Senate met in person for the first meeting of the 2023/24 academic year on September 22. Here are the highlights:
Welcome New Senators
Senate welcomed 20 new Senators to their first Senate meeting, and noted the following new ex officio appointments:
- Pauline Rankin as Carleton’s new Provost and Vice-President Academic
- Anne Bowker as Interim Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences
- Howard Nemiroff as Interim Dean of the Sprott School of Business
- David Hornsby as Carleton’s new Vice-Provost and AVP Academic
- Omair Shafiq as Interim Director of the School of Information Technology
Quality Assurance & Cyclical Reviews
Senate approved the Final Assessment Report and Executive Summary arising from the Cyclical Review of the Undergraduate and Graduate Programs in Geography and Environmental Studies.
Strategic Integrated Plan (SIP) Implementation Report
Over the last year, the university has continued to successfully implement all three directions of the Strategic Integration Plan. This year’s report highlighted the significant progress made on student success; research excellence; organizational success; new innovative spaces; accessibility; equity, diversity and inclusion; and the university’s commitment to countering climate change both on and off campus.
Report by the Working Group on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Teaching and Learning
The Working Group on the Use of AI in Teaching and Learning at Carleton University presented a draft report to Senate on the challenges and opportunities associated with AI utilization. While the group is still exploring the potential implications of generative AI tools in education, it also provided some short-term and long-term recommendation for strategies to assist instructors.
Senate Committees Annual Reports
Senate received annual reports from the Senate Student Academic Integrity Appeals Committee, Senate Graduate Student Appeal Committee, Senate Undergraduate Studies Committee, and the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Student Awards. The report from the Senate Committee on Undergraduate Student Awards noted the approval of 18 new undergraduate scholarships and bursaries.
Senator Spotlight: Paul Mkandaŵire
Paul Mkandaŵire serves as Interim Associate Dean of Research and International in FASS and is the former director of the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies. He conducts research which combines disciplinary perspectives from epidemiology, economics and medical geography and teaches global human rights and social justice in the Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies. Paul also has a cross-appointment in the Department of Health Sciences and teaches at the Institute of African Studies. His research focuses on global/public health and human rights, political ecology and the spread of infectious illnesses, pandemic preparedness, and the interaction of science, politics, and global health policy. Learn more about Senator Mkandawire.
Next Meeting: October 20, 2023
The next Senate meeting will be held on October 20, 2023 at 2 pm, and will include a Closed Session to approve the Fall graduation list. The full meeting schedule, associated meeting materials and minutes will be available on the Senate website. Meeting minutes are posted once they are approved at the subsequent meeting.