Board and Senate Notes: April 2018
A new policy on hospitality, meetings and events has been approved.
Read the Board Notes from April 18, 2018.
Read the Senate Notes from April 20, 2018.
BOARD NOTES: New policy on hospitality, meetings and events approved; travel and conference policy revised
President’s remarks
In his remarks to the Board of Governors at its April 18 meeting, Concordia’s president Alan Shepard drew attention to the Concordia Student Union’s (CSU) contribution to the Library Services Fund through its undergraduate student fee levy.
This fund supports 24/7 access to the Webster and Vanier libraries and makes laptops and tablets available for short-term loan at no charge. The Library Services Fund also financed the installation of living green walls in the renovated Webster Library.
The president noted that Valérie Plante, mayor of Montreal, recently toured the Webster Library, which held a grand opening event March 23 to showcase its transformation into a 21st-century library.
In the recent Maclean’s 2018 program rankings, Concordia advanced six spots to 10th place among Canada’s engineering schools, while computer science advanced three spots to take the 11th position in the country.
In late breaking news, the president congratulated three students for receiving the Quebec Lieutenant Governor’s Youth Medal (Bronze) for their contributions to the community.
He also congratulated Tony Loffreda, a member of Concordia’s Board of Governors, who received the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Exceptional Merit (Gold).
Collection of undergraduate student fee levies approved
The Board approved the collection of two fee levies from undergraduate students, on behalf of the CSU, following the outcome of a student referendum.
The university will collect a fee levy of $0.14 per credit, an increase of $0.04 per credit, from all undergraduate students to support the Concordia Solidarity Co-op Bookstore. The fee levy will be annually adjusted for inflation and implemented in the fall 2018 term.
A contribution of $1 per credit will be collected from all undergraduate students to support the Library Services Fund Project for 10 years, from 2020 to 2029. Implementation begins in the winter 2020 term.
The Board also approved the collection of a fee levy of $0.04 per credit from all undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Science, on behalf of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations. This fee levy, approved by students in a referendum, is for the Concordia University Centre for Creative Reuse and will be implemented beginning in the fall 2018 term.
Revisions to the policy for travel and other allowable expenses approved
The Board approved revisions to the Policy for Travel and Other Allowable Expenses (CFO-3), including a new name: Travel and Conference Policy.
These changes were done following an in-depth review of policies at other universities and government agencies, and consultations with key stakeholders.
The policy revisions were also done in conjunction with the creation of the new on Hospitality, Meeting and Events Policy to differentiate between expenses related to travel and hospitality.
An accompanying handbook with more detailed information has been developed.
The policy takes effect May 1; however, there will be a transition period from May 1 to August 31, which will include information sessions for faculty and staff.
New policy on hospitality, meeting and events approved
The Board approved the new Hospitality, Meetings and Events Policy (CFO-10), which takes effect May 1.
However, there will be a transition period from May 1 to August 31, which will include information sessions for faculty and staff.
The new policy was drafted in consultation with key stakeholders and in conjunction with revisions made to the renamed Travel and Conference Policy (CFO-3). It was approved by the Finance Committee in March 2018.
The policy clearly differentiates between expenses related to travel, including transportation, accommodations, meals, visitors and local conferences, and those related to hospitality, such as venue rentals, promotional and business meals, gifts, and official internal events and training.
It also simplifies and clarifies certain processes and approvals, including internal and external events that cost more than $5,000. The policy also governs when alcohol may be permitted at events.
An accompanying handbook provides more detailed information on processes, rates, forms and declarations.
Quarterly report from Environmental Health and Safety received
Roger Côté, vice-president of Services, presented the highlights from Environmental Health and Safety’s (EH&S) 2017 fourth quarter report, as well as the office’s 2017 full year report.
He noted that EH&S focuses on preventive measures, including awareness and education, to create a culture of safety within the university.
Côté noted that 2017 was a positive year in terms of prevention, with the implementation of the university’s new Occupational Health, Control of Hazardous Energy and Confined Space Training programs.
For the eighth consecutive year, there was an increase in the number of safety training sessions provided to members of the university community.
These and other activities have had a positive impact on the number of incidents that have been reported, down 40 per cent. Lost-time days dropped 68 per cent and there was a 66 per cent decrease in the severity rate. There were also fewer work-related injuries in 2017.
Compared to 2016, there was a 15 per cent increase in both the number of training sessions and the number of training participants in 2017. The implementation of new safety programs for the control of hazardous energy and confined space entry contributed to this increase.
The university’s commitment to safety is reflected in the implementation of the Supervisor’s Health and Safety Responsibilities Training Program.
Geared to academic and administrative supervisors, the training provides an overview of the legal responsibilities supervisors have for the health and safety of their staff and students. The program also emphasizes the leadership role supervisors take on to improve workplace health and safety, and to foster a positive safety culture.
SENATE NOTES: New Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Business Studies approved; unpaid internships to be studied
President’s remarks
In his remarks at the April 20 Senate meeting, Concordia’s president Alan Shepard welcomed Marie-Claude Lavoie to the university.
She assumed her new role as associate vice-president of Facilities Management April 16. Lavoie previously worked in a senior role with the City of Montreal where she was responsible for 674 buildings.
The president also offered his best wishes to Daniel Therrien, university registrar, who will be leaving Concordia to assume the role of university registrar at École de technologie supérieure.
He also offered his congratulations to:
- The Faculty of Fine Arts for teaming up with Denmark’s The Alternative to offer the university’s first-ever political party-in-residence.
- Students Mailhot-Franco, Mohamed-Amine Mekideche, William Duguay and Karl Hansen from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics who recently won $20,000 in the fourth annual Munich Re Cup.
- Francine Pelletier, an adjunct professor in the Department of Journalism, for winning the 2018 Hyman Solomon Award for Excellence in Public Policy Journalism.
In the recent Maclean’s 2018 program rankings, Concordia advanced six spots to 10th place among Canada’s engineering schools, while computer science advanced three spots to take the 11th position in the country.
Concordia continues to receive funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council.
Christophe Guy, vice-president of Research and Graduate Studies, informed Senate that the university has had more applications accepted by the two research granting agencies.
The president noted recent results from The Campaign for Concordia:
- The Jarislowsky Foundation has renewed its commitment to the Jarislowsky Chair in Canadian Art in the Department of Art History with a gift of $500,000.
- The Rossy Family Foundation made a $500,000 donation to support Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts Campus Art Hives Fund.
- The Doggone Foundation has pledged $200,000 to create the Elspeth McConnell Fine Arts Award, supporting experiential learning opportunities for students in Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts.
Academic update
In his academic update to Senate, Graham Carr, provost and vice-president of Academic Affairs, noted Concordia’s growing visibility and enhanced reputation.
He pointed to the annual Maclean’s report on universities where Concordia ranked fifth out of 15 comprehensive universities in Canada in terms of reputation.
Carr said that all of the activities the university is undertaking — whether it is the success of its undergraduate and graduate students or the achievements of faculty members — are contributing to Concordia’s growing reputation as a next-generation university.
New Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Business Studies approved
A proposal from the John Molson School of Business for a Graduate Certificate in Quantitative Business Studies was approved by Senate.
While the university currently offers a diploma program in the same discipline (30 credits), the certificate program will be 15 credits that involve mostly quantitative skills and as a result may appeal to students interested in quantitative contents. It is intended to start this fall.
Undergraduate curriculum changes approved
Undergraduate curriculum changes approved by Senate included:
- Adding a new course, Historical Linguistics, in the core program offered by the Department of Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics.
- Modifying the Human Environment and Urban Planning and Urban Studies undergraduate programs in the Department of Geography, Planning and Environment. These revisions are part of an ongoing renewal of the department’s programs.
As a result, two courses, Political Ecology, and Shifting Borders of Globalization, will be replaced by Ecological Economics and Refugees, and Migration in Today’s World.
To increase the experiential component of the course, a laboratory, the Climate System, will be added to the course.
- Expanding the science elective course options in the honours and specialization in psychology (behaviour neuroscience option) in the Department of Psychology.
The new courses will, in part, reflect offerings that have been developed in other departments since the last curriculum review of the psychology programs.
These include courses in areas such as bioinformatics, intermediary metabolism, structure and function of biomembranes, quantitative human systems physiology, and principles of medical imaging.
Graduate curriculum changes approved
Graduate curriculum changes approved by Senate included:
- Introducing four new courses and two non-course components to the Master of Design program in the Department of Design and Computation Arts in the Faculty of Fine Arts. The program was introduced in September 2016.
These new offerings account for directed studies, professional internships, special topics in contemporary Indigenous art and design, and in design research.
- Adding an advanced research methods course to the Master and Diploma programs in Environmental Assessment in the Department of Geography, Planning and Environment.
- Updating and improving the Master (research option) and Doctorate programs in the Department of Psychology to broaden their admission requirements to include qualified students from closely-related disciplines.
The changes will also streamline students who transfer from the Master (research option) to the Doctorate program by reducing the number of required course credits from 15 to 12.
A new course, Focused Topic Seminar, will be added to allow students to take intensive shorter duration courses on defined topics of interest. The new course will also allow the department to be more flexible by offering courses that meet students’ demands.
- Adding a supervised internship to the list of courses in the Master in Art History program in the Department of Art History.
Senate approves recommendation to study internships
Following a presentation on unpaid internships by two senators who represent undergraduate students, Ali Sherra and Leyla Sutherland, Senate approved a motion that mandates the Academic Planning and Priorities Committee to review internships at Concordia.
The committee’s specific mandate over the next two years includes evaluating internships at Concordia, making recommendations to standardize internships, reviewing internal policies and producing semi-annual reports to Senate.
Consultation on digital strategy
Senators also participated in a consultation exercise regarding the development of Concordia’s digital strategy. Read more about the strategy.
