Faculty Council Meeting - Thursday, October 8, 2020: Deadline for Agenda Items - Thursday, October 1/2020 at 2:00 pm - This will be the last meeting to approve calendar changes for next year's calendar.

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL

MINUTES
Thursday, September 17th, 2020
 
A meeting of the Faculty Council was held on Thursday, September 17th, 2020 at 10:00 am via Zoom.

Prior to the meeting, R. Maundrell introduced Dr, N. Hatton as the new three-year Limited Term Appointment in the Department of History.

1.
Approval of Agenda
 It was moved by I. Lemée and seconded by A. Saulnier that the agenda be approved.
        Carried.
2.
Approval of Minutes
Approval of the minutes from June 26th, 2020.
        The minutes were reviewed and accepted.

3.
Business Arising from the Minutes
None.

4.
Calendar Changes
i)  English
It was moved by D. Ivison and seconded by R. Robson that the calendar change for English be approved.
2020-SOC-7413:  ENGL/INDI 2510 Cross-List
        Carried.

ii)  History
It was moved by R. Maundrell and seconded by I. Lemée that the calendar changes for History be approved.
2020-SOC-7436:  Programs-Modification-UG-History
2020-SOC-7437:  Courses-New Courses-UG-History-2nd year course offerings
        Carried.

iii)  Indigenous Learning
It was moved by K. Burnett and seconded by S. Jobbitt that the calendar changes for Indigenous Learning be approved.
2020-SOC-7395:  Program Major modification UG Indigenous Learning
2020-SOC-7396:  Course Modification UG Indigenous Learning: 3 courses
2020-SOC-7456:  Course-New-UG-Indigenous Learning-Cross-listing ENGL-2510
        Carried.

iv)  Languages
It was moved by I. Lemée and seconded by R. Robson that the calendar changes for Languages be approved.
2020-SOC-7399:  Minor Changes to BA and HBA French programs
2020-SOC-7403:  Updates in Requirements
2020-SOC-7404:  Modifications-UG-French and Education Programs
2020-SOC-7405:  Program Modifications-UG-French with double majors and Education
        Carried.

v)  Philosophy
It was moved by R. Maundrell and seconded by G. Colton that the calendar changes for Philosophy be approved.
2020-SOC-7433:  Courses-Modifications-UG-Philosophy (New, Modification and Reinstatement)
2020-SOC-7435:  Course-Deletion-UG-Philosophy
2020-SOC-7439:  Programs-Modifications-UG-BABED&HBABED Philosophy- Changes to Philosophy Course Requirements
        Carried.

vi)  Gender and Women’s Studies
It was moved by L. Chambers and seconded by I. Lemée that the calendar changes for Gender and Women’s studies be approved.
2020-SOC-7385:  Course Cross-list UG Department of Gender and Women's Studies (FREN-3603)
        Carried.

vii)  Visual Arts
It was moved by K. Holmes and seconded by L. Chambers that the calendar changes for Visual Arts be approved.
2020-SOC-7442:  BA Visual Arts program change
2020-SOC-7443:  HBFA program change
2020-SOC-7444:  BA, Bed Visual Arts Program
2020-SOC-7445:  HBFA/Bed Program Change
2020-SOC-7446:  Minor in Art History program change
2020-SOC-7447:  New First Year Visual Arts course 1012
2020-SOC-7448:  New 4th year course 4019 in Visual Arts
2020-SOC-7449:  Visual Arts 0510 course change
2020-SOC-7450:  Visual Arts 1015 course change
2020-SOC-7451:  Visual Arts 2410 course change
2020-SOC-7452:  Visual Arts 2430 course deletion
        Carried.
5.
Department/School Reports
i)  English
It was moved by D. Ivison and seconded by R. Warburton to recommend that Dr. Kevin Brooks be appointed as External Adjunct Professor in the Department of English.
        Carried.

ii)  Interdisciplinary Studies
J. Jarman noted the bureaucratic complexity involved with the hiring of contract lecturers and the ongoing lack of resources for the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies despite significant increases in program majors and student course counts.

6.
Dean’s Report
B. Birmingham noted that faculty enrolments at the undergraduate level are up, particularly in Orillia; complete and accurate enrolment figures will be available after 1 November.  Graduate enrolments are also up in relation to the previous year, although a large number of graduate students had deferred their entry until January 2021.
Meeting participants were asked if any issues had been observed during the first week of class relating to students and technology.

•    K. Holmes noted that the University had not provided readily available information about proper protocols regarding face-to-face teaching and that the academic advising load had been heavy.  B. Birmingham responded that she would bring this matter to the attention of the Executive team.
•    D. Ivison noted that the while the University had provided useful information regarding research guidelines affected by Covid-19, teaching guidelines had not been forthcoming and support units such as Student Central had not been able to respond to student requests in a timely fashion.  Student advising remained heavy and Student Central had reportedly been delayed in answering student e-mails for up to 10 business days.  B. Birmingham confirmed that Student Central had been directing many Engineering students to department chairs for assistance in matters such as raising course caps.
•    P. Cain requested that a representative from Student Central speak to Faculty Council about the structure of advising.
•    I. Lemée identified the problems related to overload and course entrance requests from Engineering students.  A discussion about the criteria for granting overload requests ensued.

B. Birmingham noted that she would welcome the opportunity to attend department meetings or departmental events involving students during the academic year.  Leaders’ meetings would be scheduled once a month during the Fall term.

7.
Other Business
M. Stevenson noted that the meeting scheduled for the second week of October was the last opportunity for Faculty Council to approve calendar change requests from departments to take effect in the 2021-22 academic year.

8.
Next Faculty Council Meeting:  Thursday, October 8th, 2020, at 10:00 am via Zoom.

9.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 11:13 am.  

ATTENDANCE
Thunder Bay Campus
R. Maundrell
S. Jobbitt
K. Holmes
D. Ivison
B. Birmingham
L. Chambers
A. Carastathis
K. Burnett
B. Vernier
I. Lemée
B. Parker
P. Cain
C. Sanders
T. Potter
G. Colton
R. Robson
L. Forbes
R. Warburton
S. Viitala

Orillia Campus
M. Stevenson
J. Jarman
A. den Otter
A. Saulnier