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DRAFT UNTIL APPROVED BY SENATE
Minutes of a meeting of the Senate of Simon Fraser University held on
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Monday, February 2, 1998 at 7:00 pm in Room 3210 WMC
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Open Session
Present: ?
Blaney, Jack, President and Chair
Barrow, Robin
Absent: ?
Baert, Jessica
Bawa, Parveen
Beattie, Suzan
Berggren, J. Len
Blazenko, George
Boland, Larry
Bowman, Marilyn
Chan, Albert
Cleveland, William
Clayman, Bruce
Giffen, Kenneth
Coleman, Peter
Hassan, Nany
-D'Auria, John
Lewis, Brian - -
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Dobb, Ted
Marteniuk, Ron
Dunsterville, Valerie
McInnes, Dina
Emmott, Alan
Nip, Harry
Etherington, Lois
Parmar, Neelam
Gagan, David
Reed, Clyde
Gillies, Mary Ann
Segal, Joseph
Jones, Cohn
Warsh, Michael
Jones, John
Kanevsky, Lannie
Kirczenow, George
Mathewes, Rolf
Mauser, Gary
In attendance:
Morris, Joy
Schoner, Bertram
Naef, Barbara
Ogloff, James
Osborne, Judith
Overington, Jennifer
Percival, Paul
Peterson, Louis
Pierce, John
Russell, Robert
Sanghera, Balwant
Selman, Mark
Tam, Lawrence
Waterhouse, John
Wickstrom, Norman
Winne, Phil
Wong, Tim
Wortis, Michael
Yagi, Ian
Heath, Ron, Dean of Student Services and Registrar
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Watt, Alison, Director, Secretariat Services
Grant, Bobbie, Recording Secretary
S.M. 02/02/98
Page 2
1.
Approval of the Agenda
The Agenda was approved as distributed.
2.
Approval of the Minutes of the Open Session of January 5, 1998
The Minutes were approved as distributed.
3.
Business Arising from the Minutes
i)
S.98-13 - Changes in Proposed Harassment Policy (For Information)
The Chair reported that the Board of Governors approved the proposed
Harassment Policy with two amendments which roughly paralleled the two
recommendations of Senate. Firstly, the term 'human rights' was replaced by the
term 'harassment resolution', and secondly, under the reporting section 13.1
'findings and reasoning' was included in the reporting process for cases that are
resolved after an investigation is completed. In addition, it was proposed and
agreed that the Vice-President Academic or the President could comment on
cases, as appropriate, throughout the year prior to distribution of the annual
report.
ii)
Paper S.98-14 - Report on first-year level teaching (For Information)
Senate was informed that in addition to points (a) and (b) relating to Point 1 -
Methodology, it was also discovered that Maclean's only counts those instructors
who are teaching a course on the first of September each year. ?
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Concern was expressed about the basis of the data chosen for the report to
Senate in regard to Point 2 - Performance by Faculty and it was pointed out that
using the same data entirely different statistics can be arrived at depending on
whether or not Laboratory Instructors are included as faculty. In addition, it
appeared that the category of courses contained errors which were not addressed
in the report to Senate. Chemistry 150 and its corresponding laboratory course
Chemistry 155 was referred to as an example of how misleading the Maclean's
methodology is. The Chem 150 lecture course had 14 tutorial sections but since
there was a common set of lectures this was counted as one course, taught by
one professor. In contrast, the same body of students were divided into 6
laboratory sections. All students did the same work and were graded by the same
Laboratory Instructor, but because the sections were at different times they were
counted as 6 courses. Opinion was expressed that the problem arises in the use
of the Instructional Activity analysis data, which classifies Teaching Assistants as
Instructors. It was suggested that the Registrar's records could better identify
courses and instructors.
Senate was advised that the Vice-President Academic has instructed W.
Wattamaniuk, Director of Analytical Studies to raise SFU's concerns with
Maclean's.
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S.M. 02/02/98
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4.
Report of the Chair
There was no report from the Chair.
5.
Reports of Committees
a)
Senate Nominating Committee
i) ?
Paper S.98-15 - Elections
The following are the results of elections conducted by Senate for the following
Senate committees:
Senate Committee on University Teaching and Learning (SCUTL)
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One Undergraduate Student (at-large) to replace Jennifer Overington for term -of
office from date of election to May 31, 1998.
Elected by acclamation: ?
Jessica Stanley
Committee to Review Undergraduate Admissions (CRUA)
One Student (at-large) to replace Tim Van Allen for term of office from date of
election to May 31, 1998.
Elected by acclamation: ?
Jennifer Overington
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Senate Committee on Academic Planning (SCAP)/Senate Committee on
University Budget (SCUB)
One Student Senator to replace Jennifer Overington for term of office from date
of election to May 31, 1998.
Candidates: L. Tam, T. Wong
Elected: ?
Lawrence Tam
b)
Senate Committee on Academic Planning/Senate Committee on
Undergraduate Studies
i)
- Undergraduate
Senate received information that the Senate Committee on Undergraduate
Studies, acting under delegated authority, approved minor curriculum revisions to
existing courses and programs in the Department of Political Science, as well as
the addition of the following new courses: POL 211, 319, 329, 339, 349, 359.
ii)
Paper S.98-17 - Pro
p
osed Intensive English for International Students -
Pilot Pro
g
ram (For Informati
Senate received information that the Senate Committee on Undergraduate
Studies, acting under delegated authority, approved a pilot program for Intensive
S
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English for International Students.
S.M. 02/02/98
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Concern was raised that no report to Senate was required following completion
of the trial period. Senate was advised that if the result of the pilot program
suggested that a change in the University's English requirements was necessary,
this would come to Senate for approval because it involved a change or an
addition to SFU's admission requirements.
c)
Senate Committee on Academic Planning/Senate Graduate Studies
Committee
I) ?
Paper S.98-18 - Faculty of Business Administration - Graduate Diploma in
Business Administration
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by B. Clayman
"that Senate approve and recommend approval to the Board of
Governors, the proposed Graduate Diploma in Business
Administration as set forth in S.98-18, including the following new
courses: BUS 550, 551, 552, 553, 554, 555, 556, 557, 558, 559"
B. Schoner, Faculty of Business Administration, was in attendance in order to
respond to questions.
A philosophical concern was expressed about the general notion of professional
programs charging higher fees to students who can then make more money
thereby ensuring that jobs go to those people who can afford the higher fees in
the first place. Referring to the 500-level courses, a further concern was
expressed about introductory courses being offered at the graduate level.
It was pointed out that the program is targeted to students who are fully
employed, not students attending full-time at university, and since these students
are likely to benefit by completing such a program, it was felt that charging them
the full cost of the program was justified. Senate was informed that virtually all
graduate programs in Business Administration at the Masters level start off with
introductory 500-level courses. This has been the practice at all universities for
many years.
Question was called, and a vote taken. ?
MOTION CARRIED
d)
Senate Committee on Academic Planning/Senate Committee on
Undergraduate Studies/Senate Graduate Studies Committee
Paper S.98-19 - Course Audit - Undergraduate/Graduate
Motion #1
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by J. Osborne
"that Senate approve the following Calendar entry for
undergraduate course audit:
S.M. 02/02/98
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Audit will be recorded as "AU" on a student transcript if the student
fulfills the requirements agreed to by the student and the
department at the time of registration. Minimally, these
requirements should comprise regular attendance at class meetings,
completion of readings and participation in activities. Audited
courses will not count towards degree requirements."
Discussion ensued with respect to the meaning of 'regular attendance' and
concern was expressed about this requirement when applied to large classes of
students.
It was noted that the proposal was meant specifically for students who want formal
recognition of an audit on their transcript. Since both the student and the
instructor have to reach an agreement as to what constitutes an audit in a
particular course attendance may, or may not, be part of that agreement; -Senate
was advised that most formal auditing is thought to take place at the 300 and 400
level and this motion is expected to cover a small group of students who want
formal recognition on their transcript. Even if this regulation was adopted, it was
hoped that the informal auditing process would continue amongst undergraduate
students and instructors.
Concern was expressed about the audit notation appearing on a student's
transcript and it was pointed out that under current regulations as long as students
• register for audit and pay half the course fees, the notation appears on their
transcript. This proposal attempts to give the instructor the opportunity to
negotiate what is required for an audit in his/her course. Opinion was expressed
that without a well-defined meaning for audit, the notation on a transcript does
not mean anything. However, it was pointed out that under the proposed
regulation more information is available if the instructor were to be contacted to
find out what constituted the audit arrangement for a course.
Senate was advised that a review of Calendars from across Canada showed that
the proposed regulation was standard and that audits are granted in virtually all
institutions for graduate and undergraduate students based on what an instructor
and a student agree upon.
An amendment by L. Tam to replace the word 'should' by 'may' failed for want of
a seconder.
Question was called, and a vote taken.
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MOTION #1 CARRIED
Note: With the approval of the above change, the following minor procedural
change would occur:
For those students who have registered for "Course Audit", the grade list provided
to the instructor will continue to carry an automatic entry of "AU" but the
instructor may report that the student has not met the agreed conditions for
audit. In such cases, the student's record for the semester will not carry any
Is
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would of registration for audit status for that course. An appeal of that decision
would be handled under the grade appeal policy.
S.M.
02/02/98
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Motion #2
Moved by D. Gagan, seconded by B. Clayman
"that Senate approve the following Calendar entry for graduate
course audit:
Graduate students should be allowed to audit graduate courses,
with the permission of the instructor, the Senior Supervisor and the
Graduate Program Chair of the student's department and such
audits should be recorded as "AU" on the student's transcript, if the
student has fulfilled the requirements agreed to by the student and
instructor at the time of registration. Minimally, these requirements
should comprise regular attendance at class meetings, completion
of readings and participation in class activities. Audited courses will
not count toward degree requirements."
Question was called, and a vote taken.
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MOTION
#2
CARRIED
e)
Senate Committee on Continuing Studies
Paper
S.98-20 -
Annual Report (For Information)
Senate received the Annual Report of the Senate Committee on Continuing
f)
Studies
Senate
for information.Committee
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on University Budget
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i) ?
Paper
S.98-21 -
Annual Report (For Information)
Concern was expressed about the poor quality of information provided by the
administration to SCUB with respect to the non-recurring budget and opinion
was expressed that there appears to be a communication problem between the
administration and SCUB which should be addressed.
G. Kirczenow moved the following Notice of Motion:
"that SCUB establish guidelines to be followed by the administration
in communicating budgetary information to SCUB"
P. Percival, former Chair of SCUB, provided Senate with background information
as to the communication process which had occurred over the past year. He
expressed opinion that senior administrators should be taking advice from a
committee such as SCUB whose membership covers a wide range of interests
and experience and has an overall view of the institution.
The Chair indicated that he would be happy to meet with the current Chair of
SCUB, L. Boland, to discuss some of the concerns, particularly those regarding the
non-recurring budget, which were raised in the report and during debate. He
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S.M.
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expected that the meeting could take place in time for the him to report back to
the next meeting of Senate.
Concern was raised about items of a routine, continuing nature being funded
from the non-recurring budget and discussion ensued in this regard. Discussion
then turned to the issue of early retirement for faculty members and its budgetary
implications.
Following the above discussion, the annual report was received by Senate.
6.
Other Business
Inquiry was made with respect to the status of harassment cases handled under
the old policy in which participants were given an opportunity to have them
reviewed. Senate was advised that the University has employed the services of L.
Smith of the Faculty of Law at UBC and all cases are being considered except for
one.
7.
Information
The next regularly scheduled meeting of Senate will take place on Monday,
March
2, 1998.
The Open Session adjourned at
8:20
pm and, following a brief recess, moved into
Closed Session.
Alison Watt
Director, Secretariat Services
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