Highlights from the April 30 meeting of Senate

At the beginning of the meeting, Principal Daniel Woolf recognized and thanked outgoing SGPS President Matthew Scribner and AMS President Doug Johnson for their work over the past year.

Principal’s report

Principal Woolf provided a written report to Senate.

In his additional oral report, Principal Woolf provided the following updates:

• Awards. The principal offered congratulations to John McGarry (Political Studies), who won one of five Canada Council Killam Prizes for his research on power-sharing and conflict resolution; James Low (Obstetrics and Gynecology), John Smol (Biology) and Peter Taylor (Mathematics and Statistics), who won three of the five national research and outreach honours awarded by Partners in Research; Stephen Archer, Head of the Department of Medicine, who received the Heart of Gold award for his volunteer work for the American Heart Association; and Queen’s medical student Paxton Bach (Meds’13), who received the first Sandra Banner Student Award for Leadership from the Canadian Residence Matching Service.
• Government update. It was expected that the provincial budget tabled early in May would bring new funding priorities and a new Youth Jobs Strategy that will support young entrepreneurs at universities and colleges.
• University Council reform. The principal reminded senators of the voting on new University Council bylaws, which closed May 6.

Provost’s report

Alan Harrison, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic), provided a written report to Senate.

In his additional oral report, the provost reported on:

• David Saunders, who has been reappointed dean of Queen’s School of Business for a five-year term effective July 1, 2013.
• William Flanagan, who has been reappointed dean of the Faculty of Law for a five-year term effective July 1, 2013.
• Susan Mumm, who has been appointed dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science for a five-year term.
• His presentation on the development of the 2013-2014 budget, which is available on the provost’s website.
• Time-to-completion. The Graduate Studies Executive Council (GSEC) met on April 18 and unanimously approved the extension of time limits regulation, the process regulation that accompanies the time-to-completion policy.

Committee motions and reports

Senate approved:

• The five-year renewal of SNOLAB from the Senate Advisory Research Committee (SARC).
• Two motions regarding the revised composition of the Senate Residence Committee and the Senate Non-Academic Discipline Committee, from the Senate Operations Review Committee (SORC).
• A motion to amend the Senate Rules of Procedure, from SORC.
• The election of persons to Senate committees, from the Senate Nominating Committee.
• The Enrolment Targets 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 contained in the Strategic Enrolment Management Group Report from the Senate Committee on Academic Development (SCAD), along with two motions regarding enrolment from Senator Doug Johnson. The provost noted that the next task will be a longer-term enrolment plan.
• A degree designation change in Anatomy and Cell Biology from Master of Science to Master of Science (Anatomical Sciences) effective September 2013, from SCAD.
• The request to change the name of the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology to the Department of Public Health Sciences (DPHS), from SCAD.
• The deletion of the field “Religion and Modernity” in the Master of Arts (Religious Studies) effective September 2013, from SCAD.
• The Graduate Diploma in Professional Inquiry (GDPI) in the Faculty of Education and the School of Graduate Studies effective September 1, 2013, from SCAD.
• The dates for the 2013-2014 meetings of Senate as recommended by the Senate Agenda Committee.
• The receipt of the report of the 2012-2013 Academic Planning Task Force regarding Virtualization and On-line Learning.

Senate received:

• Four notices of motions regarding committee restructuring from SORC. Senator and SORC Chair Lynda Colgan reported that the committee is examining committee structure over several years and she welcomed discussion at the April meeting of Senate to ensure student senators had an opportunity to comment.
• A notice of motion regarding restructuring of the Queen’s University Planning Committee (QUPC) from SORC.
• The 2012-2013 Annual Report of the Senate Committee on Creative Arts and Public Lectures.
• Report to Senate from the QUPC.
• A meeting report from the Senate Educational Equity Committee.

Senate deferred motions regarding the Report to Senate on Recommended Procedures Concerning the Temporary Suspension of Admissions to Academic Programs to the May meeting.

Consultation with Senate

Senate received presentations on and discussed:

• The Library and Archives Master Plan (LAMP) from Paul Cravit, Principal with CS&P Architects.
• The Campus Master Plan from architect Warren Price and urban planner Joe Berridge, members of the Campus Master Plan consulting team.

Motions (other than from Standing Committees)

Senate approved:

• The updated Terms of Reference for the Aboriginal Council of Queen’s University, as recommended by the council.
• Two motions for referral to the Senate Committee on Academic Procedures (SCAP) regarding sessional dates and Remembrance Day.
• A motion that SCAD hold town halls on the subject of enrolment in September 2013.

Senate deferred Motion 1 and approved Motion 2 regarding the time-to-completion policy.

Question Period, Communications to Senate and Items Referred were deferred to the May 28 meeting.