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UTSC Council Chamber Arts and Administration Building, Room AA160
REPORT NUMBER 57 OF THE UTSC ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
April 27, 2022
To the Campus Council, University of Toronto Scarborough,
Your Committee reports that it met in the Council Chamber, Arts and Administration Building, on Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at 10:10 a.m., with the following members present:
Present:
Sonja Nikkila (Chair), Gillian Mason (Vice-Chair), William A. Gough (Vice-Principal Academic & Dean), Katie Larson (Vice-Dean, Teaching, Learning & Undergraduate Programs), Mary Silcox (Vice-Dean, Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies), David Zweig (Acting Vice-Dean Recruitment, Enrolment & Student Success), Syed Ahmed, George Arhonditsis, Corinne Beauquis, Glenn Brauen, Shelley Brunt, Elyse Caron-Beaudoin, Suzanne Erb, Connie Guberman, Angela Hamilton, Paula Hastings, John Hannigan, Irmi Hutfless, Margaret Kohn, Patricia Landolt, Randy Lundy, Karen McCrindle, Sharlene Mollett, Michelle Ramnaraine, Laura Risk, Paulina Rousseau, Sofia Suleman, Phil Triadafilopoulos, Shelby Verboven, Kenneth Welch, Liana Williams, Jessica Wilson, Marco Zimmer-De Iuliis
Non-Voting Assessors:
Martha Harris, Hugh Laurence, Varsha Patel
In Attendance:
Aarthi Ashok, Cynthia Jairam, Andrea Rogers, Adam Martin Regrets: Wisdom Tettey (Vice President and Principal), Irena Creed (Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation), Sandra Bamford, Shadi Dalili, Beheshta Ali Dad Khan, April Franco, Barry Freeman, Vina Goghari, Joseph Hermer, Faizah Islam, Jubayer Jalal, Thembela Kepe, Neil ten Kortenaar, Daniel Lysak, Michael Molloy, Juvenal Ndayiragije, Malaika Rashid, Mahinda Samarakoon, Larry Sawchuk, Sonja Sedivy, Michelle Silver, Jinny Tsang
Secretariat: Emma Thacker (Secretary), Cindy Ferenz Hammond, Anwar Kazimi
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
Professor Sonja Nikkila, Chair, welcomed members back to the Council Chamber, noting that several members had also joined the meeting remotely. She reminded members of speaking and voting protocols, and requested that members speak clearly, given the current mask requirements and that comments would be captured by the closed captioning.
- Changes to Undergraduate Academic Calendar Regulations (2022-23): Section 6C.8, UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Katie Larson (Vice-Dean, Teaching, Learning & Undergraduate Programs), to present the item brought forward by the Registrar’s Office. Professor Larson provided an overview of the proposed changes noting that they were expected to remove barriers to degree completion. The change was proposed to become effective September 1, 2022. Highlights of the regulation change included:
- Removal of restriction to enrol in courses within certain other divisions;
- Increase of the maximum allowable number of credits that students can take at other divisions;
- Clarification of regulations for undergraduate students enrolling in graduate courses and for non-degree students; and
- Addition of language regarding exclusions when taking courses offered at other divisions.
A member asked for clarification regarding credits for other course types, such as the year abroad program, experiential courses, and combined programs. Shelby Verboven, (UTSC Registrar) responded to clarify that combined degree courses and study abroad courses would be included in the 10 credits allowed, and that while not all courses could be applied toward a student’s degree program to complete, they would have access to enrol.
On motion duly made, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED,
THAT the proposed changes to UTSC Undergraduate Academic Regulations, Section 6.C8, as detailed in the proposal dated April 12, 2022, be approved, effective September 1, 2022, for the 2022-2023 academic year.
- Major Modification: Curriculum and Program Name Change - Specialist/Specialist (Co-op) in Environmental Biology renamed as Specialist/Specialist (Co-op) in Global Environmental Change, UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Katie Larson to present the item brought forward by the Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences (DPES). Professor Larson provided an overview of the proposed program restructuring and name change. The proposed changes modifed required and elective courses and rebalanced existing requirements, to focus the programs more closely on global environmental change topics, including climate change, soil science, hydrology, biogeochemistry, food security and ecosystem functioning. The changes would become effective September 1, 2022. Members had no questions.
On motion duly made, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the curriculum changes to the Specialist and Specialist (Co-op) in Environmental Biology, proposed by the Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, as described in the proposal dated April 8, 2022, be approved, effective September 1, 2022; and
THAT the proposal to rename the Specialist and Specialist (Co-op) in Environmental Biology as the Specialist and Specialist (Co-op) in Global Environmental Change, as described in the proposal dated April 8, 2022, be approved, effective September 1, 2022.
- Major Modification: New Program - Specialist (Co-op) in Conservation and Biodiversity, UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Katie Larson to present the item. The Department of Biological Sciences proposed to introduce a new Specialist (Co-operative) program in Conservation and Biodiversity. The proposed Specialist program would focus on the current global biodiversity crisis brought about through habitat destruction, overexploitation, biological invasions, or climate change. A core component of the proposed program would be a foundational 12-week work term. Graduates of the program would be well positioned to pursue the MEnvSc program. The changes were proposed to become effective for the 2022-23 academic year. Members had no questions.
On motion duly made, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the Specialist program (Co-operative) in Conservation and Biodiversity, proposed by the Department of Biological Sciences, as described in the proposal dated April 11, 2022, be approved, effective September 1, 2022.
- Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes, Arts & Science Co-op, UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Katie Larson to present the item. The Arts and Science Co-op Office brought forward two new courses (COPB36H3 and COPC36H3) for the 2022-2023 academic year. Members had no questions.
On motion duly made, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed Arts & Science Co-op undergraduate curriculum changes for the 2022-23 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum reports, dated April 27, 2022, be approved.
- Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes, Humanities, UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Katie Larson to present the item. The Department of Arts, Culture, and Media proposed several 3 new courses (VPAB10H3, VPAD10H3, VPAD11H3), and 4 course changes for the 2022-2023 academic year. Members had no questions.
On motion duly made, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed Humanities undergraduate curriculum changes for the 2022-23 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum reports, dated April 27, 2022, be approved.
- Report of the Presidential Assessors
The Chair invited Professor Patricia Landolt (Interim Associate Vice-Principal Research & Innovation, Strategic Initiatives) to present a report on behalf of Professor Irena Creed (Vice-Principal, Research & Innovation). Professor Landolt reported on the ongoing restructuring of the Office of the Vice-Principal, Research & Innovation. She highlighted that the GTA-RISE research institute has proposed a Secretariat who would provide high level administrative and operational support.She also reported on the ongoing search for two Associate Vice-Principal-Research & Innovation positions. One position was focused on research facilitation and administration and the second on strategic initiatives and innovation. A memo was sent out on April 6 soliciting nominations for the search committee members. A survey was being sent to faculty, graduate students, and postdocs to get a better sense of the necessary qualities and experiences. Job descriptions were currently under review. Searches were also underway for the remaining two directors for the GTA-RISE institutes. Professor Landolt also reported that the search for a Canada Excellence Research Chair in Sustainability Transitions, valued at $1 million per year for eight years, was underway.
The Chair invited William A. Gough (Vice-Principal Academic & Dean) to present his report. Dean Gough welcomed members and guests back to in-person meetings, noting that he appreciated the option to join remotely for several members that day. He reported that the University had extended the mask mandate until the end of June, and this would cover the convocation period. UCheck would no longer be required, however the UCheck system would continue to accept vaccine information. Absence declarations for students would also continue. The Credit/No Credit Report had been delayed, however would be coming forward soon.
CONSENT AGENDA
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 9 - Report of the Previous Meeting, be approved.
- Minor Modifications to Undergraduate Curriculum, Humanities and Social Sciences, UTSC
- Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 56 – March 23, 2022
The report of the previous meeting was approved.
- Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
There was no business arising from the report of the previous meeting.
- Date of Next Meeting – May 30, 2022 at 3:10 p.m.
The Chair advised members that the Committee would meet again on May 30, 2022 at 3:10 p.m.
- Other Business
No other business was raised by members.
The meeting adjourned at 11:35 a.m.
May 11, 2022