Board and Senate notes: May 2017
BOARD NOTES: The Board of Governors approves a copyright license renewal agreement
Environmental Health and Safety presents its Q1 report
President’s remarks
Concordia’s president Alan Shepard began his remarks by recognizing the nine individuals who will receive honorary doctorates during the spring convocation ceremonies. These honorands are Measha Brueggergosman, Robert Calderisi, David A. Martin OBE, Jahangir Mohammed, Senator Chantal Petitclerc, Kim Thúy, J. Sebastian van Berkom, Kenneth W. Woods and Lise Watier.
He congratulated the John Molson School of Business (JMSB) on receiving accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. This is the first time JMSB has been accredited for the maximum of five years.
In the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, Shepard announced that the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering is up and running with its newest faculty members — Zhibin Ye and interim chair Alex De Visscher.
A territorial acknowledgement will be included at all convocation ceremonies
In its report to the Board, the Honorary Degree and Convocation Committee noted its approval of a statement to acknowledge Indigenous peoples. The most senior official at each convocation ceremony will deliver it.
This territorial acknowledgement was drafted by the Indigenous Directions Leadership Group, which now has a hub on the Concordia website. Read more.
A copyright license agreement renewal is approved
The Board approved the renewal of a copyright license agreement between Concordia and the Société québécoise de gestion collective des droits de reproduction (COPIBEC).
The non-profit organization manages the reproduction rights for published works and their digital versions on behalf of copyright owners.
Under the four-year agreement, which expires May 31, 2021, Concordia’s fee will be $13.50 per full-time equivalent student, a decrease of nine per cent compared to the previous agreement.
As a result of this agreement, the Board also approved a copyright fee of $0.45 per credit, to be levied on all students for the next successive academic years beginning in 2017-18. This is a decrease from the previous fee of $0.53 per credit.
Environmental Health and Safety reports on its first quarter for 2017
Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) supports the academic, research and operational activities of the university and promotes a safe, healthy and sustainable campus environment.
A report presented to the Board provided an overview of leading indicators that measure safety performance and help reflect the safety culture within Concordia.
During the first quarter, from January 1 to March 31, there was a 19 per cent increase in the number of training participants compared to the same period in 2016. As, well 32 per cent of the participants opted for online safety training.
EHS staff also conduct workplace inspections on a regular basis. These inspections, along with workplace risk assessments, form an integral part of the university’s comprehensive health and safety program.
Annual report of the Office of Rights and Responsibilities
Lisa White, associate advisor with the Office of Rights and Responsibilities, presented highlights of its 2015-16 annual report. This was similar to the presentation she made to Senate at its May 19 meeting. Read more.
SENATE NOTES: Senate approves three new programs in the John Molson School of Business
Convocation ceremonies will include an Indigenous territorial acknowledgement
Concordia’s president Alan Shepard began his remarks at the last Senate meeting of the academic year by announcing the development of a territorial acknowledgement by the Indigenous Directions Leadership Group.
Approved by the Honorary Degree and Convocation Committee, this statement will be part of the spring and fall convocation ceremonies:
I/We would like to begin by acknowledging that Concordia University
is located on unceded Indigenous lands.
The Kanien’kehá:ka Nation are recognized as the custodians of
the lands and waters on which we gather today.
Tiohtià:ke/Montreal is historically known as a gathering place for many First
Nations. Today, it is home to a diverse population of Indigenous and other peoples.
We respect the continued connections with the past, present and future in our
ongoing relationships with Indigenous and other peoples within the Montreal
community.
He thanked the work of the leadership group, which is co-chaired by Elizabeth Fast and Charmaine Lyn, two special advisors to the provost on Indigenous Directions.
There is now an Indigenous Directions hub on the Concordia website, and the leadership group will be preparing answers to frequently asked questions to help guide people regarding the appropriate use of the territorial acknowledgement.
The president also noted that the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB) has upheld its accreditation of the John Molson School of Business (JMSB). This is the first time JMSB has been accredited for the maximum of five years. AACSB accreditation is considered the hallmark of excellence in business education.
In the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, Shepard said the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering is up and running with its newest faculty members — Zhibin Ye and interim chair Alex De Visscher.
Two Concordians were finalists for the 2017 Scotiabank Photography Award. The president offered congratulations to graduate Donigan Cumming (MFA 85) and Raymonde April, professor of photography and former chair of Studio Arts, who each take home $10,000.
The president encouraged people to visit the Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery’s annual exhibition IGNITION, which highlights the work by graduate students in the Studio Arts and Humanities programs. The exhibition closed on May 27.
2016-17 has been the “best year ever” in terms of securing research funding, noted the president, referring to several funding results. These include 57 Discovery Grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada totalling $8,787,000, as well as three Discovery Accelerator Supplements totalling $360,000 over three years.
The university also received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Project Scheme for two new projects, for a total of $1,320,750 over five years. Twenty awards totalling $1,842,950 were received from the Fonds de recherche du Québec.
Finally, he mentioned the recent launch of the 2017 Concordia University Public Scholars into the community. These PhD candidates will be sharing their emerging research with a wider audience through active social media presence, op-eds, blogging and participation in workshops and conferences. The program is designed to bridge the gap between academic research and the community.
New JMSB programs approved
Senate approved three new undergraduate programs at JMSB:
- BA Honours in Accountancy, which will provide opportunities for highly qualified accountancy students to undertake accounting research work in their undergraduate program;
- Minor in Information Systems Audit and Risk Management, which will respond to an increasing demand for professionals in security audit, information technology audit, fraud risk management and information technology risk management and
- Minor in Real Estate, which will offer multidisciplinary education in business, economics, finance, regional science, urban planning and public policy. Students who add this minor to their business program may pursue career opportunities in real estate development, consulting, valuation, leasing, financing, brokerage and property management.
Approval of a new MA in Youth Work and Psychoeducation
Following Senate’s approval, Concordia will now be offering a new Master of Arts in Youth Work and Psychoeducation through the Department of Applied Human Sciences.
It will be the only English-language master’s program in Quebec focusing on youth, and the only English program in Quebec and Canada that will be aligned with the accreditation requirements from the Ordre des psychoéducateurs et psychoéducatrices du Québec.
Students in this cutting-edge program will be immersed in an integrated model for research and practice with youth that will be unique to Quebec. Plus, the curriculum will include dedicated content geared to Indigenous youth and their communities.
Emerging research centre status approval
Senate approved a recommendation from the Research Committee to recognize the Centre for Research Expertise on Aging Through Engagement as an emerging university-recognized research centre. The committee agreed that the centre met the criteria outlined in the Policy for Research Units (VPRGS-8) for this status.
The centre’s mission is to harness the expertise of Concordia’s multidisciplinary researchers to create innovative research, practice and policy that engage with local communities.
It will draw on the university’s strength in community engagement, bringing together researchers from the sciences, social sciences, humanities and fine arts. It will cut across the faculties of Fine Arts, Arts and Science and JMSB.
Its research activities will focus on four main themes: communities, care and connectivity; culture, creativity and aging; politics, policy and economies of aging and health and well-being and the life course.
Annual report of the Office of Rights and Responsibilities
Lisa White, associate advisor for the Office of Rights and Responsibilities, presented highlights of the 2015-16 annual report.
The office offers impartial, confidential, non-judgmental and independent services to Concordia students, faculty and staff. Among its services is the provision of support and redress to members of the university community who have complaints or concerns regarding behaviour and the management of complaint resolution processes.
In the 2015-16 academic year, the office received 369 requests for assistance. Of those, 147 were cases and 192 were consultations. There were 30 other requests.
The most reported infraction for cases and consultations was harassment, which is consistent with previous years, followed by obstruction/disruption of university activity and threatening or violent conduct.
Changes to the Code of Rights and Responsibilities
Senators were advised that the Board of Governors approved changes to the Code of Rights and Responsibilities (BD-3) at its April 19 meeting. Read more.
