Senate is the academic governing body of UFV, with the university president and vice chancellor Joanne MacLean as the chair. They are responsible for making decisions on everything academic: approving new courses and programs, approving changes to programs, setting entrance requirements, and setting the academic calendar. 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 currently held on Zoom. Senate makes decisions that directly impact the daily lives of both students and faculty.
Courses to remain online through Summer 2021
Senate approved a recommendation from the emergency policy committee for the majority of courses to continue to be taught online in the Summer 2021 semester and clarified that courses that are otherwise only online (i.e. have no in-person elements such as a lab or a tutorial) may not have in-person exams if testing can be done remotely. Two memos to Senate, which were written in November with regards to Winter 2020 exams, were added to the agenda by the faculty of science and the faculty of applied and technical sciences, respectively, which argued in favour of face-to-face exams for online classes. The memos cited higher incidences of academic misconduct during online exams and student requests for face-to-face exams as grounds for their consideration. However, the recommendation was approved without any changes.
Final grade appeals process changed
The Senate approved significant changes to the final grade appeal procedures, which will come into effect for courses beginning in the Summer 2021 semester and later. In the future, deans will be able to waive the requirement that students consult with their instructor before making an appeal when students allege discrimination or harrassment from the instructor. In this case, and in cases where the instructor no longer works at UFV or doesn’t respond to a student asking for a consultation, students will first go over their grades with the school director or the department head for the appropriate course.
Students will also have 20 days instead of 14 to make a formal appeal after receiving their final grade, and instructors will have 10 business days to provide a response. Also among the changes is a provision stating that if a final grade appeals committee needs to be formed, the student’s identity will be kept anonymous from its members.
Criminal justice master’s intake suspended for two years
UFV’s provost, James Mandigo, presented an information item announcing that the criminal justice master’s of arts program will suspend intake for two years, effective Fall 2021. During this time, the graduate program committee will revise the program. The committee plans to conduct a survey of past graduates and a review to guide changes to courses, program structure, and delivery, and will re-evaluate the program’s tuition model and supervision compensation. Current students should not be affected, and the program will be eligible for early reinstatement in Fall 2022. No students were admitted to the program in Fall 2020.
