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SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
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MEMORANDUM
To............SENATE
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..From.....
SENATE
.C9ITTEE ONAGENDA AND RULES
Sublect .... ....
REPORTSENATE COMMITTEE ON
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.Date
OCTOBER 24, 1980
STUDENT REPRESENTATION
The Senate Committee on Agenda and Rules has recommended to the
Chairman of Senate and it has been accepted by him, that the Report of
the Senate Committee on Student Representation be placed on the agenda
for the November meeting of Senate for discussion but not for the
formal placing of motions on the recommendations and actions thereon.
The intent is that the Report be placed on the agenda for the
December meeting of Senate for formal action with motions at that
time.
REGISTRAR'S NOTE:
Because of some renumbering in the University Act references
herein to Section 40(b) and 41 now are to Section 39(b) and
40 respectively.
S
Ad Hoc Senate Committee on Student
October 16, 1980.
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Representation
Peter Armitage, Chairperson.
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Mr. Harry Evans,
Secretary, S.F.U. Senate,
Simon Fraser University.
Dear Harry:
As members of the Senate Committee on Student Representation, we
are pleased to submit the completed final draft of the committee's
report. The report has been long in coming, having been delayed
by changes in the committee's personnel and repeated re-drafts.
You will notice that the form of the report has changed from that
given to the faculty for consideration, and from the ones sub-
mitted to the SCAR meetings of October 1979 and April 1980. The
members of SCAR felt that the report needed alterations as far as
language and organisation were concerned. They also felt that
there was a need for some clarification of terms, and that addit-
ional faculty input was required.
The changes result from the committee's deliberations over the
most recently expressed faculty concerns, in addition to meetings
with Susan Mullen, Hank Benoit, and Harry Evans. The changes were
intended to give increased recognition to the diversity of fac-
ulty opinion, to improve the clarity of the report, and to
facilitate Senate members' understanding of the recommendations
contained therein. "Student unions" and "departments" were given
more precise definitions, and the recommendations of the report
were made more explicit. A change was also made in the sequence
of the recommendations so that they now appear in a more itemised
and coherent form.
Substantial changes have been made in wording and reorganisation,
but the content of the report is essentially the same. The guide-
lines we wish Senate to adopt remain unchanged concerning the
minimum extent of student representation, and the accountability
and rights of student representatives.
After giving due consideration to faculty input as requested, and
further attention to clarifying the content of the report, we
feel that we have fulfilled our mandate and have produced a docu-
ment that can now be presented to Senate.
Respectfully yours,
The members of the Senate Committee
on Student Representation.
(signatory page attached)
.
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CUPE, Local 2396
Submitted by Senate Committee on Student
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sentation, October 16,
1980:
er Armitage/'Chairpersonrmitage
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rperson
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P. L. Wa
, Fa961ty Senator
Student
—
Donna Moffatt
,
y ay Senator
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Susan Mullan, past Chairperson
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0'.
FINAL REPORT OF THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON
STUDENT REPRESENTATION
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a
OCTOBER 1980
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REPORT OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON STUDENT REPRESENTATION
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INTRODUCTION
The
content
of this report is the result of work undertaken since
March 6, 1978, by thestudent, faculty and lay members of the Senate
Committee on Student Representation. We gratefully acknowledge the
contributions of students, faculty and other members of the University
community in the preparation of the final draft of this report.
Senate's intention in establishing the committee on March 6, 1978 was
to set forth with some measure of exactitude the provisions stated in
the Universities Act, Section 40b, regarding stu ènt representation.
Section 40b requires that the Faculties provide for student represent-
ation in the meetings and proceedings of the faculty.
Many departments and other decision-making bodies at S.F.U. have lived
up to the provisions of this statute. Unfortunately, other
depart
ments
have not instituted student representation in any way. Generally,
the inconsistency in student representation throughout the University
is due to the lack of concrete guidelines and policies for its implem-
entation. It is for this reason that Senate charged the committee
with the task of fulfilling the following:
1. To develop and recommend to Senate a set of guidelines for
• ?
student representation in University governance in
a.
the Faculties and their committees, and
b.
the academic Departments and Programs and their committees.
2. ?
These guidelines shall be used to assist Senate in consideration
of all rules submitted to Senate by the faculties concerning
student representation in la. and lb. above.
3. ?
These guidelines shall also assist the individual Faculties in
establishing rules and regulations regarding student representa-
tion in Faculties, academic departments, and programs.
4. ?
This Committee shall invite submissions from all of the Faculty
Deans, chairpersons of academic Departments and programs, depart-
mental student unions and other interested parties.
5. ?
The meetings and proceedings of this Committee shall be open to
all interested members of the University community.
6. This Committee shall make its recommendations to Senate not later
than October 31, 1978.
Underlying the committee's terms of reference is the assumption that
student representation is a valid and useful endeavour. Our mandate
is not to argue for, justify, or explain the validity of student rep-
resentation. Rather, our purpose is to provide proposals for minimum
standards for student participation in the academic governance of the
ii
Introduction cont.
S.
University, in order to ensure the establishment of fair, equitable
And consistent student representation in every department and Faculty.
Operating with this purpose in mind, the committee met for the first
time in the summer of 1978. Questionnaires were distributed to the
department chairpersons and student unions, to the corresponding
departments at the universities of British Columbia and Victoria, and
to selected universities across Canada. Seventy
percent
of the ques-
tionnaires distributed at S.F.U. were returned, with a lower rate of
return from other institutions. The results of the questionnaires
reveal a wide range of departmental decision-making structures, and
student representation. The committee recommendations, therefore,
are not specific to any one type of structure but can be adapted to
all.
The committee met frequently throughout the fall, and meetings were
open to both the students and faculty at large. The committee noted
that students are already well accepted and appreciated in the
decision-making processes of many departments. One of our primary
concerns, then, was the establishment of minimum standards for student
representation, particularly in those departments where representation
is completely absent.
At
again,
the October
to attempt
1979
to
meeting
elicit
of
further
SCAR,
input
the committee
from the
was
faculty.
asked,
The
once
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5
second request for faculty input was slightly more informative; the
responses received were more detailed. However, they were fewer in
number.
At the April 1980 meeting of SCAR, the committee was requested to
alter the language and organisation of the report for greater clarity
and ease of reading. The document which you have before you now is
the result of this process.
The committee is aware that student representation is a weighty issue
for both faculty and students. The question of student participation
in promotion and tenure decisions is of particular concern, The
concerns of
.
both constituencies must in some way be heard and dealt
with in a serious manner. Although legal opinions have been secured
on these matters at both S.F.U. and U.13.C., the committee does not
feel that it can resolve the issue. We, therefore, urge more study
on this question.
This report has been organised under a series of eight headings:
1.
Statement of General Principles
2.
'Rules and Regulations re: student representation and
their submission to Senate
3, ?
Senate Guidelines re: minimum standards
4.
Implementation of rules and regulations
5.
Senate Committee to mediate in student-faculty
neoptiAtions
Introduction cont.
6. Provisions for decision-making bodies that reach an exces-
sive size
7.
Tenure and promotion
8. Standard two-hour Free Period
Appendices relevant to this document are found at the end of the
report.
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RECOMMENDATION .# 1:
That Senate adopt the following statement of general principle
regarding the participation of student representatives
in
the
academic governance of the Facultiec and their respective
departments.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
1. Student representation is provided for in Section 40 of the
Universities Act and is desirable in all academic decision-
making bodies in the Faculties and their respective departments.
2. ?
To this end, Senate encourages students to form and maintain
departmental student unions to promote student participation in
the academic governance of the University.
3. ?
Students, as members of the academic community, have an obliga-
tion and a responsibility to actively participate in the
academic governance of the University.
4. ?
The right of students to participate in the meetings and proceed-
ings of the Faculties and their respective departments includes
the right of duly elected student representatives to participate
with full voice and vote in all academic decisions of departments
and Faculty, including decisions concerning such matters as:
a)
class and course scheduling
b) curriculum planning
C)
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department speakers' programs and conferences
d)
establishing and amending procedures concerning student
appeals
e)
establishing meeting times and agendas
f)
new faculty appointments
g)
practicum and work-study progrrns
h)
selection of the departmental chairperson
1) ?
selection of the departmental committee chairpersons or
coordinators
j)
space planning and equipment purchases
k) student/faculty relations
1)
?
teaching support staff appointments
m)
?
other substantive academic matters and issues concerning
the department and/or the Faculty.
5. The extent of student representation should be the subject of an
agreement between the faculty of a department or Faculty and the
recognised departmental student union; and the proportion of
The term "department" includes aJTademic departments and acad-
emic administrative units including area studies programs in the
Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies and other academic programs
including programs leading towards graduate and/or advanced
degrees (e.g. M.Sc., M.A., Ph.D., M.B.A., M.P.M.)
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students to faculty initially established shall not be less than
the minimum specified in the regulations of Senate.
6. ?
In the absence of a recognise
ci
épartmental student union,
students shall nevertheless be invited and encouraged to parti-
cipate in the meetings and proceedings of a Faculty and/or a
department through an appropriate number of student representa-
tives voting on all academic department or Faculty decision-
making bodies.
The extent of student representation and the procedures for
obtaining student representatives shall be consistent with Senate
guidelines, and shall be the subject of an agreement between the
Faculty and the student Forum of the Simon Fraser Student Society,
who shall assume responsibility to assure that all established
student positions are filled.
SENATE GUIDELINES:
The Universities
Act of B.C. provides that the academic governance of
the University is vested in the University Senate. Among Senate's
powers is the power to consider all matters reported by the Faculties
affecting their respective departments and programs. Senate must, in
fact, approve any general rule or regulation of a Faculty before it
can become effective and enforceable.
To ensure that the rules and regulations of Facul-
ties and their respective departments regarding
student representation are properly adopted, enfor-
ceable and uniform, the Committee recommends:
RECOMMENDATION # 2:
That Senate require each Faculty
Hud
its departments to estabi.sh
rules and regulations concerning the participation
of
student
representatives in its meetings and proceedings and submit them
for approval to Senate.
To promote equity of treatment within and between
the Faculties and their departments, and to ensure
the maintenance of reasonable minimum standards of
student participation in the academic governance of
the University, the committee recommends;
RECOMMENDATION # 3:
That. Senate adopt the following guidelines and approve only thoçe
rules and regulations
of a
Faculty which substantially
comply
with the following guidelines:
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1. ?
DUE PROCESS:
The rules and regulations regarding department and Faculty com-
mittees and other academic decision--making bodies shall contain
the following:
a)
a statement of the terms of reference and membership compo-
sition of all committees and decision-making bodies, and
b)
the procedures that must be followed for establishing
regular meeting times and the convening of special meetings
including the minimum period of notice that must be given,
and
C) ?
the minimum number of voting members of the committee or
decision-making body required to convene and to conduct a
meeting, and
d)
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a requirement that a written record be maintained at all
meetings including the time and place, the names of the
members who were present, and the outcome of any votes which
are taken.
2.
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MINIMUM EXTENT
OF STUDENT REPRESENTATION:
Within each Faculty and its departments, students shall be entit-
led to elect voting representatives on committees and other
decision-making bodies equal in number to at least one-third (1/3)
the number of voting members of the committee except that:
a)
in the case of committees dealing with matters concerning
the undergraduate curriculum, the minimum total voting
student representation shall be one-half (1/2) the number
of total voting members, and
b)
in the general assemblies and general meetings of a Faculty
and of its departments, the minimum number of student rep-
resentatives
the lesser of:
entitled to be present and to vote
shall be
(1) one-third (1/3) the number of faculty entitled to be
present and to vote, or
(ii) the number of student representatives who are from
time
and decision-making
to time holding
bodies
voting
in
positions
the Faculty
on
or
all
department.'
comnu.ttee
3.
ACCOUNTABILITY OF STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES
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4
The
academic
rules
governance
and regulations
of a Faculty
regarding
and
student
its departments
par
ticipation
shall
in the J
include:
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a)
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a fixed and definite term of office for all elected student
representative positions of no less than one semester and
no more than one year, and
b) ?
a procedure which enables members of the student union to
remove an elected representative during his/her term of
office for failing to adequately represent the interests of
students, and
C)
?
a procedure which enables students to fill any student rep-
resentative position which becomes vacant during the term
of office of the position.
4. ?
RIGHTS OF STUDENT REPRESENTATION:
The rules regarding department and Faculty committees and other
decision-making bodies .shall state that all duly elected student
representatives shall have the same rights, privileges and
obligations as all other voting members of the committee or
decision-making body; and
a) It is required that student representatives be recognised
by faculty and University administrators and that student
representatives not, in any way, be discriminated ajainst
for opinions voiced, hor for positions taken in the per
formance of their duties and responsibilities; and
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b) ?
Student representatives shall have reasonable access to
administrative support services required to carry out their
duties; and
Student representatives shall have access to information
including all data and communication required to carry out
the duties of their offices. Without limiting the foregoing,
this shall include access to the written record of all
decisions made by the decision-making body of which they
are members; and
Student representatives shall he entitled to the same advance
notice of meetings as all other members of a committee or
decision-making body, and the rules regarding advance notice
of the items of business shall be sufficient to enable
consultation and discussion between student representatives
and their department student union; and
C)
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The rules shall state that a voting student member of a com-
mittee or decision-making body shall have the right to cast
his/her vote in all cases regardless of the method of voting
selected by the committee or decision-making body, except
in the non-voting chair position.
d) ?
The student representatives shall be entitled to all other
rights and privileges as accorded to all other voting members.
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5. DEPARTMENTAL STUDENT UNIONS:
A recognised departmental student union is the appropriate body
from which student representatives are to be obtained for
student participation in the academic governance of the Faculties
and their departments.
a)
A departmental student organisation shall be recognised as
a Department Student Union provided it has been recognised
by the Simon Fraser Student Society and meets the follow-
ing criteria:
To be recognised the organisation must:
1)
?
maintain and comply with the requirements of a written
constitution; and
ii) recognise .as automatic voting members all University
students who are members of the department, including
graduate students, declared undergraduate majors and
minors, and all students who are presently enrolled
in a University course offered by the department.
b)
A
recognised departmental student union shall be entitled
to elect its representatives to participate in-the academic
governance of the department and the Faculty in a manner of
their own
choosing
and without interference or influence by
or from a member or members of the faculty or administration
of the University.
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is
6. ?
RE-EVALUATION OF RULES AND PROCEDURES:
These guidelines are intended to provide minimum standards for
student participation in the academic governance of the Univer-
sity, in the meetings and proceedings of the Faculties. The
Faculties and their departments are permitted to exceed these
standards with respect to the minimum proportion of student
rep-
resentatives in their committee and decision-making bodies.
The Faculties, the members of their respective departments, and
the members of the departmental student unions, shall periodically
review and re-evaluate their rules and procedures for student
representation. The Senate expects that this review process -will
result in the submission of proposed amendments by the Faculties
to improve, and where appropriate, extend the participation of
student representatives in the academic governance of their
departments and Faculties.
To implement recommendations 2 and 3,. the Committee
further recommends:
RECOMMENDATION # 4: ?
-
a)
?
That hang established its gudelnes, Senate invite the
ra
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.
?
members of the Faculty and the departmental student unions
to carefully review the current rules and practices of their
departments and Faculties, and, through consultation and
discussion, attempt to 'develop appropriate revisions and
amendments to satisfy the requirements of the Senate guide-
lines.
b)
At the Faculty level, these discussions shall occur between
the Dean and an appropriate committee
of
the Simon Fraser
Student Society with stu-ent representation from within that
Faculty.
c)
After this review, the Faculties and their respective dep-
artments shall submit to Senate for its approval written
statements of their rules and regulations concerning the
participation of student representation.
Because it is only reasonable to expect that disputes
may arise between
parties, thc Committee further rec-
ommends:
RECOMMENDATION # 5:
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That the University President or a .peciai Senate Committee be
made responsible for attempting to mediate between students and
faculty whenever this assistance is requested by either or both
of
the parties. If a committee is chosen, it shall be composed
in the same manner as the Senate Committee on Student Represent-
ation, that is composed of two faculty elected by and from Senate,
too students appointed by the SFSS Student Forum, and one lay
member of Senate, elected by and from Senate, the Chairperson
elected by and from Committee members.
RECOMMENDATION # 6:
That whenever the addition of student representatives on
0 (:0Th-
mittee threatens to make it unreasonably large and too uY1?)eldy
to carry out its functions, the total number
of
members should
be reduced, retaining the appropriate ration of students to
faculty.
Tenure and Promotion: The Coirunittee
acknowledges
the concern that has been expressed by faculty and
by departmental student unions concerning the fac-
ulty tenure and promotion decisions. We understand
that the procedures contained in the current agree-
ment between the University and the SFU Faculty
•
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Association exclude the participation of student
representatives. Although the Committee agrees that
student representatives ought to be able to partic-
ipate in these kinds of decisions, we also agree
-7-
that we are not well enough informed about the
present agreement to provide specific recommenda-
tions as to the most appropriate method of obtaining
student participation in the tenure and promotion
process. The committee therefore recommends:
RECOMMENDATION # 7:
The Senate strongly recommends that the University Board of
Governors adopt a policy which would ensure that students have
been appropriately consulted before recommendations concerning
the promotion, tenure, dismissal or nonrenewal of any member of
the teaching
sta
ff
of
the University.
Senate further recommends that the President establish a special
committee of representatives of the StudenL; Society, the S.F.U.
Faculty Association and lay people to recommend an appropriate
mechanism for the participation
of
student representatives in
this area
of
University governance.
Thursday Free Period: The committee heard a number
of complaints and expressions of concern and frus-
tration with the problems experienced by faculty
members and by students in arranging meetings at
times when all of the members could attend. Although
not the only factor, the current practice of sched-
uling classes and tutorials into every working hour
of the week creates a significant problem for the
scheduling of committee meetings of departments and
Faculties and student unions. The Committee there-
fore recommends:
RECOMMENDATION # 8:
That Senate require a two-hour time period be set aside at a
standard time during each week in which there will be no sched-
uled classes, tutorials or labs, but will be available for the
scheduling of meetings of departmental student unions, depart-
mental and other committees.
n
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APPENDIX
#
1: RELEVANT SECTIONS OF THE UNIVERSITIES ACT
The
following
excerpts from the British Columbia Universities
Act
are relevant to the establishment
of
rules and regulations
for student representation and to the content of the report of
the Senate Committee on Student Representation,
Part I: Interpretation and Division of Act
1. ?
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,...
"faculty" means an academic administrative division of a univ-
ersity constituted by the board as a faculty under Section 39,
or the dean and faculty members of a faculty, as the context
requires;...
37. The academic governance of the university is vested in the senate
and it has power...
(b) to establish such committees as it considers necessary and,
by two-thirds vote of its members present, to delegate to
one or more committees such of its powers s it may from
time to time to determine;...
(n)
to-make such recommendations to the board as may be con-
sidered advisable for promoting the interests of the Univ-
ersity or for carrying out the objects and provisions of
this Act;
(o)
to deal with all matters reported by the faculties, affect-
ing their r'spective departments of divisions;,..
40.
The powers and duties of a faculty are
(b) to provide or student representation in the meetings and
proceedings of the faculty;...
41.
A general rule or regulation made by a faculty is not effective
or enforceable until a copy has been sent to the senate and the
senate has given its approval.
.
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APPENDIX # 2: MINUTES OF THE S.F.U. BOARD OF GOVERNORS, JUNE 7, 1977
?
D
4. UNIVERSITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
?
.
A. Departmental Space
The President of the Student Society, Mr. Ross Powell, joined
the meeting and advised the Board of the new constitution, which,
among other declarations, defines the role of the departmental
student unions. It was noted that the students, at their annual
general meeting, authorised the Executive Council to spend up to
$25,000 for student union space.
It was moved and seconded:
That the Board of Governors of Simon Fraser Univ-
ersity recognises the Student Forum as the new
official governing body of the Simon Fraser Student
Society, effective January 1, 1978.
That the Board of Governors therefore approves in
principle the desirability of the elected Student
Departmental Representatives and their affiliated
student unions obtaining meeting and office space
in or near their respective departments, and urges
the University administration and each Faculty to
do everything possible to provide such space.
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APPENDIX# 3: EXCERPT FROM THE S.F.S.S. CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
0
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By-law 5 Departmental Student Unions (continued)
(2) The Student Forum shall recognise a student union as a
Departmental Student Union provided that the Student Forum
is satisfied that the student union:
(a)
has a written constitution that has been ratified by a
majority of its members, who shall be members
in
good
standing
,
of the Society, attending an advertised gen-
eral meeting of the members of the department, and
(b)
has aims and objectives, stated in its constitution
which are not inconsistent with those stated in the
Constitution of the Society, and
• (c) recognises as its members those students who are mem-
bers of the department in which the student union has
been organised, and
(d)
seeks to represent its members in its department or
academic program, and
(e)
holds regular general meetings that are advertised and
open to all of its members.
0
1]
APPENDIX # 4: SENATE COMMITTEE ON STUDENT REPRESENTATION (SCSR) -
ad hoc (Reporting Category "C")
Members ?
- Conditions Term Expiry Date Name 78-2 Name 79-2
1
Faculty Senator
Faculty Senator
Student
Student
Lay Senator
Elected by and from Senate
if
? ci ?
ii ?
ii ?
ii
Appointed by Student Forum
it ?
It ?
if ?
it
Elected by and from Senate
P.L. Wagner
J. Walkley
D. Home K. John
S. Mullen S. Mullen*
D. Moffatt D. Moffatt
Chairperson (elected by and from Committee members):
* ?
replaced by R.P. Armitage, 80-3
TERMS OF REFERENCE
1.
?
To develop and recommend to Senate a set of guidelines for stud-
ent representation in University governance in
a.
the Faculties and their committees, and
b.
the academic Departments and Programs and their committees.
2. ?
These guidelines shall be used to assist Senate in consideration
of all rules submitted to Senate by the faculties concerning
student representation in la. and lb. above.
3. ?
These guidelines shall also assist the individual Faculties in
establishing rules and regulations regarding student representa-
tion in Faculties, academic Departments and Programs.
4. ?
This Committee shall invite submissions from all of the Faculty
Deans, chairpersons of academic Departments and Programs, dep-
atmental student unions and other interested parties.
5.
?
The meetings and proceedings of this Committee shall be open to
all interested members of the University community.
6. ?
This Committee shall make its recommendations to Senate not later
than October 31, 1978.
Approved by Senate at its
meeting of March 6, 1978.
Senators elected by Senate at its meetiiy of May 8, 1978.
