Senate Meeting Synopsis for November 22, 2021
The third Senate meeting of the 2021-22 session was held on November 22, 2021 and was chaired by President Charlotte Yates.
Dr. Vivian Shalla, Professor and Chair, Committee on Non-degree Studies, commenced the meeting with a territorial land acknowledgment.
Leadership Updates
The President, Dr. Charlotte Yates, offered oral remarks and began by expressing thanks to Dr. Gerarda Darlington, for her service as the Interim Dean of the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences, which concludes December 1.
The President thanked and acknowledged participated in the recent Remembrance Day ceremony, and highlighted the impactful tribute from Cara Wehkamp who spoke about the importance of National Indigenous Veterans Day.
Dr. Yates provided an update on recent government relations and advocacy initiatives which saw Federal, Provincial and Territorial agriculture minsters convening in Guelph, and during which time two Canadian agriculture partnerships investments in Elora were announced. The President also emphasized the need to reinforce the importance of universities in terms of economic growth and innovation, for this government.
The President shared that on November 18, 2021, the University of Guelph joined 40 other institutions in signing on to the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education which articulates a set of principles aimed accountability and transparency around combating anti-black racism and promoting black inclusion on university and college campuses. The University is also tracking progress on the Anti-Racism Action Plan Dashboard.
President Yates encouraged community members to complete the University of Guelph Community Census which is a key commitment of the University’s Anti-Racism Action Plan, the results of which will provide a greater understanding of diversity at the University and help inform future initiatives and decisions.
President Yates drew attention to the search for the University’s tenth chancellor and announced that a notice will be sent to the University community seeking input on the characteristics seen as desirable for the next chancellor.
The President concluded by congratulating the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics for ranking among the top sustainability-focused business schools by sustainable business magazine Corporate Knights.
The Provost & Vice-President (Academic), Dr. Gwen Chapman, provided remarks corresponding to a written update provided within the Senate package. Provost Chapman indicated that student mental health is an ongoing priority, including that nine new staff positions and several new programs in wellness had been added across campus. The Provost shared that Student Wellness recently conducted audits of the University’s student mental health supports, the results of which identified our strengths as well as areas where we need to improve.
Dr. Chapman announced that a call for nominations and expressions of interest for participation on a remote teaching and assessment advisory group led by the Associate Vice-President (Academic) and Assistant Vice-President (Graduate Studies) will be coming soon. Provost Chapman concluded by sharing course plans for Winter 2022.
The Vice-President (Research), Dr. Malcolm Campbell, provided an update on progress made toward developing the University’s Strategic Research Plan for 2022 to 2027 and described next steps.
Key Business Items and Approvals
Other key items of business at the meeting included:
- Endorsement of the 2021-22 Senate Strategic Priorities and Agenda Plan
- Approval of the composition of the membership slate for the Chancellor Selection Committee
- Approval of transfer pathway from the Associate Diploma in Equine Care and Management to the Bachelor of Bio-Resource Management Equine Management major
- Approval of the addition of Co-op options for the Associate Diplomas in Agriculture, Equine Care and Management, and Horticulture
- Approval of major modification to the General Studies program
- Approval of major modification to the Bachelor of Arts, Music major
- Approval of major modification to the University of Guelph-Humber, Community Social Services major
- Approval of revised admission requirements for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program
- Approval of revisions to the Policy on Co-operative Education Programming
- Approval of revisions to the Awarding of Degrees, Associate Diplomas, and Degree Certificates/Diplomas in Extraordinary Circumstances policy
- Items presented for information: Senate Governance Review Final Report, Board of Undergraduate Studies subcommittee memberships, Annual reports from the Committee on Admissions and Progress, Joint Editorial Awards Committee, Student Petitions, Northern Studies Committee, SSHRC Institutional Grant, Certificate in Disability Management non-degree program review, Non-degree program changes, University of Guelph-Humber Community Social Services Quality Review Report, Department of Chemistry One-Year Follow-up Report (undergraduate), undergraduate and graduate curriculum changes, undergraduate academic schedule of dates 2022-23, graduate faculty appointments, update on Senate and Board of Governors Elections for 2022.
More Information
The complete meeting agenda package is available on the University Secretariat’s Governance Portal and includes detailed information on the items listed above. The official record of the meeting is the meeting minutes, which will be available following their approval at the next regularly scheduled Senate meeting.
Upcoming Senate Meeting
The next regular meeting of Senate is scheduled to take place on Monday, February 7, 2022.
Meetings are open to the public and visitors who wish to attend are invited to contact the University Secretariat at univsec@uoguelph.ca