The most recent U of G Senate meeting was held June 1. Below are key highlights from the meeting. A full synopsis of the meeting is available on the University Secretariat’s website.

Policy Changes

Senate has approved the following academic policy changes:

  • Credit/No Credit Option: Beginning Fall 2020, undergraduate students will be able to choose to have a credit/no credit grade appear on their transcript, in place of a numeric grade, for up to 2.00 elective credits (typically equal to four one-semester courses). Credit/no credit grades cannot be assigned to restricted electives or courses that satisfy major or minor requirements. This new option will allow students to explore subjects outside of their main area of study without fear that doing so may adversely impact their average.
  • Required Feedback: Beginning Fall 2020, instructors will need to provide undergraduate students with feedback equal to 20 per cent of their final course grade by the 40th class day. This change reflects widespread practice and builds on a previous policy requiring that instructors provide meaningful and constructive feedback prior to the 40th class day.
  • Experiential Learning: Standard definitions of Experiential Learning have been approved on the recommendation of the Experiential Learning Advisory Committee (ELAC)

Program Additions

Senate has approved the following program additions:

  • Justice and Legal Studies: Offered through the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, this new major will provide students with a clear understanding of law and judicial processes in Canada and a global context and allow students to critically evaluate, using various and interdisciplinary conceptions of justice, the relationship between legal institutions, society, politics and governance.
  • Culture and Technology Studies: Offered through the College of Arts, this new major and minor will allow students to explore complex relationships among power, digital knowledge, digital cultures, the representation of data and the ethical questions surrounding the development, deployment and accessibility of technological objects and processes.
  • Accounting: Offered through the Lang School of Business and Economics, this new minor will provide an opportunity for students from other majors within the Bachelor of Commerce, and across campus, to progress towards the Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation.

Leadership Updates

President Vaccarino, Provost Charlotte Yates and Vice-President (Research) Malcolm Campbell provided Senators with a number of updates including:

COVID-19 Academic Governance Updates

A summary of significant decisions about academic operations, regulations and procedures related to COVID-19 is available on the University Secretariat’s website.

The Senate schedule may be modified over the summer months in response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. The next regular meeting of Senate is scheduled to take place on Monday, October 5, 2020.

Related posts:

  1. U of G Women Choose the Challenge of Leadership
  2. Senate Shrinks by 25 Per Cent
  3. New Digital CV to Help U of G Students Capture Skills, Experience
  4. U of G Launching New Black Canadian Studies Program