REPORT NUMBER 202 OF THE COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC POLICY AND PROGRAMS
March 31, 2020
To the Academic Board,
University of Toronto
Your Committee reports that it met on Tuesday, March 31, 2020 at 4:10 p.m. via virtual meeting with the following present:
Present:
Ernest Lam (Chair), Aarthi Ashok (Vice- Chair), Susan McCahan (Vice-Provost, Academic Programs), Nadia Al-Banna, Catherine Amara, James Davis, Raisa Deber, Angela Esterhammer, Emily Hawes, William Ju, Allan Kaplan, Jeannie Kim, Daiana Kostova, Cara Krmpotich, Ben Liu, Zhiyuan (Annie) Lu, Kent G.W. Moore , Mary Pugh, Lewis Norman Rose, Rosa Saverino
Non-Voting Assessors:
Richard Levin
Secretariat:
David Walders
Regrets:
Jai Yi (Caroline) Chen, Peter Gooch, Yining (Elin) Gu, Connie Guberman, Edsel Ing, Richard Sommer, Jennifer Purtle
In Attendance:
Emma del Junco (Assistant Coordinator, Academic Planning and Reviews, Office of the Vice-Provost, Academic Programs (OVPAP)), Jennifer Francisco (Coordinator, Academic Change, OVPAP), Edward Iacobucci (Dean, Faculty of Law), David Lock (Coordinator, Academic Planning and Reviews, OVPAP), Daniella Mallinick (Director, Academic Programs, Planning and Quality Assurance), Sara Faherty (Assistant Dean, Academic, Faculty of Law)
1. Chair’s Welcome
The Chair welcomed members and guests to the meeting.
2. Reports of the Administrative Assessors
Professor McCahan offered an update of the University’s academic continuity planning in response to the COVID-19 crisis, as of March 31, 2020.
3. Proposal to Change Parchment and Transcript Terminology for Recognizing Juris Doctor Graduates with High Academic Achievement, Faculty of Law
Professor McCahan provided an overview of the proposed change, including the rationale for it. She noted that Juris Doctor students were consulted on the proposal. If approved, the change would apply to JD graduates beginning with those graduating in June 2020.
In reply to a member’s question, Dean Iacobucci clarified that the proposed change in terminology more clearly reflected that the distinction recognized the graduating student’s body of work throughout their degree.
On motion duly made, seconded and carried
It was Resolved
THAT the proposal to change the graduation terminology from “with Honours” to “with Distinction” for eligible graduates of the Juris Doctor degree in the Faculty of Law be approved effective June 2020.
4. Report of the Previous Meeting: Report 201 – February 24, 2020
The report of the previous meeting 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 Next Meeting
The Chair confirmed that the next meeting would be held on May 6, 2020 at 4:10 p.m.
7. Other Business
There were no items of other business.
The meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m.