Faculty Meeting Friday, October 3, 2014

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL MINUTES
September 12th, 2014

Approved
 
A meeting of the Faculty Council was held on September 12th, 2014 at 1:00 pm in ATAC Board Room 5035/OA 3041.

1. Approval of Agenda

It was moved by R. Koster and seconded by J. Roth that the agenda be approved.

2. Secret Ballot - Election of Chair of Faculty Council

After a short discussion, it was decided to defer the election of Chair of Faculty Council until the next Council meeting.

 

3. Approval of the Minutes

It was moved by R. Koster and seconded by R. Martin that the minutes of June 26th, 2014 be approved.
Carried.

 

4. Business Arising from Minutes

None.

 

6. Registrar’s Report

None.

 

7. Introduction of New Colleagues

• Dr. B. Vernier, Chair, Department of Languages introduced Dr. M. Shilliday, Assistant Professor in Languages.
• Dr. T. Puddephatt, Acting Chair, Department of Sociology introduced Dr. Barb Parker, Assistant Professor in Sociology.
• Dr. R. Koster, Director, School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism introduced Dr. Julie Rosenthal, Assistant Professor in Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism.

6. Dean's Report for Faculty Council

 

Dean’s Report to Faculty Council Meeting – Friday, September 12, 2014
From the Dean’s Council
The Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA):

Identifies the University’s existing institutional strengths;
Supports the current vision, mission, and mandate of the University within the context of the University’s governing legislation and outlines how the University’s priorities align with Ontario’s vision and Differentiation Policy Framework; and Informs Ministry decision making through greater alignment of Ministry policies and processes to further support and guide the University’s areas of strength.

The Six Broad Headings:

1. Jobs, Innovation, and Economic Development
2. Areas of Institutional Strength – learner-centered approach to program delivery
3. Areas of Institutional Strength – providing postsecondary education to Aboriginal  students
4. Areas of Institutional Strength – research and innovation
5. Program Areas of Strength – engineering, health and health sciences, natural resources, business, education, social justice/Aboriginal emphasis, social and behaviour sciences.
   Proposed areas of growth – business, entrepreneurship, and innovation, engineering, health science/health and medicine, social justice/Aboriginal emphasis, sustainability.
6. Institutional Collaboration to Support Student Mobility – LU accounts for 5-6% of college transfers in Ontario; Confederation and Georgian; Georgian Program Delivery Plans, Health Informatics, Aboriginal Language, Medical Lab Sciences, Electrical Engineering Diploma/Degree.

New Initiatives:
Recruitment Activities

We are currently working with Andrea Tarsitano to develop more focused ways to recruit students from the NW Ontario region including three initiatives: Northwestern Ontario Road Show key faculty joining recruitment officers on the road), Specialized Presentations to Local High School Students (as a follow-up to initial recruitment visits with specific faculty in schools or matching students with discipline-specific faculty members on campus), and Lakehead Lessons Pilot (compliment curriculum through in class mini-lectures).

Other Business:
Enrollment Audits and Financial Responsibility

In coordination with Departmental Chairs, I have been conducting audits of student enrolments for fall term courses. Ina few cases, we have had to cancel classes and make alternative changes to the course calendar. I would like to ask Chairs to keep an eye on winter term courses as well and to present a departmental strategy for the reallocation of resources should classes need to be cancelled and staff reassigned courses. The University uses 15 students for undergraduate courses and 6 students in graduate courses as minimums for enrollment. Of course there are always discipline-specific exceptions.

Orillia Campus Visits
As you can appreciate, there are many details to be worked through over the coming academic year as a result of the creation of the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at the Orillia Campus. As a result, I have committed to working from Orillia on a monthly basis (staring last week) and will continue to do so throughout the term. Issues of resource allocation and management, reporting pathways and strategic initiatives will be broad topics under consideration. We will also host one meeting of the Faculty Council from Orillia.

New Business Item:
STARS (Sustainability Tracking and Rating System) Surveys through the Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies

In response to the Strategic and Academic Plans which highlight the University’s commitment to addressing the interrelated dimensions of sustainability, including environmental, economic and social/cultural sustainability, the University is currently in the process of conducting a survey that will gather information for a Sustainability Tracking and Rating System or STARS rating: a transparent, self-reporting framework that helps universities and colleges measure their sustainability performance. More than 600 institutions worldwide have participated in STARS, which examines the entire scope of a higher education institution, from its curriculum and research, engagement and operations to its planning and administration.

The STARS reporting process will help the University to:

• Identify areas where it is doing well in and opportunities for further development and attention;
• Develop new resources to enable internal and external stakeholders to easily find and connect with programs, courses, research and people that promote sustainability;
• Better understand how sustainability relates to individual roles and disciplines;
• Determine how campus sustainability efforts can best be coordinated as a comprehensive strategy and engaging collaborative effort.
• To assist in the collection of academic related data, all students and teaching and research staff within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities are being asked to set aside time to complete the STARS Data Collection Form.

The form will be open until Monday, September 29, 2014, but your earliest response would be appreciated.
There is a hyperlink to the STARS Data Collection Form

The data will be collated and included into Lakehead’s inaugural STARS report due for completion later this year. The university community will be notified when the report is completed via internal communication channels (e.g. Communications Bulletin), and the report will be posted and publicly available on the University’s and STARS’ websites.

The contact person and facilitator for the survey is Brett Sharman in the Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies.

 

6. Assistant Dean’s Report

Assistant Dean’s Report – Dr. Batia Stolar
Dr. Jobin-Bevans and I met with the Office of Recruitment to discuss strategies for making our Faculty – on both campuses – a desirable destination for incoming students. The Office of Recruitment welcomes our Faculty’s input on how to best represent and market our individual units to potential students. If you have any suggestions, or a specific message you would like the Office of Recruitment to pass on to students interested in your programs, please contact me.

The brochure for our Faculty is in the last stages of copy-editing. This version is designed for domestic students. We have begun working on translating and adapting the brochure for international students.
I am currently working on preparing documents to facilitate faculty and student exchanges with Dalian University in China, which include Letters of Understanding for faculty exchanges and materials to support conversations about program requirements.

As the Dean was at our Orillia campus during student orientation, I led our Faculty’s orientation on our Thunder Bay campus. As was done in previous years, our students met as a group before heading off to their programs’ orientation sessions. All students from across the university then gathered for a parade to the Hangar for a Welcome Commencement ceremony.

I’m continuing the work already begun for our Speaker’s Series.  Our first sponsored talk of this academic year is “Conversations with Walking with Our Sisters,” which is part of a series of events put together by the members of the WWOS National Collective. The talk will be held on September 19, at 7:00 pm, at the Shuniah Lecture Theatre, at Confederation College. The exhibit opens on the 19th at noon at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery, and the first event, “Teach-In: Unpacking Settler Colonialism,” takes place on Sept. 12, from 7-10, at UC 1017. Profs. K. Burnett of Indigenous Learning and L. Chambers of Women’s Studies have been working with members of the WWOS National Collective on these series of events, which take place between September 12 and October 24.

We met with the Thunder Bay Art Gallery in Thunder Bay to discuss other possible collaborations that synchronize our speakers and their exhibits and events.  We continue to work on the Speaker’s Series to be held on both campuses. 

 

7. Departmental/School Reports

English
It was moved by B. Stolar and G. Colton that Dr. J. Roth be appointed Internal Adjunct of the Department of English for a four-year term commencing July 1, 2014.
Carried.

Philosophy
It was decided that the calendar changes for Philosophy would be tabled at our next Council meeting on October 3, 2014 as the supporting documentation had not been provided.

8. Other Business

STARS - Sustainability Tracking and Rating System

D. Jobin-Bevans presented an outline of the STARS survey.  A lengthy discussion followed that generated such questions as; why are we doing this; will it make our university a better place; what were the results of the first survey.  The deadline to take part in the survey is Monday, September 29, 2014.

 

 9. Adjournment
 

The meeting adjourned at 3:00 pm, moved by B. Vernier and B. Parker.
Carried.