Sheridan Senate Highlights from March-November 2014

Sheridan Senate presents academic policy and programming recommendations to the Board of Governors through the Student Success and Academic Excellence Committee of the Board. The Senate meets monthly from September to June and all meetings are open to observers. Below are the highlights from meetings over the past several months. Moving forward, regular updates from Senate meetings will be shared via the Insider.

Remembering Back: March to June 2014

Senate (in camera) recommended for approval as presented to the Board of Governors the Professor Emeritus nomination (Paul Kipps a former professor in FAAD). As shared in the Sheridan Insider, unfortunately Paul Kipps lost his battle with cancer before the Convocation ceremony where the title of Professor Emeritus was bestowed. Paul Kipps’ family was there to accept the honour on his behalf.

The following new programs were presented to Senate and recommended to Sheridan’s Board of Governors for approval:

-Electrical Engineering Technician Ontario College Diploma and

-Plumbing Technician Ontario College Diploma

-The Art and Business of Animation Ontario College Graduate Certificate

-The Creative Writing and Publishing Degree

New and Revised Academic polices were recommended for approval to the Board of Governors:

-Posthumous Award Credentials Policy

-Online Teaching and Learning Policy

-General Education Policy

The proposed Academic Calendar Dates 2015/16 was presented and approved by Senate.

The following Senators were recognized with Certificates of Appreciation for their contributions to Senate upon their retirement:

Andrew Bodor, Avrim Katzman, Leo Grightmire, Lynn Bell, Tim McCormack, Magdin Stoica, Lawrence Hamilton, Peggy Barnwell, and Student Senators: Abdiljibar Mahamoud, Hargurdeep Singh, Hayley Stewart, Shelly Arora, and Katherine Austin.

And now … September 2014 to November 2014

In September 2014, nine new members joined Senate replacing those who retired in June as well as one leave replacement. The new members are:

Faculty of Business – Doug Greenwood and Associate Dean Cindy Gillett;

Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design – Mark Melymick, Sherine Mansour, Zoe Dirse, Catharine Tamas, Tony Tarantini, and Associate Dean Donna Braggins;

Faculty of Applied Science and Technology – Kevin Forest;

Faculty of Continuing and Professional Studies – Elisabeth Rees-Johnstone;

Centre for Teaching and Learning – Michael Evans;

Faculty of Applied Health and Community Studies – Alison Gaston, Lisa Phyllis, and Associate Dean Mardy Frazer.

The results of the annual election for the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Senate saw Mark Rust acclaimed as Speaker of Senate and Mozammel Khan acclaimed as Deputy Speaker of Senate for the 2014/15 Senate year!

Two White Papers were introduced: the first from the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Standing Committee of Senate, and the second from the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Engagement Team.

Senate recommended for approval to the Board of Governors:

• the proposed Music Applied to Stage, Screen, and Interactive Visual Environments (M.A.S.S.I.V.E.) Ontario College Graduate Certificate program.
• The proposed Bachelor of Architectural Studies Degree program
• The proposed Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering) Degree program
• The proposed Advanced Standing Policy

The Student Assessment and Evaluation Policy previously approved (by a small margin) at the September 25^th, 2014 Senate meeting was brought back to Senate by the Academic Policy Committee after discussing the vote results and wording concerns raised in the Policy. Two motions were presented to amend the Policy as previously adopted; both amendments were approved by a solid margin.

 November 2014

 Our student Senators are:

Senate voted to revise the Senate Terms of Reference regular Senate membership term from 2 years to a 3 year term with one renewable term for a total maximum membership term of 6 years.

With the notice that Mark Rust (Pilon School of Business) is retiring and resigning as Speaker of Senate, Senate voted to hold an election for the position of Speaker at the January 2015 meeting to elect a Speaker for the remainder of the 2014/15 Academic Year (January to June 2015).

Sheridan Senate Highlights will be published in the Sheridan Insider regularly. Note: All Sheridan Senate meetings are open to observers. If you require information or a copy of an upcoming meeting agenda, please contact the Secretary of Senate Sheila Shaver at Sheila.shaver@sheridancollge.ca or at ext. 2060.

Senate will resume regular monthly meetings in January 2015. The Senate meetings for the remainder of this academic year will take place from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on: January 22^nd, February 26^th, March 26^th, April 23^rd, May 28^th and June 18^th. (Senate meetings generally alternate campuses with the upcoming January to June meeting locations still to be determined.)