Faculty Council Meeting - February 7, 2025

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL

MINUTES

 Friday, January 10, 2025
 A meeting of the Faculty Council was held on Friday, January 10, 2025, at 10:00 am via Zoom.  

Introduction of New Faculty

Professor Elsa Piersig – Tenure Track Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
E. Perisig introduced herself to members of Council.  She stated that she was looking forward to working with her new colleagues at Lakehead.

1.
Approval of Agenda
It was moved by and seconded by K. Burnett and A. Guttman that the agenda be approved.
        Carried.
2.
Approval of Minutes
Approval of the minutes from December 6, 2024.  (T. Puddephatt; J. Jarman)
The minutes were accepted as presented.
        
3.
Business Arising from the Minutes
None.

4.
Calendar Change Requests

i)  Psychology – Additional Deans – SS&H/SES)
It was moved by J. Jarman and seconded by D. Hannah that the following calendar change request for Psychology (Additional Deans) be approved.
2024-SOC-8755:  Course modification - UG - Psychology - Splitting PSYC 1100
        Carried.

ii)  Interdisciplinary Studies
It was decided that the following calendar change request be relegated back to the initiator for revisions.
2024-SOC-8759:  Course-Modifications-UG-Change Year Level and Cross-list with Music 2310
        Carried.
It was moved by J. Jarman and seconded by D. Mackinnon that the following calendar change request for Interdisciplinary Studies be approved.    
2024-SOC-8767:  Courses-Modifications-UG-Media, Film, and Communications-Change title to Website Design
            Carried.
It was moved by J. Jarman and seconded by D. Mackinnon that the following calendar change request for
Interdisciplinary Studies be approved.    
2024-SOC-8768:  Courses-New Course-UG-Media, Film, and Communications
        Carried.

iii)  Music
It was moved by A. Carastathis and seconded by D. Hannah that the following calendar change request for Music be approved.
2024-SOC- 8765:  New MUSI course crossed with MDST
        Carried.

5.1
Department/School Requests.
None.

5.2
Department/School Reports.

i). English
A. Guttman announced that the next McLeod Lecture will be held on January16, 2025.  Ontario's First
Poet Laureate Randall Adjei will deliver the MacLeod Lecture, entitled "Let Adversity Design You, Not
Define You."   Through Spoken Word Poetry, Inspirational Speech and Storytelling, Randell will share his
personal journey and how he transformed adversity into a powerful tool for personal transformation and
community development.

ii)  Interdisciplinary Studies
J. Jarman mentioned that A. den Otter is now on sabbatical leave.  D. Jobin-Bevans will be taking her
place as the Acting Coordinator of Media, Film and Communications while she is away.

iii) Music
E. Chugunov stated that the next Lumina Concert will be held on January 21, 2025 in the Jean McNulty
Recital Hall beginning at 12:30 pm.  See the Department of Music website for more details, and for future
LUMINA concerts.

iv)  Sociology
Dr. Chris Southcott was awarded the UArctic Research Chair in Resources and Sustainable communities.
The UArctic Chair in Resources and Sustainable Communities at Lakehead University (2025–2029)
focuses on ensuring that resource development benefits northern and Arctic communities. As demand for
natural resources grows and climate change makes Arctic resources more accessible, these regions,
particularly Indigenous communities, face significant social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Past resource exploitation has often resulted in minimal local benefits, job shortages, and social
disruptions. The Chair's research aims to mitigate these negative impacts by exploring policies and
development models that promote local control, sustainability, and the protection of traditional livelihoods,
ultimately fostering long-term community well-being

6.
Dean’s Report.
Friday, January 10, 2024. [written]
Happy 2025! Welcome to another year of challenges, opportunities, and possibilities. Our faculty remains
steadfast in meeting these challenges and we have shown that working together brings us closer to our
goals. We have excellent researchers and scholars who continue to inspire our students and impact our
communities. But we are mindful that well-being is vital to our work and students’ success. It is fitting that
health and wellness was the first presentation at the Provost Council on January 8. See accompanying
documents.

WELCOME Dr. Elsa Piersig, Department of Political Science.

CONGRATULATIONS to the following:
Dr. Sarah Olutola, for tenure and promotion to Associate Professor

Dr. Davut Akca, Dr. Keira Loukes, and Dr. Debra MacKinnon, for renewal.

ACTION items:
1.    Dean’s MCU textbook report to IPA is due on January 15. Department chairs are required to submit a summary compliance report to the Dean’s office, using this format: “Department X has X faculty and instructors and % has complied with the MCU directive.”

2.    Budget 2025-26 input from department chairs on total FCEs. Dean to consult with Assistant deans and department chairs for the budget presentation on February 5. Aim for more realistic targets.

3.    Curriculum Sustainability Framework follow-up with separate regular meetings with department chairs.

4.    Planned Institutional Strength to establish GR-PhD Social Justice in Thunder Bay was not realised by end of SMA3 (2024). The proposed PhD in Global Studies received numerous feedback and positive support from two consultation sessions. Work will continue to move this proposal forward in collaboration with the FGS and other units.

5.    Initiate a Faculty Strategic Plan following the themes outlined by the university strategic planning process and integrate other program directives and reviews.
    Thank you!
    Glenda

i)  Student Health and Wellness Resources: 
SHW Health Promotion Strategy - 2024 Update
Slides - Health Promotion Strategy Presentation
Information and Resources for Faculty and Staff (SHW webpage)
WellU Mental Health Champions (SHW webpage)

ii)  Research Certification Submissions Report, Oct 1-Dec 31, 2024
This report can be accessed using this link.

7.
Assistant Deans’ Report

i)  Dr. Jennifer Jarman – Orillia Campus - January 10, 2025

•    First, and foremost, I would like to express my delight that Dean Glenda Bonifacio has returned to work.  Tony Puddephatt and I met with Glenda this week about the Faculty business. My understanding is that she is arriving back in Thunder Bay today.  Please welcome her gently as she has clearly had a challenging few months.
•    December was busy with stepping in as Acting Dean and processing a steady series of cheque requisitions, emergency hire approvals, and such.  I did not have access to Faculty budget information, so I got secondary approval from the Provost’s office on items requiring significant financial outlays.
•    Marks Management was a challenge in the final week before the University closed, as marks were flooding in, but the approval software wasn’t working until late December 19th.  If anyone is seeing evidence that whole courses of students do not have approved marks, please report it to the Dean’s office.  Ashley Beda, in the Registrar’s Office, worked overtime to get this matter fixed and I extend my thanks to her for her efforts.
•    Budget information has been sent to the Dean’s office. As was announced at Senate, the budget planning for the coming year is being planned at 2024-25 levels.   The Dean has been asked to make a February budget presentation.  She will be asked to confirm the accuracy of her staffing complement and base budget. She will also be asked to review the status of current year spend and how that information can inform potential adjustments to your 2025-26 budget.    The Executive Team is also going to be developing a “targeted cuts” strategy.
•    Faculty requests (renewals/new needs).  All requests received have been forwarded to the Provost. I followed up with both David Barnett and David Richards. The Dean is now scheduling an in-person meeting with David Richards, so hopefully there will be news soon.
•    LUFA sent around a letter about Acting Deans and Assistant Deans. I responded by contacting David Barnett (Provost), Emily Cameron (Advisor to the Provost), and Gautam Das (President of LUFA).
•    Awards Committee.  I was in contact with Andrew Dean after the last council meeting, but his understanding is that he is extending financial support for a Research Chair as seed money and therefore expects a top-up from the Dean’s budget to match the $20,000 he is putting forward.  There are no records in writing of what Dean Bonifacio is committing and her plans involved contacting the External Relations VP to engage in fund-raising for this matter, so until there are solid commitments about where this money is coming from and how much is available, I am not moving ahead with running a competition. When Dean Glenda is back, the budget for this item can be sorted out.
•    Sue Viitala. One of the joys of December was working with Sue Viitala on a whole host of matters that arose.  Thank you so much to her!

ii). Dr. Tony Puddephatt – Thunder Bay Campus – January 10/2025

Tony thanked the faculty for their various inputs into the curriculum sustainability review, and noted honest attempts to create efficiencies and improve enrolments. He submitted the report to the provost’s office prior to the holiday break.

Tony encouraged faculty to please respond with comments to the strategic plan draft, as there seems to be a lack of commitment and needs more definitive plans, particularly about how to deal with some of the more acute issues facing us now.

Tony wanted to reiterate that the global studies planning is in a very early stage and we did not promise this for the purposes of SMA4 since it was too premature. However, this remains a project Glenda and others are passionate about, and it may involve other faculties outside of our own, so we can see where that goes in the future.

Tony thanked Glenda for her work and encouraged the faculty to support her as she returns back to her duties. He noted she does care about the faculty and will definitely fight for what is needed from administration; the more we help and support her the better our chances she will succeed in these battles to come.

It was noted that our faculty may have been mistreated in comparison to others from a budgetary perspective, systematically, and over many years. As such, many of our programs are operating at a bare bones level with only 2 faculty, which is clearly not acceptable to deliver quality programming. Thus, distributive justice between faculties should be seriously considered and examined at the next round of budget discussions to prevent any of the inequity that seems to be in place. Cuts at the administrative level should also be on the table as well, to save money for more important core academic program priorities.  

8.
Other Business.
None.

9.
Next Faculty Council Meeting:  

The next Faculty Council meeting with be held in Friday, February 7, 2025 at 10:00 am via Zoom.

10.
Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 11.12 am. (A. Carastathis)

ATTENDANCE
 
Thunder Bay Campus
K. Brooks
K. Burnett
A. Carastathis
L. Chambers
J. Chisholm
E. Piersig
A. Guttman
D. Hannah
D. Hayes
K. Holmes
S. Jacoba
S. Jobbitt
B. Maiangwa
T. Puddephatt
S. Sashahabi
C. Sanders
B. Vernier

S. Viitala - recording

Orillia Campus
D. Akca
P. Das
J. Jarman
D. Krupp
D. Mackinnon
R. McVeigh

Regrets
E. Chugonov
M. Stevenson
L. Potvn