Senate

President Gilbert called the meeting to order, and then invited Dr. W. Parker to introduce Bruce LaBelle, Chair of the University Advancement Committee of the Board of Governors of Lakehead University.Mr. LaBelle addressed Senate. He noted that he held an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from Lakehead. He expatiated upon his committee's chief responsibility: fund-raising for and generally promoting the University. President Gilbert thanked him for speaking to Senate.

1. Approval of Agenda

Moved (G. Boire/K. Brown) that the agenda be approved with the following amendments:

(a) add "Report of the Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees" as Agenda Item 12a;

(b) add the following Notice of Motion (M. Shaw): that Senate approve changing the mid-year study week in 2006 from February 13 - 17 to February 20 - 24.

Carried.

2. Correction to the Minutes of Senate Meeting #2004-7 held on October 29, 2004

Moved (M. Shaw/D. Steven) that the motion in item 8 of the Minutes of October 29, 2004 be altered to read (change in italics): "that the Calendar changes proposed for the MA program in Economics, the Master of Public Health program, and the graduate courses of the School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism, as presented in the reports of the Senate Graduate Studies Committee and the Senate Budget Committee, be approved." Carried.

3. Minutes of Senate Meeting #2004-8

Moved (K. Brown/S. Hamilton) that the minutes of Senate Meeting #2004-8, held on November 26, 2004, be approved with the following amendment:in item 17 delete "as had the Software Engineering program" after "The 4^th year of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing had received accreditation." Carried.

4. Business Arising from the Minutes

There was no business arising from the Minutes.

ITEMS FOR DECISION

5. Late Additions to the Fall 2004 Graduands List

Due to errors in assessment, the names of 4 students had not appeared on the list of graduands presented to Senate on November 26^th, 2004.

Moved (M. Shaw/F. Dawood) that Senate approve for graduation as of November 26^th, 2004 Tracy L. Annett with a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Political Science; Velma J. Campbell with a Native Language Instructors' Diploma with a specialization in Native Second Languages; Shawn W. Cosby with a Bachelor of Arts in the General Program; and Outi I. Skaf with an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology and first class standing, and a minor in Women's Studies. Carried.

6. Proposed 2005/2006 Calendar Changes for Referral to Committee

It was noted initially that no proposals had come forward to Senate from the Department of English. Accordingly the reference to English was deleted from this item.

Moved (K. Fedderson/M. Richardson) that the proposals by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities for Calendar changes in Economics, History, Indigenous Learning, and Psychology be referred to Senate committees. Carried. The proposals would all be referred to the Senate Budget Committee and, as appropriate, to the Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee and Senate Graduate Studies Committee.

Moved (R. Dilley/R. Pulkki) that the proposals by the Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies for Calendar changes in Biology, Geography, and General Science be referred to Senate committees. Carried. The proposals would all be referred to the Senate Budget Committee and the Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee.

Moved (I. Newhouse/R. Delaney) that the proposal by the Faculty of Professional Schools for Calendar changes in Social Work be referred to Senate committees. Carried. The proposal would be referred to the Senate Budget Committee and the Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee.

Moved (D. Smith/G. Phillips) that the proposals by the Faculty of Business Administration for Calendar changes be referred to Senate committees. Carried. The proposals would all be referred to the Senate Budget Committee and, as appropriate, to the Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee and Senate Graduate Studies Committee.

7. Reports of the Senate Standing Committees on Proposed Calendar Changes to Graduate Programs

Moved (K. Brown/D. Steven) that the Calendar change proposals in Economics, History, Languages, Political Science, and Psychology, and the Articulation Agreement between Lakehead University (School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism) and Confederation College (Recreation & Leisure Services Diploma), as presented in the reports of the Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee and the Senate Budget Committee, be approved.Carried. The Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee had deferred recommendation for approval of the changes proposed for Visual Arts, but the Senate Budget Committee had decided to recommend them. The Senate Budget Committee had decided, because there were serious budget implications, not to recommend at this point the proposal for a General Science course in the Faculty of Education; instead, the Committee had referred the matter to the Vice-President (Academic).

The Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee made no motion concerning the proposed additions to the 2005-2006 Academic Schedule for Undergraduate Studies in Education, but recommended acceptance of the dates proposed by the Faculty of Education except the start date of Wednesday, September 7, 2005. The Committee thought that the Faculty of Education should be bound to adhere to the start date set for the rest of the University, namely, Thursday, September 8, for two main reasons: (a) the September 8^th start date had been previously approved in Senate only after serious contention; the Faculty of Education should not be exempted from a requirement that other units had had to accept against their will; and (b) it would be possible for the Faculty of Education, by moderately adjusting their schedule, to start on September 8^th without undue hardship.

P. Allingham noted that, even with a start date on September 7^th, the Faculty would still have to make up a day of study, probably on a Saturday. R. Dilley objected that the faculty's contract with the University prohibited compulsory instruction on Saturdays. F. Allaire asked who had established the rule that Education students must have 45 instructional days. P. Allingham replied that the rule had been set by the MTCU and the OCT. R. Delaney argued that changing the start date for one Faculty would open it up for change by other Faculties as well.L. Hayes noted that the early start date was required only for Education students in their professional year, and P. Allingham responded that that would involve nearly 700 students. In the end no decision was reached on the issue.

8. Reports of the Senate Standing Committees on Proposed Calendar Changes to Graduate Programs

Moved (G. Boire/D. Steven) that the proposals concerning graduate studies in Economics, English, and Psychology, as well as the new Ph.D. in Forest Sciences, be approved. Carried.

9. Report of the Senate Budget Committee

D. Steven noted that the members of the Committee were having much difficulty in finding mutually acceptable meeting times.

10. Proposed Schedule of Senate Meetings for 2005/2006 and Revision to the Date Set for the May 2005 Senate Meeting

Moved (M. Shaw/P. Hollings) that Senate approve the schedule of Senate meetings for 2005/2006 proposed by the Secretary of Senate and change the date of the May 2005 meeting from 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 13^th to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 12^th. Carried. M. Shaw explained that the change was necessitated by the requirement to submit the final draft of the Convocation program to the Print Shop no later than the morning of Saturday, May 14^th. Corrections ensuing from the Senate meeting and final editing of the program would realistically require one working day to complete.

11. Approval of Adjunct Professors

Moved (F. Gilbert/R. Pulkki) that the appointment of adjunct professors recommended by the Faculties of Forestry and the Forest Environment and Science and Environmental Studies be approved. Carried.

12. Establishment of Senate Representation on the Orillia Satellite Campus Implementation Task Force

President Gilbert indicated that he wanted to have the task force, which would include 3 Senators, in place ideally by the middle of February and, in any event, no later than the end of February.To that end the Secretary of Senate would be canvassing Senators for nominations and running a ballot.

12a. Report of the Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees

P. Hollings reported that 2 candidates had accepted offers of honorary degrees from Lakehead University. Dr. Phil Fontaine would receive the degree of Doctor of Laws in the morning and Dr. Maude Barlow would receive the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in the afternoon of Convocation.

ITEMS FOR INFORMATION

13. President's Report

The President encouraged members of the Lakehead community to get involved in the celebrations of the University's 40^th anniversary.

The Rae Review would be ready for publication and release in the middle of February. It would be of vital importance to raise the recommendations of the Review high enough in the Ontario government's priorities. To that end, and in the sober realization that university education was not a burning issue with a substantial portion of the Ontario public, the COU would be undertaking a program of extensive advocacy of the Review's recommendations.

The COU would be meeting at Lakehead University in the next week - for the second time in the Council's history.

Lakehead's administration was preparing academic and business plans for the establishment of a satellite campus in Orillia. MTCU had so far shown neither overt support for nor opposition to this initiative. A government official had said that offering Lakehead University courses in Orillia did not require the approval of the Ministry.

When the President had completed his report S. Campbell asked when the COU would be meeting on campus. He replied that it would be next Friday.

14. Report of the Vice-President (Academic) and Provost

L. Hayes reported that she had approved a number of sabbaticals and had recommended several merit increments.

At the Board of Governors' retreat on January 8^th she had made a presentation on academic planning - a task that was now being taken up by the Senate Academic Committee.

Along with the Deans she had been exploring the possibilities of teaching release for scholarly activity and had been looking into the marketing and promotion of Lakehead. She was also intent on establishing sound rationales for allowing small and very large classes to go forward.

The joint Lakehead and Laurentian committees had just about completed their work in establishing support services for the NOSM students who would be arriving in the Fall. There were still issues to be resolved concerning the rights and responsibilities of NOSM faculty.

15. Report of the Dean of NOSM

Neither R. Strasser nor D. Hunt was present to deliver a report.

16. Report of the Senate Representatives on the Board of Governors

W. Parker spoke about some of the highlights of the Board's activities over the past couple of months. During their retreat the Board members had discussed such matters as the medical school, marketing, the 40^th anniversary celebrations, fund-raising, the pension plan, and the capital plan.The local MPPs were present at one point. Dr. Gilbert had addressed the Board and, since the retreat was held in old Fort William, Dr. Tom Puk had made a presentation on tall ships.

Dr. Parker also described the procedure employed in the presidential review which had resulted in the renewal of the President's contract.

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Moved (D. Steven/A. Gilbert) that the Meeting be adjourned. The Meeting was adjourned at 5:44 p.m.