DRAFT UNTIL APPROVED BY SENATE

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE SENATE OF SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY HELD ON

MONDAY, MAY 13, 1996 IN ROOM 3210 WMX, 7:00 P.M.

OPEN SESSION

Present: ?

Stubbs, J., Chair

Alderson, E.

Absent: ?

Beattie, S.

Amason, K.

Ciconte, R.

Barrow, R.

Dobb, T.

Blaney, J.

Eaton, C.

Blazenko, G.

Giffen, K.

Boland, L.

Howlett, M.

Boote, D.

Jahn, R.

Bowen, M.

Keto, D.

Bullock, D.

LeMare, L.

Clayman, B.

Lewis, B.

Crawford, C.

Luk, W.S.

Dahl, V.

Mauser, G.

D'Auria, J.

McInnes, D.

Dobb, T.

Naef, B.

Dunsterville, V.

Peterson, L.

Etherington, L.

Segal, J.

Gagan, D.

Warsh, M.

Heinrich, K.

Wickstrom, N.

Hewitt, K.

Wideen, M.

Jones, C.H.W.

Karabotsos, F.

Marteniuk, R.

In attendance:

Mathewes, R.

E. Gee

McAskill, I.

T. Hickin

Osborne, J.

G. Poole

Percival, P.

M. Roberts

Pierce, J.

Rawicz, A.

Reed, C.

Ross, D.

Sanghera, B.

Scharfe, E.

Shapiro, S.

Sitter, R.

Stewart, M.L.

Whitbread, K.

Winne, P.

W.R. Heath, Dean of Student Services and Registrar

Watt, Director Secretariat Services

Grant, Recording Secretary

S.M. 13/05/96

Page 2

APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

The Agenda was approved as distributed.

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE OPEN SESSION OF APRIL 1, 1996

Reference was made to the amendment at the top of page 6 concerning the

letter of recommendation to be submitted by applicants under the Diverse

Qualifications Undergraduate Admissions Policy. Concern was expressed that

the amendment deleted all reference to this letter of recommendation

coming from someone in the school system, and opinion was expressed that

this did not accurately reflect the debate at the last meeting of Senate.

Following a suggestion to check the tape recording of the meeting with regard

to this issue, the Minutes were approved subject to any required corrections to

this item.

Secretary's Note: Review of the verbatim transcript revealed that the

Minutes accurately reflected the debate and decisions of Senate at its last

meeting.

BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

i) ?

On behalf of Senate, the Chair welcomed C. Crawford, Department of

Psychology on his return to Senate after a year's leave.

REPORT OF THE CHAIR

Paper S.96-35 - Election Report - For Information

A report on the results of Convocation, Faculty, Staff, and Student

elections to Senate and the Board of Governors was received by Senate.

ii)

Paper S.96-36 - Human Rights cases - For Information

A report on the outcome of complaints filed against the University

regarding cases involving issues of Human Rights was received by Senate.

Senate was advised that anyone interested in receiving the full text of the

decisions in these cases, should contact A. Watt for a copy.

iii)

Elections

J .

D'Auria, on behalf of the Senate Nominating Committee, reported

that there are a number of vacancies to be filled on Senate committees, and

Senators were encouraged to submit names for nomination.

S.M. 13/05/96

Page 3

. 5. REPORT OF COMMITTEES

Senate Committee on University Teaching and Learning

i) ?

Paper S.96-37 - Annual Report - For Information

E. Gee, Chair of SCUTL, and G. Poole, Secretary to SCUTL were in attendance

in order to respond to questions.

Request was made for an update on the course evaluation procedures under

consideration by the Committee. Senate was advised that a pilot version of a

survey was administered in the Summer Semester 1995 and an analysis of the

data is currently in progress and will be made available to the University

community upon completion.

In response to an inquiry about whether or not more student forums on

teaching and learning would be held, Senate was informed that the intent

was to hold additional forums but the Committee was extremely interested in

ways to improve promotion and increase student participation. The

Committee would welcome suggestions in this regard.

Senate Committee on Academic Planning/Senate Graduate Studies

Committee

i) ?

Paper S.96-38 - Revised M.Sc. Program in Earth Sciences

Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by B. Clayman

"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of

Governors, as set forth in S.96-38, the proposed revised M.Sc. in

Earth Sciences"

M. Roberts, Director, Earth Sciences Program and T. Hickin were in

attendance in order to respond to questions.

Senate was reminded that the program had been approved by Senate several

years ago, subject to the courses coming forward for approval.

Brief discussion took place concerning the introduction /expansion of courses

of study in areas not fully covered by the current program but which had been

suggested by the external assessors. It was noted that this is a small program

and the process of adding courses occurs as the program develops.

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

S.M. 13/05/96

Page 4

Senate Committee on Academic Planning/Senate Committee on

Undergraduate Studies

Paper S.96-39 - Undergraduate Curriculum Revisions - Business

Administration

Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by J

Osborne

"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of

Governors, as set forth in S.96-39, the following curriculum

revisions in the Faculty of Business Administration - New

course: BUS 440 Simulation in Management Decision Making;

Management Science area - Change in Concentration

requirements; Change in Core requirements"

Reference was made to the deletion of Math 158 from the Concentration

requirements. It was pointed out that this action could have an effect on the

frequency that this course is offered because the course is offered by the

Department of Mathematics and Statistics specifically for Business students. If

no one is going to take the course, it likely would be deleted. S. Shapiro

advised Senate that he would pass this information on to the appropriate

person in the Faculty of Business Administration.

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

ii)

Paper S.96-40 - Curriculum Revisions - University College of the Fraser

Valley/Simon Fraser University

Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by J

Osborne

"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of

Governors, as set forth in S. 96-40, the following courses to be

offered at University College of the Fraser Valley: GEOG 433-4

Geography of Selected Regions; GEOG 481-4 Directed Studies"

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

Senate Committee on Academic Planning

i) ?

Paper S.96-41- SCAP Annual Report (For Information)

Following a brief discussion about the new curriculum review procedures,

the Annual Report was received by Senate.

S.M. 13/05/96

Page 5

0 ?

ii)

Paper S.96-42 - Institute for Business and Innovation Studies (IBIS)

Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by B. Clayman

"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of

Governors, as set forth in S.96-42, the establishment of an

Institute for Business and Innovation Studies (IBIS)"

Reference was made to the top of Page 2, and a request by B. Clayman to

change the first sentence to read as follows 'The initial Director will be

appointed at the first meeting of the Institute by the Founding Members' was

accepted as a friendly amendment.

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

6. ?

Other Business

Paper S.96-43 - Administrative changes affecting Senate and Senate

Committees

Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by J. Osborne

"that Senate approve the changes as outlined in S.96-43"

Senate was provided with brief background information concerning the

proposed changes which mainly are the result of the need to recognize the

new designation of R. Heath as Dean of Student Services and Registrar, and

identify the role of A. Watt as Director of Secretariat Services. Senate's

attention was drawn to the change proposed under A.1 and advised that this

change is necessary because the Chair of SCUS is now a designate of the

Associate Vice-President Academic. Following a friendly amendment, the

Chair of SCUS will be a non-voting member of SCAP.

estion was called, and a vote taken. ?

MOTION CARRIED

ii)

Paper S.96-44 - Modem Access

Moved by P. Percival, seconded by E. Scharfe

"that Senate declare its opposition to the principle of charging

for modem access"

P. Percival advised that because of the decision of the Vice-President

Academic not to charge faculty and staff for modem use, the wording of the

original notice of motion had been changed to the current motion which he

S.M. 13/05/96

Page

felt should still be debated by Senate. Opinion was expressed that limitations

on modem access ran counter to planning documents of the University

which support increased use of information technology, and constitute a

disincentive to the introduction of innovative courses and modes of course

delivery which involve computer interaction. Charging fees for modem use

to carry out expected duties by faculty, staff and students is not only unfair, it

promotes inequity within user groups when some members of the same

group receive grants which cover such fees and others, who carry out the

same type of professional work, do not have access to such funding.

Due to additional responsibilities associated with membership on Senate, 'the

Board of Governors, and Senate related committees, a Student Senator's

modem use had increased significantly during her term of office. It was noted

that it is not unusual for a student to exceed the designated limit assigned to

students for modem use resulting in the cancellation of the computing

account. Senate was informed that Academic Computing Services had

indicated that it would be three weeks before a meeting with anyone with the

authority to reinstate a cancelled account could take place, and opinion was

expressed that this was an unacceptable period of time for a student to wait

and concern was expressed about this practice. ACS had argued that it was

unfair for a few students who exceed the limit to be subsidized by the rest of

the students but opinion was expressed that there was nothing essentially

wrong with the many subsidizing access to essential services for the few.

Opinion was expressed that the modem access issue was a complex matter of

balancing needs and resources.

D. Gagan informed Senate that following meetings with faculty, staff and

students, the proposed modem policy will be revised to make the best use the

existing resources of the University and establish basic remote access service

for all users of the University's information network. However, use of this

service is increasing every year and at some point in the future the

University's ability to meet the cost of the service may well come to an end,

and the policy will have to be revisited. D. Gagan intents to bring the new,

revised modem policy to SCAP for consideration and discussion.

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

iii) On behalf of Senate, the Chair expressed appreciation for their service

on Senate to the following members whose terms of office expire at the end of

May: L. LeMare, K. Heinrich, C. Eaton, M.L. Stewart, M. Wideen, R. Sitter, D.

Bullock, M. Bowen, R. Jahn, D. Keto, E. Scharfe, R. Ciconte, D. Boote, F.

Karabotsos and I. McAskill.

The Assembly moved directly into Closed Session at 7:50 p.m.

Director

Watt ?

of Secretariat Services