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, June 6, 2025.
Dr. James Mandigo, provost and vice president academic, gave a presentation on the Integrated Strategic Plan (ISP) and highlighted that about 23 Key Performance Indicator (KPI) goals from their plan are on track.
“I think overall we’re on a good path… There are a couple of [areas] that we’re keeping our eye on and trying to ensure that we’re addressing in concrete ways.”
However, Mandigo mentioned that according to the 2024 survey from the Canadian University Survey Consortium (CUSC), more UFV students report a barrier to graduation in comparison to 2021. He explained that the primary reason was the difficulty accessing required classes.
“The number one reason that we hear from students around why they’re experiencing delay is because they can’t get the required courses that they need to graduate.”
Mandigo expressed confidence in the deans’ dedication to solving this issue, noting that ensuring students’ timely graduation will require coordinated effort and time.
The SEM Annual Report of 2024/25 was presented by David Johnston, university registrar and associate vice president, enrollment management, who expressed increasing percentages of domestic students and their goals being met.
However, this was not the case for international students. Previously, UFV had a strong visa approval rate. Now, Mandigo has said that despite continuous applications, due to ongoing changes in immigration policies, highly qualified applicants are being rejected without explanation from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Mandigo added that visa approval rates for students have dropped drastically. In 2023, the institution had an 86 per cent approval rate — among the top five in Canada. By the first quarter of 2025, that number plummeted to 46 per cent. Nationally, study permit approval rates fell from 60 per cent in 2023 to 25 per cent in early 2025, meaning 75 per cent of permits are now being rejected by the IRCC.
Johnston said that to counter these measures, UFV is adapting their approach to international recruitment, focusing on students’ perception of the value of studying at UFV and incentivizing those in two-year programs to stay for a full degree. Still, no concrete planning on specifics was indicated.
Additionally, UFV aims to engage more with international students from local high schools and collaborate with school boards to highlight UFV as a viable option. According to Johnston, the tentative expectation for 2031 still displays signs of declining numbers.
Johnston motioned that Senate approve the revisions made to the Social Service Worker diploma revisions, which will come into effect January 2026. Some of these changes included HSER and Social Work courses that were completed over a 10 year period no longer go toward their diploma to better align with the BSW program. The motion was voted on and carried.
Dr. Dana Landry, department head and associate professor of Arts and Integrated Studies, made a motion for Senate to approve the changes to the Master of Social Work program. This included reducing the program from two years to five months, making it part-time and requiring 3,000 hours of paid work instead of two years of volunteer work. The motion was voted on favourably.
Dr. Joanne MacLean reflected on some milestones in her final President’s report, such as record-breaking enrollments, the launch of Mission campus renovations, and having the university’s first Alumni and Friends reunion. MacLean also welcomed Mandigo as the new president, expressing excitement for his leadership and gave a heartfelt thanks to Gerry Palmer, associate professor, School of Business, for his years of service as the vice-chair of Senate.
MacLean emphasized the privilege of working at UFV and remarked that she will remain attentive to the university.
“I will keep an eye on things. I will not meddle or get in your way. I will step out of the way boldly, but let me say that you won’t find a bigger supporter of UFV than me.”
Palmer made a final motion to formally recognize MacLean’s significant contributions to UFV since becoming president in May 2018. The motion expressed deep appreciation for her leadership and impact on UFV and the Fraser Valley community, commenting on her successfully facing the challenges of COVID-19, leading major capital projects, and playing a key role in advancing UFV’s academic mission. The motion was voted on and passed unanimously.
