A meeting of the Senate of Acadia University occurred on Monday, 12 March, 2001, beginning at 4:10 p.m. with Chair Ian Wilks presiding and 43 members present.
 

1) Minutes of the Meeting of     12 February 2001	It was moved by R. Perrins, seconded by S. Symons that the Minutes of 12 February 2001 be approved.  D. Looker asked for confirmation on the vote count of item 3)b) as recorded on page 5 of the Minutes. G. Pyrcz asked the Minutes be amended as follows:  on page 5, item 3)c), the fifth paragraph should begin “In response to the subvention from Sociology, G. Pyrcz....” THE MOTION WAS CARRIED AS AMENDED.
2) Announcements and      Communications      a) From the Chair          -re Regrets             -re Today’s Agenda           -re Senate Vacancies              -re Selection Process of the                Scholarship, Prizes,                and Awards Committee	Regrets were received from M. Brown, P. Cook, M. Gibson, A. Irving, B. Moody, R. Morrison, K. Ogilvie, R. Sparkman, R. Petrykanyn, N. Van Wagoner, and T. Voss. The Chair said that a Notice of Motion will be brought forward today by the By-Laws Committee, under Other Business (handout attached).  He announced that a list of Senate and Senate Committee vacancies for 2001-2002 has been distributed by the Recording Secretary to the appropriate faculty elections officers.     He said that a letter of complaint has been received regarding the selection process for Acadia’s scholarships.  He noted that Senate does not serve as a complaint bureau; its function is to debate motions and approve them or otherwise.  On the other hand, the need to maintain openness in the conduct of Senate suggests that Senators should have an opportunity, if they so wish, to familiarize themselves with the content of this correspondence.  He thus ruled that the relevant documents would be held on file by the Recording Secretary and be available for all Senators to examine, and act on as they saw fit.  P. Cabilio spoke on behalf of the SPAC.  He explained the criteria for the Dean’s List, a creation of the Admission and Academic Standing Committee.  He also explained the long standing policy of the SPAC to use a limited amount of scholarship funds annually to identify and reward those students on the Dean’s List who are receiving little or no scholarship support from Acadia.  All students on the list are brought up to a minimum scholarship level.  Since the available funds are very limited, those on the list who already have support in excess of this minimum do not receive additional funds. J. Sacouman said that the procedure introduced by the Chair in the name of openness was potentially dangerous because it could create a precedent that Senate must now deal with any and all complaints directed to the Chair.  I. Wilks replied that the proposed procedure was an attempt to balance these sorts of concerns with the equally important need for openness in the conduct of Senate. D. Looker suggested that this is an issue which the Admissions and Academic Standing Committee (Appeals) could handle.  I. Wilks invited members of the A&ASC (A) to review the documentation to be held with the Recording Secretary, and determine if further action is necessary on this matter. P. Cabilio noted that an appeal had already been received and considered by the SPAC on this matter.
b) From the Vice-President          (Academic)                     c) From the Registrar          (001-46-REG )	M. Leiter reported that the searches for two of the five research chairs, as well as the search for the University Librarian, are set to begin.  Of twenty-five available tenure track positions, seven have so far been filled. Members of the External Review Committee for the School of Continuing and Distance Education will be on campus next week. He reported on the involvement of G. Daborn and S. Symons in important current research initiatives.    J. Cayford read a request from the School of Music concerning the re-numbering of courses (APPENDIX A).
3) Business Arising from the Minutes   a) By-Laws Committee - Lay        Membership Guides         (001-40-LAW)	M. Grieve introduced this motion.  He explained that the task given to the By-Laws Committee was to create a definition of “lay status”.  The Committee’s recommendation was given as Notice of Motion with the February agenda.  It was moved by M. Grieve, seconded by J. MacLeod that Senate amend the last line of Section II of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Acadia University Senate from “Three lay persons” to:“Three lay persons nominated by the Senate Nominating Committee who are not eligible for membership under the roles and categories laid out above”. M. Grieve said that the committee attempted to define a notion of “lay membership” which goes beyond the standard sense of merely looking beyond the organization.  It was moved by D. Looker, seconded by S. Symons that the following be added to the proposed definition:  “.... provided they are not full-time employees of Acadia at the time they are appointed lay members”. To clarify, I Wilks noted that the effect of the amendment was to make it possible for someone who is already a lay Senator to acquire full-time employee status at Acadia and still complete their term of appointment on Senate. MOTION TO AMEND WAS CARRIED. MAIN MOTION WAS CARRIED AS AMENDED.
b) By-Laws Committee -         Proposed Changes to       Guidelines for the Archives       Committee (001-16-LAW)	It was moved by M. Grieve, seconded by L. McQueen that  Article VIII (r) of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Senate be amended according to the proposal attached to the December 2000 Minutes.  This proposal is:     Add One member appointed by the United Baptist Convention of the Atlantic Provinces Section VIII (r) ii     Rewritten as follows: The duties of the Archives Committee shall be: -to advise Senate as to general policy for the Archives -to review annual reports from the University Archivist on the acquisition and accessibility of archived material -to recommend annually to the University Librarian an appropriate level of funding for the archives -to advise the Archivist on matters relating to study and research in the Archives. MOTION WAS CARRIED.
4) New Business   a) Curriculum Committee -       School of Education       (001-44-CRE)	It was moved by W. McLeod, seconded by D. MacKinnon that the proposed curriculum changes for the School of Education, as circulated with today’s agenda, be accepted. D. MacKinnon gave explanations for changes requested. MOTION WAS CARRIED.
b) Admission & Academic       Standing Committee (Policy)       (001-45-AAS)	It was moved by M. Leiter, seconded by W. McLeod that the proposals for changes to academic policy from the Admissions and Academic Standing Committee (Policy) concerning Grade Point Average, Re-read Procedure, and Second Undergraduate Degree Requirements, as circulated with today’s agenda, be accepted. M. Leiter explained that there are many grade point averages (e.g., cumulative GPA, semester GPA, program GPA) and the revised wording would ensure that the rule is fully inclusive.  Currently, when a student retakes a course, the first grade continues to be calculated in the GPA.  This proposal would make only the most recent grade a part of that GPA.  After discussion, it was agreed to change wording in the first and second items of this motion.  The final version read: Grade Point Average The grade point average is the weighted sum of the grade points earned divided by the number of courses attempted.  Courses with a notation of “W” are not included in any GPA.  The sessional grade point average (SGPA) refers to a particular session; the program grade point average is calculated on courses offered towards a degree program and is used to determine a student’s eligibility to graduate.  It does not appear on the official transcript; the cumulative grade point average (CGPA) is calculated on all courses taken, and does appear on the official transcript.  Only the most recent grade in repeated courses will be included in any grade point average. Re-read Procedure Any request to re-read an examination paper must reach the Registrar within 30 days after release of the final examination results.  The request must be accompanied by a fee of $10 and will be refunded only if the mark is raised.  All requests for a re-read will be directed, from the Registrar to the director or head concerned, for implementation.  Re-reads of examinations will be conducted by the head/director of the unit involved and a second faculty member who has expertise in the subject area, after consultation with the original instructor.  In the event that the head/director is the instructor, the dean will designate a replacement to conduct the re-read. Second Undergraduate Degree Requirements A student holding one undergraduate degree from Acadia University, who wishes to obtain a second undergraduate degree from a different faculty or school, must complete a minimum of 30h subsequent to completing the requirements of the first degree.  This minimum 30h must include all specific courses and grade requirements that are different from the first degree and must include a new major.  Where the second degree requires a major concentration, at least 12h of the 30h must be in the discipline of that concentration. In reply to a query concerning the policy which required a GPA to include the last, rather than the highest, grade of a repeated course, M. Leiter suggested that Senate request the A&ASC (P) to investigate the issue and report back to Senate.  The Chair advised that Senate would consider this matter under Other Business. J. Cayford replied to a query from M. Forrest regarding the re-read procedure for Education students who are exempt from an exam.  She said that as the regulations now stand, if you are exempt from a final exam, faculty must establish at the departmental level how a re-read will be conducted.  This issue should be examined to ensure there is a workable re-read procedure for courses without examinations. MOTION WAS CARRIED AS AMENDED.
5) Other Business   a) By-Laws Committee-Senate       Library Committee Chair        (001-47-LAW)	M. Grieve gave a Notice of Motion, as distributed at today’s meeting (APPENDIX B), regarding proposed changes to Article VIII of the Senate Constitution and By-Laws.  This article concerns the Senate Library Committee.
b) Admissions & Academic       Standing Committee       (Policy)	M. Forrest and D. MacKinnon expressed concerns which they said should be brought before the A&ASC(P).  It was agreed that this matter would be raised at the next meeting of Senate.
6) Adjournment	J. McLeod moved that this meeting be adjourned.  It was 5:10 p.m.

HANDOUT
March 12, 2001 Meeting of the Senate
 
 

School of Music

The following courses are to be re-numbered.  Course delivery and content will remain as in the past.

Musi 1663 AO Piano Class RE-NUMBERED Musi 1323 Piano Class

Musi 1663 DO Vocal Workshop RE-NUMBERED Musi 1333 Vocal Workshop

Musi 3663 JO Guitar Class RE-NUMBERED Musi 1353 Guitar Class
 

Whereas the Senate referred the recommendations of the Senate ad hoc committee on the
Mandate of the Senate Library Committee to the By-Laws Committee with regard to amendment
of the Constitution and By-Laws of Senate

We move that By-Law VIII (b) Nominating Committee be amended as follows:

ii) The duties and responsibilities of the Nominating Committee shall be:

Add
 --  to nominate the Chairperson of the Senate Library Committee
 

Whereas the Senate referred the recommendations of the Senate ad hoc committee on the
Mandate of the Senate Library Committee to the By-Laws Committee with regard to amendment
of the Constitution and By-Laws of Senate

We move that By-Law VIII (e) Library Committee be amended as follows

i) The membership of the Library Committee shall be elected in accordance with Article VI.1 and shall be as follows:

A Chair appointed for a three year term from the membership of Senate, nominated  and elected under the provisions of VIII (b) ii.
Two members from the Faculty of Arts appointed for a one year term on a rotational basis throughout all academic units, with no unit sitting twice before other units have served one term.
Two members from the Faculty of Professional Studies appointed for a one year term on a rotational basis throughout all academic units, with no unit sitting twice before other units have served one term.
Two members from the Faculty of Pure and Applied Science appointed for a one year term on a rotational basis throughout all academic units, with no unit sitting twice before other units have served one term.
The Librarian
One professional librarian
One member of the Acadia Divinity College (Divinity College Collection only)
The Vice-President (Academic) of the Students Council
One undergraduate student
One full-time graduate student

ii) The duties of the Library Committee shall be:

-- to develop policy recommendations to the library sector regarding a strategic approach to collection development and regarding, for example,  issues such as weeding practices (deaccessioning), acquisitions of electronic journals, access/ownership, and decision-making on purchases for the library;

-- to advocate for necessary and appropriate resources for the academic functions of  the library;

-- to address academic concerns regarding the library, including the formulation of policy, by making recommendations to the University Librarian and where and when necessary by making motions for Senate to act upon, in addition to making an annual report.
 

Respectfully submitted,

Malcolm Grieve, Chair, Senate By-Laws Committee