Faculty Council Meeting - January 5, 2024: Deadline for Agenda Items: December 29 2023 at 4:30 pm

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL
MINUTES
Friday, December 8th, 2023

A meeting of the Faculty Council was held on Friday, December 8, 2023, at 10:00 am via Zoom.

Guest Speakers:    Ms. Jo Krisko:  Director, International Student Services
                               Ms. Sara Melvin - International Student Advisor, RISIA
J. Krisko shared a PowerPoint presentation outlining the structure of Lakehead International as well as a list of people who work there and what each is responsible for.  The discussion after raised the following points:
•    Students arriving with family are supported as well through LU International; includes daycare, housing, health coverage and food security, to mention a few.
•    Concern was expressed with regard to the new monetary regulations for international students which come into effect in 2024.  This may impact the number of international students who apply.
•    Some students were experiencing delays in receiving their SIN.  Contact S. Melvin for assistance.
•    Late withdrawals could move some students from full time to part time which may have an impact on numbers.
•    LU International does work with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
•    It was stated that there was not a lot of funding for graduate students and to contact Graduate Studies to find out what is available.
A copy of the presentation can be accessed here.

1.
Approval of Agenda
It was moved by C. Sanders and seconded by J Jarman that the agenda be approved.
        Carried.

2.
Approval of Minutes
Approval of the minutes from November 10, 2023.  (A. Guttman and seconded by M. Stevenson)
The minutes were accepted as presented.
        
3.
Business Arising from the Minutes
i)  Special Requests for Student Overload
    G. Bonifacio stated that the requests shall be approved by the Chair subject to an average of 70% and
    limited to 0.5 FCE per term.  Also, the request should include the student’s current overload.  This will make the approval faster so students can register for their courses.  Only those approved by the Chair will be forwarded on to the Dean for approval.

4.
Calendar Changes
    i)  History
    It was moved by M. Stevenson and seconded by C. Sanders that the following calendar change request
    for History be approved.
    2023-SOC-8445:  Course-Discontinuance-GR--History--HIST 5761
        Carried.

    ii)  Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism
    It was moved by L. Potvin and seconded by J. Jarman that the following calendar change requests for
    Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism be approved.
    2023-SOC-8229:  Discontinued Courses ORPT
    2023-SOC-8230:  New Courses ORPT
    2023-SOC-8231:  Course Changes ORPT
        Carried.

    iii) Political Science
    This calendar change request was deferred to the Faculty Council meeting in January 2024 as there was
    no one present to speak to it.
    2013-SOC-8436:  Discontinue Courses

    iv)  Sociology
    2023-SOC-8429:  Discontinue Course
    It was moved by C. Sanders and seconded by A. den Otter that the following calendar change request for
    Sociology be approved.
        Carried.

5.1
Department/School Requests.
There were no requests at this time.

5.2
Department/School Reports.
i)  Interdisciplinary Studies
J. Jarman stated that D. Akca will be holding a presentation based on the increase in hate crimes due to the war in Palestine.
J. Jarman announced that there will be a follow up webinar based on the book entitled, “Framing the Holocaust:  Photographs of a Mass Shooting in Latvia, 1941” edited by V. Hebért.  This event is co-organized by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Lakehead University’s Departments of History and Interdisciplinary Studies.

ii)  Music
A. Carastathis announced that there were several concerts scheduled for December:
Vocal Ensemble, 8:00 pm, December 4, Trinity United Church
Winter Recital (organized by music students), 12:30 pm, December 5, Jean McNulty Recital Hall
Wind Ensemble, 7:00 pm, December 5, Jean McNulty Recital Hall
New Music Ensemble, 7:00 pm, December 6, Jean McNulty Recital Hall
A student group also made visits to various schools in Thunder Bay to hold holiday sing-alongs.

6.
    Dean’s Report.

December 8, 2023.
G. Bonifacio shared a PowerPoint presentation which included the following points:
•    There is no more carry forward or SEM funds available.  
•    SS&H must optimize courses as resources continue to get smaller.
•    Propose course planning for two years (2024-2026) and reduce the number of courses that are 1 FCE.
•    Continue to work on areas of recruitment and retention, both on the domestic and international levels.
•    Flexible program opportunities:  academic and non-academic.
•    Proposal for a School of Social Justice Studies.
•    Proposal for a Ph.D. in Global Studies (International Universities Consortium)
•    Possibility of new research chairs in Orillia and Thunder Bay as well as a new research institute in Orillia
•    Proposal of a SSH Fulbright Scholar.
•    Revitalize both the Centre for Northern Studies and the Lakehead Social History Institute.
•    IPA enrollment data from 2017 to 2021 was shared.  It was decided to invite H. Murchison to a Faculty Council meeting to answer questions RE:  FTE/FCE ratio.

7.
Other Business.
None.

8.
Next Faculty Council Meeting:  
The next Faculty Council Meeting will be on January 5, 2024, at 10:00 am via Zoom.  

9.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 12:02 pm.  

ATTENDANCE
 Thunder Bay Campus
K. Burnett
A. Carastathis
A. Guttman
D. Ivison
J. Liu
R. Maundrell
L. Potvin
C. Sanders
S. Shahsahabi
S. Jacoba
G. Bonifacio
T. Puddephatt
J. Sanchez Martinez
B. Parker
S. Viitala - recording

Orillia Campus
P. Das
A. den Otter
D. Mackinnon
J. Jarman
M. Stevenson

Regrets:
L. Chambers
B. Vernier
R. Warburton