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Faculty of Arts Committees

Arts Nominating Committee

The Dean or Dean's Delegate and eight elected Members of Faculty nominate Faculty members to various Faculty committees. This is a standing committee of the Faculty of Arts.

Membership

Dean’s Delegate (typically an associate dean) as chair, four tenured and three tenure-track pre-tenured members of academic staff, two-year term. Preferably terms will be staggered so that either three or four members are elected in a given year.

Selection

Membership chosen by election. Elections should be conducted no later than February for terms beginning the following September. No more than one member from the same academic unit (Department, School or Institute) may serve on the Nominating Committee in the same year. The nomination and election process shall prioritize gender inclusivity. The nomination process shall encourage participation from equity seeking groups.

Mandate

The Nominating Committee, in consultation with the Dean or Dean’s delegate, recommends the academic members of all Faculty of Arts standing and ad hoc committees to the Faculty of Arts Council for approval. The Nominating Committee’s recommendations for committee membership must take into account EDI principles. It shall review periodically the membership of all standing and ad hoc committees. It may recommend to the Faculty revisions to the terms of reference of standing and ad hoc committees, the constitution of new committees, and the abolishing of committees.


Curriculum Committee

This committee is responsible for all academic matters relating to undergraduate and graduate degrees, programs and courses offered or administered by the Faculty of Arts, as well as academic policies. Its current Terms of reference were approved by Council in November 2023 for implementation in September 2024.

Membership

The Dean or Dean’s delegate, generally the Associate Dean (Academic) as Chair; one representative who is a member of the ranked academic staff (professor, associate professor, assistant professor, faculty lecturer) from each Faculty of Arts academic unit that has at least ten full-time ranked academic staff; at least one2 representative from among the academic units with fewer than ten ranked academic staff; one representative from the Library, five undergraduate students and one graduate student.

As a Standing Committee of the Faculty of Arts, academic staff members shall be recommended by the Nominating Committee to Council. Academic units are encouraged to recommend representatives to the Nominating Committee, especially those involved in program and course development. The Library will designate the Library representative. Undergraduate members will be designated by the AUS, the graduate student member will be designated by PGSS.

Term

The term for representatives of academic units will generally be two years. Library and student members will generally have one-year terms. Terms are repeatable.

Meetings and Procedures

The Committee will generally meet monthly from September through April. Additional meetings may be called. Quorum shall be the chair plus at least ten representatives from academic units. Approvals by vote will be decided by simple majority of members present. The Chair will only vote if necessary to break a tie. Occasionally, urgent business items may be decided by electronic vote.

Note: Curriculum Committee and its Screening Sub-Committee generally meets on Mondays 2:30-4:00 P.M.

Mandate

This Curriculum Committee is a Standing Committee of the Faculty of Arts. It shall be responsible for all academic matters relating to undergraduate and graduate programs and courses offered or administered by the Faculty of Arts. It shall have the responsibility to examine and recommend for the approval of the Faculty of Arts matters relating, but not restricted, to the introduction of new courses and programs, and the revision and deletion of courses and programs. It may review the degree requirements in Arts and make recommendations for changes to the requirements to the Faculty. It may take into account such considerations as academic coherence and rigour, student demand, and staffing and feasibility of delivery in making its recommendations. It may propose policies or revisions to policies that pertain to courses, programs or degrees in Arts. It shall keep a record of its meetings and shall report regularly to the Faculty.

Curriculum Screening Subcommittee

In order to facilitate the working of this committee, it shall have a sub-committee for Screening, comprising the Committee Chair and at least two academic members of the Curriculum Committee. It shall vet all course and program proposals to ensure that they are ready for review by the full Curriculum Committee. The subcommittee may approve minor course revisions, course retirements, and minor program revisions (considered to be housekeeping items, such as adding/deleting courses from lists of complementary courses) and forward them directly to the APC Subcommittee on Courses and Teaching Programs (SCTP). The subcommittee will generally meet monthly approximately two weeks in advance of the Committee meeting.

Guidelines for Submitting Proposals to Arts Curriculum Committee

Please consult the guidelines (PDF) before submitting a course or program proposal (new course/program proposal, course/program revision or retirement) to the Arts Curriculum Committee. The Curriculum Committee meets monthly. All proposals are vetted by the Screening Sub-Committee, which is generally scheduled one before each Curriculum Committee meeting. The deadline to submit is at least one week in advance of the Screening meeting.

Additional, extensive information on submitting course and program proposals can be found at the website of the Academic Program Committee (APC) Subcommittee on Teaching and Programs (SCTP)

Submission guidelinesConsultation form


Committee on Student Affairs

The Committee on Student Affairs (CSA) is chaired by the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) ex officio. The Associate Dean (Student Affairs) and departmental representatives meet to discuss policies and procedures concerning students. This is a standing committee of the Faculty of Arts.

Purpose

The Committee on Student Affairs provides input and comment on strategies, plans, policies, and matters pertaining broadly to Student Affairs, and it advises the Associate Dean (Academic) on such matters. Its mandate includes:

  1. To provide input on plans and strategies related to undergraduate Student Affairs
  2. To identify and bring forward issues and challenges that would benefit from a faculty-wide response
  3. To provide a venue for collaboration and sharing of practices across departments
  4. To make recommendations to Faculty Council on policies and practices related to Student Affairs
  5. To address issues related to teaching and learning
  6. To assist the Associate Dean in deciding student awards, prizes and scholarships
  7. To assist the Associate Dean in matters pertaining to academic integrity

The CSA includes a Sub-Committee on Student Standing that receives and decides on appeals to academic decisions such as readmission, e-flags, and exceeding credits. This Sub-Committee is composed of 5 (five) academic members of the CSA, and will meet on an ad-hoc basis based on appeals.

The CSA includes a Sub-Committee on Students Awards and Scholarship that allocates Faculty Awards and Scholarships and approves Departmental Scholarships. This Sub-Committee is composed of 5 (five) academic members of the CSA, and will meet as needed between April and July.

Areas of Responsibility

The CSA receives and reviews reports pertaining to the following standing agenda items:

  1. Upcoming important dates
  2. Current student affairs issues
  3. Academic integrity
  4. Study away and transfer credits
  5. Plans for Orientation and Recruitment Events
  6. Report from Arts Internship Office
  7. Report from AUS Academic VP

In addition, the CSA may identify or be assigned special projects to address on an ad hoc basis.

The CSA is a Standing Committee of the Faculty of Arts and shall report to the Faculty of Arts Council at least once per year.

Membership

The Committee is made up of one representative from each academic unit that delivers an undergraduate program in the Faculty of Arts, Director of Arts Internship Office, and five student members. Each academic representative should be recommended by the Chair/Director of each unit to the Nominating Committee, and should be either the Undergraduate Program Director, or a member of the unit’s Undergraduate Program Committee. The student members should include the Academic VP AUS plus 4 others who are determined by the AUS.

Meeting Frequency

The committee will meet once per month.

Scholarships Subcommittee

This is a subcommittee of the Committee on Student Affairs.


Faculty Review Committee

5 members; 3 year term. This is a standing committee of the Faculty of Arts.


Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The Faculty of Arts Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will support the implementation of the University’s Strategic Plans related to EDI.

Terms of Reference

The Faculty of Arts Committee on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion will support the implementation of the University’s Strategic Plans related to EDI. This may involve:

  1. providing information about initiatives in the Faculty and University, and about the research supporting those initiatives
  2. supporting departmental and unit EDI officers or committees
  3. developing more substantive guidelines and policies that departments and units should be encouraged to implement if appropriate, given their internal governance structures, size, discipline, etc. For instance, support could be provided for developing unit specific climate surveys
  4. collating information about and maintaining institutional history of what has been implemented in the Faculty and what has worked well and less well.
  5. discussing, sharing, and communicating ‘best practices’, models, and frameworks related to EDI that would be helpful to departments and units in implementing new policies, including inviting guests to come share what is being undertaken elsewhere.

The EDI Committee will ultimately report to Faculty Council, and its decisions and recommendations will be forwarded to Faculty Council for discussion and approval.

The EDI Committee will present an annual report of its activity at a meeting of Faculty Council at the end of the academic year (either April or May).

Committee Composition

Members: Dean or Dean’s Representative, one representative from each unit in Arts (ideally each unit will have an EDI role, and it can be part of this person’s duties to sit on this committee), at least one of whom will be a Faculty Lecturer, one administrative staff member.

Chair of committee: Committee will be co-chaired by Dean or Dean’s Representative and an elected member of the committee.

Decision making

Quorum consists of 50% of committee members. Decisions of the committee will be made by a majority vote, with quorum.


Committee on Graduate and Postdoctoral Awards

Membership

Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) plus eight academic members each from different units in the Faculty of Arts and one graduate student. Two-year term.

Mandate

This committee assists the Associate Dean in ranking applicants for the Banting Award, selecting the winner of the Arts Dissertation Award, and selecting the winner of the Arts Teaching Assistant. At the discretion of the Associate Dean, the committee may be divided into subcommittees to perform these functions, provided that each subcommittee comprises no fewer than three members in addition to the Associate Dean, and all committee members participate in at least one subcommittee. In addition, the committee may also assist the Associate Dean in special projects related to graduate and postdoctoral studies.

Meetings

The committee (or subcommittees) will meet once per year to select the winner of Dissertation and TA Awards. The committee (or subcommittee) will also meet once to rank the Banting applications. Both of these meetings will take place in the spring or early summer; one or more additional meetings at other times of the year may be called as needed.


Committee on Research

Membership

Dean of Arts (ex officio); Associate Dean, Research (ex officio) as chair; at least four members of the tenured academic staff; Prizes and Awards Officer (ex officio as resource, voice without vote). Membership term is typically two years, renewable.

Mandate

The Faculty of Arts Committee on research meets in December to select nominees for internal and external chairs. Meets in March to select the winners of the Arts Distinction in Research Award and the H. Noel Fieldhouse Teaching Award. May be consulted or meet at other times to determine nominees for other internal or external awards.


Humanities and Social Sciences Library Advisory Committee

Membership

Associate Dean, Academic, Chair (ex officio)

The Humanities and Social Sciences Library Advisory Committee (HSSLAC) is made up of faculty members representing units in the Faculty of Arts as well as students representing the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) and the Post Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS).

The membership shall be for a two-year term and shall consist of: A minimum of six (6) representatives from departments, schools or units in Arts, of which at least two (2) are from Social Sciences and at least two (2) from Humanities; preferably Arts representatives are chosen from different departments, schools or units; one (1) Faculty of Education representative; one (1) Faculty of Management representative; two (2) PGSS representative, preferably chosen from different disciplines; two (2) AUS representatives (preferably one from Social Sciences and one from Humanities); one (1) Education Undergraduate Society representative; one (1) Management Undergraduate Society representative; and the Head of Liaison Services, Humanities and Social Sciences Library. There shall be a minimum of four (4) meetings per year.

Members are recommended by the Arts Nominating Committee and by their respective student societies and are appointed by the Faculty of Arts Council. The Chair of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library Advisory Committee has a seat on the .

Mandate

The Committee’s role is to advise the Administration of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library on policy matters relating to collections, services and specific user needs, and to consider questions under review by the Senate Committee on Libraries. Such matters may include:

  • hearing reports from the library in order to share with colleagues and to form subcommittees to work on special projects (such as conducting surveys of colleagues);
  • bringing awareness to colleagues regarding services provided by the library;
  • participating in the recruitment of professional staff as appropriate;
  • ensuring communication flows with units and acting as a forum for discussing concerns and issues related to academic libraries;
  • assisting in relationship-building with the units and the library;
  • serving as a contact for students and colleagues.

B.A.& Sc. Program Advisory Committee

Membership

  • Arts: Associate Dean and two Professors (appointed by the Faculty of Arts)
  • Science: Associate Dean, and two Professors (appointed by the Faculty of Science)
  • BA&Sc Program Director
  • Students: two students in the BARSCI degree (nominated by BASiC )
  • Chair of the committee rotate between Arts and Science on a yearly basis.

Arts Award of Excellence for Administrative and Support Staff

4 members (1 academic to be Chair, 1 'M' representative, 2 'C/T' representatives); 2 year term Senior HR advisor Arts (ex officio)

Mandate

To acknowledge outstanding performance and contribution by members of the Administrative and Support staff. The Award committee should be fully entrusted to make an appropriate judgment. It should assess all nominations fairly and equitably and consider the relative impact of a nominee's accomplishments within the context of the individual's classification. The Committee should award on the basis of truly outstanding performance and contribution to the Department, the Faculty and the University. The award should not be given if there are no strong candidates in a given year.


Faculty of Arts University Tenure Committee

Mandate

Per the Regulations Relating to the Employment of Tenure Track and Tenured Academic Staff:

7.22 The Dean of each faculty shall appoint one or more UTCs; the number of UTCs shall be decided upon by the Dean and shall be sufficient to deal with the year’s cohort of tenure candidates. Each UTC shall, in addition to the Dean, consist of five members.

7.22.1 Where the Dean of a faculty has appointed more than one UTC, the Dean, in consultation with the Secretary-General, shall decide which UTC shall consider the case of each candidate. However, all candidates from the same department shall be considered by the same UTC.

7.22.2 By May 15 of the year of tenure consideration, the Dean shall appoint the first two members of each UTC from a list of six tenured members of the faculty (the “faculty list”). The faculty shall determine the manner in which the members of the faculty list are selected. Membership of the faculty list shall be for a two-year renewable term.

7.22.3 No member of the UTC shall hold an appointment in the same department or departments as the candidate. In the Faculty of Arts, the members (UTC Faculty representative) are typically drawn from different departments.

Further information on UTC can be found in the Regulations.


Chairs and Directors' Meetings

The Dean, Associate Deans, and Chairs/Directors meet monthly.


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