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DIVISION OF GENERAL STUDIES 

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RECOMMENDATION: that a Division of General Studies be established

with responsibility for administering such multidisciplinary,

interdisciplinary and experimental courses and programs as Senate

and the Board of Governors may from time to time approve.

REASONS FOR THIS RECOMMENDATION:

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The Academic Planning Committee has before it for considera-

tion a number of specific proposals for new courses and programs.

The list comprises:

the Arts Program

the Computing Science Program

the Bio-Chemistry Program

the Canadian Studies Program

the African/Middle East Studies Program

the Master of Arts (Education) Program

the Latin American Studies Program

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After approval by Senate of some or all of these proposals, it will

then fall to the Academic Planning Committee to recommend an order of

priority for the programs so approved.

Before making any such specific recommendations, however, the

Academic Planning Committee has had to deliberate about some quite

general questions of policy: questions about its criteria for assessment,

questions about the current practicability of implementing any of the

proposed programs, and about the most desirable ways of doing so.

Among the factors relevant to these deliberations were the following:

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS:

(a)

It is clear that if present estimates of the 1971/72 budget

are correct (or even nearly so), then only a limited amount of money

will be available for us to mount new programs in the near future. It

becomes a matter of paramount importance, then, to determine how, if

at all, the expected budgetary resources can be stretched to accommodate

as many as possible of the programs whose implementation is recommended.

(b)

One fairly obvious way of effecting the necessary cost-

savings is to ensure that administrative costs are kept to a minimum. Now

as it happens, each of the programs submitted to Senate for approval

has originated from quite different sources and--in the absence of any

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suggestions to the contrary--has proposed its own independent

administrative organisation. Consequently if implemented as they

stand, these program proposals would involve considerable duplication

of administrative personnel and facilities. Accommodating all new

programs within a single organisational structure would solve at

least this problem.

(c)

It would also provide a viable solution to another set of

problems which would otherwise arise: those of establishing proper

lines of communication and responsibility between persons responsible

for new programs and the central University administration, of

establishing uniformity of procedures within the new programs, and of

ensuring some degree of rational and coherent overall planning for the

programs to be implemented.

(d)

Placing inter- and miiti- disciplinary programs under

University-wide control would also do much to hasten the initiation and

development of inter- and multi- disciplinary and experimental programs

which reflect the diversity of student and faculty interest.

(e)

Finally, within a unified administrative framework of the

kind proposed it is easier to envisage procedures being established for

the recruitment of faculty in some of those non-standard categories

which the new programs call for: faculty to be employed on a part-time

basis only, and, in certain cases, faculty appointed on a contract basis.

(The last-mentioned category is plainly called for in the case of ex-

perimental courses which--if they are found not to be viable after a

certain time

-may need to be phased out in order to free University

resources for other new programs and experimental courses.

For the above reasons the Academic Planning Committee

recommends the establishment of:

A DIVISION OF GENERAL STUDIES

as provided for hereunder.

DEAN OF THE DIVISION

The Division should have as its head a Dean with responsibility

to the Academic Vice -President and responsibility for the administration

of all inter- and multi- disciplinary programs and experimental courses

Normally, faculty participating in General Studies program

would fall under one or other of the following headings:

(a)

Faculty holding appointments within existing departments

and who, with departmental approval, are seconded to teach in either

a full-time or a part-time capacity within the General Studies Division.

(b)

Newly appointed faculty who may be recruited to positions

of the following kinds:

(i)

To an existing department with appropriate

arrangements for secondment to the General Studies

Division as in (a). Here normal appointments

procedures would be followed except that both the

department concerned and faculty associated

with the General Studies program concerned would

meetjointly to approve of the candidate's appoint-

ment.

(ii)

To a non-departmental position describable as a

'University Professorship within the General

Studies Division'. Such positions might carry all

the prerequisites and responsibilities of ordinary

faculty except for right to tenure. By way of

compensation such faculty might be paid a somewhat

higher salary.

(iii)

To a contract position for a restricted period of

time, e. g. one or two years. Such positions could

be filled either on a full-time or on a part-time

basis, and would be particularly appropriate for

persons from outside the University who have

special expertise in the relevant program area.

OPERATIONAL DETAILS

(a) For Inter- and Multi- disciplinary Programs.

It is recommended that any such program should, for pur-

poses of its academic operation, be guided by a duly elected Steering

Committee and Chairman.

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The responsibilities of the Steering Committee, in

consultation with program faculty, would include:

admission of students;

curriculum development;

appointment recommendations (in conjuncture with

the relevant department if any);

budget recommendations;

submission of names of candidates for degrees.

The Chairman of the program would report to the Dean

of the Divison and be responsible for (among other things) submitting

an annual budget reflecting the needs of his program.

(b) For Experimental Activities.

It is recommended that such activities be guided by a

Board serving in the advisory capacity to the Dean of the Division and

consisting of six members, three faculty, one from each of the three

culties in the University, and three students to be selected by the

Student Society.

The responsibilities of the Board will include recommendations

to the Dean on the following:

policy determination;

establishment of administrative procedures;

recommendations to Senate for approval of

courses or programs on an experimental

basis and the requisites for these courses or

programs;

recommendations on certification of non-

departmental credit for the degree offerings

of the University. Departmental credit

toward the major will, of course, require

express approval of the Department, the

Faculty and Senate.

In addition, the Board will function with the Dean of the Division to

actively stimulate, promote and publicize the development of inter-

and multi- disciplinary and experimental courses and programs within

the University.