DRAFT UNTIL APPROVED BY SENATE

Minutes of a Meeting of the Senate of Simon Fraser University held on ?

Monday, July 7, 2008 at 5:30 pm in Room 3210 WMC

Open Session

Present: Stevenson, Michael, President and Chair of Senate

Agnes, George (representing J. Driver)

Arsenault-Antolick, Haida

Bains, Aman

Bart, Brad

Bocking, Natalie

Brennand, Tracy

Chapman, Glenn

Collinge, Joan

Copeland, Lynn

Dawkins, Heather (representing L. Cormack)

Dow, Greg

Fergusson, Andrew

Fizzell, Maureen

Golnaraghi, Faiid

Hannah, David

Harding, Kevin

Joifres, Michel

Krane, Bill

Laba, Martin

Lee, Benjamin

Letourneau, Michael

Lewis, Brian

Leznoff, Daniel

Liljedahl, Peter

MacDonald, Camille

O'Neil, John

Paling, Joseph

Patel, Ravi

Percival, Cohn

Peters, Joseph

Pinto, Mario

Plischke, Michael

Popadiuk, Natalee

Shaker, Paul

Shapiro, Daniel

Shermer, Thomas

Tapia, Earl Von

Thompson, Steve

Tiny, Evan

Van Baarsen, Amanda

van der Wey, Dolores

Wakkary, Ron

Warner, D'Arcy

Ross, Kate, Registrar & Senior Director Student Enrolment

• ?

Watt, Alison, Director, University Secretariat

Grant, Bobbie, Recording Secretary

Absent:

Easton, Stephen

Francis, June

Gençay, Ramo

Gordon, Robert

Hayes, Michael

Janes, Craig

Louie, Brandt

McArthur, James

Percival, Paul

Russell, Robert

Vaid, Bhuvinder

Williams, Tony

In attendance:

Donelan, Max

Kiai, Mehran

Lee, Jacy

S.M. 7 July 2008

Page 2

Approval of the Agenda

The Agenda was approved as distributed.

Approval of the Minutes of the Open Session of June 2. 2008

The Minutes were approved as distributed.

Business Arising from the Minutes

There was no business arising from the Minutes.

Report of the Chair

Question Period

Senate was advised that questions submitted by M. Letoumeau for Question Period dealt

with the same issue which the Chair intended to report on so agenda items 4 and 5 would

be dealt with together.

The submission for Question Period involved a set of related questions concerning the

"Government Letter of Expectations" recently issued to the University by the Ministry of

Advanced Education. In response to Question 1 as to whether the Letter of Expectations

had been signed, the Chair reported that the Chair of the Board of Governors had not

signed the document nor was her signature being recommended. In response to Question

2 concerning the impact on the relationship between Senate and the Board of Governors

with respect to decision-making authority for the University, the Chair stated that the

Letter of Expectations raised difficult questions about the relationship between Senate and

the Board in respect of university governance and for that reason could not be signed as

presented. In response to Questions 3 and 4 regarding the impact on Senate's ability to set

academic policy for the University and the impact on the independence granted to the

University under Section 48 of the University Act, the Chair explained that since the

Letter of Expectations touched on matters that are under the statutory authority of Senate

such as the kinds of programs that would need to be developed at SPU, signature by the

Chair of the Board of Governors would be

ultra vires.

These and other jurisdictional issues

were at issue and would be included in the University's response to the Letter of

Expectations. In response to the final question, Question 5, concerning how the

University intended to address these concerns, the Chair indicated that the Government

would be alerted to the potential conflicts posed by the proposed Letter of Expectation

and reminded that since this is a matter of common interest to BC research universities,

the Presidents and Board Chairs will be meeting to ensure that all institutions are acting in

concert on this matter.

Reports of Committees

A) ?

Senate Committee on University Priorities

Paper S.08-85 - Name Change from School of Kinesiologv to Department of

Biomedical Ph ysiolog

and Kinesiology

Moved by B. Krane, seconded by B. Lewis ?

S.M. 7 July 2008

Page 3

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

name change for the School of Kinesiology to the Department of

Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, effective April 1, 2009"

M. Donelan, School of Kinesiology was in attendance in order to respond to questions.

Question was called, and a vote taken. ?

MOTION CARRIED

ii) ?

Paper S.08-86 - Facult y

of Education: Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Counselling

and Human Development

Moved by B. Krane, seconded by N. Popadiuk

"that Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors, the full

program proposal for a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Counselling and

Human Development in the Faculty of Education"

N. Popadiuk, Senator, Faculty of Education was available to respond to questions.

In response to questions about the primary audience and the relationship of the Post

Baccalaureate Diploma [PBD] to the Minor program in the same area, Senate was advised

. ?

that the primary audience would be persons already working in the field who were

interested in moving into a counselling program to obtain a Master's degree, and that the

Minor would be taken by students during their Bachelor program, while the PBD would

be taken by students who already have a Bachelor's degree in a different area. Students

who have completed the Minor in Counselling and Human Development as part of their

Bachelor's program would not be able to, nor be interested in, taking the PBD.

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

iii)

Paper S.08-87 - Name for new Faculty: Faculty of Communication. Art and?

Technolog y (FCAT)

Moved by B. Krane, seconded by B. Lewis

"that Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors the name for

the new Faculty as Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology (FCAT)"

B. Lewis, Senator and Dean of Applied Sciences was available to respond to questions.

Question was called, and a vote taken.

MOTION CARRIED

S.M. 7 July 2008

Page 4

B) ?

Senate Committee on Under g raduate Studies

Paper S.08-88 - Curriculum Changes. Facult

of Applied Sciences (For

Information): Interactive Arts and Technology

. Engineering Science, and

Kinesiologv

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

under delegated authority, approved course deletions, new courses and program changes

in the following areas: Interactive Arts and Technology, Engineering Science, and

Kinesiology.

ii)

Paper S.08-89 - Curriculum Changes. Facukv of Arts and Social Sciences (For

Information): English

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

under delegated authority, approved new courses in the Department of English.

iii)

Pater S.08-90 - Curriculum Chanaes, Facult

y of ucatioiiiFodnformatioth

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

under delegated authority, approved program changes and changes to existing courses in

the Faculty of Education.

iv)

Paper S.08-91 - Curriculum Changes. Faculty of Science (For Information):

Molecular Biology and Biochemistr

Physics

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

under delegated authority, approved changes to existing courses in Molecular Biology and

Biochemistry and Physics.

Paper S.08-92 - Curriculum changes. Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue (For

Information)

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

under delegated authority, approved course deletions in the Undergraduate Semester in

Dialogue program.

vi)

Paper S.08-93 - BC 12 Provincial Exam Requirements

Moved by B. Krane, seconded by K. Harding

"that Senate approve that BC 12 students not be required to write optional

BC Provincial Grade 12 examinations for admission other than those

required for graduation. If written, grades from the optional provincial

examinations would be used only if they increase a student's admission

average."

K. Ross, Registrar, M. Kiai, Director, Enrolment Services, andJ. Lee, Director,

Institutional Research and Planning were available to respond to questions.

S.M. 7 July 2008

Page

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A member of SPCSAB advised that the issue of requiring or not requiring provincial

exams for scholarship assessment has been discussed on many occasions. In order to clarify

Senate's position and provide direction to the SPCSAB on this issue, the following

amendment was made.

Amendment moved by C. Percival, seconded by R. Patel

"that the words 'or entrance scholarships' be added to the motion

following the word 'admission' in the first sentence'

Senate was advised that the intent was to have the same process concerning provincial

exams apply to admission and to scholarship assessment. Reference to the second part of

the motion was made and a brief discussion followed in which the Registrar explained

how the process would work with respect to scholarship assignments. It was also noted

that UBC was treating scholarship assessments in the same way and it was suggested that

consistency across the university system would be helpful.

Question was called on the amendment and a vote taken.

AMENDMENT CARRIED

In response to an inquiry with regard to the admission requirement for students to have a

specific number of Government examinable courses for direct entrance from high school,

Senate was advised that the motion before Senate does not change that criteria.

Several members expressed support for the motion for pragmatic reasons but felt that it

was an unfortunate course of action which was necessary but may result in general grade

inflation and differential grade inflation from the high schools. Discussion ensued about

the effect this would have on the admission process, and Senate was advised that the

Registrar's Office would carefully monitor and evaluate the situation.

Inquiries were made about whether there was any data to show how many students were

choosing other institutions over SFU. Although specific figures are available, Senate was

advised that when recent provincial data was reviewed in relation to BC's Passport to

Education incentive, the number of students going to universities outside BC had

increased. An opinion was expressed that the debate appeared to be structured in terms of

principle reasons versus pragmatic reasons. Before principles were sacrificed it might be

worthwhile to determine whether this was an opportunity for SFU to take a stand for a

pedagogical principle, but delaying a decision in order to collect further data might

significantly jeopardize SFU's recruiting efforts for 2009.

It was noted that UVic had decided some months ago to drop the provincial exam

requirement and this change would take effect for their September 2008 intake. An

inquiry was made as to whether it was possible to delay the motion for a short period of

time to get a better sense of how admissions at UVic were affected. The Registrar advised

that since the SFU change was proposed for implementation in Fall 2009, admission

materials needed to be printed immediately for recruitment so timeliness was crucial.

S.M. 7 July 2008

Page 6

The motion, as amended, was reiterated prior to a vote being taken: ?

"that Senate approve that BC 12 students not be required to write optional

BC Provincial Grade 12 examinations for admission or entrance

scholarships other than those required for graduation. If written, grades

from the optional provincial examinations would be used only if they

increase a student's admission average."

Question was called, and a vote taken.

C) ?

Senate Graduate Studies Committee

MOTION (AS AMENDED) CARRIED

Paper S.08-94 - Curriculum Changes. Facult

of Applied Sciences (For

Information): Communication, Interactive Arts and Technolog y . Kinesiologv,

Engineering Science

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

delegated authority, approved new courses and changes to existing courses in the

following areas: Communication, Interactive Arts and Technology, Kinesiology, and

Engineering Science.

ii)

Paper S.08-95 - Curriculum Changes. Faculty of Business Administration (For

Information)

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

delegated authority, approved program changes and changes to existing courses in the

Faculty of Business Administration.

iii)

Paper S.08-96 - Curriculum Changes. Faculty of Education (For Information)

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

delegated authority, approved changes to programs in the Faculty of Education.

iv)

Paper S.08-97 - Curriculum Changes. Faculty of Science (For Information):

Biological Sciences. Mathematics, Physics

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

delegated authority, approved course deletions and changes to existing courses in the

following areas: Biological Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics.

D) ?

Senate Nominating Committee

i) ?

Paper S.08-98 Revised -Elections

Senate's attention was drawn to Senate Paper S.08-98 Revised which was distributed at

the meeting and showed all positions which were elected by acclamation and those

positions which required balloting. Senators were reminded that voting would take place

on-line. Senators would receive an email with information and links to both the ballot and

the candidate statements that are on-line. A copy of S.08-98 Revised would also be -

S.M. 7 July 2008

Page 7

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attached to the email so Senators have complete electoral information. Voting on-line

would be accessible for approximately two days and all Senators were encouraged to vote.

Names of candidates elected by acclamation can be found on Senate Paper S.08-98

Revised. Outstanding vacancies will be carried forward. The results of on-line voting are

as follows:

Senate Committee on International Activities (SCLA)

One Student (Alternate) for term of office to May 31, 2010

Elected: ?

Robert Lutener

Other Business

There was no other business.

Information

The date of the next regularly scheduled meeting of Senate is Monday, September 15,

2008.

Since this was their last meeting of Senate in their capacity as Deans, the Chair wished to

recognize P. Shaker, Dean of Education and B. Lewis, Dean of Applied Sciences. On

behalf of Senate and the University, the Chair extended thanks and appreciation to the

Deans for their service and contributions to Senate and the University.

The Open Session adjourned at 6:20 pm, and Senate moved directly into Closed Session.

Alison Watt

Director, University Secretariat