Committees - Mandates

ACADEMIC STANDING / ADMISSIONS POLICY COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 389th Senate Meeting on
December 2nd, 1996

1. To make recommendations to Senate on policies affecting admissions and scholarships, and on the general academic regulations of the University;
2. To determine how specific academic regulations are to be interpreted and/or applied in relation to the academic standing of students;
3. To receive, review and decide upon all student appeals with respect to "probation" and "must withdraw" decisions.

THE MEMBERSHIP is ex-officio:

• The Registrar/Secretary General (chair, non-voting)
• The Principal (non-voting)
• The Deans of Business Administration, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences (voting)
• The Vice-President Academic of the SRC (voting)
• The Director of Continuing Education (non-voting)
• The Dean of Student Affairs (non-voting)
• The Director of Liaison (non-voting)
• The Director of Admissions (secretary, non-voting)

[Composition of the Committee reiterated at the 399th Senate meeting of October 27th, 1997]

ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Mandate Approved at the 389th Senate Meeting on
December 2nd, 1996

A broadly based Advisory Committee should continue to assist the School in retaining and furthering its contacts with the educational community, the government and the public, and in providing overall support to the development of the School within the University and the community. It should report to Senate on a regular basis.

THE MEMBERSHIP:

• The Director of the School of Education
• One faculty member named by Senate from one of the four academic divisions;
• One member of the community who is not a teacher or an administrator in the school system, named by the Corporation;
• One representative named by the Eastern Townships School Board;
• One student enrolled in the diploma grogram of the Graduate School of Education in that academic session, elected by the students;
• The Vice-Principal (ex-officio)

Note:  Term of office for

• faculty members: 2 years
• Student member: 1 year

CONTINUING EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 389th Senate Meeting on
December 2nd, 1996

The Committee will consider proposals for major changes in the policy and organization of Continuing Education, will review proposals for Continuing Education programs and make recommendations to Senate. The Committee will review reports to be made by the Director to Senate.

THE MEMBERSHIP:

• One Faculty member from each Division named by the Nominating Committee (two-year renewable term)
• The Director of Continuing Education
• One part-time student chosen from CPS* - term of one year renewable once
• The Registrar (ex-officio voting)
• Add School of Education
• Add one Senior Academic Officer who would be able to bring forward Continuing Education recommendations as a voting member of Senate – named by the Principal

*CPS: Council of Part-time Students

LIBRARY COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 371st Senate Meeting on February 20th, 1995

The terms of reference from which the mandate of the Senate Library Committee (hereafter SLC) is derived are as follows:

1. The RORs of the University specify that:

2. In view of these sections of the RORs, the role of the SLC is advisory. Acting as a consultative body to Senate, the SLC works with the Chief Librarian to develop broad policies concerning the academic aspects of the library operation.

THE MEMBERSHIP:

• Chief Librarian
• One librarian, elected from professional librarians
• Four members of faculty, one from each division, named by Senate
• A representative of Champlain College, named by the Campus Director
• Two students, named by SRC and BUPSA

OPERATION OF THE COMMITTEE:
The SLC shall meet at least four times within the academic year, the first meeting to be held not later than October 15. In the absence of a continuing chair, the Chief Librarian, as ex officio member of the committee, shall call the first meeting. The Chief Librarian shall supply such reasonable and sufficient information as is necessary for the SLC’s deliberations on matters pertaining to its mandate.

MANDATE:

1. To assist in the development and review of those library policies which affect the academic life of the university. The committee shall bring to Senate for consideration and recommendation such matters as:

2. To advise the chief librarian on matters which affect the academic life of the university and college. These matters include especially:

3. To serve as a liaison between the academic community and the library administration and as an advocate for the library within university and college.
   
   
4. To report to Senate such times as may be deemed necessary and at least annually (at a convenient and effective date, normally at the end of the Winter term [changed at the 415th Senate meeting, Monday 12 April, 1999]) on those aspects of the library operation which concern the academic life of the University, including:

REPORTING STRUCTURE:
General policies are established by Senate after consultation with the SLC. Their implementation is left to the Chief Librarian, who may be assisted by the advice of the SLC. Senate shall be informed of any major disagreements between a majority of the SLC and the Chief Librarian; Senate may receive representations from both the SLC and the Chief Librarian. Any ensuing recommendations of the Senate concerning the area of disagreement shall be forwarded to the Principal.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 389th Senate Meeting on December 2nd, 1996

"The Senate Nominating Committee is that body charged with soliciting and bringing forward nominations to Senate, after a process of consultation and deliberations." (Senate 310th meeting, October 10th, 1989)

THE MEMBERSHIP:

• One representative from each Division
• One representative from the Library
• One representative from the Student Representative Council
• One representative from the Part-time students’ association
• Members of the Nominating Committee should normally be senators.

Divisional representatives on the Nominating Committee will circulate a list of all vacancies to be filled two weeks prior to a meeting of the Nominating Committee.

Appointments to Senate committees are for a two-year term, which may be renewable.

The Senate Nominating Committee furthermore will identify one member of each committee whose responsibility it will be to call the first meeting.

Each Senate Committee will select its chair.

PLANNING COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 388th Senate Meeting on October 21st, 1996

[For 1996/97]

1. The Senate Planning Committee (SPC) will make recommendations to Senate which will attempt to deliver all academic programs within an overall academic budget of $10,600,000 as of July 1, 1997.
   
   
2. In its deliberations concerning 1, the SPC is invited to assume that it will be possible to reduce the costs of academic programs through the process of attrition and by reducing or eliminating the use of part-time credits given the collaboration of faculty and its willingness to be innovative and to demonstrate flexibility. The preparation of such a plan will require the SPC to exercise great creativity in order to ensure that academic restructuring yields high-quality academic programs which will permit Bishop’s to attract new students and retain them in numbers large enough to meet our enrolment goals.
   
   
3. In considering any academic restructuring, the SPC should, among other considerations, take cognizance of the net revenue contribution of different programs as well as the differential workload between programs.
   
   
4. The starting point for the SPC deliberations should be the state of continuing faculty positions as of 1995-96.
   
   
5. The SPC should consider changes to all academic programs following full consultation with those concerned.
   
   
6. The SPC should meet with members of the departments in open discussion as part of the process of preparing an interim report for presentation to Senate in mid-January of 1997, with a view to providing an interim report to the Executive Committee at its January meeting.

PRIZES AND SCHOLARSHIPS COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 389th Senate Meeting on December 2nd, 1996

1. To recommend to Senate policies governing the awarding of academic prizes and scholarships (other than admissions scholarships);
2. To receive, review and recommend to Senate proposals for new prizes and scholarships;
3. To recommend to Senate at the end of each academic year the winners of academic prizes and scholarships.

THE MEMBERSHIP:

• One member of faculty from each Division
• One student named by the SRC
• Director of Development (ex-officio)
• Registrar (ex-officio; Chair)

PROGRAM QUALITY COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 409th Meeting of Senate on
October 13th, 1998

The Committee will set quality indicators for Bishop’s academic programs, subject to Senate approval, drawing on the SPARC reviews and on research on what is being done at other institutions. The Committee will then assess the programs in the light of these indicators on a continuing basis, and evaluate proposed course changes and new courses for recommendation to Senate.

RESEARCH COMMITTEE

Mandate approved at the 410th Senate meeting on November 9th, 1998

The purpose of the Senate Research Committee is to support and to encourage research within the Bishop’s University academic community through open, competitive and objectively adjudicated allocation of available funds. A committee of Senate, the SRC interacts with the Vice-Principal’s Office in all matters relating to the promotion of research. The Publications Committee is a sub-committee of the Senate Research Committee composed of two of its members plus a dean.

RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 392nd Senate Meeting on February 24th, 1997

The mandate of the Committee is to receive allegations of misconduct in scholarly research. Upon receipt of such allegations, it will determine a) whether the allegations have sufficient substance to warrant investigation, or b) shall be dismissed without further action. In cases where the Committee finds that the allegations warrant investigation, it shall make available all relevant documents to a special committee, independent of the Senate Research Ethics Committee, composed of three tenured members of faculty selected by the Principal from a panel of six agreed to by the Corporation, the Senate and the Faculty Association. This special committee shall undertake the formal investigation of the allegations following the procedures outlined in the Policy on Research Integrity.

THE MEMBERSHIP:

• 3 faculty members of Senate
• the Dean of the Division to which the individual named in the allegation is attached (if a Dean is involved or an individual is not attached to one of the four Divisions then the Vice-Principal will act as a member of the Committee instead of the Dean).
• The Committee will elect its own chair.

PROCEDURES:
The work of the Committee shall be governed by the procedures contained in the Policy on Research Integrity.

SENATE PROGRAM ACADEMIC REVIEW
SPARC

Mandate Distributed at the 392nd Senate Meeting on February 24th, 1997

The main purpose of program review is the improvement of the academic programs at Bishop’s with respect to their quality and breadth of offerings. The review will also ensure that programs conform to national and international norms, as well as to specific Bishop’s objectives. It will provide information which may be used in academic planning and for budgetary purposes.

STUDENT APPEALS COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 394th Senate meeting on April 1st, 1997

The Committee is established by the University Senate as the final arbiter within the University of student appeals of decisions concerning academic courses. The Senate delegates to the Committee the authority to receive, hear, and render final decisions on such appeals, as well as the authority to implement additional procedures consistent with those below [in the SAC constitution].

MEMBERSHIP AND TERMS OF OFFICE:

1. The Committee shall consist of:
   1. Five voting members selected by the University Senate: two members of faculty and two students elected at large, and one dean to be named by the Principal, all members to be voting.
   2. Two alternate members selected by the University Senate: one faculty and one student.

2. The Committee year extends from May 1 through April 30 of the following calendar year. The Committee shall remain constituted for the entire year.
   1. Faculty members normally shall serve a term of two such years, renewable once, after which they must step down for at least one full year. Student members shall serve a term of one such year, renewable. Senate shall make provision for timely replacement of members whose terms are expiring.
   2. The Committee is authorized by Senate to select which alternate members will replace regular members who must leave the Committee before the end of their term, who are unavailable during the summer months, or who have a declared partisan interest in an appeal.

3. A quorum [changed at the 398th Senate meeting] shall consist of 2 student members, 2 faculty members, and one Dean or his alternate. Every effort shall be made to ensure that a consistent quorum of members follows each case to its conclusion. The Committee is authorized to extend terms of members for this purpose.
   
   
4. The Committee shall elect annually a chairperson whose name will be communicated to the Secretary of Senate.
   
   
5. Senate shall make provision for a Committee secretary who will record the minutes of meetings. The secretary shall not participate in the discussions and shall not have a vote.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 392nd Senate Meeting on February 24th, 1997
Name changed at the 522nd Senate Meeting on January 18th, 2010

This Committee originated as an ad hoc committee of Senate mandated to formulate a University policy on students with disabilities. Once Senate adopted the policy (October 1993 See Senate Handbook), its members recommended that, in order to fulfill item #5 of the policy statement "Bishop’s University will endeavour to continue to work towards the removal of barriers to students with disabilities", the Committee meet on an annual basis to review and identify gaps in services to students with disabilities and make recommendations where appropriate. This, then, is the current mandate of this Committee.

THE MEMBERSHIP:

• Chair: Co-ordinator of Services to Students with disabilities
• Two Faculty Representatives
• One Student Representative Council Representative
• One Council of Part-time Students Representative
• Ex-Officio: Dean of Student Affairs
• Director of English Writing Proficiency Program
• Consultants: Specifically invited Staff, Students and Faculty

TEACHING EVALUATION COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 400th Senate Meeting on
November 24th, 1997

The mandate of the Committee include the maintenance of the database generated through the teaching evaluations by students and oversee the creation of a teaching resource center whose purpose would be to improve the overall quality of teaching at Bishop’s University.

TIMETABLE COMMITTEE

Mandate Approved at the 392nd Senate Meeting on February 24th, 1997

To examine and, if necessary, recommend modifications to the structure and/or preparation of the University timetable.

THE MEMBERSHIP:

• 4 Faculty Members (from each Division)
• 1 Full-Time Student
• 2 Resource Persons:
• Director of Systems and Records
• Office of the Registrar