Report: Agenda Committee - November 04, 2021

REPORT NUMBER 281 OF THE AGENDA COMMITTEE
November 4, 2021

 

To the Academic Board, 
University of Toronto 

Your Committee reports that it held a virtual meeting on November 4, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. with the following members present:  
 

PRESENT:
Salvatore Spadafora, (Chair), Douglas McDougall, (Vice-Chair), Trevor Young, (Acting Vice-President And Provost), Linda Johnston, Ernest W.N. Lam, Susan McCahan, Nicholas Rule

REGRETS:
Jan Mahrt-Smith, Evan Tang 

SECRETARIAT:
Tracey Gameiro, Secretary, Agenda Committee

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 Salvatore Spadafora welcomed members to the meeting, offering brief remarks. 
    
2. Review of Academic Programs and Units – Part 1
   1. Follow-Up Report on Reviews
      
      Professor Ernest Lam, Chair of the Committee on Academic Policy and Programs (AP&P), advised the Committee that at its October 26th, 2021 meeting, AP&P discussed the follow-up report previously requested of the University of Toronto Scarborough Department of Management.
      
      As part of his report, Professor Lam explained that the follow-up report had been requested to provide an update on the outcome of the review processes mentioned in the administrative responses provided to AP&P in May 2020, and on progress towards implementation of the follow up measures outlined at that meeting, especially in relation to the expressed need for improved student services and greater governance autonomy for the Management programs. 
      
      He then went on to provide an overview of the steps that were taken or were planned to address the concerns previously raised. Professor Lam confirmed that AP&P had held a thorough discussion of the follow-up report, and the key points were reflected in the meeting minutes.
      
      In conclusion, Professor Lam confirmed that AP&P was satisfied with the follow-up report 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,  October 2020 – October, 2021
      
      Professor Lam reported on the twelve external reviews received by AP&P at its meeting on October 26th, 2021.  Of these, three were commissioned by the Vice-President and Provost, and nine were University of Toronto Quality Assurance Process (UTQAP) reviews commissioned by the Deans.  
      
      The three Provostial reviews were: 
      1. Toronto School of Theology/University of Toronto Conjoint Programs (TST)
      2. Faculty of Information and its programs; and
      3. Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)

Professor Lam added that OISE had also had one decanal review for its Leadership, Higher & Adult Education Program.  The other eight decanal reviews were from the:

1. University of Toronto Scarborough 
   1. Department of Biological Sciences
   2. Centre for Critical Development Studies
2. Temerty Faculty of Medicine
   1. Molecular Genetics 
   2. Physical Therapy
   3. Rehabilitation Sciences
3. Faculty of Arts and Science
   1. Anthropology 
   2. Italian Studies
   3. Near & Middle Easter Civilizations 

Professor Lam noted that the reviews had been conducted appropriately and in accordance with 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 two follow-up reports had been requested, one from TST and the other from OISE.

3. Academic Board – Review and Approval of Agenda –November 17, 2021
   
   The Committee reviewed and approved the agenda for the November 17, 2021 Academic Board meeting.
   
   It was determined that the agenda would include reports on twelve program reviews and one follow-up report received by AP&P (for information).   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. It was noted that the October 27, 2021 (Cycle 2) meeting of the Planning & Budget Committee had been cancelled due to insufficient agenda items. 
    
4. Approval of the Report of the Previous Meeting
   
   Report 280 from the meeting of September 28, 2021, 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 –December 10, 2021
   
   The Chair stated that the next meeting would be held on December 10, 2021, and noted the special time from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. 
    
7. Other Business
   
   There were no items of other business. 
   
   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.

FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

JOSEPH L. ROTMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

LESLIE DAN FACULTY OF PHARMACY

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES