Senate Program Academic Review Committee (SPARC)

Mandate and Functions of the Senate Program Academic Review Committee¹

The main purpose of academic program review is the improvement of the academic programs at Bishop’s University with respect to their quality and breadth of offerings. The review process aims to:

• Ensure that academic programs conform to national and international norms specific to each discipline;
• Assess how an academic program enacts specifics internal University-wide objectives including those articulated in the University’s Mission and Vision Statements and its Strategic Plan;
• Provide information that may be used for academic planning and budgetary purposes.

The following procedures ensure that the university’s review process and practices are compliant with the Bureau de Coopération interuniversitaire (BCI) framework for the periodic evaluation.² These review procedures relate to academic programs and shall not be used for the evaluation of a particular faculty member for the purposes of administrative decisions on renewal of contract, tenure, promotion, or dismissal or any other matter covered by the Collective Agreement.

Composition and Membership of the Senate Program Academic Review Committee ³

• Vice-Principal Academic and Research (Chair);
• One (1) faculty member nominated by each Faculty or School; and
• One (1) student nominated by the Students’ Representative Council (SRC).

¹ As approved at the 663rd Senate meeting on May 17, 2024.
² Cadre de référence du BCI pour l’évaluation périodique des programmes universitaires existant. BCI; December 14, 2023.
³ As approved at the 663rd Senate meeting on May 17, 2024. 

Committee Members

Name	Position	Nominated by:	First Term	Second Term
K. Hull	Interim Vice-Principal Academic and Research, Chair	Ex officio
	Faculty (1)	Williams School of Business
	Faculty (2)	School of Education
	Faculty (3)	Faculty of Humanities
	Faculty (4)	Faculty of Natural Sciences & Mathematics
J. Robbins-Kanter	Faculty (5)	Faculty of Social Sciences	24/25 25/26
TBA	Student	Students’ Representative Council