following change
to the membership of the Assessment Committee for New
Graduate Programs (ACNGP):
From: One member from each Faculty elected by the respective
Faculty Graduate Studies Committee from the SGSC
To: One member from each Faculty elected by and from the
respective Faculty Graduate Studies Committee"
Question was called, and a vote taken.
?
MOTION CARRIED
c) ?
Senate Committee on Academic Planning/Senate Committee on
Undergraduate Studies
I) ?
Paper S.97-86 - Undergraduate Curriculum Revisions - Faculty of Applied
Sciences
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by P. Bawa
"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of
Governors, as set forth in S.97-86, the proposed Certificate in
Applied Human Nutrition including: New courses: KIN 111, 212,
312"
Question was called, and a vote taken.
?
MOTION CARRIED
Senate received information that SGSC, acting under delegated authority,
approved curriculum revisions to a number of existing undergraduate courses and
programs in the School of Communication, School of Computing Science,
School of Engineering Science, and the School of Kinesiology.
ii)
?
Paper S.97-87 - Undergraduate Curriculum Revisions - Faculty of Arts
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by J. Osborne
"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of
Governors, as set forth in S.97-87, the following curriculum revisions
for the Faculty of Arts:
Department of Psychology
- Addition to regulations governing admission to the Psychology
Honours Program;
P-j
S.M. 1/12/97
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Department of Sociology/Anthropology
- Proposed Joint Major between Sociology/Anthropology and
Criminology
- Proposed Joint Major between Sociology/Anthropology and
Communication"
Question was called, and a vote taken.
?
MOTION CARRIED
Senate received information that SGSC, acting under delegated authority,
approved curriculum revisions to a number of existing undergraduate courses and
programs in the Department of Archaeology, Cognitive Science Program, School
for the Contemporary Arts, School of Criminology, Department of Economics,
Department of English, First Nations Studies, Department of French, Department
of Geography, Gerontology Program, Department of History, Interdisciplinary
Studies, Latin American Studies Program, Department of Linguistics, Department
of Sociology/Anthropology, Spanish Program, Department of Women's Studies.
iii)
?
?
Paper
S.97-88 -
Undergraduate Curriculum Revisions - Faculty of Business
?
Administration
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by
J.
Waterhouse
"that Senate approve the revised admission criteria for the Faculty of
Business Administration as set forth in
S.97-88"
Larry Pinfield, Associate Dean, Faculty of Business Administration and Maureen
Fizzell, Undergraduate Curriculum Chair, Faculty of Business Administration were
in attendance in order to respond to questions.
A general concern was expressed about the establishment of direct entry to
programs, especially in Category 1, and opinion was expressed that this process
contradicted the original philosophy of the University. Senate was advised that
the intent of the policy was to offer direct admission to a limited number of
students in order to attract some top level students which the Faculty felt they
were losing to other institutions who admit directly to their programs. The
intended distribution of admissions is Category 1 - 15%, Category
2 - 10%,
Category 3 - 40%
,
and Category 4 - 35% of students admitted. Although the
Faculty would like to leave a little flexibility in the distribution, there was no
objection to limiting Category 1 to 15%. It was also pointed out that the
percentages relevant to the other categories represented historical averages and
little change would occur from current practice. Concern was expressed that the
document did not reflect the Faculty's intention and request was made that the
document be amended with respect to 15% limit for Category 1. The Chair
noted that the document would be so amended.
Question was called, and a vote taken.
?
MOTION CARRIED
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Senate received information that SCUS, acting under delegated authority,
approved a number of curriculum revisions to existing undergraduate courses and
programs within the Faculty of Business Administration.
iv)
?
?
Paper S. 97-89 - Undergraduate Curriculum Revisions - Faculty of
?
Education
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by R. Barrow
"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of
Governors, the curriculum revisions for the Faculty of Education as
set forth in S.97-89 - Proposed Minor in Curriculum and Instruction"
Question was called, and a vote taken.
?
MOTION CARRIED
Senate received information that SCUS, acting under delegated authority,
approved curriculum revisions to a number of existing undergraduate courses and
programs within the Faculty of Education.
Paper S.97-90 - Undergraduate Curriculum Revisions - Faculty of Science
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by C. Jones
"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of
Governors, as set forth in S.97-90, the following curriculum revision
for the Faculty of Science: Proposed Applied Physics Honors
Program"
Question was called, and a vote taken.
?
MOTION CARRIED
Senate received information that SCUS, acting under delegated authority,
approved curriculum revisions to a number of existing undergraduate courses and
programs in the Department of Chemistry, Applied Physics Program, Biochemistry
Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Actuarial Certificate Program,
Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Environmental Science Program,
Department of Biological Sciences, Earth Sciences Program, Department of
Physics, and the Physical Geography Program.
6. ?
Other Business
Concern was expressed with respect to Monday, December 6th being referred to
as a "Free Day for make up classes and labs" rather than the last day of classes for
the Fall semester 1997. Senate was reminded of a motion passed several years
ago specifying that when the semester commenced in the middle of the first
week, then the semester would officially continue on to include a day such as
Monday, December 6th as a formal class day. The intent of the motion was to
compensate students losing lectures on statutory holiday Mondays. Opinion was
expressed that calling it a "make-up day" results in confusion as to whether or not
it should be treated as a formal class day or not. R. Heath explained that the
wording had been changed in an attempt to clear up confusion with the original
S.M. 1/12/97
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01
appearedbut there was no problem changing it back if Senate wished. There
appeared to be a consensus to change back to the original wording "last day of
classes."
Reference was made to the Maclean's issue relating to university ratings.
Although it was nice to see that Simon Fraser University was ranked at the top of
the overall ranking in the comprehensive category for the second year in a row,
concern was expressed about the low ranking SFU received in the 'First Year
Classes Taught by Tenured Faculty' category. Senate was advised that the
Maclean's information is provided by Analytical Studies and SFU has consistently
been below 40% in this category in recent years. D. Gagan informed Senate that
he has previously raised this issue with the Deans and that these statistics were of
concern to his office.
It was suggested that there may be a problem with the methodology used by
Maclean's to collect and analyze the data. D. Gagan advised Senate that the
problem was wide spread across the University and was not merely a function of
methodology. Brief discussion ensued with regard to methodology and some
teaching practices specific to SFU. The Chair indicated that the Vice-President,
Academic will attempt to check out the methodology used by Maclean's and will
review the information and make further investigations into this issue.
7. ?
Information
The next regularly scheduled meeting of Senate will take place on Monday,
January 5, 1998.
The Open Session adjourned at 7:30 pm. Following a brief recess, the Assembly moved
into Closed Session.
Alison Watt
Director, Secretariat Services