REPORT NUMBER 78 OF THE
UTSC ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2025
To the UTSC Campus Council,
University of Toronto,
Your Committee reports that it held a meeting in the UTSC Council Chamber, Arts & Administration Building, on May 7, 2025 with the following members present:
PRESENT: Elaine Khoo (Chair), Rachel Sturge (Vice-Chair), Linda Johnston (Vice-President & Principal), Karin Ruhlandt, Alison Mountz, George Arhonditsis*, Corinne Beauquis*, Daniel Bowyer, Andrea Charise, Christopher Cochrane, Angela Hamilton, Rene Harrison, Lisa Harvey, Mariana Jardim*, Katherine Larson, Ainsley Lawson, Randy Lundy*, William Nelson*, Kamini Persaud, Hadiya Roderique*, Mahnda Samarakoon, Shennel Simpson, Judith Teichman*, Shelby Verboven
*remote attendance
REGRETS: Sandhya Anand, Iris Au, Sandra Bamford, Joshua Barker, James Bremer, Shelley Brunt, Jonathan Cant, Abhay Chawla, Keith Colaco, Sebastien Drouin, Suzanne Erb, John Hannigan, Joseph Hermer, Leonard Hu, Thembela Kepe, Gillian Mason, Sophia Mastrella, Alice Maurice, Karen McCrindle, Sharlene Mollett, Julia Nefsky, Sonja Nikkila, Elizabeth O’Brien, Thy Phy, Jasmine Rault, Anthony Ruocco, Michelle Silver, Emmanuel Taiwo, Mauricio Terebiznik, Phil Triadafilopoulos, Jessica wilson, Arjun Singh Yanglem, Marco Zimmer De Iuliis, Niyonta Zulfiquar, David Zweig
NON-VOTING ASSESSORS: Kevin Mak, Varsha Patel
SECRETARIAT: Miranda Edwards (Secretary)
IN ATTENDANCE: Lee Bazely, Sarah Chaudhry
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
The Chair welcomed members to the Cycle 6A meeting. -
Changes to Academic Handbook: Clarifying Assessment Practices to Reflect Overall Student Performance in Course
Professor Katie Larson, Vice-Dean Teaching, Learning & Undergraduate Programs reported to the Committee that the Academic Handbook had been updated to better reflect existing policy and to clarify assessment practices. The update reflected the requirement that student performance in undergraduate courses should be assessed on more than one occasion and that final marks should reflect a student's overall performance in the course. Going forward, teaching staff would be required to assign a minimum of two assessments which would determine a student’s final course status. This issue came to the attention of the Office of the Vice-Dean over the past few years as there had been a number of student petitions submitted by students who had failed a course on the basis of one assessment, and in some cases, on the basis of a group assessment, which raised further concerns. Professor Larson further noted that if students were required to pass an assessment in order to pass the course, this would have to be explicitly noted in the course syllabus. The new clarifications were intended to ensure pedagogical best practice and support student success.
Members discussed their own pedagogical practices, including group versus individual assessments, hand-written versus technological assessments, and the impacts of AI on assessment best practices. -
Annual Report: Student Awards
Mr. Dallas Boyer, Associate Registrar & Director of Student Services, reported to the Committee, that across the University proper, there were 278 new awards with a funding breakdown of about $17.5 million of endowed funds. At UTSC, there had been 16 new awards established over the past year and no awards withdrawn. Mr. Boyer highlighted particular awards of note, including the Black North Initiative award – an entrance-based scholarship for black students in computer science, management, and physical science – as well as the David Conley award, named for a Scarborough community advocate in accessibility, intended to support students who experienced accessibility challenges. Mr. Boyer noted that these awards exemplified UTSC values and its academic mission.
Members had no questions. - Changes to Academic Policy: Petitions for Deferred Final Examinations
Professor Larson presented the item on behalf of UTSC Registrar, Ms Shelby Verboven, who was not able to attend the meeting. Professor Larson presented a recommendation for a change to academic regulations regarding deferred final examinations. Currently, students who missed their original sitting had the right to request a deferred exam up to a maximum of four times (the original sitting date plus three deferrals). As a result of this policy, exams could sometimes be deferred for up to a year after the original sitting date. This had created a significant administrative burden both in managing a high volume of pending deferred examinations, as well as in creating multiple versions of exams. The proposed change was that, in alignment with the St. George and UTM campuses, UTSC would allow only one deferred examination date, with a high threshold of supporting documentation required for special requests for a second deferral. Such requests would only be granted in serious circumstances. After exhausting all deferral options, students would then receive a zero on the exam.
Members had no questions. - New Program Proposal: Major in Climate Change Studies
Professor Larson presented a proposal for a new undergraduate Major in Climate Change Studies. She explained that this would be a new social science-focused program that responded to strong student demand for interdisciplinary environmental education. It was designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to understand and address the complex challenges of climate change, from its social and economic impacts to its political and ecological dimensions. The program would consist of a blend of theory-based courses, research methods training, and experiential learning. Admissions would be open to students from a wide range of disciplines and a number of departments would contribute elective courses to the program. The program was planned to launch in September 2025.
Professor Larson noted that external reviewers had indicated strong positive feedback about the program and commended the vision of developing graduates who were well-versed in the multi-dimensionality of climate change challenges as well as being solutions-oriented.
Members commended the program’s vision and its interdisciplinary approach. Members discussed opportunities for community partnerships and collaborative research. A member expressed the opinion that UTSC should consider ways to contribute climate change support to local, underprivileged communities that would be most impacted by climate change in the future. In response to a member’s question, Professor Larson, agreed that there was potential for an advisory committee to oversee the program and also to help support further interdisciplinary curriculum development at UTSC, using this new major program as an exemplary case study. - Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes, Arts and Science Co-op Omnibus Package, UTSC
Professor Larson presented an omnibus package that contained a series of updates to the Arts and Science Co-op programs and courses that together aimed at enhancing student experience and aligning with key industry and accreditation standards. Enrollment requirements were updated to better reflect the competitive nature of co-op admissions. In arts co-op programs, the number of required work terms was increased from two to three in alignment with accreditation standards. The minimum number of credits required to qualify for the first work term would be reduced from nine to seven credits which would enable students to complete three work terms within four years. Co-op preparation course codes were streamlined for consistency across disciplines. These changes reflected UTSC's ongoing commitment to high quality co-op as a long-standing academic strength as well as growing demand for co-op programs. The changes would also support strategic enrollment goals, simplify course progression, allow for student self-enrollment, and improve transcript clarity.
In response to a member’s comment, Professor Larson agreed that clarity of communications to students regarding co-op programs was essential and noted the member’s suggestions. A member stated that the Department of Biology had not been consulted about these changes other than as part of a first-round consultation in 2023. Professor Larson confirmed that the preparation of this proposal had been ongoing since that date. -
Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes, Humanities, UTSC
Professor Larson began by noting that this item had been incorrectly categorized as a “humanities” program but was actually a “social sciences” program and requested that this clarification be reflected in the minutes. The Chair indicated that the motion would also be corrected accordingly. Members made no objections.
Professor Larson provided a summary of the course changes in the Department of Anthropology as listed in the materials provided to members.
Members had no questions.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed Social Sciences undergraduate curriculum changes for the 2025-26 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum report, be approved, effective September 1, 2025. -
Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes, Sciences UTSC
Professor Larson provided a summary of the course changes in the Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences as listed in the materials provided to members.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed Sciences undergraduate curriculum changes for the 2025-26 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum report, be approved, effective September 1, 2025. -
Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes, Social Sciences UTSC
Professor Larson provided a summary of the course changes in the Departments of Political Science and Sociology as listed in the materials provided to members.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,
THAT the proposed Social Sciences undergraduate curriculum changes for the 2025-26 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum report, be approved, effective September 1, 2025. - Reports of the Presidential Assessors
Professor Alison Mountz, Interim Vice-Principal Research & Innovation
Professor Alison Mountz stated she was pleased to inform members that UTSC had 14 successful applications to the tri-campus funding agencies, housed in six departments. These awards totaled about $3 million from the Insight Grants and about $3.5 million awarded from the Discovery Grants. Professor Mountz stated that UTSC was well positioned in receiving SSHRC awards compared to peer institutions, with a national success rate of about 49%, while UTSC’s success rate was about 60%. Furthermore, this rate was up from about 33% in the previous year. For NSERC awards, the national success rate had not yet been released, but Professor Mountz was pleased to state that UTSC’ success rate was about 78%. Professor Mountz offered her congratulations to all successful applicants and commended UTSC’s strong culture of research excellence.
Professor Mountz also informed members that, in the previous week, two partnership grants were awarded to the University, one of which was granted to UTSC. This was a $2.5 million award granted to Professor Chris Cochrane, Chair of the Department of Political Science and Committee member, for his project on Political Accountability, Transparency, and Representation Oversight (PATRON). She noted that Professor Cochrane’s work was incredibly timely and vitally important. She offered her congratulations. All applauded.
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 11 and 12 be approved.
- Minor Modifications: Undergraduate Curriculum Changes, UTSC
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
THAT the Report – Undergraduate Minor Curriculum Modifications for Consent Agenda changes for the 2025-26 academic year, as detailed in the respective curriculum report, be approved, effective September 1, 2025. - Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 77 – March 26, 2025
The Chair noted that a member had requested a clarification to the Report. Members had no objections. The Report 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 20, 2025, 3:10 p.m.
The Chair confirmed that the Committee would next meet on May 20, 2025.
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Other Business
Members had no items of other business.
The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.
May 15, 2025