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, Mar. 14, 2025.
Nicole Adams, chief financial officer, presented the proposed consolidated budget plan for the 2025-2026 school year. According to the plan, there has been a decrease in new international student enrollment since 2024, specifically after the cap that was set by the Canadian government.
This decline is anticipated to continue in the 2025-2026 school year. However, these concerns have been taken into consideration by the university when creating the new consolidated budget.
“During a time when many post secondary institutions are forced to make budget cuts, UFV’s strategic, and planned approach to enrollments have allowed the university to successfully navigate the initial impact of these changes.”
The report stated that the budget has increased to $202.2 million — a 2.7 per cent, or $5.2 million increase from last year.
Adams said the university also anticipates 900 new international students to enroll in the upcoming year, maintaining the same enrollment number as 2024-2025.
There is also expected growth in the domestic student population between 2023-2030. UFV anticipates that by 2030, there will be a 20 per cent increase in students enrolled at the university.
A motion was made by Sylvie Murray, dean of the college of arts, to discontinue the Bachelor of Integrated Studies in the concentration of Applied Management. According to a memo from Samantha Hannah, undergraduate education committee chair, the rationale for this decision was due to low enrollments, with the program suspended back in 2023. Senate voted on the motion and it was carried.
Murray also called the motion to approve the changes made to the Bachelor of Arts program. According to a memo from Hannah, the major change is that students taking this program must now have a declared major instead of two minors or extended minors. Senate voted on the motion and it was carried. This change will be implemented September 2025.
Another motion made by Murray was to approve the changes made to the theatre program, which include the major, extended minor, minor, and diploma. A memo from Hannah outlined the rationale as to why significant changes were made.
“Program learning outcomes have been refined to emphasize technical, digital, and performance competence through applied learning, and program requirements have been significantly updated for all four programs.”
The Senate board voted on the motion favourably and it was approved.
Dr. Joanne MacLean, president and vice-chancellor, said in her report that UFV is getting ready to meet the membership requirements of Universities Canada. They update their membership every five years; this will be the fifth time UFV has been a member.
MacLean went into some of the requirements that an institution must meet to qualify.
“The criteria that are in place are largely focused around the governance and administrative structure of the university and our academic roles being articulated, having an independent board of governors, and a Senate in a governance structure … protection of academic freedom and the debts and breadth of programming that’s offered at the institution.”
Other criteria include the institution’s dedication to teaching, scholarships, and research. MacLean is confident that UFV meets the qualifications for this prestigious membership.
Dr. James Mandigo, provost and vice president academic, wrote in the Provost Report about areas within the SEM plan that UFV needs to consider to better support their students.
“As we think about our SEM plan and how we are preparing our students to be successful once they leave UFV, we not only need to think about what programs we are offering, but also the evolving skills and competencies that students will need as they enter an everchanging workforce.”
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.
