SFU
MEMORANDUM
ON-ICKOI-Tlli: YICH-PKI'.SIDKNT, ACADI-MIC AND PROVOST
University Drive, Burnaby, BC
Canada V5A 1S6
TEL: 778.782.3925
FAX: 778.782.5876
attention
Senate
date
July 25,2012
FROM
]on Driver, Vice-President, Academic and
pages
1/1
Provost, and Chair, SCUP
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences: External Review Update for the Department of
Psycholog)-(SCUP 12-23)
RE:
S.12-128
www.sfu.ca/vpacademic
At its July 11, 2012 meeting SCUP reviewed the External Review
Psychology within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The repoV^
Senate.
Report for the Department of
ached for the information of
c: B. Krane
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
ENGAGING THE WORLD
SFU
OFFICE OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT, ACADEMIC AND PROVOST
University Drive, Burnaby, BC
Canada V5A1S6
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
D. Read and J. Craig
RE:
External ReviewUpdate for the Department of Psycholog}
date
June 28, 2012
PAGES
1/1
SCUP 12-23
www.sfu.ca/vpacademic
The External Review of the Department of Psychology was undertaken in April 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'srecommendations, within the constraints imposed by its budget.
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
ENGAGING THE WORLD
2-
SFU
DR. J. DON READ, CHAIR
Phone:
778-782-3358
Fax:
778-782-3427
Email:
jdonread@sfu.ca
www.psyc.sfli.ca
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
RCB 5245
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6
Canada
RECEIVED
JUN 01 2012
Vice President
ACADEMIC
May 22, 2012
Mr. Glynn Nichols, Director
Academic Planning and Budgeting
RE: External Review Update for the Department of Psychology
Dear Mr. Nicholls:
I am pleased to provide a briefsummary of the measures taken bythe Department of Psychology in
response to the 2008 recommendations of our External Review, approved by Senate. The Department
previously responded to the Review on January 28, 2009 with a report providing corrections to comments
made within the Review and further justification of our program choices at that time.
This note is organized in thesame manner as your request. I have opted to use point form for many of the
changes to save space. Overall, we have actually made a great many changes in all four areas of
Programmes, Governance, Infrastructure, and Research. We found the External Review document to be a
useful guideline over the last three years.
1. Programmes
1.1 Undergraduate Programme
To increase ourofferings we have (i) added distance course options and wehave promoted
the enrollment in distance courses withboth students and faculty, (ii) We have also
streamlined our prereq structure for PSYC 100 and PSYC 102 to allow students to take
second-year courses earlier, (iii) We have eliminated some gateway requirements (100 and
102 no longer have minimum grade requirements, (iv) We have eliminated some barriers
to declaration of Psychology as a major, specifically the History of Psychology has been
removed as a prereq for declaration such that students can declare earlier and access
courses with a higher priority, (v) We have added another popular course, Psychology of
Personality. Finally, it is worth noting that, giventhe reduced TA budget, we are unable to
offer additional space in our mandatory W courses (PSYC 201, PSYC 300).
As for learning outcomes, we are considering ouroptions in the light of the ongoing
university-wide initiatives on this topic. However, our course syllabihave always
provided students with a description of our expectations in the course and the mannerby
which those would be assessed.
o
o
o
As to faculty workload on W courses, as noted above, the reduced TA budget severely
limits the numbers of students we may handle. We have distributed the lower level W
course (201) to more than one faculty member but that is a temporary fix because the
position is held by a Limited Term person.
3
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
THINKING OF THE WORLD
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
o
As to indices ofprogramme quality andteaching excellence, we havedeveloped our own
departmental Teaching Award to highlight both our concern and our successes. As to
programme quality, our courses arefully articulated within the BC system andthe very
high numbers ofourHonours and regular students who have graduated ispublicly
available. Again, with the learning outcome initiative underway, we areawaiting the
template that will be available for these purposes.
1.2 Graduate Programmes
o
Regarding offersto grad students, our financial offersto incoming students are in linewith
otherCanadian institutions. Forexample, this year we wereable to offer$30,000 in
Special Graduate Student Entrance Scholarships funds to attract strong students.
o
As for theadmissions process, we welcome the implementation of anonline graduate
admissions process undertaken bytheDean ofGraduate Studies. This will greatly
streamline admissions and enable students to monitor their progress through the
application process. We have also substantially improved our websiteto better reflect
current programs and choices to graduate student applicants.
o
As youmayknow, our Clinical Psychology program is accredited by boththe Canadian
and American Psychological Associations and, therefore it is comparable to others. The
Experimental Program also attracts many very good students who go onto successful
careers.
o
As for programs with premium fees, we have previously considered the option for
Diplomates in Psychology (Psy.D) but do notbelieve they well fit into the "scientist-
practitioner" model we have adopted. No others have been considered to date.
2. Governance
o
We have restructured our department to recognize Clinical Science as the sixth distinct
areaandhave, withthatreorganization, developed stronger connections between
experimental and clinical students and faculty.
o
We have also deconstructed the major planning committee inthe department to allow for
two additional separate committees, one for undergraduate and theother for graduate
programs. Doing so has increased theparticipation rate substantially (an additional 12
committee memberships).
o
With theappointment of a new Chair and the structural reorganization, we believe that the
communication within the Department and the Dean has been improved. The Department
Bylaws have also been revised, allowing for a greater number ofrecognized roles within
the Department.
3.
Infrastructure
o
Two additional faculty members have been added as of September 2012, and each will
receive independent and customized research space. To do so, wehave inventoried and
repurposed a number ofspaces within our control.
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
THINKING OF THE WORLD
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
4. Research
o
We have benefitted from the FASS Research Grant facilitator (Ms. Bev Neufeld) and
ensured thatour eligible faculty members continue to make submissions to NSERC,
SSHRC, and CIHR agencies. The goal of 75% funding is some distance away at this
point.
o A new 3-year plan, including Faculty Renewal, will be submitted to the Dean in
September, 2012, as we did successfullyin 2011.
o
Our relationship with Health Science has not received additional attention recently
although members ofourdepartment dohold collaborative research grants thatinclude
Health Sciences faculty members. The Department encourages faculty to lookoutside
FASS for possible research in initiatives.
I trust this longer-than-intended letter is helpfulto you.
Yours Sincerely,
J. Don Read
Chair ofPsychology
5"
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
THINKING OF THE WORLD
SFU
OFFICE OF Till- VICIi-PRKSIDKNT, ACADEMIC AND PROVOST
8888 University Drive, Burnaby, IJC
Canada V5A 1S6
TK!.: 778.782.6702
PAX: 778.782.5876
MEMORANDUM
ATTENTION
FROM
CC
RE:
Don Read, Chair, Psychology
date
April 30,2012
Glynn Nicholls, Director, Academic
pages
1/2
Planning and Budgeting
John Craig, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
External Review Update for the Department
of Psychology
www.sfu.ca/vpacadcmic
rJ
;aji'
In 2004 the Senate Committee on University Priorities endorsed procedures for reviewing a department's
progress in implementing the recommendations approved by Senate as a consequence of the previous
external review (which takes place normally once ever)' seven years). The last review of your Department
occurred in April 2008. This is to advise you that the External Review Update for the Department of
Psychology is due at this time.
On May 11, 2009 Senate approved the following recommendations:
1. Programmes
1.1 Undergraduate Programme
o
Continue to seek ways of offering courses more often to ensure students are able to
complete
both introductory and advanced courses within a reasonable amount of time,
o
Consider establishing learning outcomes for the undergraduate programme and determine
appropriate course structures and instructional formats to support these outcomes within
the
fiscal resources of the Department,
o
Review the workload of faculty associated with the delivery of writing intensive courses,
o
Develop objective and publicly accessible indices of course and programme quality and
teaching excellence.
1.2
Graduate Programme
o
Strive to make competitive financial offers to prospective graduate students.
o
Continue to improve the application and admission process by enhancing communication
between the Department and graduate students and by better understanding and serving
student choices and preferences,
o
Comparatively review the course requirements against other clinical and experimental
psychology programmes within Canada,
o
Review possible programme options that could attract premium fees.
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
ENGAGING THE WORLD
2.
Governance
Consider developing an administrative model that includes a distinct Clinical Area and
that facilitates interaction across all areas, particularly between clinical and experimental
researchers.
Continue to seek ways of encouraging wider participation of faculty members in the
governance of the Department.
Ensure the lines of communication between the Department and the Chair, the
Department and the Dean's office and the Department and the students are open and
clear.
3.
Infrastructure
o
Continue to monitor the space requirements of the Department and develop contingency
plans which accommodate the future expansion of research programmes.
4.
Research
o Continue to work with the Dean's office to facilitate grant applications and research
support; pursue externally funded research opportunitiesand set the goal at 75%of funding
from tri-council agencies,
o Work with the Dean to develop clear faculty renewal goals 2010/11 for consideration by
the Vice President Academic,
o Continue to build relationships with the Faculty of Health Science to develop joint
research initiatives.
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 May 11, 2009.
Please contact me at 26702, gnicholl(5?sfu.ca or Bal Basi at 27676, bbasi(S>sfu.ca if you have any questions
or concerns regarding the external review update process.
Thank you.
jr
"7
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