Potentia ad Populum

{DECEMBER, 2013}

Edition. 1 Vol. 1

SENATE GAZETTE

HELLO, UBC
An Introduction
The Senate Gazette is the University of British Columbias Okanagan campus monthly newsletter written by the UBC Okanagan Student Senate Caucus to connect students to the UBC Senate. The Gazette links the needs of UBC students to the efforts of student senators. The Gazette breaks down the jargon and processes to enhance student understanding and awareness of UBC Senate affairs. Transparency starts here.

Transparency. Advocacy. Action.

The UBC Okanagan Student Senate Caucus is the collective representation of the elected student senators on UBCs Okanagan Senate. Every year students vote to elect students to represent their interest on the highest academic governing body at this institution. Our mission to ensure all UBC student interests are fairly represented and respected on the UBC Senate; you are the primary stakeholder. This sentiment is captured in our motto, potentia ad populum, Power to the people. THIS SENTIMENT IS C APTURED IN OUR MOTTO, POTENTIA AD POPULUM, POWER TO THE PEOPLE .

OUR MISSION

SENATE
The Okanagan Senate is the academic governing body of the Okanagan campus of the University, and its responsibilities include admissions, course and program curriculum, granting of degrees, academic policy, examinations, and appeals of standing and student discipline. The senate meets once per month on the last Wednesday of the month from 3:30pm to 5:30pm in ASC 130. Senate is composed of faculty deans, faculty senators, upper administration, and, of course, students, for a total of 54 members. The meetings provide a forum for presentation and discussion of committee work from the previous month, as well as updates from the university leadership team. Students are welcome to attend meetings.

COMMITTEES
In addition to monthly senate meetings, there are eight Senate Standing Committees. These include, academic buildings and resources, academic policy development, admission and award affairs, agenda creation, appeals of standing and discipline hearings, curriculum development, learning and research, and senate structure oversight. EACH STUDENT SENATORS IS A MEMBER OF ONE OR MORE COMMITTEES TO VOICE A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

Each student senator is a member of one or more committees to voice a student perspective on the respective issues. Most committees meet once per month, some much more. Students are welcome to attend committee meetings, as non-voting observers, with permission of the committee chair.

ADMISSIONS & AWARDS COMMITTEE

Representative: Alexa Geddes (AtLarge)
No student senators were in attendance. The committee discussed suspending admissions to the Masters of Management program for an additional year. Admission was initially suspended in order to review the program in February 2013. The next soonest cohort will enter the program in September, 2015. THE NEXT SOONEST CO HORT WILL ENTER THE PROGRAM IN SEPTEMBER, 2015 New scholarships were proposed to the committee, including scholarships focused on aboriginal students. Scholarships and fundraising is spearheaded by the Development Office and proposed to the Admissions and Awards Committee before final approval on senate.

ACADEMIC BUILDING COMMITTEE

Representatives: Cody MacKay (AtLarge) & Shira Sneg (Arts & Science)
Committee did not meet in December.

ACADEMIC POLICY COMMITTEE

Representatives: Nick Dodds (AtLarge) & Elizabeth Lorie (FCCS)
Due to the January 2nd start to the semester in 2013, a new policy was introduce to eliminate such unfavorable starting days. The new policy does not sacrifice any teaching days. The policy does however shorten the period between last day of classes and the beginning of final exams and moves the February reading week forward one week to now consumes Family Day. The committee reported that there were attempts to consult students via Facebook, but no feedback was received. The committee also discussed the possibility of implementing a department structure on campus; however discussion was suspended until ASPIRE, the campus vision process, is completed.

AGENDA COMMITTEE
Representative: Nick Dodds (At-Large)
No student senators were in attendance.

APPEALS OF STANDING & DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE

Representative: Curtis Tse (At-Large)
No student report received.

The formation of the UBC Okanagan Student Senate Caucus is a step in forging greater knowledge transfer over years and ensuring objective continuity. The institutionalization of the caucus is vital to strengthen our commitment to student issues over the long run. Student senators are now more engaged than ever before, as a collective unit, discussing student issues through multiple perspectives and developing strategic voting plans to provide the best advocacy on the issues that matter most to students.

GROWTH & STRENGTH

CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Representative: Simon Bullock (Mgmt) & Blake Edwards (At-Large)
The committee met in conjunction with the Learning and Research Committee in November to discuss learning outcomes at the university. The process hopes to advance teaching methods and curriculum through innovative practices which best prepare students for successful future endeavors. Learning outcomes are being examined at program, unit, school, faculty, and institutional levels. Discussion is very early on and has been postponed until February 2014 for further research to be conducted. The committee convened once more in late November to discuss additional upper year courses offered in the Faculty of Applied Science and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. Additional discussion on the suspension of the Masters of Management program admissions transpired and moved the decision to the December Senate meeting. LEARNING OUTCOMES A RE BEING EXAMINED AT PROGRAM, UNIT, SCHOOL, FACULTY, AND INSTITUTIONAL LEVELS .

SENATE
December 19, 2013 Membership
The December Senate meeting was the fourth regular meeting of the Okanagan Senate for the 2013/2014 academic year. Following the December online student senator-at-large by-election, Ms. Katelyn Fuji was ratified for senate membership. Ms. Sarah Loreen Smith was acclaimed in November to fill the Faculty of Health and Social Development student senate representative vacancy and was also ratified in the December 19th meeting. The ratification of Ms. Smith and Ms. Fuji fills the last of the vacant student senate positions, completely filling all student positions, a first on the Okanagan campus. What this means for students: The highest level of student representation on senate this campus has ever seen.

Academic Policy
Policy presented by the Academic Policy Committee to ensure that Term 2 begins the Monday following New Years Day wherever possible. PASSED. What this means for students: No more classes on January 2nd anymore, hopefully. Shorter period between last day of classes and final exams and the February reading back is moved forward one week to now consume Family Day Academic Policy Committee presented policy O-300.1: Advancement Regulations as set out in the policy become effective September 1, 2014. The policy codifies Advancement Regulations and clarifies language between discontinuation of studies and withdrawal from the University. Furthermore, clarification for students who have successfully appealed for readmission after having been require to discontinue their studies may be placed on Academic Probation. PASSED. What this means for students: Increased clarity of standing for all affected students.

LEARNING & RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Representative: Wesley McLean (A.Sc.) & Alexa Geddes (At-Large)
The committee did not meet in December. A joint meeting was conducted with the Curriculum committee in late November.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Representative: Curtis Tse (At-Large)
No student report received.

Admissions and Awards Committee

New scholarships up for approval, including: Rene Goldman and Terry Dukur-Goldman Bursary, and Aboriginal Graduate Fellowship. PASSED. What this means for students: Increased financial aid for students in FCCS (Goldman Bursary) and Aboriginal Students. INCREASED FINANCIAL AID FOR STUDENTS IN FCCS (GOLDMAN BURSARY) AND ABORIGINAL STUDENTS. Previously-approved awards with changes in terms of funding source: Graduate Deans Entrance Scholarship and University Graduate Fellowship. PASSED. What this means for students: Added specificity of award values and explicit GPA requirements (GPA of first-class standing) Bachelor of Education Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) admission requirement revision. Clarification of application process and admission requirements to the French, Humanities and Math/Science, Middle School and Trades Technology Education specialties. PASSED. What this means for students: Steps planning on entering the STEP program will be taught a curriculum which is better aligned with the working requirements being implemented in the education system. Existing students

will be unaffected and grandfathered through the curriculum. Master of Science/ Doctor of Philosophy (Biology) revisions to the Academic Calendar on entry requirements. Application process indicates that students will not be admitted to graduate programs in Biology until a member of the Biology department has agreed to supervisors the thesis research. PASSED. What this means for students: Prospective MSc and PhD students for Biology must not secure a supervisor prior to admission to the program. Existing students are unaffected. Master of Management program has its admissions suspended, at the request of the faculty, for an additional year. Following a variety of concerns surrounding the proposed curriculum for the program, the Faculty of Management must delay the return of the program further to make the need amendments to the curriculum. PASSED. What this means for students: Prospective students for this program will have to wait until September 2015 for the return of the program. The program delay has been promised by the dean to have no effect on the proposed, and needed, management undergraduate program revisions in the coming years. The appeal brought forward by student senators Simon Bullock and Curtis Tse on the Bachelor of Management Off-Cycle admission to third year was declined the Admission and Awards Committee.

OFF-CYCLE, OFF TRACK

In November of last semester, students in the Faculty of Management planning on off-cycle admission to third year were informed they would not be accommodated via email. The decision was solely decided by dean Sugden of the faculty. The expedited process, short notice to students, and lack of student consultation resulted in confusion for some students. Student senators Simon Bullock and Curtis Tse, both Faculty of Management students, pressed for further consideration and accommodation through a tense motion on the senate floor. The motion was reverted to the Admission and Awards Committee of Senate where Senator Bullock and Senator Tse reiterated financial and academic concerns of affected students to the committee and the dean. The appeal was denied; however, there has been a noticeable increase in student consultation by the faculty.

What this means for students: Students planning on January, Term 2, admission to third year management will be declined. Affected students have been suggested to take other course or pursue a minor in the meantime. This may come as an additional and unexpected costs for some.

The committee also presented proposals for the Biochemistry program and the Gender and Womens Studies Unit. The Biochemistry proposal saw the suspension of the Wine Co-op program. This proposal came as a result of the Arts Co-op Program suspension. The wine co-op listing will remain available if the program is reactivated in the future. PASSED. What this means for students: No new effect on Arts students. The proposal aligns with the previous suspension of the Art Co-op Program. The wine co-op program will be available to students upon the reactivation of the Arts Program. The Gender and Womens Studies proposal added new cross-listed courses (GEOG 429 and GWST 429 equivalency) for GEOG and GWST. The course will help to diversify course offerings. PASSED. What this means for students: More flexibility for scheduling for students.

Curriculum Committee
The committee presented proposals for the addition of new course for the Faculty of Applied Science and new and revised courses and programs for the Faculty of Arts and Science. For the Faculty of Applied Science, the new course offered is directed at fourth year civil engineering (ENGR 449) students. PASSED. What this means for students: Greater variety of courses for civil engineering students in their final year of study and the potential for further courses to be developed around the new course creation. For the Faculty of Arts and Science, program revisions for the Masters of Science (M.Sc) in Biology were proposed. The revision specifies program requirements including credit requirements and clarifies language around GPA. Addition revisions to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Biology were made in the same light as the Masters Program revision. Revisions add specificity for course requirements and clarity of language. PASSED. What this means for students: Program standards and requirement language are now aligned with the practices of the faculty. Admission average requirement has not changed.

Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee proposed the appointment of Dr. Yves Lucet to serve on the Senate Curriculum Committee. PASSED. What this means for students: Simple vacancy filling. Dr. Lucet is a professor in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Faculty of Education Student Senator Daniel Daniluck be appointed the Appeals of Standing and Disciplinary Committee. PASSED. What this means for students: Student representation and voice on student appeals.

Original Okanagan Senate meeting minutes and details can be found at http://senate.ubc.ca/okanagan for your viewing
WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. FIND US ONLINE WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/UBCOSSC AND GET INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS TODAY. AT

Simon Bullock UBC Okanagan Student Senate Caucus Chairman, Pro Tempore Simon.bullock@ubcsuo.ca

The University of British Columbia

A Place of Mind