S.03-75.
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Office of the Vice-President, Academic
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Members of Senate
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FROM: John H. W
Vice-Presj,
t, Academic
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RE: Course Accessibility Task Force
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DATE: September 2, 2003
SCEMP recommended Motion 4
At its July meeting, Senate approved several recommendations from the Senate
Committee on Enrollment Management and Planning (SCEMP) emanating from
the Course Accessibility Task Force. I was unable to attend the July Senate
meeting, and one motion (Motion 4) was tabled until I was able to be present to
discuss this issue.
Motion 1
That Motion 4 of the SCEMP recommendations from the Course
Accessibility Task Force be taken from the table.
Motion
2 (formerly Motion 4 of paper S. 03-67)
That Senate encourage the Vice-President, Academic to seek
resources for additional base-budgeted resources for CFL positions
and TA funding
I will be happy to discuss this with Senate on September 15'h,2003.
is
FROM:
DATE:
/
John Waterhse, Chair
SCEMP
June 17,'2d3
S.03-67
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Office of the Vice-President, Academic
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Members of Senate
RE:
SCEMP Motions on the Final Report
of the Course Accessibility Task Force
The establishment of a Course Accessibility Task Force (CATF) was recommended by
the Ad Hoc Senate Committee to Review and Develop the Undergraduate Curricula
(UCC), which delivered its report to Senate in October, 2002. The UCC felt strongly
that issues around course accessibility should be addressed before the writing,
quantitative and breadth requirements are successfully introduced. The enabling
motion was passed by Senate on October 7, 2002, and a Task Force was subsequently
created, and began meeting in February, 2003.
The chief aim of the CATF is to improve access and, in doing so, ensure that the quality
of an SFU education is maintained. Specifically, the CATF mandate was to
"review and
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make recommendations to address the issues of undergraduate course availability, accessibility
and timely completion in accordance with the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee."
The
specific tasks and responsibilities of the CATF were to:
• Examine whether course accessibility is an issue;
• Determine the causes of the problem;
• Recommend a course of action to remedy the problem.
In accordance with its terms of reference (attached), the CATF submitted its final report
to the Senate Committee on Enrollment Management and Planning (SCEMP) for
consideration at its June 11, 2003 meeting. In addition, the CATF chose to provide the
Senate Committee on University Priorities (SCUP) with a copy of their final report for
information. SCEMP has chosen to recommend five motions in relation to the twenty-
two recommendations contained within the Task Force's Report.
The Senate Committee on Enrollment Management and Planning unanimously
recommends consideration of the following five motions for approval by Senate:
Motion 1
It is moved that Senate authorize the Vice-President, Academic to establish an Ad Hoc
Steering Committee to:
• oversee the implementation of the recommendations of the Course Accessibility
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Task Force;
• create monitoring and evaluative mechanisms to assess the impact of the
measures taken to address course accessibility;
• review departmental plans on how CATF recommendations will be
implemented and to provide advice/ comment where appropriate;
2
explore additional areas and ideas to address course accessibility issues
including, but not limited to, irregu
.
lar time-tabling patterns, multi-semester
scheduling, alternative methods of course delivery, and constraints on the
development and offering of distance education courses etc.
communicate and work with the University community in relation to course
accessibility.
The suggested membership of the Steering Committee is as follows:
• Chair (appointed from the Faculty representatives)
• Faculty member representative from each of the faculties
• 1 staff representative from the Registrar's Office
• 1 staff representative
• 1 senior undergraduate student
• Director, Academic Planning
• Director, Analytical Studies or designate
Motion
2
It is moved that Senate direct the Ad Hoc Steering Committee on Course Accessibility
to develop a scheduling policy for the approval of Senate that will make greater use of
currently unpopular times and days, and the summer semester, with implementation of
this recommendation to begin Fall 2004 or earlier.
It
Motion
is moved
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that Senate direct that all programs, in consultation with the Senate
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Committee on Undergraduate Studies (SCUS) review program regulations and pre-
requisite requirements and modify or delete any with weak justification that create
barriers to course access.
Motion 4
It is moved that Senate encourage the Vice-President, Academic to seek resources for
additional base-budgeted resources for CFL positions and TA funding.
Motion
5
It is moved that Senate expresses deep concern about the increasing shortage of
classroom facilities and advises the Board of Governors that the construction of
additional instructional space be given high priority in future capital planning for the
University and that conversion of existing classroom space to other uses be resisted.
Attachments: Course Accessibility Task Force Terms of Reference
Report of the Course Accessibility Task Force
c. Members of the CATF
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