Faculty Council Meeting - Friday, April 24, 2020 - Deadline for Agenda Items - April 17 - Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES COUNCIL

MINUTES
Friday, March 13th, 2020
 
A meeting of the Faculty Council was held on Friday, March 13th, 2020 at 10:00 am in ATAC Board Room 5036 / Orillia 3007 – Teleconference/PolyCom/videoconferencing.

Guest Speaker:
Dr. D. Barnett, Provost and Vice-President (Academic), spoke to Faculty Council regarding SEM.  He also thanked faculty members for their hard work and dedication to the university and especially to the students. Discussion followed on topics such as spring/summer courses; challenges with technology; accommodation for faculty; Co-vid 19 update; and upcoming events.

1.
Approval of Agenda
 It was moved by J. Roth and seconded by A. Saulnier that the agenda be approved.
        Carried.

2.
Approval of Minutes
Approval of the minutes from February 14th, 2020.
        The minutes were reviewed and accepted.
        
3.
Business Arising from the Minutes
None.

4.
Dean’s Report
Friday, March 13th, 2020

1.    Convert students (I will get some lists and post cards—but maybe we will put off the pizza party.)
2.    Roll out around employee engagement survey. Send this to all and have some listening groups. Faculty staff and mixed. (when things settle down. . . . )
3.    Budget meeting (as soon as I have a budget I will involve those interested.)
4.    Dean of Law school.
.    If you have 4th year level courses you would like on the law students’ elective list, please send those to me.
.    If you have or could have 4th year level courses in things like: Law and pop culture, Law and film, Law and culture, Philosophy of law, Indigenous governance and would like to cross list for law students, the Faculty is interested. Please send me any courses already on the books that could be taught to these topics, if you are interested.  
.    We would like an end of term meeting with any chairs who would like to work on an interdisciplinary pre-law program and any advisors who would like to learn about helping our students prepare for LSAT.
5.    Covid-19.   
.    If people need to be home with kids, have sick or immune compromised folks in their house, etc., we must go through OHRE and request an accommodation. It will be granted. But please do not go online (or cancel courses) as a rogue actor. (This point is moot only an hour after meeting).
.    Be prepared to go on line. I hope we get news soon.  If you need help going on line, I have suggested some folks who might help the teaching commons. (WE are now online.)
.    Be prepared to deliver your final electronically.  
.    Be sure to NOT come to work if you are sick.  WE must insist that all faculty, staff, and students stay home if sick: fever, sore throat, cough. We are working on a “self-declare” doctors note for students, but consider just letting folks stay home if stick.
.    If faculty, staff, live with folks who are high risk, or are high risk themselves, please support work from home. Do let Sue and me know, but that is informational only, so that we know where people are.
6.    Good news.  We have received permission for several hires.

5.
Assistant Deans’ Report
J. Roth:  Assistant Dean’s Report - Thunder Bay Campus
The retention data will be rolling out soon for review.

L. Fiddick:  Assistant Dean’s Report from Orillia
Continuing to advise students.

Calendar Changes
No calendar changes were submitted.

7.
Departmental/School Reports
i)  Political Science
It was moved by T. Rollo and seconded by L. Chambers that Mr. Adam Schenk be appointed as External Adjunct Professor for the Department of Political Science.
    Carried.

8.
Other Business
i)  Selection of Nomination Committee for the Election of Chair and Vice-Chair – Faculty Council

The Nomination Committee was struck with the following faculty members volunteering:
J. Roth  - Committee Chair – Women’s Studies
A. den Otter – Interdisciplinary Studies/English
T. Puddephatt – Sociology
Elections will be held at the next council meeting on Friday, April 24, 2020.
9.
Next Faculty Council Meeting:  TBA (May).
10.
Adjournment
 The meeting was adjourned at 11:35 am.  

ATTENDANCE
Thunder Bay Campus
R. Maundrell
S. Jobbitt
D. Ivison
B. Birmingham
T. Puddephatt
J. Roth
M. Johnston
L. Chambers
K. Holmes
A. Carastathis
T. Rollo
B. Vernier
I. Lemée
K. Burnett
B. Parker

Orillia Campus
A. Saulnier
M. Stevenson
A. den Otter
L. Fiddick
J. Jarman
B. Visser
C. Lousley
R. McVeigh
S. Jeppesen

REGRETS
L. Forbes
G. Colton