DRAFT UNTIL APPROVED BY SENATE

Minutes of a meeting of the Senate of Simon Fraser University held on

Monday, November

2007 at 5:30 pm in Room 3210 WMC

Open Session

Present:

Stevenson. Michael, President and Chair of Senate

Abduiwahab, Kamal

Agnes, George (representing J. Driver)

Atkins, Stella

Collinge, Joan (representing J. LaBrie)

Corbett, Kitty

Cormack, Lesley

Dagenais, Diane

Dickinson, Peter

Easton, Stephen

Fizzell, Maureen

Fox, Amy

Francis, June

Hannah, David

Harder, Derrick

Harding, Kevin

Hayes, Michael

Hemingway, Alex

Krane, Bill

Lee, Benjamin

Letourneau, Michael

Lewis, Brian

Liljedahl, Peter

Malcoe, Lorraine Halinka

O'Neil, John

Owen, Brian (representing L. Copeland)

Paling, Joe

Percival, Cohn

Percival, Paul

Pinto, Mario

Plischke, Michael

Popadiuk, Natalee

Russell, Robert

Shaker, Paul

Shermer, Thomas

Smart, Carolyne

Smith, Don

Tiffany, Evan

Tse, Karen

Vaid, Bhuvinder

Wakkary, Ron

Warner, D'Arcy

Waterhouse, John

Williams, Peter

Williams, Tony

• ?

Ross, Kate, Registrar/Senior Director Student Enrolment

Watt, Alison, Director, University Secretariat

Grant, Bobbie, Recording Secretary

[I:

Absent:

Black, Sam

Brebner, Sarah

Brennand, Tracy

Gencay, Ramo

Gordon, Robert

Javed, Waseem

Laba, Martin

Lein, Adam

Li, Paul

Louie, Brandt

McArthur, James

Peters, Joseph

Thompson, Steve

van Baarsen, Amanda

Weeks, Daniel

In attendance:

Breden, Felix

Forsyth, Ian

Weinberg, Hal

S.M.

November 2007

Page 2

Approval of the Agenda

In order to accommodate I. Forsyth who was in attendance as a resource person for

Senate paper S.07-138, item 7.D.i was moved to follow item 6.A.i on the Agenda.

Following this change, the Agenda was approved.

Approval of the Minutes of the Open Session of October 15, 2007

The Minutes were approved as distributed.

Business Arising from the Minutes

Reference was made to the discussion about student involvement on the Academic

Advisory Committee of Fraser International College, and the understanding from the last

meeting that students would not be members of the committee. The Vice-President

Academic wished to clarify this issue by stating that the membership of the committee

would include students.

In response to an issue raised at the last meeting about whether human rights and

harassment polices at FIC were harmonized with those of SFU, the Vice-President

Academic advised Senate that the contract between FIC and the University requires that

FIC comply with the applicable laws of Canada and of British Columbia and with the

policy regulations of SFU. Under the terms of the contract, the College is required to

provide the University with evidence of its compliance when requested by the University.

about

compliance

up to concerns

to policies

expressed

and regulations,

about dispute

the Vice-President

resolution with

Academic

regard to complaintsadvised

that

the following addition will be made to the terms of reference of the Academic Advisory

Committee: In the case of unresolved disputes related to academic matters such as

academic dishonesty, academic appeals, disability accommodation, and academic

freedom, the Academic Advisory Committee will review and facilitate resolution. In

seeking resolution the Academic Advisory Committee will be guided by SFU's policies

and regulations.

Reference was made to the discussion concerning the involvement of departments,

specifically the Department of English, with regard to course offerings for FIC. The

Vice-President Academic advised Senate that he had examined this issue further and

wished to provide Senate with the following information. In the contract between FIC

and SFU, the University has agreed to provide transfer credit for articulated courses.

Departments are not forced to develop courses for FTC but the University is required to

provide transfer credit. Departments that participate in this process provide a course

coordinator to assist FIC in locating an instructor, and provide equivalency audits and

articulation for courses taught by FTC. The VPA office works with Faculties to determine

which SFU courses will be required by FIC students so that they may receive transfer

credit towards a degree program, and works with departments to identify departmental

course coordinators. In the case of the English Department which initially voted not to

participate in the process, the Department was informed by the Dean's office that they

could not block articulation on non-academic grounds. The Department was presented

with options on how articulation could take place, and the Department subsequently

S.M.

November 2007

Page 3

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chose to participate in the process. In response to an inquiry about the process, Senate

was advised that if a Department did not participate in the articulation process, the

Dean's office could provide the service by using appropriate staff in their office. to

determine levels of articulation and equivalency but the preferred option was for

Departments to participate and make the determination themselves.

An inquiry was made as to whether objections such as those expressed by the English

Department would be part of the review process when the time comes for Senate to

evaluate FIC and make a decision On contract renewal. Senate was advised that there

would be no restrictions on the information brought to Senate for review and debate.

With regard to an inquiry at the last meeting about the use of corporate names in

endowed professorships and chairs, Senate was advised that there are approximately 24

professorships or chairs that have been approved by Senate, six of which are named for

corporations. Senate was also informed that information concerning the breakdown of

corporations and donations was available from the office of University Advancement.

4. ?

Report of the Chair

On behalf of Senate, the Chair welcomed the following two new Senators and thanked

them for undertaking service to Senate: Dr. Stella Atkins, Faculty member, Faculty of

Applied Sciences, and Joe Paling, Student member, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

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5. ?

Question Period

A question was raised by M. Letourneau as to why the Library did not make spousal

cards available for students, especially graduate students. Senate was advised that this

issue had not been raised for consideration by the Senate Library Committee but it could

easily be pursued. At the request of the Chair, M. Letourneau agreed to follow the issue

UP.

6. ?

Reports of Committees

A) ?

Research Ethics Board

i) ?

Paper S.07-132 - Annual Report (For Information)

F. Breden, Chair of the Research Ethics Board, and H. Weinberg, Director of the Office

of Research Ethics, were in attendance in order to respond to questions.

The Annual Report of the Research Ethics Board was received by Senate for information.

D) ?

Senate Committee on A

enda and Rules

Paper S.07-138 - Polic

Revisions - 1. 10.09 Retention and Disposal of Student

Exams or Assignments, and T.20.01 Gradin

and Reconsideration of Grades

I. Forsyth, University Archivist was in attendance in order to respond to questions.

S.M.

November

2007

Page 4

Moved by J. Waterhouse, seconded by K. Harding

"that Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors the revision of

Policy 110.09 and the revision of T 20.01 effective immediately"

It was noted that students were required to submit grade appeals or requests for

reconsideration of a grade within a ten day time period but there was no equivalent

requirement on the part of the university to respond in a timely manner. Because this

concern had been raised with the University Archivist prior to the meeting, the policy had

been re-examined and a minor revision to language to assure an equitable timeliness on

the part of the university would be made. The revised language would appear in Section

2.5

of Policy 1 20.01 as a new article at the start of that section which would simply state

that each of the levels of authority that are involved in a request to reconsider a grade

would respond in a timely manner, normally within ten days. Senate was also informed of

some minor editorial revisions to Section

2.2.5

and 2.6.1 to correct inconsistency in

language and to ensure both of those sections state and mean the same thing. These

revisions were satisfactory to K. Harding who had raised this issue.

In response to an inquiry as to why documents must be kept for one year, Senate was

advised that public bodies are required by law to retain personal information for a

minimum of one year after its date of last use whenever that information is used to make

a decision that affects the rights of an individual. Graded examinations and assignments

are deemed decisions that directly affect the interests of a student.

Discussion turned to the issue of returned exams and assignments without the original

markings of the instructor. Senate was advised that the issue of authenticity and reliability

of the record being returned by the student was not addressed in the existing policy. The

complaint that gave rise to the proposed changes was a different issue. However, it would

be entirely appropriate to insist that the record that is returned by the student must be the

original one that was marked, graded, and annotated by the instructor, and if Senate felt

this should be explicitly addressed in the policy it could be done. It was suggested that T

20.01, 2.4.1 could cover this issue although it might not be sufficiently specific.

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

B) ?

Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies

i) ?

Paper S.07-133 - Changes to admission requirements for BC 12 students and

transfer students

Motion 1

Moved by B. Krane, seconded by M. Fizzell

"that Senate approve in principle that the maximum allowable difference

between a final BC English 12 high school mark and provincial exam be

set on an annual basis in relation to the standard deviation of the.

S.M.

November 2007

Page 5

differences. SCUS will determine the annual maximum allowable

. 1

difference upon receiving a recommendation from Student Services"

Several concerns were expressed about the wording of the motion and the lack of

clarification as to the intent and consequence of the motion if passed. There were no

objections to a suggestion by P. Percival to revise the motion as follows, and the

revisions were accepted as a friendly amendment:

"that Senate delegate to SCUS the authority to annually set for admission

purposes the maximum allowable difference between a final BC English

12 high school mark and provincial exam"

It was suggested that references to receiving a recommendation from Student Services

and to the standard deviation of the differences, were not matters of policy that needed to

be included in the motion, but were merely practical ways to proceed and issues that

would be dealt with by SCUS under delegated authority.

Brief discussion ensued about whether or not the purpose of the motion was to restrict

admissions or if there were other possible outcomes. Senate was advised that the

motivation for bringing this forward to Senate was to assist Student Services and provide

some guidance in terms of applicants where there was a substantial difference between

the two marks that would likely call into question the ability of the student to successfully

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undertake university studies. In other cases, there may be the need for some other

intervention such as tutoring in order to assist the student.

In response to a suggestion that the issue be referred back to SCUS to provide greater

clarity as to the wording of the motion and the rationale, the Chair inquired if the matter

was urgent. Senate was informed that since this would take effect in Fall 2008, there was

no urgency for resolution at this meeting. There were no objections to the following

motion which was moved by P. Percival:

"that the motion be referred back to SCUS to provide greater clarity as to

the wording of the motion and the rationale"

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION TO REFER CARRIED

Motion 2

Moved by B. Krane, seconded by C. Percival

"that Senate approve that the admission criteria for applicants transferring

from all recognized colleges and universities be as follows: Applicants in

good standing from other recognized universities and colleges may be

admitted upon completion of at least 24 credit hours of transferable work

with a minimum 60% (2.0) average"

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

S.M.

November 2007

Page 6

ii) ?

Paper S.07-134 - Under g

raduate Curriculum Chan g es - Faculty

of Arts and

Social Sciences (For Information)

Senate received information that the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies, acting

under delegated authority, approved course deletions, new courses, revisions to program

and degree requirements, and changes to existing courses in the following areas: English,

History, Humanities, Linguistics, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology,

Sociology/Anthropology, Latin American Studies, and Women's Studies.

Reference was made to the large list of course changes in the Department of Sociology

and Anthropology which seemed to suggest that all of their courses were having changes

of title and prerequisite. An inquiry was raised as to whether there was some common

element in the change for these courses. Senate was advised by a member of SCUS that it

might be because one or two of the lower division courses that had previously been part

of the prerequisite requirement were no longer offered.

Secretary's note. The title changes were mainly to make the "S" or "A " designations

more easily understood for each course, and the majority of the prerequisite changes

were minor changes to clarify and reflect current practice in the department. In addition,

the information on Senate paper S.07-134, 86) should show 30 courses with a change of

title and prerequisite, and 33 courses with a change ofprerequisite rather than a total of

63 courses having a change of title and prerequisite.

In response to an inquiry about the title of a new course - WS 317 - Senate was advised

that there were no typographical errors in the title of the course and that the wording

contained commonly used terms.

C) ?

Senate Graduate Studies Committee

Paper S.07-135 - Graduate Curriculum Change

Chemistry (For Information)

Senate received information that the Senate Graduate Studies Committee, acting under

delegated authority, approved the deletion of CHEM 802.

ii)

PaperS.07-136 - Graduate Curriculum Change

Geography (For Information)

Senate received information that the Senate Graduate Studies Committee, acting under

delegated authority, approved a change in course requirements for the MA program.

S.M.

November 2007

Page 7

iii)

Paper S.07-137 - Graduate Curriculum Change - Philoso phy

(For Information)

Senate received information that the Senate Graduate Studies Committee, acting under

delegated authority, approved changes to the application procedures to reflect internet

access, changes to clarify the uses of directed studies and degree completion courses, and

a change to the degree requirements for the MA program.

E) ?

Senate Nominatin

Committee

i) ?

Paper S.07-139 - Elections

Senate was advised that additional nominations had been received resulting in the

election by acclamation of Stella Atkins to the Senator at-large position on the Senate

Committee on Continuing Studies; and the election of Joe Paling to the Undergraduate

Student position on the Diverse Qualifications Adjudication Committee. However, it was

pointed out by K. Harding that another nomination (Ben Lee) had been submitted for the

undergraduate student position on DQAC, and inquiry was made about this position.

The Secretary of the Senate Nominating Committee apologized for this oversight and

confirmed that two nominations had in fact been submitted for DQAC and that an

election would have to be held. Since the election could not take place at the meeting,

Senators were advised that an on-line vote would be organized for this ballot.

Secretary's note: Subsequent to the meeting, Joe Paling withdrew from the election and

Ben Lee was declared elected by acclamation to the Diverse Qualifications Adjudication

Committee.

The remaining vacancy for the Senate Committee on International Activities would be

carried forward to the next meeting.

Other Business

There was no other business.

Information

The date of the next regularly scheduled meeting of Senate is Monday, December 3,

2008.

Open Session adjourned at

6:15

pm and Senate moved directly into Closed Session.

Alison Watt

Director, University Secretariat