REPORT NUMBER 58 OF THE UTSC ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
May 30, 2022
To the Campus Council,
University of Toronto Scarborough,
Your Committee reports that it met in the Council Chamber, Arts and Administration Building, on Monday, May 30, 2022 at 3:10 p.m., with the following members present:
Present: Sonja Nikkila (Chair), Gillian Mason (Vice-Chair), Irena Creed (Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation), 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), Sandra Bamford, Corinne Beauquis, Glenn Brauen, Shelley Brunt, Shadi Dalili, Suzanne Erb, Vina Goghari, Angela Hamilton, Paula Hastings, Irmi Hutfless, Thembela Kepe, Margaret Kohn, Karen McCrindle, Michelle Ramnaraine, Laura Risk, Shelby Verboven, Kenneth Welch
Non-Voting Assessors: Martha Harris, Hugh Laurence, Varsha Patel
In Attendance: Iris Au, Sarah Chaudrey, Philip Heron, Lisa Janz, Katherine Shwetz
Regrets: Wisdom Tettey (Vice President and Principal), Syed Ahmed, George Arhonditsis, Beheshta Ali Dad Khan, Elyse Caron-Beaudoin, April Franco, Barry Freeman, Connie Guberman, John Hannigan, Joseph Hermer, Faizah Islam, Jubayer Jalal, Neil ten Kortenaar, Patricia Landolt, Randy Lundy, Daniel Lysak, Michael Molloy, Sharlene Mollett, Juvenal Ndayiragije, Malaika Rashid, Paulina Rousseau, Mahinda Samarakoon, Larry Sawchuk, Sonja Sedivy, Michelle Silver, Sofia Suleman, Phil Triadafilopoulos, Jinny Tsang, Liana Williams, Jessica Wilson, Marco Zimmer-De Iuliis
Secretariat: Emma Thacker (Secretary), Cindy Ferenz-Hammond
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
Professor Sonja Nikkila, Chair, welcomed members to the Council Chamber, noting that several members had also joined the meeting remotely.
- Annual Report – Office of the Vice-Principal Research and Innovation (OVPRI)
The Chair invited Professor Irena Creed (Vice Principal, Research and Innovation), to address the Committee. Professor Creed provided the following highlights as part of her Annual Report, which covered April of 2021 to March of 2022. Professor Creed began with an acknowledgment of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on research productivity and mental health, resulting in burnout across the sector. In response to this, the OVPRI had invested in supporting the faculty and the research community. She also noted the following accomplishments for the OVPRI Office and research faculty over the last year:
- Establishment of the GTA-RISE and its three inaugural institutes;
- Investment in new clusters of scholarly prominence and in core research facilities;
- Total research funding of 14.1 million dollars with over 60% coming from tri-agency sources;
- UTSC tri-agency success rate had exceeded the national success rate;
- Strategies implemented to increase participation in CRC eligible and tri-agency programs;
- Continued support of innovation through the campus accelerator, ‘The Hub’;
- Focus on collaborative innovation districts including EaRTH and HeART;
- Active engagement in international research;
- Acknowledgment of Professor Marlene Goldman (English) and Professor Alexander Kupers (CMS) for their prestigious national and international research recognition.
Members had no questions.
- Report of the Campus Curriculum Review Working Circle
The Chair invited Professor Katie Larson (Vice-Dean Teaching, Learning & Undergraduate Programs, and Chair of the Campus Curriculum Review Working Circle) to share a presentation. Professor Larson noted that the curriculum review was part of priority 1.2 of the UTSC Strategic Plan, Inspiring Inclusive Excellence and was part of a broader framework of curricular innovation and renewal. Within the overall scope of the review, there was focus on the prioritization of Indigenous knowledges and Black knowledges, racialized perspectives and international and intercultural perspectives. The presentation discussed the 56 recommended actions presented by the Working Circle which extended over the following categories:
- Curriculum Development (key action was systemic attention across disciplines);
- Pedagogical Development and Related Supports (further education and resources);
- Dedicated Academic Homes, Programs, and Spaces for Indigenous and Black Excellence at UTSC (building upon the opportunities represented by the creation of Indigenous House and existing program foundations in African Studies);
- Faculty, Librarian, and Staff Hiring (prioritizing the hiring of Indigenous and Black faculty, librarians, and staff);
- Community Engagement (e.g., the need for clear pathways and protocols for engaging with Indigenous communities);
- Institutional Structures and Support (teaching and learning must be supported by policy and process); and
- Future of the Working Circle and Foundations for Implementation (to have the Working Circle continue as an ongoing committee).
Professor Larson also noted the ‘Pedagogies of Inclusive Excellence Fund’ - a new fund (launched in 2022) dedicated to inclusive, accessible, holistic, and anti-racist curriculum and pedagogical development. She noted timelines to implement the recommendations, and commented that 2025 was named as the initial target date.
A member asked about resources for ‘black knowledges.” Professor Larson advised that the UTSC Library was playing a role to establish a hub for Black knowledge resources, which would be available in the coming months.
A member inquired about direct funding to departments to support the implementation of the recommendations. Professor Larson confirmed that department chairs had received information about these funds. The goal was to ensure that departments were able to support a range of activities in a way that enabled flexibility. Each department would receive at least $20,000 per year (scaled according to the size of the department), and that funding could be used in a variety of ways.
- Review of Academic Programs and Units: Department of Human Geography and its undergraduate programs, UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Katie Larson to present the review of the Department of Human Geography and its undergraduate programs. Professor Larson provided highlights of the review, noting that the review overall was very positive. The review found that the department was highly successful, noting its large and growing undergraduate programs, the commitment of faculty and staff to student learning, high student satisfaction, research excellence, and a clear shared sense of purpose and collegiality. The review had recommended a review of course and prerequisite sequencing, the creation of a major in geographic information science, a communication skills course, as well as recommendations around faculty and staff complement in areas of planned growth. Many of the recommendations aligned strongly with work that was already underway in the department.
Professor Larson concluded by thanking Professor Thembela Kepe, Chair of the Department of Human Geography, who was in attendance to respond to questions. Members had no questions.
- Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes (out of Cycle Courses Fall 2022), UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Katie Larson to present the item. Several units had brought forward proposals for new undergraduate courses, including the Department of Anthropology (2 new courses); Department of Language Studies (2 new courses); Department of Management (1 new course); Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences (1 new course) and the Department of Political Science (1 new course).
Members had no questions.
On motion duly made, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed Out-of-Cycle undergraduate curriculum changes for Fall 2022, part of the 2022-2023 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum reports, dated May 30, 2022, be approved.
- Report of the Presidential Assessors
The Chair invited William A. Gough (Vice-Principal Academic & Dean) to present his report. Dean Gough reported on some pandemic planning, noting that masking would continue until the end of June, particularly in classroom settings and in areas that do not allow for social distancing. He remarked to members that in the fall, several cohorts would be coming to campus for the first time, including many recently hired faculty members, and that initiatives were being developed to ease this transition. Professor Gough also reported that the results of the Credit / No Credit working group would be released in the fall, and he thanked Professor Mark Schmuckler for his work on this initiative. Professor Gough also commented on the Report of the Campus Curriculum Review Working Circle, which had received praise from both the Provost and President. He thanked those who contributed to the working circle and the final report, and reflected that the process was, and would continue to be difficult but necessary.
Members had no questions.
CONSENT AGENDA
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Items 7 and 9, be approved.
- Minor Modifications: Graduate Curriculum Changes - Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences (for information), UTSC
- Minor Modifications to Undergraduate Curriculum, (Out of Cycle), UTSC
- Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 57 – April 27, 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 – September 12, 2022 at 3:10 p.m.
The Chair advised members that the Committee would meet again on September 12, 2022 at 3:10 p.m.
- Other Business
The Chair thanked the Vice-Chair, Gillian Mason, and the Assessors for their support over the past year. She also thanked members of the Committee for their engagement and recognized those whose terms had ended.
Dean Gough and Professor Larson expressed their thanks and appreciation to several members of the administration, who were leaving their posts on the AAC, including Professor Mary Silcox (Vice Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies); Professor Hugh Laurence (Interim Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs & Curriculum); and Professor David Zweig (Acting Vice Dean, Recruitment, Enrolment and Student Success).
No other business was raised by members.
The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.