Senate approves Academic Plan

Senators approved a final version of the Academic Plan 2011-2016 at their November 4 meeting, which will now proceed to the Board of Governors for final approval. Senate is responsible for the implementation and evaluation of the plan.

The plan identifies Concordia University’s top academic priorities and more than 80 actions to reach those objectives. The document is an important tool in achieving the academic goals set out in the Strategic Framework adopted by the university in 2009.

In an introductory letter to the final version submitted to Senators for approval, Provost David Graham, who chaired the Academic Plan Steering Committee stated, “Every revision to both drafts was substantially informed by the community’s feedback.” A series of task forces will be established to implement the plan.

The first draft of the plan was presented in February 2011. Following extensive feedback from the Concordia community, a revised version was circulated in August 2011. Senators discussed that plan at their October 7 meeting.

Problem-based service learning courses
Senators approved a motion by the Academic Program Committee to replace two complementary university credit problem-based service learning courses, with two equivalent elective credit courses. This change will allow students in these practicum courses to count the credits earned toward their degree. These courses, offered through the School of Extended Learning (SEL), give students experience working directly with community organizations and programs.

In a memo provided to Senate, SEL Dean Noel Burke stated that the courses support the 2009 Strategic Framework, which outlines the university’s strategic directions of  “high academic quality, outstanding student experience and student engagement, and superlative community engagement and social responsibility.”

Start date for winter 2012 term
Senate passed a motion recommending that the winter term begin no earlier than January 4, 2012. Although Senate does not have the responsibility for establishing the dates of the academic calendar, and a decision has already been made to retain the previously published start date of January 3, 2012, President Frederick Lowy indicated that the concerns expressed would be taken into consideration in setting future winter term start dates.

The full minutes of the meeting will be available on the Senate website (below). The next meeting of Senate will be December 9, 2011.

Related links:
•  Academic Plan documents and resources
•  Problem-based service learning
•  Concordia Senate