In compliance with Ontario’s Essential Services Order, Senate met remotely on May 29, 2020.  Here are the highlights:

Senate Approves Carleton’s new Strategic Integrated Plan

The new Strategic Integrated Plan is the result of a broad and inclusive consultation process that engaged the entirety of the Carleton community.  The Chair expressed thanks to everyone who contributed to this document, including the SIP co-chairs who guided the innovative and successful process: Cindy Taylor, Patrice Smith, Lorraine Dyke, and Betina Appel Kuzmarov, and all the task force members. The SIP is a forward-looking document capturing the best of Carleton today, and shaping the future aspirations of the university.  The plan is articulated around three main axes: Share Knowledge, Shape the Future; Serve Ottawa, Serve the World; Strive for Wellness, Strive for Sustainability.

Kinàmàgawin (Learning Together)

The CUSIIC co-chairs spoke to their final report titled Kinàmàgawin or “Learning Together.”  This document is the product of an 18-month consultative process, and will guide reconciliation efforts and long-term change for the Indigenous community at Carleton.  Kinàmàgawin contains 41 Calls to Action, and is an overarching strategy that outlines the efforts Carleton will take to create a safer space for Indigenous students and faculty members. The document is a milestone for the university, and a stepping-stone for future efforts of reconciliation. The Chair thanked the CUSIIC co-chairs, Kahente Horn-Miller, Benny Michaud, and Jerry Tomberlin, as well as Theresa Hendricks and everyone who provided support to this strategy.

Planning for the Fall

President Bacon provided an update on the implementation of the 10 recommendations of Carleton University Scenario Planning (CUSP) Working Group. He highlighted that:

  • All undergraduate and graduate teaching will take place online for the Fall 2020 semester
  • Carleton is preparing to progressively reopen some areas on campus when it is safe to do so, with a specific focus on research facilities
  • The university is continuing to enhance technological and pedagogical support for course instructors
  • There is a need to create online social spaces for students, faculty and staff to combat isolation
  • Carleton is working to adapt residence buildings to meet social distancing guidelines for students who require campus accommodation

Learning from our Online Transition

Senate mandated the Senate Quality Assurance and Planning Committee (SQAPC) to review the pivot to online learning that occurred at the end of the Winter 2020 term, provide a report on the best practices of remote teaching, and monitor the online preparations of the Fall 2020 semester.

Chair’s Remarks

The Chair offered thanks for everyone for all the work currently underway to deliver a successful summer semester, and all the thought and efforts that course instructors and support units are currently putting into planning for the fall semester.

He added that as we plan for the fall, we should not forget to celebrate all the positive things Carleton has accomplished throughout the 2019/20 academic year. Carleton was named the second most sustainable university in Canada, saw momentum in both health and wellness and Indigenous initiatives, and recorded $81.7 Million in research funding – the highest to date. More highlights of this year can be viewed in the annual President’s Report.

Department of Cognitive Science

Senate approved the name change of the Institute of Cognitive Science to the Department of Cognitive Science.

Cyclical Reviews

The Final Assessment Reports and Executive Summaries arising from the Cyclical Reviews of the following Undergraduate Engineering programs were approved:

  • Architectural Conservation and Sustainability Engineering
  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering
  • Biomedical and Electrical Engineering
  • Communications Engineering
  • Computer Systems Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Engineering Physics
  • Software Engineering
  • Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering

Senate Member Ratifications

The following Senators were ratified for their terms beginning July 1, 2020:

Faculty Members

Graduate Students

Undergraduate Students
  • James Milner, Faculty of Public Affairs
  • Karen Taylor, Faculty of Engineering & Design
  • David Sprague, School of Information Technology
  • Nathan Bruni
  • Donatus Edi
  • Rufes John Sundarraj
  • Millie Close – Science

Senator Spotlight: Beth Hughes

Senate is composed of over 80 members representing the Carleton community like Beth Hughes, Instructor III, Centre for Initiatives in Education.  Beth is a scholar of language and culture with a particular interest in how language expresses and shapes social relations of power.  After completing her MA in Applied Language and Discourse Studies at Carleton, Beth was appointed to work in the Enriched Support Program (ESP) in FASS since the program’s inception in 1995.  Currently, she designs and teaches innovative first year seminar classes for students who lack the usual qualifications for admission to degree programs.  Her pedagogical practice includes using principles of gamification, meaningful play, to engage and motivate students to think critically and collaboratively about essential concepts and theories related to social justice.

Beth was the Associate Director of CIE responsible for the budget, fundraising, and financial management. She has initiated and developed several programs at CIE, such as student academic coaching, and continues to serve on CIE committees. Additionally, Beth has served on FASS faculty board executive, senate executive, as well as Senate since 2010.

Next Meeting: June 19, 2020

The next Senate meeting is June 19, 2020 at 10:00 AM. Click here to view the full schedule and meeting materials. Meeting minutes are posted once they are approved at the subsequent meeting.

Monday, June 1, 2020  |  Categories: Inside Senate