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S.08-80

(For Information)

• ?

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Senate Committee on University Priorities

Memorandum

FROM:

RE:

Timelines for Action on Remaining

DATE: ?

May

14,

Recommendations from the Report of

Phase 2 Faculty Structure Task Force

Preamble

In October, 2006, reporting back to Senate following an extensive community

consultation process, the Phase

Faculty Structure Task Force recommended that

Simon Fraser University examine alternative academic configurations, structures and

systems of support. In doing so, the Phase

Task Force affirmed the commitment to

liberal education in the arts and sciences as core to the University, balanced with a

critical need for SFU to continue to change and grow in strategic directions.

The subsequent work and recommendations of the Phase 2 Task Force on Faculty

Structure reaffirmed this commitment to liberal education and to innovation. The report

of the Phase 2 Task Force on Faculty Structure, "Removing Barriers: A Design For the

Future of SFU", incorporated the foundations laid by the Phase 1 report in making

recommendations intended to guide the further development of SFU in the coming

years.

Following receipt of the report of the Phase 2 Task Force for discussion at Senate, on

April 7, 2008, Senate subsequently approved and recommended to the Board of

Governors motions regarding the creation and realignment of Faculties. This was an

important first step in acting on the recommendations made by the Phase 2 Task Force.

As outlined in the summary document attached, the remaining recommendations from

the report of the Phase 2 Task Force reflect important work related to, and supportive

of, the new Faculty structure.

Timelines for Consideration and Action on Remaining Recommendations

SCUP reports to Senate that action will be taken on the remaining recommendations

contained in the report of the Phase 2 Task Force on Faculty Structure, "Removing

Barriers: A Design For the Future of SFU". A summary of the recommendations from

the report, the actions required, and a proposed timeline for implementation, is

attached. Action on particular recommendations will take place subject to funding,

Senate approvals, or negotiations, as required.

Rationale

The Final Report of the Phase 2 Task Force on Faculty Structure was submitted to

Senate at the March 3, 2008 meeting. Senate is referred to that report for a more

detailed rationale.

The recommendations contained in the report allow for further work on policies,

programs, and structures to support the new Faculties established through the previous

motions passed at Senate. As is the case with the new Faculty structure, the initiatives

will enhance SFU's position as a top tier university for research and teaching, and better

position the university for future growth, innovation, and advancement in an increasingly

demanding post-secondary sector. The initiatives will support SFU's ability to support

recruitment and retention of students and faculty, to attract new governmental, external,

and research funding, and to support the new Faculty structure approved recently at

Senate. lnterdisciplinarity will be significantly enhanced, as will SFU's existing strengths

and accomplishments.

Report of the Phase 2 Task Force on Faculty Structure: ?

Remaining Recommendations & Approvals Required

Programmatic issues

Recommendation 14: That there be formalization and adequate commitments given to the

Cognitive Science Program by participating units and that the Terms of Reference for the

External Review Team of the Cognitive Science Program (scheduled for early 2008)

specifically solicit the advice of the review team on the issues identified in the

submission by Cognitive Science to the Task Force.

Lead - A VPA, Dean, Chair

Approvals - SCUP, Senate, utilizing current External Review process

Timeframe - Review now completed; awaiting reports. Initiate further action, Fall 2008

Recommendation 16: That a new "Information and Communications Technology"

(IT/ICT) program be collaboratively pursued at Simon Fraser University as follows:

16.1:

A Joint Program Development Committee be established with

representatives from Computing Science, Engineering Science, Interactive

Arts and Technology, Business Administration, Cognitive Science, and

. ? potentially others;

16.2: The IT/ICT Joint Program Development Committee develop

a report for

consideration by Senate by September 2009 outlining the feasibility,

faculty gap analysis, resource requirements and draft curriculum of

implementing an IT/ICT program at SFU.

Lead - VPA and Deans to strike committee

Approvals - SCUS, SGSC, SCUP, Senate

Timeframe - Following approval of Senate and Board of Governors motions on

establishment of Faculties (May 2008), strike committee by September 2008

Recommendation 17: That the undergraduate publishing courses now offered by the

School of Communication be consolidated with the Master of Publishing Program and

that Continuing Studies publishing programming be further explored for consolidation

with the Master of Publishing Program.

Lead - Deans (delegate to Chairs and Faculty Curriculum Committees)

Approvals - SCUS, SGSC, Senate

Timeframe - Exploration of consolidation following establishment of new Faculty

housing School of Communications (May 2008), recommendations to Senate by

September 2009.

Recommendation 18: That the TechOne Program temporarily be moved to the new

Faculty comprised of Contemporary Arts, Communication, Interactive Arts and

Technology and Publishing.

18.1: That 'the Vice President, Academic establish a review committee to examine

the design, future and resource allocation of the TechOne Program and to develop a

written report by December 2008 for how all constituent units will be provided with a

first-year cohort experience that effectively serves their disciplines.

18.2: That upon receipt of the report, the Director of the TechOne program along

with the Deans from the Faculty of Engineering and Computing, the new Faculty

comprised of Communication, Contemporary Arts, Interactive Arts and Technology

and Publishing, the Faculty of Business Administration, will propose to the Vice-

President, Academic the future permanent home for the program. Once the location

is agreed to by the Vice-President, Academic, a recommendation would then be

forwarded through Senate for approval by no later than March 2009.

Lead - VPA, request proposal from TechOne Steering Committee

Approvals - Deans, SCUP, Senate

Timeframe - work on proposal, June to November 2008

Recommendation 19: That the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences present a detailed plan

to Senate by no later April 2009 for the establishment of an independent unit for the study

of foreign languages based on the vision identified in this report

Lead - Dean, Faculty ofArts and Social Sciences

Approvals - Deans, SCUP, Senate, Board of Governors

Timeframe - work on plan, June to December 2008

Recommendation 20: That the Report of the Language Instruction Committee (2005) be

revisited by the Vice-President, Academic with the goal of implementing a coherent,

consolidated, and sustainable strategy for English language learning at Simon Fraser

University.

Lead - VPA, Deans

Approvals - Deans, SCUS, SGSC, Senate

Timeframe - revisit report, September to December 2008

Recommendation 23: That the Network Support Group be relocated to the Faculty of

Engineering and Computing in April 2009 and that it continue to support all areas of the

University that it currently serves. Further, we recommend that in April 2010, the Vice

President, Academic follow up with areas served by the Network Support Group to

ensure that all areas continue to be effectively served.

Lead - Dean, Faculty ofApplied Sciences

Approvals - Schools and Faculty

Timeframe - September 2008 to January 2009

Health Network

Recommendation 6: That units active in health research and programming pursue the

development of new collaborative initiatives.

Lead— VPR, Deans

Timeframe - ongoing

Recommendation 7: That a "SFU Health Network" be established.

Lead - VPA, VPR. Deans of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Science

. ?

Approvals

- Deans, VPA, VPR

Timeframe - begin consideration in September 2008

College of Lifelong and Experiential Learning

Recommendation 9: That a College of Lifelong and Experiential Learning be established.

9.1: That the College of Lifelong and Experiential Learning be the locus and

home for the encouragement, coordination, interconnection, and development

of interdisciplinary, cross-Faculty experiential learning programs.

9.1 .a: That the Semester in Dialogue and the Centre for Dialogue be

consolidated and that they be classified as a College Program within

the College of Lifelong and Experiential Learning.

9.1 .b: That the Vice-President, Academic establish a Committee for

Experiential Learning (CEL), and that this Committee be established

with a mandate to develop a plan for introducing an experiential

credit for undergraduate students. We further recommend that the

CEL be mandated to submit its plan to Senate by September 2009.

9.2: That the College of Lifelong and Experiential Learning house the existing

portfolio of Continuing Studies and Distance Education.

Lead— VPA

Approvals - SCUP, Senate

Timeframe - begin discussion and planning, September 2008

Interdisciplinarity

Recommendation

12.5:

That the Centres and Institutes policy be revised as envisioned in

this report.

Lead— VPR

Approvals - SCUP, Senate, BoG

Timeframe

begin policy revisions, September 2008

Recommendation

25:

That the Vice-President, Research be mandated to develop a

systematic and rigorous process of evaluation for the establishment and renewal of

Centres and Institutes.

Lead - VPR, with input from Deans

Approvals - SCUP, Senate, BoG

Timeframe - begin work September 2008

Recommendation 11: That the University establish a new Office for Interdisciplinary

Collaboration (OIC) with the design, mandate and responsibilities outlined in this report.

Overall action required by Pres/VPs to motivate or develop "SFU Strategy on

Interdisciplinarity ", with subsequent discussion with Deans.

Lead— VPR

Approvals - VPs, Deans

Timeframe - Office established by September 2009

Recommendation 15: That Senate develop a submission template to ensure that sufficient

commitments are in place for the development of new interdisciplinary programs and that

such a template addresses the issues identified in this report.

Lead - A VPA

Approvals - Deans, SCUS, SGSC, SCUP, Senate (Senate itself has no mechanisms for

development of a template. As such, must delegate to subcommittees involved with

curriculum and program approval)

Timeframe - begin discussions in September 2008

Recommendation 21: That a Student Mobility and Course Access Review Committee be

established by the Vice-President, Academic to identify barriers to interdisciplinary

educational experiences of students. We further recommend that a report of findings,

recommendations for improvement, and a plan for implementation, be submitted to

Senate by April 2009.

Lead - VPA, A VPA, Registrar

Approvals - SCUS, SGSC, Senate

Timeframe - establish committee in September 2008

Recommendation 22: That the Dean of Graduate Studies research and recommend a

strategy for supporting and stimulating the development of new interdisciplinary graduate

programming and providing financial support to graduate students who undertake

interdisciplinary projects. We further recommend that his report be presented to Senate

for consideration by September 2009.

Lead

Dean, Graduate Studies

Approvals - Deans, SGSC, Senate

Timeframe - development of strategy, January to September 2009

Recommendation 10: That the University establish a Simon Fraser University Institute

for Advanced Studies of the highest caliber, made possible through a targeted fundraising

campaign for this purpose. We further recommend that the University strive to realize its

dream for the creation of the SFU—IAS by the year 2012.

Lead - President, VPR, VP Advancement

Approvals - VPR, SCUP, Senate

Timeframe - to be determined

Policy issues

Recommendation 12: That the University's Academic Policies be revised as follows:

12.1: That the Joint Appointments Policy be revised in consideration of the

suggestions included in this report.

12.2: That the University develop a new policy which would allow for internal

secondment of post tenure research faculty and permanent teaching faculty

members for

2-5

year terms to Centres and Institutes.

12.3: That the University develop a new policy on Team Teaching.

12.4: That the University develop better provisions for the review of

interdisciplinary research and teaching in all academic performance review

processes.

Lead - President/VPs, VP Legal and VPA to undertake revisions. Faculty policies; VP

Legal and Academic Relations to initiate negotiations with SFUFA

Approvals - VPs, BoG

Timeframe —policy revisions begin September 2008

Recommendation 13: That the Vice-President, Academic in collaboration with the Deans

and Vice-Presidents undertake the following:

13.1: Develop a series of incentive strategies and position funding arrangements

that would lead to a substantial increase in the number of joint

appointments at Simon Fraser University.

13.2: Review the current enrolment based funding allocation formula to identify

ways in which funding can effectively flow to support supplementary

interdisciplinary course credits offered through Centres and Institutes and

new strategic and interdisciplinary program development.

Lead— VPA, AVPA

Approvals - VPs, Deans, BoG

Timeframe —Discussions and planning underway by September 2009

Other Recommendations (Previously Approved)

The following are recommendations that are dealt with through endorsement of the

report, or have previously been approved by Senate.

Recommendation 24: That the structural elements as described this report be adopted as

part of the structural framework for Simon Fraser University.

Lead - VPA 's office

Timeframe - ongoing

New Faculties

Consequential issues

Recommendation 1: That a Faculty of Engineering and Computing be established.

Recommendation 2: That a new Faculty (name to be determined) comprised of the

School of Communication, the School for the Contemporary Arts, the School of

Interactive Arts and Technology and the Master of Publishing Program be established.

Recommendation 3: That an Environment Faculty (name to be determined) be

established with the following founding units and programs:

- Environmental Science Program as a new Department of Environmental

Sciences

- Department of Geography

- School of Resource and Environmental Management

- Centre for Sustainable Community Development

- Graduate Certificate Program in Development Studies

Recommendation 4: That a Faculty Interdisciplinary Programming Committee (FIPC) be

established with the membership, principles, and blueprint development requirements as

outlined in this report and further that this blueprint be presented to Senate for approval

by April 2009.

Recommendation

That the School of Kinesiology be relocated to the Faculty of

Science.

Recommendation 8: That the Faculty of Applied Science be disbanded.

Lead - VPA 's office

Approved by - SCUP, Senate, Board of

Governors

Underway