Senate Meeting Synopsis for November 26, 2018
University of Guelph Senate – Meeting Synopsis
November 26, 2018
The second Senate meeting of the 2018-19 session was held on November 26, 2018 and was chaired by President Franco Vaccarino.
Co-Chair of the Senate Student Caucus, Keely Kavcic, commenced the meeting with a territorial land acknowledgment. Immediately following, Ted Cogan, Special Project Assistant, University Secretariat, provided an overview of the newly launched governance portal.
The President offered oral remarks including a welcome to Chancellor Billes, an update on the Royal Winter Fair as an opportunity to build relationships with key partners, update on visits from international dignitaries from Mexico, China, India and the Philippines, update on ongoing engagement efforts with Council of Ontario Universities and Universities Canada, update on the policy on free speech, update on the Fall Economic Statement, update on the name change for the Centre for Families, Work and Well Being to the Live Work Well Research Centre and its 20th anniversary, and noted the upcoming reviews for Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and Vice-President (Research).
Provost and VP (Academic) Charlotte Yates provided an update regarding the existing tuition framework expiring March 2019 and possible interim steps, government announcements regarding other universities, anticipated budget consultation and enrolment update.
Other items of business at the meeting included:
- A report from Student Senate Caucus co-chairs Keely Kavcic and Lindsay Fletcher.
- Approval of the membership slate for the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Review Committee.
- Approval of the membership slate for the Vice-President (Research) Review Committee.
- Approval of the Cambridge Assessment English test to the English Proficiency Policy in the undergraduate calendar.
- Approval of the program name change from Environmental Geoscience and Geomatics to Environmental Geomatics and the addition of a co-op option for that program.
- Approval of the new PhD program in Social Practice and Transformational Change.
- Approval of changes to the graduate calendar regarding the chair of Master’s Final Examination Committees to include retired Associate Graduate Faculty members.
- Approval of a new Cotutelle policy for PhD students studying at the University of Guelph and an international university.
- Presentation of quality review reports for: Doctor of Veterinary Science (DVSc) program, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology Undergraduate and Graduate programs, Department of Integrative Biology Undergraduate and Graduate programs, Department of Population Medicine Undergraduate and Graduate programs, School of English and Theatre Studies, Masters of Business Administration and PhD in Management.
- Endorsement of the Policy Statement on Freedom of Expression.
- Items presented for information, including: program committee membership lists for 2018-19, undergraduate curriculum changes, graduate schedule of dates for 2019-20, graduate curriculum changes, graduate faculty appointments, a non-degree program review, several changes to non-degree certificates and diploma, and update from the COU Academic Colleague.
The complete meeting agenda package is available on the University Secretariat website and includes detailed information on the items listed above.
The next Senate meeting will be held on February 4, 2019, in the OVC Lifetime Learning Centre Room 1714. Meetings are open to the public and visitors who wish to attend should contact the University Secretariat at univsec@uoguelph.ca