Senate is the academic governing body of UFV, responsible for making decisions that impact the daily lives of both students and faculty. The Board of Governors, which looks at the business side of the university, is advised by Senate on matters of mutual interest. All at the university are welcome to attend Senate’s public meetings, which are held once a month. Senate makes decisions. This article will recap the main agenda items of the hybrid Senate meeting which occurred on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.
A presentation was made on the progress of the work being done for policy 70, which focuses on academic integrity and misconduct. Liana Thompson, executive director, student academic affairs, and Lisa McMartin, manager, policies, projects, and reporting gave an update of what their working group was researching.
“What we were looking for was for some significant change to reflect what’s happening in our academic community since it was last revised in 2017.”
Thompson explained that the working group went with the design thinking perspective where they are continuously brainstorming ideas, sharing them for feedback, and making revisions in the process.
Some considerations the working group are looking at is the popular emergence and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), how well the existing penalties fit with the circumstances surrounding academic misconduct, and if changes need to be made.
David Johnston, registrar and enrollment management, made a motion to approve the changes made to the entrance requirements for the Health Care Assistant certificate. These changes include students having a minimum of three years of full-time instruction, obtaining a minimum C grade in a Grade 11 English class, or having completed a language proficiency test to qualify.
The reason behind these changes was partly to update the application process and also to be ready in case the program is no longer funded on the provincial level. The motion was voted on and carried.
Johnston also presented different options for sessional dates for the next five years to ensure there are enough sessional days Monday to Saturday. The first option for fall 2025 is to follow the current schedule, which is a minimum of 63 instructional days in which there are 12 Mondays, 11 Tuesdays, 13 Wednesdays, 14 Thursdays, and 14 Fridays.
Gerry Palmer, associate professor, School of Business, suggested an alternative for a more balanced schedule where the last Thursday (Dec. 4) is a Monday and the last Friday (Dec. 5) will be treated as a Tuesday class. This will result in having 12-13 instructional days per day of the week during the fall 2025 semester. After a discussion, the Senate board was in favour of option four, and Johnston made a motion to implement option four in fall 2025. It was voted on and carried.
In her President’s Report, Dr. Joanne MacLean, president and vice chancellor, addressed the significance of Black History Month in the community and emphasized the importance of having black leaders in the generations to come.
Dr. MacLean also informed the Senate of the latest honour bestowed on the university.
“UFV was recently recognized as one of B.C.’s top employers for the 11th year in a row … I see this as a statement of everybody who works at UFV.”
Dr. James Mandigo, provost and vice-president academic, laid out in his Provost Report the importance of maintaining EDI and indigenization within the community.
“I find myself, however, turning to sources of hope and inspiration that demonstrate that EDI is a commitment that ultimately unites us and is a demonstration of strength; and when we are united in this mission, we are better as a society.”
Rachel is working towards a BA with a concentration in English and Theatre. She has been employed at The Cascade since Fall 2021 as a Staff Writer and a Jr. News Editor. Currently, she is the sectional News Editor and enjoys meeting and interviewing people as well as taking long walks in nature. Rachel also likes to stay up to date on the latest trends and informs students through her fashion column entitled Campus Fashion.
