Senate holds final meeting of academic year
The final meeting of Concordia University Senate for the 2010-11 academic year was held on May 20.
The agenda focused on changes to transcripts and curricula, governance and administration issues, and the 2011-12 preliminary operating budget.
For additional details, please see the May 20 Senate agenda.
Preliminary budget presented
Chief Financial Officer Patrick Kelley delivered Concordia’s preliminary operating budget for the next three years, noting that the Quebec government will be making changes in how it funds universities. As a result, there will be new reporting requirements for universities regarding revenues and expenses. He projected that Concordia’s total revenues will increase from $351 million in 2010-11 to $381 million in 2013-14. The university’s budget will be finalized once it receives more detailed information from Quebec’s Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport, expected in the coming weeks.
Report by President Frederick Lowy
In his presentation to Senate, President Frederick Lowy provided an update on the special meeting of Concordia’s Board of Governors held on May 12. Lowy reported that Board Chair Peter Kruyt received an overwhelming vote of confidence from the university’s governors. To respect the process, and not influence the outcome of the vote, Kruyt did not participate in the special meeting.
The special meeting was called in response to a motion passed earlier this year by the Senate calling on Kruyt to step down as Chair of the Board. With the vote of confidence from the Board of Governors, Kruyt will remain in his position as Chair.
Lowy said a report from the External Governance Review Committee is expected in three to six weeks.
New Senate Speaker/Senate committees
Donald Boisvert, professor in the Department of Religion, was elected as Speaker of Senate for 2011-12.
Seventeen Senators were appointed to six Senate committees such as Research, Finance, and Steering Committee for 2011-12. As well, nine professors and one Dean were designated for three committees requiring Senate approval. For names and roles, please consult the meeting’s agenda.
Changes to transcripts approved
A number of recommendations regarding transcripts were approved:
- Only one cumulative GPA will now be used. Encompassing all courses taken for a degree, the GPA will act as both the cumulative and graduation GPA.
- Students will be required to have a cumulative GPA of 2.00 in order to graduate.
- Class average and class size will be added to both the record and the transcript.
- Complementary university credits and reflective learning courses will be grouped at the end of each semester’s course list and identified as ‘CUC’ under the heading ‘other.’
- Academic assessment will appear on the transcript.
- Students will be offered the option of receiving their undergraduate and graduate transcripts on two separate documents.
- The Concordia Coat of Arms will now replace the logo on the transcript.
Changes to curricula
A number of changes were approved to undergraduate and graduate curricula for the Faculty of Arts and Science, the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, the Faculty of Fine Arts, and the School of Extended Learning. Please see the meeting agenda for details.
Related links:
• May 20 Senate agenda
• "Senate meeting provides updates on key university issues" – Concordia NOW, April 19, 2011
• Concordia University Senate