Senate met on May 3, 2024. Here are the highlights:

FPA Name Change

Senate approved the proposal to rename the Faculty of Public Affairs (FPA) to the Faculty of Public and Global Affairs (FPGA), pending final approval from the Board of Governors. The new name reflects the whole range of scholarly activities undertaken by faculty members in different countries and with global partners, as well as the global dimension of many of the academic programs.

Operating Budget 2024/25

Senate received a presentation on the Operating Budget for the 2024/25 fiscal year which is marked by $560 million in expenditures and transfers, $534 million of revenues. Notwithstanding a challenging fiscal context, the budget will be balanced by drawing on previously allocated reserves of $26 million

Quality Assurance & Cyclical Reviews

Senate approved the Final Assessment Reports and Executive Summaries arising from the Cyclical Reviews of the PhD program in Canadian Studies and the graduate programs in Political Economy.

Governance Changes

In view of the restructuring of the Graduate Curriculum, Senate approved changes to graduate program governance to 1) Single Faculty Programs, 2) Joint Programs (those programs associated with Ottawa-Carleton Joint Institutes), and 3) Multi-Faculty Programs.

These updates aim to streamline governance and enhance program efficiency in line with Carleton’s academic goals.

Report of the Academic Colleague from the Council of Ontario Universities

On February 13 and 14, Academic Colleagues discussed top concerns that Ontario Universities are currently facing. The Ontario University Student Alliance (OUSA) led a discussion about various issues affecting students, affordability, accessibility, quality, and accountability of post-secondary education in Ontario. Their advocacy priorities for 2023-24 included housing and transit, mental health, food insecurity, and sector sustainability.

Academic colleagues also discussed the international student cap, budget constraints, and changes in hiring. In view of the government’s response to the Blue-Ribbon Panel, COU is continuing with an escalating advocacy campaign, including more ads and earned media.

Senator Spotlight: Pamela Wolff

Dr. Pamela Wolff is interested in post-secondary education and has been involved in curriculum throughout her years at Carleton. She has been Director of the Integrated Science Institute, and a member of the curriculum committees for the Chemistry Department, the Integrated Science Institute and the Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science. She is a member of the Science Committee on Academic Planning and the Senate Quality Assurance and Planning Committee (SQAPC) and has also served on the Senate Committee on Curriculum, Admission, and Studies Policy (SCCASP). Pamela is also a member of Carleton’s Board of Governors and has also served as a member of the Senate Academic Governance Committee. Learn more about Pamela Wolff.

Next Meeting: June 7, 2024 (Tentative)

The next Senate meeting is scheduled for June 7, 2024, at 2 PM. The full meeting schedule, associated meeting materials and minutes are available on the Senate website. Meeting minutes are posted once they are approved at the subsequent meeting.