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Senate
Selection Committee for New Chancellor Approved
At its Oct. 3 meeting, Senate approved the membership slate for the selection committee for a new U of G chancellor.
Chaired by president Alastair Summerlee, the committee consists of Prof. Bill Frisbee, Marketing and Consumer Studies; Prof. Terry Graham, Human Health and Nutritional Sciences; Prof. Linda Mahood, History; undergraduate students Mark Abramowitz and Kim Neale; graduate student Joel Wood; Douglas Derry, chair of Board of Governors; alumni representative Peter Hannam, a graduate of OAC; and staff representative Pamela Healey, assistant vice-president (development).
Senate also approved a proposed master's program in European studies after discussion about the viability of such a program and the resources required. Currently, the only other Canadian university offering an MA in European studies is the University of British Columbia, and Senate was advised that the Guelph offering would be attractive to students who'd prefer to study in Ontario. The two programs are also quite different, with U of G's to focus more on culture and history, whereas UBC's focuses more on politics. Guelph's program would accept a small number of students in its first year, then build its numbers and reputation.
In addition, Senate approved a proposal for a PhD in sociology that would focus on two areas: global agro-food systems and rural change; and work, gender and well-being in a global context.
Concerns were raised about how this program would affect other academic units that deliver courses and conduct research in similar areas, including the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development. Senate was assured that, because sociology takes students on a much different career path than other disciplines do, there would be no adverse effect on other programs due to this PhD offering.
In other business, Prof. Maureen Mancuso, provost and vice-president (academic), presented a summary report on Guelph's multi-year agreement, which outlines the goals for maintaining and improving quality, access and accountability over the next three years (see story).