Faculty Council Meeting - April 12, 2024: Deadline for Agenda Items: April 5 at 4:30 pm

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL
MINUTES
Friday, March 8, 2024

A meeting of the Faculty Council was held on Friday, March 8, 2024, at 10:00 am via Zoom.

Guest Speaker:
Karen Kerk:  CityStudio Coordinator
CityStudio Thunder Bay is a collaboration among the City of Thunder Bay, Confederation College, and Lakehead University and NOSM University. K. Kerk gave a brief description of what her office does to help people, businesses or post-secondary education get started on various projects.  She mentioned that it could be a research grant for a faculty member or helping someone to complete a grant application such as the “Community Youth and Culture Funding” grant application. She has worked on multi-year and interdisciplinary projects over the years.  A brief discussion period followed.  

Please click here to access the link to CityStudio’s Highlights for 2023 which also includes more information on what they do and who they help.  
1.
Approval of Agenda
 It was moved by and seconded by L. Chambers and C. Sanders that the revised agenda be approved.
        Carried.
2.
Approval of Minutes
Approval of the minutes from February 9, 2024.  (L. Chambers and seconded by L. Potvin)
The minutes were accepted as presented.

   
3.
Business Arising from the Minutes
i) Recruitment Reminder
A. Carastathis reminded everyone to try their best to increase the conversion rates for those students who have applied to their departments but have not yet confirmed.

 4.
Calendar Changes
There was a brief discussion with regard to this Additional Dean Calendar Change Request.
It was ultimately approved by G. Bonifacio.
2023-SOC-8258:  Programs-Major Modification – UG-Biology-Changes to Biology Program.

5.1
Department/School Requests.
There were no requests submitted at this time.

5.2
Department/School Reports.
i)  English
A. Guttman announced that there is an upcoming WiP talk, held via Zoom, by Dr. Max Haiven, on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 1:00 pm. entitled, The Player and the Played: Financialization, Gamification and (anti-)Fascism.

ii) Music
A. Carastathis stated that many Department of Music activities were coming up.  A list of events can be found here.
    
iii)  Visual Arts
The 39th Annual Lakehead University Student Juried Exhibition and Honours Graduating Show will open to the public on the afternoon of Friday March 22nd at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. The Department of Visual Arts invites you to join them for the opening and award ceremonies on Friday April 5th, 2024 in Thunder Bay Art Gallery. Doors open at 7 pm. There will be food and
refreshments at the opening. Student exhibits will be on display until Sunday, April 28th.

    6.
    Dean’s Report.
March 8, 2024
A. Den Otter, Acting Dean, presented the Dean’s Report on behalf of G. Bonifacio who was travelling.

Highlights:
Orillia Campus Visit
Met with faculty and staff – Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Scheduled open consultations with students:  11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Made arrangements for a permanent faculty book display corner at the library in Orillia

2022 Employee Experience Survey
Discussions will be held at the departmental level to find out what the results of this survey really mean.  There is a need to identify action items for improvement
Share departmental action plans with the Leadership Circle
Synthesis of discussions at Faculty Council

Program Review Retreat – April 29, 2024 (Revised date is now April 30, 2024)
The program review was to be held on April 29, 2024 but has now been changed to April 30, 2024
Times:  9:30 am to 4:30 pm (Please RSVP to S. Viitala)
The event will be held on both campuses and will include Chairs/Director and Program Coordinators

“Spring Jibe” (SSH Community Showcase and Fundraising)
Plan to hold it at a local restaurant, hopefully owned by alumni and would also include a silent auction.
Blocked hours for SS&H; customers supporting SS&H students with money going toward the SEF (Student Engagement Fund).
Dean’s office to take the lead.
Any suggestions of restaurants owned by LU alumni would be great.

Thank you to A. den Otter for presenting the Dean’s Report.

7.
Other Business.
i)  Formation of Nominations Committee to Consider Nominations for Chair and Vice-Chair of Faculty
Council for 2024/2025.
Faculty members were asked if they were interested to serve on the Nominations Committee to Consider Nominations for Chair and Vice-Chair of Faculty Council.  M. Stevenson, I. Lemée and A. den Otter volunteered to sit on the Committee.  An announcement will be sent out asking for those who are interested.

ii)  Setting Agendas
A. Guttman stated that requests for items on the agenda should be approved by the faculty.  A. Carastathis stated that according to the Faculty Council Terms of Reference the Chair and Vice-Chair, in conjunction with the Dean, review requests as they come in and set the final agenda. 

It was mentioned that some presentations ran too long, and when this happens, the Chair should make sure the presentations stay within the 15 to 20-minute time frame, including questions/discussion at the end.  

8.
Next Faculty Council Meeting: 
The next Faculty Council Meeting will be on April 12, 2024, at 10:00 am via Zoom.  

9.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 11:28 am.  (A. Guttman)

ATTENDANCE
Thunder Bay Campus
A. Carastathis
B. Vernier
D. Ivison
I. Lemeé
L. Potvin
C. Sanders
S. Shahsahabi
B. Parker
A. Guttman
L. Chambers
D. Hayes
K. Brooks
R. Maundrell
K. Burnett
B. Maiangwa
S. Viitala - recording

Orillia Campus
P. Das
A. den Otter
V. Hébert
M. Stevenson

Regrets:
E. Chugunov
L. Forbes
R. Warburton