U of G’s Senate is responsible for making decisions on our academic programs, regulations and policies. The second Senate meeting of the 2018-19 session was held Nov. 26, 2018. Highlights from the meeting are below. The official synopsis of the meeting is available on the Secretariat website.
President’s Remarks
In his opening remarks to senators, President Franco Vaccarino discussed:
- U of G’s participation in the 2018 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair as an opportunity to build relationships with key partners and highlight our expertise to the new provincial government
- recent visits from dignitaries representing Mexico, China, India and the Philippines that are helping solidify international opportunities
- his participation in Universities Canada’s Day on the Hill – an advocacy opportunity for Canadian universities
- highlights from the provincial government’s Fall Economic Statement that supported the University Pension Plan – a proposed jointly sponsored pension plan among U of G, the University of Toronto and Queen’s University – and the government’s commitment to balancing the budget amid fiscal pressures
- upcoming reviews for the provost and vice-president (academic) and the vice-president (research).
Updates from Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
During the meeting, provost and vice-president (academic) Charlotte Yates provided updates on the following:
- Tuition framework – The existing tuition framework expires in March 2019. The University is awaiting further details from the provincial government on the new framework and will engage on the topic with students as soon as possible.
- Budget process – The 2019-2020 budget process begins soon. Yates will discuss the budget during meetings with U of G colleges and the wider U of G community. The provincial government is looking at the next iteration of strategic mandate agreements (SMA3) and will have an emphasis on funding based on performance outcomes.
- Enrolment – Undergraduate enrolment remained unchanged in 2018. Graduate enrolment increased 2.6 per cent. International student enrolment increased to five per cent of the total student body from four per cent in 2017.
Other Business Discussed and Decisions Made at Senate
During the meeting, Senators approved the:
- membership slate for the provost and vice-president (academic) review committee
- membership slate for the vice-president (research) review committee
- addition of the Cambridge Assessment English test to the English Proficiency Policy in the undergraduate calendar
- program name change from Environmental Geoscience and Geomatics to Environmental Geomatics and the addition of a co-op option for that program
- new PhD program in Social Practice and Transformational Change
- new cotutelle policy that allows students to complete their PhD jointly between U of G and an international university
Senators also endorsed the Policy Statement on Freedom of Expression, which has now been approved by the Board of Governors.
President Vaccarino remarked on the 20th anniversary of the Centre for Families, Work and Well-Being and announced its name change to the Live Work Well Research Centre – Nourishing Families, Livelihoods and Living Environments.
The complete meeting agenda package is available on the University Secretariat website and includes detailed information on the items listed above.
New Governance Portal
A new governance portal is now publicly available. The portal provides easier access to Senate documents, including agendas, meetings and discussion materials.
Interested in attending a Senate meeting?
The next Senate meeting will be held Feb. 4 in the OVC Lifetime Learning Centre, Room 1714.
Meetings are open to the public. Visitors who wish to attend should contact the University Secretariat at univsec@uoguelph.ca. Please visit the Secretariat website to learn more about Senate and its Rules of Order. Senate open session meeting materials are available online about seven calendar days before each meeting.