Acadia University Senate
Minutes


SENATE MEETING OF 13 November 2002

A meeting of the Senate of Acadia University occurred on Monday,  2001, beginning at 4:10 p.m. with Chair Ian Wilks presiding and 46 members present.
 
1) Minutes of the Meeting of 
     9 October 2001
It was moved by S. Sansonetti and seconded by C. MacLatchy that the Minutes of 9 October 2001 be approved.

D. Kruisselbrink noted an error on page 2, paragraph 3, line 2, which should read J. Fowles, not Fellows.

THE MOTION WAS CARRIED AS AMENDED.
 

2) Announcements and
   Communications
  a) From the Chair
     -re Regrets
 

     -re Senate Membership
 

     -re Today's Agenda
 


 

Regrets were received from P. Cook, T. Herman, A. Irving, L. McDonald, R. Morrison, G. Ness, and G. Phillips.

The Chair welcomed and introduced new Senators D. Kruisselbrink and S. Phillips.

He noted there were handouts for today’s meeting:  two Reports from the Vice-President’s office to be dealt with under Items 4)e) and f) of today's agenda and a Report from the Dean of Arts.  He announced that Item 4)c) has been deferred and Item 5) will include a notice of motion. 
 

    b) From the President K. Ogilvie congratulated the Acadia University community on its achievements on the latest Maclean’s Magazine ranking.  It was the first time that any University has swept all four categories in the ‘primarily undergraduate category’ in the reputational survey.

J. Sacouman felt that there should be concern about Acadia’s performance in other aspects of the survey. 

Senators applauded the noteworthy results.
 

    c) From the Vice-President
      (Academic) 

The Vice-President had no comments.

M. Grieve asked what was the logic behind advertising academic positions by institution rather than by individual discipline.

M. Leiter replied that these positions were approved in block and advertised in the same way.  Although no assessment of this method has been done, it was felt that positions listed in a block had more visibility than when listed individually by discipline.
 

 3) Business Arising from the
   Minutes
   a)  Research Ethics Board-
        Membership (012-06-REB) 

 

It was moved by R. Perrins and seconded by G. Pyrcz that the Senate Constitution and By-Laws Item VIII (g) RESEARCH ETHICS BOARD i. line 6, be amended to read "One or two member(s) with no affiliation with Acadia University from the community".

MOTION WAS CARRIED.
 

 4) New Business
  a) Acadia Divinity College-
      Course Change
      (012-07-DIV) 

 

It was moved by T. Ashley and seconded by N. Price that the course changes as circulated with today's agenda be accepted.

T. Ashley spoke to this motion, explaining that these changes represent house cleaning to better reflect the current curriculum needs.

MOTION WAS CARRIED.
 

    b) Academic Program Review
      Committee-
     Recommendations on the
      Review of the Division of 
     Continuing and Distance
      Education (012-08-APR)

 
 
 

It was moved by M. Leiter and seconded by D. MacKinnon that the Academic Program Review Committee recommendations on the review of the Division of Continuing and Distance Education as attached to today's agenda be accepted.

M. Leiter noted that the external reviewers studied the DCDE and examined a variety of issues about how we organize continuing education and off-campus programs here at Acadia.  Overall, the review speaks to a variety of issues, summed up in the eight recommendations listed and commented on in this report.  The reviewers did look at the value of maintaining the DCDE as integrated within the existing university structure rather than having the division as a separate faculty that runs a parallel curriculum. 

D. Looker was pleased with the response of the APRC's response to some of the recommendations, but was disappointed that the negative comments/issues were not covered in this report. 

The Chair proceeded through each recommendation individually.  There were no comments on any of the recommendations.

MOTION WAS CARRIED.
 

   c) Report of the Dean of
      FPAS on the APRC Review
      of Biology, Geology,
       Environmental Science

 

This item was deferred.
 

    d) Report of the Dean of Arts
      on the APRC Review of
      Economics, Political
      Science, Sociology
       (012-10-ART)

 
 

The chair referred to a handout for this item (APPENDIX A).  It represents the original report with the comments of the Dean of Arts in bold print.

There was no objection to waiving notice of motion on this item.

It was moved by B. Matthews and seconded by R. Perrins that Senate receive the report of the Dean of Arts on the APRC Review of Economics, Political Science, and Sociology as distributed at today's meeting.

B. Matthews noted that in his opinion, the failure to mention specifically the Department of Sociology is one of the weaknesses of this Review, but it should not stand in the way of Senators reflecting on the many substantive elements of the Review.

The Dean commented on each individual recommendation and then the floor was opened for comments.

D. Looker confirmed the Department of Sociology's disappointment with the absence of specific recommendations regarding that department.  She noted that the Arts Faculty Planning Committee attempted unsuccessfully to develop a formula for allocating complement of faculty; therefore the reviewers' comment that there is such a formula is not true.  In regards to #13 she noted that the questions that focused on interdisciplinary initiatives may have misled the reviewers into thinking there were more such initiatives than in fact existed.

T. Archibald noted in connection with #3 that it would be appropriate if Economics were to indicate in the calendar that MATH 1613 or MATH 1013 could be used to satisfy their requirements.

M. Leiter commented on the interdisciplinary focus from the point of view of the APRC.  The cluster review process and the guidelines approved by the Senate have many references to interaction within departments.  The concept of the cluster review is one that Senate initiated for this round of reviews. 

S. Ash spoke to #5 and #6 concerning BBA with major in Economics and Department of Economics being integrated with the School of Business.  This has been discussed and representatives of Economics were invited to share their views.  It is difficult to accept #5 without considering the long-term impact of #6.  The School of Business is concerned about the wording of the recommendations and regrets that they went to the Planning Committee before the school was aware of them. 

B. Moody suggested the omission of Department of Sociology in the review report is a good reason for the Senate to look at cluster reviews and whether it is the acceptable way to proceed.

MOTION TO RECEIVE THIS REPORT WAS CARRIED.
 

    e) Vice-President's Report
      2000-01 (012-11-VPA)

M. Leiter gave notice of motion concerning the acceptance of the Vice-President's Report to Senate 2000-01.
    f) Vice-President's Report
      2001-02 (012-12-VPA)

M. Leiter gave notice of motion concerning the acceptance of the Vice-President's Report to Senate 2001-02.

He explained that these reports are replacing what was previously called the President's Report and differs in a couple of dimensions.  Their purpose is 1) to catch a slice of the history of a particular year from the various components of the academic sector; and 2) to provide a partial listing of faculty accomplishments and publications over that period of time.  M. Leiter asked for feedback from Senators on the format.

D. Looker asked what avenue there is for correcting errors in these reports.  The Chair replied such corrections could be noted prior to Senate’s actually voting to receive the documents.
 

    g) By-Laws Committee-
     Ratification of Faculty
      Constitution (012-09-LAW)
It was moved by M. Grieve and seconded by P. Corkum that the Constitution of the Faculty of Professional Studies as amended and as attached to today's agenda be accepted.

M. Grieve spoke to this motion, referring to the attachment to today's agenda that outlines amendments made to the Constitution of the Faculty of Professional Studies. 

MOTION WAS CARRIED.
 

5) Other Business
  a) SRC-Honorary Degrees
      Committee Membership
      (012-13-SRC)

 

J. Britton presented a notice of motion concerning the Constitution and By-Laws of the Senate:

WHEREAS we, representing the Acadia University student body, feel it is important that potential graduates have a voice in who shall receive honorary degrees at their convocation,

AND WHEREAS there is currently no student seat on the Senate Honorary Degrees Committee,

BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Senate of Acadia University amend article VIII (h)(i) of its Constitution and By-Laws to include "One member of the student body".
 

6) Adjournment M. Grieve moved that this meeting be adjourned.  It was 5:10 p.m.
 
_________________________________
D. Murphy, Recording Secretary