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S.08-2

TO: Senate

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Senate Committee on University Priorities

Memorandum

FROM:

John Water

Chair, SCU

Vice Presid

RE:

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

DATE: ?

December

10,

2007

David Lam Centre - Revised Terms of Reference

(SCUP 07-74)

At its December 5, 2007 meeting SCUP reviewed and approved the revised Terms of

Reference for the David Lam Centre from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Motion

That Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors, the revised Terms of

Reference for the David Lam Centre, in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

MEMO

ATTENTION John Waterhouse. VP Academic

Faculty of

FROM

Lesley B. Cormack, Dean, FASS

Arts and Social Sciences

are aware, the David Lam Centre has existed for

forward after the retirement of Prof. Jan Walls, the

604-291-3033 (Fax)

Centre's founding and only director. The Centre seemed

www.sfu.ca/arts(Web)

to exist for the first five years without any formal terms

of reference, and the terms of reference established in

1994

do not define a means of granting membership or a

mailin g address

process for selecting a new director beyond the default

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8888 University Drive

for Schedule B centres, that is, by appointment of the

Burnaby, BC Canada

Vice-President, Research. The

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proposal lists 8

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founding members by name, 5 of whom have since

retired. No further records on membership have been

discovered:

You have discussed with my predecessor, John Pierce,

this Faculty's vision for revising the Centre so that

participation in it could be broadened while maintaining

the essential character of the Centre as a research unit

dedicated to the Asia and the Pacific Rim, and more

particularly to the connections between Canada and this

important region. We also anticipate that the Centre will

continue to maintain its important ties with the local

communities, and will be instrumental in disseminating

the research on the interrelationships between Canada

and the Asian region in collaboration with the

communities themselves.

In order to sharpen the focus of the Centre on research,

we are close to completing an agreement with Continuing

Studies to take over the noncredit teaching of Asian

SI \I()N FRASER UNIVERSI r y

THINKING OF THE WORLD

Faculty of

Arts and Social

Sciences

Languages and cultures that the Centre had been

managing since its founding. The Centre will continue to

have a close identification with those activities, but will

be freed of the overhead of managing those programs.

Continuing Studies has the infrastructure and expertise

to oversee noncredit programs of this sort, so an overall

gain of efficiency for the institution will result from this

move.

We are now prepared to put forward the attached terms of

reference for a revised David Lam Centre. We foresee a

centre that is focused on research and that takes

advantage of the broad expertise about and interests in

Asia that are reflected across the various departments of

the Faculty and the University.

We are proposing that the Centre move from a schedule B

centre to schedule A. This is intended to reflect the fact

that most of the activity of the Centre is and will continue

to preclude a very inclusive slate of activities that draws

in colleagues from across the University. Indeed, the

Ming and Stella Wong Professor in International Business

will have a seat in the steering committee. We are

Likewise proposing that the holder of the new Jack Austin

Chair in the Asian Economies become a permanent

member of the Centre and its steering committee.

The revised terms of reference assure that continuity can

be maintained in the appointment of a director, as they

put in place new governance procedures that empower

the steering committee to nominate a director to the

dean. The changes that have been introduced are

relatively few and are simple, but they improve the

viability of the Centre in the long term while allowing it to

focus on research.

SIMON FRASIP UNIVERSITY ?

THINKING OF THE WORLD

Faculty of

Arts and Social Sciences

I strongly support this revision, and request that you

forward it to Senate for consideration.

Attachment

Cc: T. Perry, Associate Dean. FASS

SIMON FIASEU UNIVERSITY ?

THINKING OF THE WORLD

Terms

Reference

David Lam Centre

Statement of Special Purpose

The purpose of the David Lam Centre is to conduct research and organize related

activities with a focus on the interface between Canada and the Asia-Pacific region.

These activities are intended to extend across a broad spectrum of social, cultural, and

economic issues from both contemporary and historical perspectives.

Membership

Members of faculty at Simon Fraser University who have academic expertise in Asian

and Pacific studies and in Canadian-Asian relations may become members of the Centre.

Colleagues from outside the university and retired members may be appointed as

corresponding members for a specific term. The holders of the Ming and Stella Wong

chair of International Business (Faculty of Business Administration) and the Jack Austin

Chair in the Asian Economies (Department of Economics) will be permanent members of

the Centre by virtue of their appointment to these chairs. All invitations to become

members will come from the Steering Committee (see below).

Statement of Internal Governing Procedures

Sciences and will consist of at least six members. The holders of the Ming and Stella

Wong chair of International Business (Faculty of Business Administration) and the Jack

Austin Chair in the Asian Economies (Department of Economics) will be members of the

Steering Committee by virtue of their appointment to these chairs. The Director of the

Asia-Canada Program in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences will also be a member

of the Steering Committee

ex officio.

Operational responsibility for internal governance of the Centre lies with the Centre's

Director. who develops Centre policies in consultation with the Steering Committee and

manages the activities of the Centre. The Director will chair the Steering Committee.

• An Advisory Board consisting of leading members of the business, professional and

cultural communities with interest in the Centre's mandate will also provide guidance to

the program of the Centre. Membership in this Board will be at the invitation of the

Steering Committee, subject to the approval of the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social

Sciences. The Chair of the Advisory Board will be elected annually by and from the

members of the Board.

Appointment of Director

The Director will be appointed by the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, upon a

nomination by and from the Steering Committee of the Centre. The term of appointment

would normally be for a three-year period, renewable upon mutual agreement.

Identification of the Applicable Schedule under R 40.01

The David Lam Centre is identified as Schedule A, reporting to the Dean, faculty of Arts

and Social Sciences.

Centre's Obligation to Comply with University Policy

The David Lam Centre will comply with Simon Fraser University policies in all its

activities.

November. 2007