REPORT NUMBER 69 OF THE
UTSC ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2024
To the UTSC Campus Council, University of Toronto,
Your Committee reports that it held a meeting in the Council Chamber, Arts and Administration Building, on Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 3:10 p.m. with the following members present:
PRESENT: Gillian Mason (Vice-Chair), Linda Johnston (Acting Vice-President & Principal), Irena Creed (Vice-Principal, Research & Innovation), Rene Harrison (Vice-Dean Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies), Georgios Arhonditsis, Iris Au, Corinne Beauquis, Elyse Caron-Beaudoin, Shelley Brunt, Christopher Cochrane, Sotos Damouras, Suzanne Erb, Angela Hamilton, John Hannigan, Irmi Hutfless, Mariana Jardim, Randy Lundy, Alison Mountz, William Nelson, Elizabeth O'Brien, Natalie Oswin, Jasmin Patel, Karen McCrindle, Mahinda Samarakoon, Shennel Simpson, Judith Teichman, Mauricio Terebiznik, Lianne Tripp, Shelby Verboven, Niyonta Zulfiquar, David Zweig
REGRETS: Elaine Khoo (Chair), William A. Gough (Vice-Principal, Academic & Dean), Syed Ahmed, Muntaha Almahjub, Sandra Bamford, Joshua Barker, James Bremer, Susannah Bunce, Dhra Chourey, Sébastien Drouin, Suzanne Erb, Patricia Landolt, Alice Maurice, Sharlene Mollett, Julia Nefsky, Sonja Nikkila, Kamini Persaud, Thy Phu, Bavan Pushpalingam, Hadiya Roderique, Anthony Ruocco, Karyn Sethi, Michelle Silver, Jessica Wilson, Natalie Oswin, Varsha Patel, Suzanne Sicchia, Sofia Suleman, Phil Triadafilopoulos, Liana Williams, Marco Zimmer-De Iuliis
NON-VOTING ASSESSORS: Varsha Patel, Michael Souza, Naureen Nizam
SECRETARIAT: Emma Thacker (Secretary), Megann Davidson
IN ATTENDANCE: Lee Bazely (Programs & Curriculum Coordinator), Amanda Uliaszek (Acting Chair, Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science), Andre Sorensen (Associate Chair, Department of Human Geography), Sarah Klassen (FAS Co-op, Team Lead Curriculum and Student Experience); Avia Pasternak (Associate Chair, Department of Philosophy); Andrew McDougall (Department of Political Science)
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
The Vice-Chair, Gillian Mason, welcomed members and guests to the meeting. She advised members that Professor Elaine Khoo had an unavoidable conflict and had sent her regrets – as Vice-Chair she would chair the meeting. She provided an update on the governance elections, noting that the voting and campaign period would conclude on January 16, 2024.
- Minor Modifications: Graduate Curriculum (program requirement (PhD, DPES) and course modifications), UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Rene Harrison (Vice Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies) to present the item. The Graduate Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences proposed a reduction in program requirements in the PhD program (3.0 FCEs reduced to 2.5 FCEs). Professor Harrison explained the rationale for the reduction, which was to allow students more time to focus on their research and thesis work. In addition, they proposed three course modifications (EES1113H, EES1117H, EES2200H). The Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science also proposed three course modifications (CPS1201H, CPS1701H, CPS1702H).
Members had no questions.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed graduate curriculum changes for the 2024-25 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum reports, be approved.
- New Program: Undergraduate Major in Public Law (HBA), UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Michael Souza (Acting Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs & Curriculum), to present the new program. Highlights of the proposal included the following:
- Department of Political Science proposed a new 4-year, undergraduate Major in Public Law, leading to an Honours Bachelor of Arts (H.B.A.);
- The Major required students to complete a total of 8.0 credits as part of a 20.0 credit degree;
- As an academic discipline, public law was the study of how the state regulates its interactions with its citizens and between its major institutions;
- Program aligns with the USTC Strategic Plan - students will be exposed to content that covers a diversity of methodological approaches, including postcolonial approaches, Indigenous methodologies, and legal reasoning deriving from precedent, statute, and common law.
- The intended effective date will be September 2024, and would open for applications beginning in March of 2025, with a first cohort in fall of 2025.
A member asked for elaboration on the need for the new program. Professor Christopher Cochrane (Chair, Department of Political Science) responded, noting that the major aimed to build upon the success of the existing minor in Public Law, which had helped undergraduate students who wanted to pursue legal careers. Recently, legally trained teaching staff (Professors Andrew McDougall and Elizabeth Acorn) had joined the Department and were able to develop and build the legal curriculum. Course enrolment was at capacity in the minor due to strong interest, and so the major was a growth opportunity for the unit and to increase support and opportunities for students.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED,
THAT the new Major in Public Law, which will confer the existing HBA degree, in the Department of Political Science, UTSC, as described in the attached proposal, be approved effective September 1, 2024.
- Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes – Social Sciences, UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Michael Souza to present the item. The Department of Human Geography proposed two course modifications (CITB01H3, CITC12H3), one new course (CITA02H3: Studying Cities) and three program modifications. The Department of Political Science proposed four program modifications, three new courses (POLB40H3, POLC30H3, POLD82H3) and four course modifications (POLB91H3, POLD02Y3, POLD09H3, POLD89H3).
Members had no questions.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed Social Sciences undergraduate curriculum changes for the 2024-25 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum reports, be approved.
- Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes – Sciences, UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Michael Souza to present the item. The Department of Biological Sciences proposed one new course (BIOB97H3: Bio-CURE), 13 course modifications (BIOA01H3, BIOA02H3, BIOC10H3, BIOC14H3, BIOC15H3, BIOC17H3, BIOC19H3, BIOC20H3, BIOC31H3, BIOC35H3, BIOC39H3, BIOC40H3, BIOD65H3) (STAC67H3) and 11 program modifications. The Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences proposed four program modifications, one new course (EESC02H3: Invaded Environments), and four course modifications (EESC16H3, EESC22H3, EESC26H3, EESD07H3). The Office of Arts & Science Co-op proposed two CR/NCR course retirements (COPB36H3, COPC36H3).
Members had no questions.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed Sciences undergraduate curriculum changes for the 2024-25 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum reports, be approved.
- Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes – Humanities, UTSC
The Chair invited Professor Michael Souza to present the item. The Department of Language Studies proposed 3 program modifications, three new courses (ECTD70H3: Transcultural Translations of the Wild; FREC70H3: Cinema, Movements and Genres; LINC29H3: Advanced Quantitative Methods in Linguistics), and 14 course modifications (FREA01H3, FREA02H3, FREB01H3, FREB02H3, FREB50H3, FREB70H3, FREC01H3, FREC02H3, FREC12H3, LGGC64H3, LGGD66H3, LGGD67H3, LINC12H3, LINB35H3). The Historical and Cultural Studies proposed two program modifications, one new course (HISD93H3: The Politics of the Past: Memories, Monuments and Museums), and one course modification (GASB42H3). The Department of Philosophy added one new course (PHLB18H3: Ethics of Artificial Intelligence).
A member asked if the Department of Philosophy had consulted with the Department of Sociology with respect to the new proposed course (Ethics of Artificial Intelligence). Professor Avia Pasternak (Associate Chair, Department of Philosophy) responded that yes, there had been consultation regarding curriculum content overlap and the course as an elective option.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed Humanities undergraduate curriculum changes for the 2024-25 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum reports, be approved.
- Report of the Presidential Assessors
There were no assessor’s reports.
CONSENT AGENDA
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Items 8 and 11, as detailed in the agenda, be approved.
- Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes (Summer 2024 Out of Cycle Courses), UTSC
- Minor Modification: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes – Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, UTSC
- Office of the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation - Annual Report (2022-2023)
- Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 68 – January 11, 2024
- Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
- Date of Next Meeting – March 27, 2024, 3:10 p.m.
- Other Business
No other business was raised by members.
The meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.
February 15, 2024