Senate serves as UFV’s academic governing body, making decisions that shape the daily experience of students and faculty. It advises the Board of Governors — responsible for the university’s business affairs — on matters of shared interest. Monthly public meetings are open to all members of the UFV community. This article will recap key agenda items of the hybrid Senate meeting held on Friday, Jan. 16, 2026.
Dr. Sameena Karim Jamal, assistant professor of adult education, gave a presentation on AI in higher education. She highlighted how some universities are beginning to embrace AI into their curriculum, and that employers are looking for employees who are able to effectively utilize AI as a skill set. Jamal also pointed out that if taught correctly, AI can be a valuable tool.
David Johnston, registrar and associate vice-president, enrollment management, made a motion for Senate to approve changes made to the Physics honour, major and minor programs. Revisions for the Physics honours program include having a CGPA of at least 3.33. In the major program, students now have the option to take PHYS 118 in order to declare their major. The number of upper level courses in PHYS or ENPH has also gone down to 15 instead of the original 27. For the Physics minor, students will now need to take mandatory prerequisite courses to get into specific upper level classes.
According to a memo from the Education Committee Chair, Dr. Dana Landry, department head and associate professor of arts and integrated studies, to Dr. James Mandigo, president and vice chancellor, these revisions were made to the entire Physics program to help lower the number of needed credits down to 120 from 132. It also enables them to incorporate a new module course into the physics program. The motion was voted on and carried.
In the President’s Report, Mandigo encouraged people to come to the hybrid Budget Townhall meeting for 2026-2027, that took place at the Chilliwack campus, on Jan. 23 from 2-3 p.m.. He also emphasized that there is a public web page entitled UFV’s Plan for Financial Sustainability, that provides important information and updates on the budget for this upcoming year.
Mandigo also informed the Senate that there have been decreases in the number of study permits made by the federal government for 2026. B.C. only received 32,596 study permits, which is a 57 per cent decrease in comparison to last year. Mandigo mentioned that the number of provincial attestation letters (PAL) given to UFV has also gone down in comparison to 2024 and 2025, totalling only 928 PALs.
“This represents a 48 per cent drop from the 2025 PAL allocation and 64 per cent drop compared to the 2024 PAL allocation.”
During the Provost Report, Dr. Tracy Ryder Glass, provost and vice president academic, said she was grateful for all the hard work the Senate board did in 2025. She also expressed her anticipation for what 2026 has to offer.
“This new year brings fresh opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and celebration of student success. Together, we’ll continue to advance our academic mission, support our students, and strengthen our community. I’m excited about what we will accomplish as we build on our successes and embrace the challenges ahead.”
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.