The 457th Meeting of the Trent University Senate

Tuesday, December 6, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

A.J.M. Smith Room, Bata Library

MINUTES

Present were: President Leo Groarke (Chair); Senators Kenzu Abdella, Bruce Ahlstrand, MacKenzie Armstrong, Feyzi Baban, Suzanne Bailey, Gillian Balfour, Brendan Bell-Earle, Emily Beaudin, Sylvie Berard, Cathy Bruce, Craig Brunetti, Mary Carswell-Gates, Nadine Changfoot, Robert Clarke, Audrey Doyle, Neil Emery, Wenying Feng, Cyndi Gilmer, Fiona Harris-Stoertz, Hugh Hodges, Moira Howes, Richard Hurley, Gyles Iannone, Carolyn Kapron, Jacqueline Muldoon, Van Nguyen-Marshall, Heather Nicol, Karleen Pendleton-Jimenez, Kevin Peters, Nona Robinson, Craig Rutherford, Dhan Tamber, Andrew Vreugdenhil, Kirsten Woodend and Susan Wurtele. Official Visitors: Tracy Al-idrissi, Troy Bordun, Danen Oberon, Mary-Jane Pilgrim and Christopher Rooney. University Secretary Karen Spearing and Associate University Secretary (Senate) Tara Harrington

Regrets: Senators Joseph Cassidy-Skof, Bruce Cater, Gytha Chapman, Sally Chivers, Kirk Collins, Owen Faulkner-Nolan, Holger Hintelmann and Paul Manning; Official Visitor Erin Davidson

CLOSED SESSION
1.  / University Honours Subcommittee Report. Senate reviewed the recommendations of the University Honours Subcommittee regarding potential Honorary Degree candidates and alternative candidates. The subcommittee had also recommended that for 2017 the University award six Honorary Degrees instead of the usual five. The Chair emphasized the need for confidentiality regarding the list of candidates. Senate approved the recommendations as presented.
OPEN SESSION
2.  / Welcome and Adoption of the Agenda. It was agreed that the report of the Cyclical Program Review Committee would be dealt with prior to the presentation on reconciliation. The revised agenda was adopted by consensus.
3.  / Minutes and Business Arising. The minutes of the November 15, 2016 meeting were approved with one correction to the list of those in attendance.
4.  / Chair’s Remarks and Announcements. The Chair reported that more than $40,000 had been raised on Giving Tuesday. He also reported that four new programs were in development and would be coming forward to Senate for approval in the future:
Ø  Professional Masters in Forensic Science
Ø  Graduate Diploma (GDip) (Type 3) - Mental Health Nursing
Ø  MSc in Instrumental Analysis
Ø  Graduate Diploma (GDip)(Type 3) - Instrumental Analysis
The Chair reminded Senators that the province was developing a new funding formula. While the current formula allocated funds on a per-student basis, the new formula would be based on a corridor system. The corridors would be negotiated during the new Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA) process. Senate discussed the last SMA development process and identified issues with some of the metrics. Senators were asked to review the current SMA and think about changes that they would like to see in the new agreement. It was agreed that the current SMA, along with a list of framing questions, would be provided to Senators and that this item would be on the agenda for the January meeting of Senate.
5.  / Undergraduate Studies Committee (USC) Report. Senator Howes presented the report which included the following recommendations:
Business Administration – regularize ADMN 4710H;
Computing and Information Systems - regularize COIS 3510H;
Cultural Studies – regularize two new courses - CUST 3573H and CUST 4512H and split CUST 2081Y into CUST 2581H and CUST 2582H;
English Literature – regularize three new courses - ENGL 2851H, ENGL 2853H and ENGL-CAST-WMST 3709H;
Indigenous Studies - regularize INDG 2030H;
Political Studies - regularize POST 2280H;
Psychology - regularize PSYC 2210H;
Social Work – Update program requirements to reflect the following changes:
·  The course credit value of SWRK 4000Y will be increased to 2.0 credits
·  SWRK 4004H: Social Work Leadership will be merged with SWRK 3007H: Critical Social Work in Social Services and renumbered SWRK 4003H
·  SWRK 4003H will be moved to the 3000 level and the prerequisite will be revised:
·  SWRK 4005H will be renumbered SWRK4004H.
Senate approved the recommendations as presented.
6.  / Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) Report. Senator Brunetti presented the report which included recommendations for three new courses-ANTH 5325Y, EDUC 5050H and CSAS 5000H as well as two proposed specializations-Collaborative Specialization in Feminist and Gender Studies and Collaborative Specialization in Aging Studies (CSAS). With regard to the Specialization in Feminist and Gender Studies, it was reported that five faculty from the Sociology department has been invited to be on the proposal and had accepted but had not been consulted about the core course. It was noted that the specializations would be offered effective September 2017.Senate approved the recommendations as presented.
7.  / Undergraduate Academic Policy Committee (UAPC) Report. Senator Bruce presented a recommendation from the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing for a change to the calendar copy regarding a degree requirement. One of the program’s current requirements states that “All degree requirements must be met within seven years of admission to the program.” It was reported that students registered in the George Brown College bridging program have experienced confusion about the date they are considered to have been admitted to the program. The revision will provide clarity on this question. Senate approved the recommendation as presented.
8.  / Cyclical Program Review Committee (CPRC) Report. Senator Woodend presented the report which included the Final Assessment Reports and Implementation Plans for the MA programs in Anthropology and Sustainability. Senate received the report as information.
9.  / Presentation-Reconciliation in Education and Indigenization. Professor David Newhouse delivered a presentation on Reconciliation and Indigenization of the academy. He noted that the Special Committee on Indigenous Education had met several times and hoped to have a final report to Senate by the end of the current academic year. The Senate package included the presentation, a review of Indigenization initiatives at Trent since 1966 and an article authored by Prof. Newhouse Indigenous Peoples, Canada and the Possibility of Reconciliation.
A student visitor to Senate stated that it was important that we acknowledge the impact of racism in the classroom. Several Senators rose to thank Prof. Newhouse.
10.  / Adjournment. The meeting adjourned at 3:50 p.m.
Dr. L. Groarke Chair
T. Harrington, Secretary

Trent University Senate Minutes

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