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, including: approving new courses and programs, approving changes to programs, and setting entrance requirements and 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, held once a month. Senate makes decisions that impact the daily lives of both students and faculty. This article will recap the main agenda items of the hybrid Senate meeting on Friday, June 10, 2022.
There was a brief discussion concerning the wording of the Transfer Credit policy (107) that was recently revised and brought to the board for approval. David Johnston, the university registrar, clarified how credits can be transferred from an unrecognized institution if two or more universities accept their programs or are approved by the UFV committee. The new revisions to the Transfer Credit Policy (107) will be clearer, more organized and easier to understand. According to the Senate agenda, these changes will come into effect on September 1, 2022.
The proposed draft for the 2023-2024 “Budget Principles” concerning some of the revisions made to clarify the draft from the Senate Budget Committee meeting on May 19, 2022 was brought forward. The 2023-2024 financial planning environment, which sets the context for budget planning, reveals: the population for typical college-age students is projected to increase in the Fraser Valley, major technology transformation at UFV due to the pandemic, lengthier processing times for international student’s visas and permits, and an expansion within trades programs offered at universities province-wide.
Motions were passed concerning the changes made to the accounting certificate and the business administration certificate for Jan. 2023. These revisions were made to help expand the number of students who enroll into the certificate programs and to make it easier for students to transition into a diploma or degree program.
The revisions being made to the accounting certificate include changing certain courses from required to optional, while other classes will become requirements within the certificate instead of being prerequisites for admission. The certificate will also decrease from 37 credits to 30-31. Prior work experience is no longer a necessity to be admitted into the business administration certificate, as other options will be made available to students, and the credits needed will now be 30 instead of 36.
It was also announced by Dr. James Mandigo, provost and vice president, academic, that Dr. Awneet Sivia, the 2022 recipient of the 3M National Teaching Fellowship Award, will be replacing Dr. Maureen Wideman, associate vice president of teaching and learning at the Teaching and Learning Centre. Wideman has been the vice president for nine years and will be going on sabbatical.
The next senate meeting will take place on September 23, 2022 at 1:30 p.m.; the meeting location is yet to be decided.
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.
