APPROVED BY SENATE
Minutes of a Meeting of the Senate of Simon Fraser University held on
Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at 7:00 pm at the West Mall Complex (Room 3210)
Open Session
Present:
Petter, Andrew, President and Chair
Acierno, Kyle
Brandhorst, Bruce
Brennand, Tracy
Cameron, Rob (for N. Rajapakse)
Chapman, Glenn
Corbett, Kitty
Cupples, Claire
Cyr, Dianne
Driver, Jon
Fizzell, Maureen
Francis, June
Garneau-Scott, Christi
Geisler, Cheryl
Gordon, Robert
Haunerland, Norbert (for M. Pinto)
Janes, Craig
Kong, Shuyu
Kropinski, Mary Catherine
Laitsch, Dan
Law, Mona
Lee, Benjamin
Leznoff, Daniel
MacGrotty, Alysia
Magnusson, Kris
McFetridge, Paul (for J. Craig)
Moghaddamjoo, Sarah
Mann, Geoff
Myers, Gordon
Nesbit, Tom (for H. Wussow)
O’Neil, John
Parkhouse, Wade
Patel, Ravi
Patidar, Risha
Patidar, Trisha
Pavsek, Christopher
Percival, Colin
Percival, Paul
Pierce, John
Somers, Julian
Tashakor, Pasha
Ross, Kate, Registrar & Executive Director Student Enrolment
van der Wey, Dolores
Warner, D’Arcy
Woodbury, Rob
Absent:
Bezglasnyy, Anton
Black, Sam
Brinkhurst, Marena
Dhillon, Arinder
Dow, Greg
Easton, Stephen
Eckman, Charles
Golnaraghi, Farid
Kopahi, Moe
Krane, Bill
Lewis, Cynthia
Li, Fiona
Louie, Brandt
McArthur, James
Morrison, John
Paterson, David
Peters, Joseph
Ruben, Peter
Russell, Robert
Sahinalp, Cenk
Saif, Mehrdad
Shapiro, Daniel
Shaw, Chris
In attendance:
Daminato, Cathy
Dench, Sarah
Kugler, DD
Legris, Louise
Scott. Jamie
S.M 24 May 2011
Page 2
Gair, Shelley, Recording Secretary
1.
Approval of the Agenda
Item S.11-60 was removed from the agenda due to some ongoing changes to the proposal. Item
S.11-66 was not submitted by the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies (SCUS) so it was
moved to an item under “Other Business”. The agenda was approved with these revisions.
2.
Approval of the Minutes of the Open Session of April 4, 2011.
The minutes were approved as distributed.
3.
Business Arising from the Minutes
There was no business arising from the minutes.
4.
Report of the Chair
The Chair reported that the current consultation phase of the enVISION process will be
concluded by the end of May. A document should be released sometime in July for further
consultation and consideration over the summer and through September. Senators were
encouraged to submit any further input before the end of the month.
It was shared by the Chair that Naomi Yamamoto, the new Minister of Advanced Education,
visited the Burnaby campus. This provided an opportunity to highlight the work that goes on and
the need for additional funding for a number of different purposes, such as capital for
maintenance and upgrade. SFU also received a visit from the Premier, a former SFU student, who
was here to announce support for a new energy utility that will provide hot water to both the
university and to UniverCity.
The Chair, on behalf of Senate, acknowledged and thanked the Senators whose term of office
expires on May 31, 2011.
Convocation Senators:
Cynthia Lewis, James McArthur.
Faculty
Senators:
Kitty Corbett, Greg Dow, Craig Janes, Dolores van der Wey.
Student Senators:
Anton
Bezglasnyy, Marena Brinkhurst, Christi Garneau-Scott, Moe Kopahi, Mona Law, Fiona Li,
Alysia MacGrotty, John Morrison, Ravi Patel, Rishi Patidar, Trisha Patidar.
5.
Question Period
A follow-up question from a previous meeting was raised regarding adding student representation
on the Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) council. Senate was informed that this request
was discussed but the general feeling was that it made more sense to have students on SCEMP
(Senate Committee on Enrolment Management and Planning), because SEM deals primarily with
operational issues.
6.
Reports of Committees
A) Senate Committee on University Priorities (SCUP)
i)
Suspension of Admission and Dissolution of the Publishing Minor
in the School of Communication (S.11-59)
S.M 24 May 2011
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DD Kugler, Associate Dean, Faculty of Communication, Art, and Technology, was in attendance
to respond to questions.
Motion 1
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Ravi Patel
“that Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors the suspension of admission
to the Publishing Minor in the School of Communication within the Faculty of
Communication, Art and Technology, effective Fall 2011.”
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION CARRIED
Motion 2
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Colin Percival
“that Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors the dissolution of the
Publishing Minor in the School of Communication within the Faculty of Communication, Art
and Technology, effective Fall 2013.
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION CARRIED
ii)
Terms of Reference for Chair in Health Disparities in Cancer Research (S.11-61)
Cathy Daminato, Vice-President, Advancement and Alumni Engagement, was in attendance to
respond to questions.
Motion
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Maureen Fizzell
“that Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors the revised Terms of
Reference for the Chair in Health Disparities in Cancer Research.”
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION CARRIED
iii) Centre for Coastal Studies name change (S.11-62)
Motion
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Norbert Haunerland
“that Senate approve the name of the Centre for Coastal Studies be changed to the Centre
for Coastal Science and Management.”
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION CARRIED
iv) Centre for Hellenic Studies (S.11-63)
Cathy Daminato, Vice-President, Advancement and Alumni Engagement, was in attendance to
respond to questions.
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Motion
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Risha Patidar
“that Senate approve the proposal for the establishment of the Centre for Hellenic Studies as
a Centre for a five year term.”
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION CARRIED
v)
PhD in Health Sciences (S.11-64)
Jamie Scott, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry faculty member, was in attendance to respond
to questions.
Motion
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Ben Lee
“that Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors the Full Program Proposal
for a PhD in Health Sciences within the Faculty of Health Sciences, effective Fall 2011.”
A concern was raised over an inconsistency in the documentation (p. 4 and 5) regarding when the
supervisory committee is finalized. A
friendly amendment
was accepted to move “finalize
supervisory committee” from Year 1, Term 2 on page 5 to Year 1, Term 1 on page 5 to be
consistent with the sentence on page 4 that states, “Once accepted into the program, and no later
than the end of the first term, the student in consultation with the Senior Supervisor will identify
and appoint a Supervisory Committee”.
A second concern was raised over the requirement that students must have at least one paper
accepted for publication and two for submission before going to defense. After some discussion,
an
amendment
was moved by Paul Percival and seconded by Julian Somers to delete the words
“at least one must be accepted for publication at the time of the defense, and the other two must
have been submitted”, found between parentheses on page 28, and to make the rest of the
document consistent with that deletion.
Question was called and a vote taken on amendment.
AMENDMENT CARRIED
Question was called and a vote taken on motion.
MOTION CARRIED
vi) SCUP Annual Report (S.11-65)
Senate received the Annual Report for the Senate Committee on University Priorities for the
period of April 1, 2010 – March 31, 2011 for information.
B)
Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies (SCUS)
i)
Revisions to the IELTS Admission Standard (S.11-67)
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Page 5
Louise Legris, Director, Admissions, was in attendance to respond to questions.
Motion 1
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Maureen Fizzell
“An increase in the minimum International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
score required for admission to the University from 6.0 to 6.5 effective Summer 2012.”
A
friendly amendment
was accepted to add the words “be made” after the word “increase” in
the motion. The amended motion now reads:
“An increase be made in the minimum International English Language Testing System
(IELTS) score required for admission to the University from 6.0 to 6.5 effective Summer
2012.”
A question was raised as to why the IELTS score is changing to 6.5 and not 7.0. Senate was
informed that the 6.5 score is consistent with other B.C. research universities.
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION AS AMENDED CARRIED
Motion 2
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Ravi Patel
“To include the minimum sub scores of 6.0 on each of the four components: Listening,
Writing, Reading and Speaking in the requirement for admission effective Summer 2012.”
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION CARRIED
Motion 3
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Daniel Leznoff
“An increase in the minimum IELTS score from 6.5 to 7.0 with no par less than 6.5 to
register in a Writing-Intensive Course (equivalent to Foundations of Academic Literacy,
FAL X99) effective Summer 2012.”
A
friendly amendment
was accepted to remove the words “equivalent to Foundations of
Academic Literacy, FAL X99” in the motion. The amended motion now reads,
“An increase in the minimum IELTS score from 6.5 to 7.0 with no part less than 6.5 to
register in a Writing-Intensive Course effective Summer 2012.”
It was clarified for Senate that students who are admitted with an IELTS score below 7.0 are
required to take the Foundations in Literacy (FAL) course, within the first three terms, before
registering in a Writing-Intensive (W) course.
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION AS AMENDED CARRIED
S.M 24 May 2011
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ii)
Revision of the BC 12 Admission Course List (S.11-68)
Louise Legris, Director, Admissions, was in attendance to respond to questions.
Motion
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Kris Magnusson
“That non-provincially examinable BC Grade 12 courses be used in the calculation of the
admission average effective Summer 2012.”
A
friendly amendment
was accepted to change the motion to the following:
“That the specified list of non-provincially examinable BC Grade 12 courses be used in the
calculation of the admission average effective Summer 2012.”
Due to a number of questions not being adequately answered regarding the list of courses, a
motion to postpone
this item until the next Senate meeting was moved by Colin Percival and
seconded by Maureen Fizzell. When it was determined that there were some timing issues, Colin
Percival withdrew his motion. It was clarified for Senate that the courses used in the calculation
of the admission average are the courses listed on page 2 of the document.
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION AS AMENDED CARRIED
iii) Deletion of English Bridge Program (S.11-69)
Louise Legris, Director, Admissions, was in attendance to respond to questions.
Motion
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Maureen Fizzell
“The deletion of the English Bridge Program (EBP) as one of the ways to satisfy the English
Language Admission Requirement effective Spring 2012.”
Senate was informed that the English Bridge Program was originally a pilot program that was
designed to recruit international students. The Fraser International College has essentially
replaced this program and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is no longer interested in
running the program. The English Bridge program is no longer sustainable.
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION CARRIED
iv) Transfer Students Admitted to SFU with an English mark of C or C- Analysis (S.11-70)
Louise Legris, Director of Admissions and Sarah Dench, Director of University Curriculum and
Institutional Liaison, were in attendance to respond to questions.
S.M 24 May 2011
Page 7
Motion
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Maureen Fizzell
“That senate rescinds the statement approved in May 2010 changing the transferable
English or certified W grade for admission and FAL exemption from C- to C. The calendar
statements would read:
English Language Admission Requirement: Completion of a three unit English (ENGL)
course or a certified W (writing intensive) course for which Simon Fraser University grants
transfer credit , with a minimum grade of C-.
Writing-Intensive Course Prerequisite: A minimum grade of C- in a three unit English
(ENGL) course or a certified W (writing intensive) course for which Simon Fraser
University grants transfer credit.”
A
friendly amendment
was accepted to change the first sentence in the motion to the following:
“That Senate approve changing the transferable English or certified W grade for admission
and FAL exemption from C to C-.”
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION AS AMENDED CARRIED
v)
Undergraduate Curriculum Revisions (S.11-71 to S.11-73)
Senate received information that the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies, acting under
delegated authority, approved new courses and minor revisions to existing courses and program
requirements in the Faculties of Applied Sciences; Environment; and Science.
C) Senate Graduate Studies Committee (SGSC)
i)
Graduate Curriculum Revisions (S.11-74 to S.11-78)
Senate received information that the Senate Committee on Graduate Studies, acting under
delegated authority, approved new courses and minor revisions to existing courses and program
requirements in the Faculties of Applied Sciences; Arts and Social Sciences; Communication, Art
and Technology; Education; and Science.
7.
Other Business
i)
Teaching and Learning Evaluation (S.11-79)
Motion 1
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Dianne Cyr
“That Senate approve the terms of reference in the attached document for a project to be
overseen by SCUTL”
S.M 24 May 2011
Page 8
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION CARRIED
Motion 2
Moved by Jon Driver, seconded by Ben Lee
“That SCUTL report back to Senate by March 2012 on the outcomes of the project”
Question was called and a vote taken.
MOTION CARRIED
ii)
Beedie School of Business (S.11-80)
Senate received a memo clarifying that in the case of the Beedie School of Business, “School” is
to be understood as “Faculty” for the purposes of SFU policies and procedures.
It was noted by a Senator that on the SFU website, a list of departments is missing from a drop
down list of quick links and that this should be corrected to show that both schools and
departments are level in the organization below faculties. A representative from Public Affairs
and Media Relations acknowledged that this correction will be made.
It was clarified for Senate that Segal is the name of the building and that Beedie School of
Business is the name of the faculty.
iii) Report on Results of Elections to Senate and Board of Governors (S.11-81)
Senate received a report on the result of elections to Senate and the Board of Governors for
information. A request was made to have the next Convocation Senator election better publicized
because the amount of people that voted was quite low.
iv) Update on Impact of New Scheduling Policy (S.11-66)
Senate received an update on the impact of the new scheduling policy (effective Fall 2009) for
information and provided some comments and suggestions to the Registrar.
8.
Information
The date of the next meeting of Senate is Monday, June 13, 2011 in the West Mall Complex
(room 3210).
Open session adjourned at 8:30 pm and Senate moved directly into the closed session.
Kate Ross
Registrar and Secretary of Senate