. .:
OR 224-0I5 /w/ ,

1 'i

514/67

To: C.D. Nclsc-n

From: Rcistrar

Head, Bi-Sciences Dept.

R.J.

Baker,

joAjril, 1967

Read, English Dept.

At the April meeting of Scnte the two

University representatives on the Academic Board were requested

provide to Senatea regular written report on the activities

f the Acadic 3c.ard.

It was also decided at the Senate meeting that

any major matters which arose in Sexcte which could be considered

to be of interest to the lcademic Board would

be co

atinicated to

the Board following the decision in Senate.

The attached

correspondence was part of the Agenda

of the Senate meeting arid the discussions in Senate revolved around

the correspondence and more

particularly arnund the impsion

given in the letters from Dean Chant that the Academic Board had

rather more powers nnd Interest than the reading of the Universities

Act would convey.

D.P. Robertson

Secrdary of Senate

. .:

li!N.;Y 2,

V:;

2)1-32.']

J- i.;

2.acE. 15, i97

N16 7

Dr. S. N. F. Chant

Chairman,

The -

tadernic Board for i-:ic:r ZdUcaticn

in British Columbia

3611 West 16th Avenue,

\ r

a-couv

S. B. C.

Dear>7'

Thank you very much for your letter of i',arch 3,

ana let me assure you

my whoienearted ciesre to assilt me

Academic board :n any way possi

ie to fui11 not cniy the s:ato:y

out tue -orilosopnacal responsolites whca rest on tite Loara

Ir,oc:s snoulciers.

I would therefore most sincerely appreciate some

clarification, and I realize this may bast be accompirsiea at the

time

your next meetng on our cam

p us

you would

wish

to pace

such an item on your agenda ana invite me

sit

with you wrz1e you

discuss it. My problem is this - the terms academic develoontents

and significant changes reresent within the university community

a continuous spectrum of events. Towards one

and of the spectrum

one would ltst minor though signziicant acuvances

ifl

the aeveloment

om new teaching aids, or teaching cqupnien, wlt:t me estabs

-ner.:

new faculties or professional schools near the other ena of tue

ectrum. There is no question

n my mmd out tfat tiiough:s =e

: 1137

the latter should be d-iscussed at great iengzn :

he Academ:c

Board before tIe matter goes to the Senate of the university .concer:te

I can with somewhat less certainty assume that the Academic Board is

not concerned with the development of teaching techniques.

Certain key faculty appointments carry with them

the obligation, assumed or stated on behalf of the Universit

, to su-ort

the research interests of the individual. This can, not infrequently,

grow thr'oh a series of appointments into asignificant change or a

iificant academic dev1onnt. Is the Board thcio±'ore intrtd in

faculty appointments?.

- - $M

1411

Conceptually I know exactly vihat you

want,

but to

nocthis to. matter of routine practcc and also to ensure sorri.

ic'rm evel

communication to the Board fron the three rovin-

cia uni rities will recuire, I suggest, the Lcard to be a little

more precise than you have been i n

your letter.

In the meantime, let me briefly report that cur

budget or 1967-68 contains the development of no new departments,

nor sub-departments or faculties.

it does provide for a minimum, and in some places

suo-mmmium, expansion ofour teachng stan to cope wrtn tr..e antzc-

patec 5,000 to

5 00 undergraduace and graduate student enrollment

September, 1967.

I believe that during this

eriod we will finally be

able to implement our undergraduate academic program in the area

of physical development. This has been a comrnithacnt we have had

since the University was first pinned but we have been .unimressed

with the general quality of physical education programs inCanada and

were unwilling to launch a progran of our own along

simiiar lines.

We believe that we have now determined a viable approach to this

mportant area

of scholarship and st will involve intereepartmenta,

in fact interfaculty, co-operation to a great extent, and as you will

have seen in our recent Senate minutes, the kinesioiogy program

ha been approved and a management committee estab.she uncer

the chairmanship of the Dean

Science.

Graduate work at the Masters level wifl commence

our Department of Philosophy, and

other

graduate programs will

expand in response to the faculty capability to superv:se tao programs

and the need for teaching assistants, which

ill

turn provides the

opportunity to give the graduate student the ñnancial assistance most

o: them need.. With minor exceptions, the s:ze of the graduate

rogram in the Department is thereiore aeterimned at tne upper limit

bythe need for teaching assistants, but

g ood graduate students are

not forthcoming in those numbers we augment the teaching assistant

staff with the so-called dentists wives.

I am happy to be able to advise the Board that cur

Department of Mathematics is. outlding resolutely pn 10 th the au.:ec.

and pure side and has a 'firm resolve .to keep

titOSC

vo vital p arts

mathematics in balance.

341/4

4t4 '

We hope to add one faculty member to

our

Depart-

nient of Athict s and Recreation, with an area of specialization in

track ane. field.. We have not develcied this area as

and it is

important pedagogically in our Professonai Dc'ieloprnnt

Program

for teachers an4 in our in-house Physical DeveopmenV Program.

With regard to your suggested mctho'J of the "o-

z-rd

communicating with the Senate of each University I would suggest

that the Boards communication would be improved if your Executive

Secretary could prepare and send to each o.:

c the universities a regular

• report on me oare s activities. This would ensure that we each

started with the same niormation and the role then of our uriversty

representatives would be to explain or expand on

the

zornial report

from the Board.

Ii I was assured of receipt of a report from your

Executive Secretary, . woula be aeightec to place a regular item on

• our Senate Agenda for the receipt ot such reports.and discussion on

them, led by our representatives on the Academic Board.

ours sincerely..

•

•P.D.

M-raggarm- owar

:am

President.

e4rw

TION

THE ACADEMIC BOARD FOR

HCHER

EDUCA

BRITISH COLUMBIA

224-0I5

/w/ ,

V.NCCLJV

£,

March 3, 1967

Dr. .P.D.

McTagcart-Cowan,

President,

Simon Fraser University,

L3urnaby

2, B. C,.

Dear President McTaggart-Cowan,

you are

aware,

Section Si of the Universities Act empows the

Acadic Board "to advise the appro

riate authorities on crderl' de'ieiccent

Of' Universities established under the Univerities Act and of coilees

established under the Public

Schools

Act b y

kecoing. in

review

the

acdemic

standards of each; and, without limiting the generality of the forogoir, to

report on any matters respecting academic standards and deve1opnr.t in

education as may be from time to time required by the Minister o

ducaticn".

In order to

i flil l

these s:auto-y

it is nccs.r

z::

the Board kee

itelf informed regarding all significant academic deveian:

that the universities have under consideration. At present the Ecard receives

co p

ies of the minutes of Senate

meetings. However, by the time ne/ p:opcsais

•

are plaed before the Senates they are usually in the form of definite

recoraendaticns that have been fully considered from an intramural stentocir.t

by the de

artments and faculties concerned or by committees appointed for the

• purpose. If the Senate votes its approval the proposals are put into effe:t

and the time has passed when the Academic Board's advic& would

he!p:u..

order to offer timely advice the

board necus to be in:ormec

c:•nev: prcpssa.s

before they are suhitted for approval so that any inter-related

studies y

• be carr'ed out while the matter is still under

consceraton.

•

When reporting

to the appropriate authorities regarding academic standar:a

and develoomonts the Board adheres to

advisory role .witnout assuming

executive responsibility for any action to

taken.

The Board has no

intention

of encroaching

upon the autonomy of

the universities. It is

the policy of the

Board to encourage initiative on the part of each university to make its

distinctive contribution, to higher education.

.Thile acknowiedgin that the

immedic^te concern

of each university is the care of

its, own

coerations and

development, the Board has a wider responsibility for advisiig on matters

affecting the standards of higher eèiucation generally, and on the

develoaman:

of suitable programs in higher education throughout the Province at la:e.

Operating within,these larger terms of reference, it is the Board's practice to

encourage and support all developments in higher education that' it considers

will see tne best interests of the p

eople

oie-:'v_-ice

J -.

. .

,#i

Dr. ?.D. McTagir-Cotvan, Pro

ident

Sr on raasor U1vLrst1

seaçjo .

accordance '.vth the tcrs of ho Unive.ii::, Ace,

na; of

each university appoints two inemoors to the Academic 3crd. These

:r:s

reoularly raise matero pertaininc

to academic stardarci and developments

for

discussion by the 3oard. '!owever, the

ard

considers

that it

meet its statutory responsibilities in a more adecuate

manner

if some rrc

formal procedures are adopted. Therefore, the ord reruess the President

of each Uiversty to

1nror

ora

____

5io^dficant chzniv^es in educational 1 p olic y

-;mid

p:cic

.lo sic" are

t'-e earl

staces of co

n sideratio

In addition, it

is suggested that the agenda

of Senate provide

rglarly

for reports

the 3oard's activities

by the University's representatives.

Such reports would inform the members of the Senate regarding deveicpments.

that are taking place in higher education throughout the Province and provid

then wtn opportunities to comment

upon the Board's ac_vitie...

The Academicoard will greatly appreciate your co-operation in ass

, n:,,

it to fulfil its statutory responsibilities.

Yours sincerely,

Chairman

SNFC: wf