Report: Agenda Committee - November 12, 2019

REPORT NUMBER 258 OF THE AGENDA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, November 12, 2019

To the Academic Board,
University of Toronto

Your Committee reports that it met on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. in the Governing Council Chambers, Simcoe Hall with the following members present:

Regrets:
Richard Hegele, Susan McCahan

In Attendance:
Archana Sridhar, Assistant Provost, Office of the Vice-President and Provost

*via teleconference

The Meeting was held in Closed Session               

1. Chair’s Remarks
   
   Professor Nicholas Terpstra welcomed members to the meeting, offering brief remarks.
   
   The Chair advised members that the meeting would commence with discussion of the Academic Administrative Appointments (Item 8).  Once the Academic Administrative Appointments had been considered, the meeting would then continue with the order of business set out in the established agenda.

The Committee moved IN CAMERA

8. Academic Administrative Appointments
   
   On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried
   
   YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
   
   The following academic administrative appointments.
   
   MUNK SCHOOL OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS & PUBLIC POLICY
   Michael Sabia Director  February 1, 2020 to December 31, 2024.
   
   FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
   University Professor Richard Bond Interim Director Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics  September 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020.
   
   Professor John Magee Director Centre for Medieval Studies July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023.
   
   FACULTY OF MEDICINE
   Professor Benoit Mulsant     Chair     Department of Psychiatry     September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2025.[renewal]
   
   Dr. Allan Kaplan     Vice Dean, Graduate and Academic Affairs     January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020. [extension]
   
   Dr. Deborah O’Connor     Chair and Graduate Chair     Department of Nutritional Sciences     January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2024.

THE COMMITTEE RETURNED TO CLOSED SESSION

2. Review of Academic Programs and Units – Part 1

1. Follow-Up Report on Reviews

The Committee received a summary report by Professor Ernest Lam, Chair of the Committee on Academic Policy and Programs (AP&P) regarding the following five follow-up reports considered by AP&P, for information:

1. Department of Arts, Culture and Media (University of Toronto Scarborough)
2. Forensic Science Program (University of Toronto Mississauga)
3. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (Faculty of Arts and Science)
4. Department of Chemistry; Pharmaceutical Chemistry Program (Faculty of Arts and Science)
5. Department of Spanish and Portuguese; Latin American Studies Program (Faculty of Arts and Science)

As part of his report, he provided an overview of the steps that were taken or were planned to address the concerns previously raised.

In conclusion, Professor Lam confirmed that AP&P was satisfied with the follow-up reports and determined that there were no specific issues of concern to be brought forward to the Academic Board.

2. Semi-Annual Report on the review of Academic Units and Programs, April – October, 2019

Professor Lam reported on the twelve reports received by AP&P at its meeting on October 30^th, 2019.  Of these, five were commissioned by the Vice-President and Provost, and seven were University of Toronto Quality Assurance Process (UTQAP) reviews commissioned by the Deans. 

Professor Lam noted that the reviews had been conducted appropriately and in accordance to policy.  He thanked the Chairs of the four reading groups for thorough and thoughtful work;

Professor Lam indicated that the Committee had a thorough discussion of each of the reviews, and three follow-up reports had been requested.

3. Academic Board – Review and Approval of Agenda – Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Committee reviewed and approved the agenda for the November 21, 2019 Academic Board meeting.

It was determined that the agenda would include a presentation on the Budget Model Review; reports on twelve program reviews and five follow-up reports received by AP&P (for information); proposed revisions to the Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment for information by the Board, and an academic plan for information and feedback.  It was further decided that the Consent Agenda would include the Provost’s Annual Report on Academic Integrity, the Report on the University Tribunal, the Report of the Academic Appeals Committee as well as the reports of the Standing Committees.

4. Approval of the Report of the Previous Meeting

Report 257 from the meeting of September 24, 2019, was approved.

5. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting

 There was no business arising from the Report of the previous meeting

6. Date of the Next Meeting – Friday, December 13, 2019

The Chair stated that the next meeting would be held on Friday, December 13, 2019, from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

7. Other Business

There were no items of other business.

The meeting adjourned at 12:00 p.m.

November 14, 2019