SFU
MEMORANDUM
OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC AND PROVOST
University Drive, Burnaby, BC
Canada V5A 1S6
TEL: 778.782.3925
FAX: 778.782.5876
attention Senate
date
June 18,2012
FROM
(on Driver, Vice-President, Academic and
pages
1/1
Provost, and Chair, SCUP
Faculty of Science: External Review Update for the Department of/Ch
RE:
S.12-107
www.sni.ca/vpacademic
y (SCUP 12-20)
At itsJune 6, 2012 meeting SCUP reviewed the External ReviewVXJtMaate Report for the Department of
Chemistry within the Faculty of Science. The report is attached for the information of Senate.
end.
c:
B. Kranc
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
ENGAGING THE WORLD
SFU
OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC AND PROVOST
8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC
Canada V5A 1S6
TEL: 778.782.6702
FAX: 778.782.5876
MEMORANDUM
attention
Jon Driver, Chair, SCUP
from
Bill Krane, Associate Vice-President,
Academic and Associate Provost
cc
Z. Ye, C. Cupples
External Review Update for the Department of Chemistry
RE:
date
May 30, 2012
PAGES
1/1
SCUP 12-20
www.sfu.ca/vpacademic
The External Review of the Department of Chemistry was undertaken in March 2008. According to the
procedures established by SCUP, the Department is required to submit an update describing its progress in
implementing Senate's recommendations, which were derived from the External Review report, in the
fourth year following the start of the External Review process. Please find attached this update, together
with a copy of the recommendations approved by Senate for action.
Based on this midterm report, my assessment is that the Department has made substantial progress toward
implementing Senate's recommendations, within the constraints imposed by its budget.
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
ENGAGING THE WORLD
MEMO
Department of
Chemistry
SFU
ATTENTION: Glynn Nicholls, Director, Academic Planning & Budgeting
FROM: Zuo-Guang Ye, Chair of Chemistry
RE: External Review Update for the Department of Chemistry
DATE: May 28 2012
C: Dr. Claire Cupples, Dean, Faculty of Science
In response to your memo dated April 27, 2012, please see below
for the External Review Update for
the Department
of Chemistry.
Department of Chemistry - External Review Update
May 2012
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
As a priorityand with the assistance of the Dean, establish a planfor the upgrading of equipment in the physical
and analytical chemistry laboratories.
A plan for the upgrading of equipment in the Physical and Analytical Chemistry Laboratories was established
following the Review and funds were made available by the Vice-President, Academic and the Dean. Up to date,
the upgrading of the Analytical Chemistry Lab has been completed and the Physical Chemistry Lab's upgrading is
underway and will be completed in the 2012-2013 fiscal year.
Reviewthe level of dependence on the use of sessional instructors for teaching undergraduate courses.
The dependence on the use of sessional instructors for teaching undergraduate courses was mainly caused by
the research awards and administrative leaves of many of our faculty members. Although we still need sessional
instructors to teach a number of courses each semester, such dependence has been significantly alleviated with
the conversion of two limited-term instructors into two continuing lecturers in the 2010-2011 academic year,
and with the appointment of a new assistant professor in
Bio-Analytical Chemistry in Sept. 2011. Appointments
of two new faculty positions in Inorganic/Materials Chemistry and in Bio-Physical Chemistry, respectively, are
very desirable to further reduce the
level of dependence. So far, we have obtained the permission for research
for one of the two positions only (see Sec. "FACULTY").
Review the teaching loads of the continuingfaculty.
The teaching loads of the continuing faculty have been reviewed. Our continuing laboratory instructors teach on
average 6 courses per year with the possibility of taking one development semester after eight teaching terms.
Our regular research faculty members teach on average 3 undergraduate/graduate courses per year, including
the graduate seminar courses (CHEM 801 and the newly created CHEM 808 - PhD Candidacy). In addition, they
:.' I. N
RSI I -i
THIIIKIKJ OF THE WOR LD
teach the undergraduate research/directed study courses (CHEM 481, 482 and 483). These teaching tasks are
considered as normal loads.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
•
Review the requirementsfor the BSc and the MSc degrees with a view to avoiding 'doublenumbering" of courses.
The requirements for the BSc and the MSc degrees have been reviewed and the issue "double numbering" of
courses has been resolved.
•
Review the procedures for the admission to the PhD to ensure consistent application of admission requirements.
The procedures for the admission to the PhD program have been reviewed by the DGSC to ensure consistent
application of admission requirements and new admission requirements have been approved by the
Department and published in the Calendar.
•
Introduce a graduate course for PhDcandidates which includes the preparation and defence ofan original
research proposal.
Such a
new course was introduced as CHEM 808 (Ph.D. Candidacy) in 2011-2 and has been running successfully
since.
•
Review the graduate stipends offered to ensure they are competitive with other departments of Chemistry across
Canada.
The graduate stipends have been increased accordingly as follows:
>
Ph.D. Candidates: from $19,000 to $23,500 per annum;
>
M.Sc. Candidates: from $18,000 to $20,000 per annum.
These resolutions have made our graduate program more competitive with other departments of Chemistry
across the country.
•
Consider the compilation of a departmental Graduate Student handbook.
A detailed departmental Graduate Student handbook has been made available to all the graduate students and
in particular for every newly admitted student.
FACULTY
•
Consider with the assistance of the dean, the possibilityof increasingthe number offaculty.
This remains a serious issue for our Department. Recognizing the lackof faculty in the Department, the External
Review Team had highly recommended the hiring of a faculty position in area of Materials Chemistry (to replace
a faculty member who was on unpaid leave), one in the area of Inorganic (Main Group) Chemistry (to replace
the departure of a faculty member) and another one in Physical Chemistry (to increase the critical mass in this
discipline). However, none of these positions has been approved for research so far despite our repeated
requests for a
Materials Chemistry position in the lastthree years. In addition, we lost a faculty member in July
2011 due to unexpected death and another faculty member retired in 2011.
In the 2012-2013 Faculty Hiring Plan, the Chemistry Department has received the permissionto search for either
a
Bio-Physical Chemistry position or a Materials Chemistry position. However, both the Materials Chemistry
position and the Bio-Physical Chemistry position are urgently needed in the Department in order to fulfill our
H
teaching tasks, enhance our research program and raise our profile after suffering the losses of a full professor
to a 5-year leave followed by early retirement, a full professor to retirement and an associate professor's
unexpected death. Therefore, to comply with the External Review's recommendation, we request the approval
of both the Materials Chemistry position and the Bio-Physical Chemistry position for research in 2012.
ADMINISTRATION
Asa priority and with the assistance of the Dean, address the critical safety issues associated with the Shrum
Science Building.
With the help of the KIP, the safety issues have been resolved with the completion of the Chemistry Renovation
Project in Aug. 2011, which has resulted in a newly designed and fully renovated Shrum Science Chemistry
Building with state-of-the-art safety measures implemented. The total cost of the Renovation Project was
$49.3M, with the breakdown of $46.5M for Design and Construction and $2.8M for Equipment/Furnishing. This
represents a tremendous investment into the future of our teaching and research, which is much appreciated.
Continue to seek possible solutions to address the shortage of adequate space.
The Chemistry Renovation Project mentioned above has not resolved the issue of shortage of adequate space as
no new space was allowed to be added due to nature of the Project. In addition, the renovation of the North-
East
part of the Chemistry Building (8000 and 9000 levels) has not been started yet because of the lack of funds.
As a result, the Analytical Chemistry Laboratory is still temporarily located in Blusson Hall, which is very
inconvenient to
the students and faculty, and several faculty members are using temporary offices outside the
Chemistry Building. We hope
that the space issue can be resolved in a timely fashion to oversee the continued
growth and success of our Department.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Thank you.
Zuo-Guang Ye
Professor & Chair
chemchr@sfu.ca
778-782-4884
OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC AND PROVOST
University Drive, Burnaby, BC
TEL:
778.782.6702
Canada V5A
1S6
FAX: 778.782.5876
MEMORANDUM
attention
Dr. Zuo-Guang Ye, Chair, Chemistry
from
Glynn Nicholls, Director, Academic
Planning and Budgeting
C. Cupples, Dean, Faculty of
Science
External Review Update for the Department of Chemistry
RE:
DATE
April 27, 2012
pages
1/2
www.sfu.ca/vpacademic
'\
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V&
It
/
In 2004 the Senate Committee on University Priorities endorsed procedures for reviewing adepartment's
progress in implementing the recommendations approved by Senate as a consequence ofthe previous
external review (which takes place normally once every seven years). The last review ofyour Department
occurred in March 2008. This is to advise you that the External Review Update for the Department of
Chemistry is due at this time.
On December 1, 2008 Senate approved the following recommendations:
1. Undergraduate Programmes
o
As apriority and with the assistance ofthe Dean, establish aplan for the upgrading of
equipment in the physical and analytical chemistry laboratories.
o
Review the level ofdependence on the use of sessional instructors for teaching undergraduate
courses.
o
Review the teaching loads ofthe continuing faculty.
2. Graduate Programmes
o
Review the requirements for the BSc and the MSc degrees with aview to avoiding 'double
numbering' of courses.
o
Review the procedures for the admission to the PhD to ensure consistent application of
admission requirements.
o
Introduce agraduate course for PhD candidates that includes the preparation and defense ofan
original research proposal.
o
Review the graduate stipends offered to ensure they are competitive with other departments
of Chemistry across Canada.
o
Consider the compilation of a departmental Graduate Student handbook.
3. Faculty
o
Consider with the assistance of the dean, the possibility of increasing the number offaculty.
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
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4. Administration
o
As apriority and with the assistance ofthe Dean, address the critical safety issues associated
with the Shrum Science Building,
o
Continue to seek possible solutions to address the shortage of adequate space.
Please provide
a one to two page
progress report by Friday, May 25, 2012 on the actions that your
Department has taken in response to the recommendations approved by Senate on December 1, 2008.
Please contact me at 26702, gnicholl@.sfu.ca or Bal Basi at 27676, bbasi(g>.sfu.ca if you have any questions
or concerns regarding the external review update process.
Thank you.
J^
1
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