In compliance with Ontario’s Essential Services Order, Senate met remotely on August 21, 2020. This was a special meeting held to discuss preparations for the Fall semester and preliminary planning for the Winter semester. Here are the highlights:
Preparations for Fall semester
Dr. David Hornsby, Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Learning), provided a report to Senators outlining the professional development sessions, events, and one-on-one consultations that faculty members have participated in since the beginning of the pandemic. From March 15 to July 31, 2020, almost 40% of Carleton’s faculty attended some form of training on pedagogical topics and educational technology. Members from across all of Carleton’s faculties were given the necessary support to convert classes to an online format. Teaching and Learning Services has launched a variety of programs that will allow faculty members to experiment with and borrow new technological tools for the classroom, engage in scholarly research on teaching and learning, and ensure student voices are heard in the development of courses. Dr. Hornsby emphasized how proactive and engaged instructors have been over the summer, and expressed confidence that Carleton was ready for the Fall semester.
CUSP makes preliminary recommendation for online Winter semester
Dr. Lorraine Dyke, Deputy Provost (Academic Operations and Planning) presented Senate with a draft recommendation for the Winter 2021 semester. In considering the health and well-being of students, staff, and faculty, the Carleton University Scenario Planning (CUSP) Working Group has recommended that Carleton continue the approach adopted for the Fall 2020 term and plan for an online Winter semester. Currently, the Public Health Agency of Canada continues to endorse physical distancing and encourages Canadians to “avoid closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact.” The discussion focused on the possibility of planning for some targeted in-person activities (e.g. optional capstone projects, recitals, etc.) on campus if circumstances allow. Senate gave preliminary approval to this draft recommendation in anticipation of a formal vote at the September meeting.
Chair’s Remarks
President Bacon began the meeting by extending condolences to the friends and families of two members of the Carleton community: Abel Mengistab and Gilles LeBlanc. Abel was a dedicated student in the Public Affairs and Policy Management Program, and Gilles LeBlanc worked with the Sprott School of Business for over 10 years. President Bacon also expressed his condolences for the city of Beirut following the Aug. 4, 2020 explosion in Lebanon. Carleton extends its sympathies to all those effected by this tragedy both within Lebanon and abroad.
Over the course of the summer, Carleton offered a successful online semester to thousands of students, received the Carbon 613 Emerging Excellence Award for sustainability initiatives, and selected BrightSpace by Desire2Learn as the new Learning Management System replacing CuLearn. The President also thanked everyone for their efforts in preparing for a successful Fall semester.
President Bacon reiterated Carleton’s commitment to inclusion and anti-racism. Over the summer, Michael Charles and Carleton’s Equity and Inclusive Communities Advisory Group has made significant progress in detailing a draft inclusion and anti-racism strategy that will soon be shared with the entire community, and will be presented at the September meeting of Senate. He thanked the students, faculty and staff who contributed their thoughts and ideas to this important initiative. This past week, the Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities also hosted a well-attended virtual seminar discussing anti-racism and decolonizing principles that can be incorporated in our work both on campus and beyond.
SMA Update
Deputy Provost Dr. Lorraine Dyke provided Senators with an update on the Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA-3) negotiations with the Province of Ontario. This process is mandated by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities, and was originally set to be completed on March 31, 2020. Due to COVID-19, the process was delayed until August 24, 2020. The document has been modified to better reflect the newly completed Strategic Integrated Plan that was approved in June, and to take into account the current public health crisis. It is ready to be submitted to the Ministry for final approval.
Strategic Integrated Plan
The first full draft of the Strategic Integrated Plan (SIP) was circulated to Senators. The SIP was previously approved by Senate at their May 29, 2020 meeting. Since then, the plan has been sent to a graphic designer to better illustrate the university’s vision for the next five years. This draft clearly outlines the three axes of Carleton’s campus (the Western, Southern, and Eastern edges) and how these perimeters represent the university’s three main aspirations: sharing knowledge and shaping the future, serving Ottawa and serving the world, and striving for wellness and sustainability. Another draft will be circulated to Senate in the future.
Senate Member Ratifications
Senate ratified the following new Senate appointments:
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Contract Instructor Vacancies
The Carleton University Senate is calling for nominations to fill two Contract Instructor vacancies. If you are interested, or know a Contract Instructor who is looking to serve on Senate, please check out the website for important dates and information. The application form is open until September 11, 2020 at 4 pm.
Join a Senate Standing Committee
Senate is currently seeking faculty members to serve on the following Standing Committees: Senate Academic Governance Committee, Senate Honorary Degrees Committee, Senate Quality Assurance and Planning Committee, and the Senate Review Committee. If you are interested in serving, please fill-out the self nomination form.
Senator Spotlight: Timothy di leo Browne
Senate is composed of over 80 members representing the Carleton community like Timothy Di Leo Browne, a Contract Instructor in Canadian Studies and Northern Studies, and an EdTech Development Coordinator at Teaching and Learning Services (TLS). Tim has a master’s in linguistics with a specialization in historical linguistics and language contact. His interest in contact has extended beyond language to the interrelationships between peoples and cultures. Tim’s current research in Canadian Studies challenges notions of borders and authenticity in the Canadian/North American context. These are important themes in his teaching as well, applicable to courses in linguistic analysis, critical nationalism, and Northern societies.
Tim places high importance on the university’s role as a place of teaching and learning. In Summer 2020 he joined TLS, where he particularly enjoys working one-on-one with instructors to help build effective courses in a rapidly changing classroom environment. Tim has served on Senate since November 2017.
Next Meeting: September 25, 2020
The next Senate meeting is September 25, 2020 at 2:00pm. Click here to view the full schedule and meeting materials. Meeting minutes are posted once they are approved at the subsequent meeting.