YEARplan12
Department:
Science Caucus, SRA
Date Submitted:
October 19th 2012
Prepared by:
Spencer Graham
Date Revised:
Administered by:
David Campbell, VP Administration
Date Approved:
vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca or 905.525.9140 ex. 23250
The YEARplan is a way of getting down on paper what you and your caucus or
committee intend to accomplish over the course of your year. It will isolate the specific goals
that you wish to accomplish, and the objectives that need be achieved. It will give the rest of the
organization and students at large an understanding of the direction you wish to take with your
caucus or committee, and identify areas where support can be given. When completed, the
YEARplans will collectively reinforce the goals and visions of your department, and allow the
respective members to focus their attention on areas of importance within the MSU.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read over the YEARplan.
Complete your YEARplan in soft copy (on computer).
E-mail the first draft of the YEARplan to vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca by the due date.
The VP Administration will provide feedback on your YEARplan. Use this feedback to
revise your draft into a final plan.
5. E-mail the final draft of the YEARplan to vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca by the final due
date.
The final copy will be then be presented back to the Student Representative Assembly,
and posted online.
If for some reason you do not believe you can complete your YEARplan by the date
indicated, please contact the Vice-President Administration in order to arrange a suitable
extension (contact information above).
MISSION an overview
Our mission is:
1. To hold the university accountable for the education of science students and to listen to
our concerns for new educational possibilities including new innovation/entrepreneur
programs and interdisciplinary courses.
2. To convince the university to adopt the strategies proposed by the science caucus, and
work together with the MSU to make our ideas into a reality
3. To increase visibility of the SRA to science students through weekly attendance at MSS
meetings, more communication with MSS president, addition of SRA tab to MSS
website, and addressing students needs and concerns through MSS General meetings.
ROLES that individuals play
List all positions found within or in relation to your department including full-time and part time
staff, as well as one of a few general volunteer roles if applicable and how their role intersects
with yours.
1.
Name of Individual
Spencer Graham
2.
Maria Daniel
3.
Nabil Khaja
4.
Christine Ung
5.
Rodrigo Narro-Perez
6.
Aaron Morrow
7.
Huzaifa Saeed
8.
David Campbell
9.
Siobhan Stewart
Role(s)
Facilitation of meetings, preparing reports to SRA, keeping
members in regular contact with each other, communication
with BOD.
Input and collaboration at meetings, academic support to
students including drafting of helpful documents to students
and professors in the faculty
Input and collaboration at meetings, help with drafting
policies
Input and collaboration at meetings, acting as a liaison
between MSU and McMaster Science Society
Input and collaboration at meetings, acting as a liaison
between MSU and MSS
Input and collaboration at meetings, assisting caucus leader
with advocating to university and leading discussion at MSS
general meetings.
Assistance and guidance in educational policy drafting,
lobbying to university.
Being able to guide, assist in any and every way possible.
Drumming up support/ideas amongst the wide variety of
people involved in the MSU.
Being able to help make meetings with university officials
and attend these meetings to give our ideas an additional vote
of confidence.
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OBJECTIVES step by step
Objective 1
Description
Benefits
Institute TA Training in faculty
To advocate for the creation of TA workshops before the semester begins,
focusing on developing teaching and mentorship skills to Teaching Assistants.
The function of these small, group-based workshops is to ensure all teaching
assistants are fully equipped to lead effective classroom activities/discussions,
act as a role model and mentor to students, increase out of class
approachability, and foster better communication skills. Possible topics
include: Establishing approachability from the first class and beyond,
developing lesson plans, time management skills, importance of
communication with students, tips on facilitating discussion, importance of
establishing personal connections with students, responding to student
diversity, effective lab teaching, importance of grading consistency, and
preparing students properly for exams.
-
Difficulties
Long-term
-
-
How
Copy and paste to add more objectives if required
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More efficient tutorials, increased quality of learning in tutorials and
labs
Increase approachability to TAs so student feel comfortable using the
services of TAs better
Increasing mentorship opportunities for students
Resistance from faculty to change
Proper lobbying efforts must be undertaken to the right people
Budgetary issues
Passing idea through university senate
Issue of which organization/service will want to run these sessions
Graduate TAs vs. undergrad TAs – systems are run differently
Feasibility of faculty-wide training vs. university-wide training
Some TA training already exists
Have the MSU partner with training service/organization (e.g. CLL) to
improve this model as needed
Mandate the MSU VP Education to be involved in important decision
making and modification of this idea in future years.
Have University Affairs committee act as an overseer of this project
(on the end of the MSU) should it not be completed and instituted by
September 2013
Increased communication with School of Graduate Studies and
Associate VP Academic Peter Smith
Conduct research into other school’s training programs, particularly a
model developed and used at U of T.
Utilize the expertise of VP Education to advantage, in terms of
advocating, policy making, and connections.
Spread idea through faculty of science using help of MSS for
additional ideas, modifications, and support
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Partners
Objective 2
Description
Benefits
-
Use the support of the MSU as an advocacy tool to gain leverage and
legitimize the validity of student concerns
Conduct crucial meetings with faculty officials, presidents, deans, and
administration with aid of VP Ed/President/UA Commissioner
Try and incorporate into McMaster annual budget review in December,
through Peter Smith
University Affairs committee
MSU VP Education
MSU President
McMaster Science Society
Associate VP of Graduate Studies Allison Sekuler
Associate Dean of Science Doug Welch
Executive Director of Strategic Planning and Administration at School
of Grad Studies, Brooke Gordon
“Innovations Program” (Working title)
To offer students more hands-on learning opportunities and increase
McMaster’s reputation as an out-putter of students who are competitive in the
market. This would be through institution of new summer programs where
undergraduate students are given the chance to come up with innovative new
applications of their discipline in order to gain a unique learning experience
and provide the world with new ideas, practices, products, etc. Offering this
course/program over the summer allows students to focus on their project in
more detail and offers students a chance to take on a unique experience while
out of school. Ideas for project types include – in science, an example idea
could be: designing and building a new type of terrarium that parallels
ecological processes taking place on a macro-scale. In the humanities, new
contributions to the world of art include writing a novel, producing new types
of art form, or composing a musical piece. In social sciences, starting new
community projects based on social need, or starting a new municipal political
party and running in the next election. Students would work closely with
professors to discuss and develop ideas, find a niche in the marketplace (if
applicable), work on building models/prototypes, business strategies,
reflection on creation and learning. Of course, student assessment is not
limited in terms of scope, and depends largely on the type of project worked
on. Certain other Canadian schools have already undertaken projects of this
scope: see Ryerson’s Digital Media Zone, Waterloo’s Velocity, and Simon
Fraser’s Venture Connection programs.
-
Gives students a more enriched learning experience than typical lecture
& test style courses
Better prepares students for the world of work in terms of project
management, critical thinking and planning.
Particularly good products, ideas and proposals can be continued by
student post-graduation
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-
-
Difficulties
-
Long-term
-
How
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Partners
Objective 3
Description
-
Gives students who are not interested in primary research an
opportunity to gain important life-skills and work closely with
professors.
Enhance McMaster’s reputation as a producer of innovative, technical
and motivated students.
Could possibly lead to more grants/donations from provincial
government, corporations, and alumni.
Budgetary issues – would require extensive amount of funding that
may not be available to us at this time
Large scale project that would require input from many different
campus departments and services
Popularity of program concerns
Finding professors who are not only willing to take on this important
and time-demanding role, but who are also capable of advising,
mentoring and being there not only as an academic resource but also
form important personal connections with students to encourage
growth and success
VP Education and VP Administration would play crucial role in
advocating to the system and modifying as necessary.
Possible creation of MSU committee designed
Conduct research into how this idea was structured at other schools and
modify to fit the needs of McMaster
Spread idea through faculty of science using help of MSS for
additional ideas, modifications, and support
Creation of Ad-Hoc committee on creation of this idea
Creation of MSU policy to use as legitimization of this idea and show
increased student support.
Use and parallel “Forward with Integrity” letter to aid in advocating to
university officials who may be resistant to change
Incorporate idea into December 2012 university budget proposal
MSU VP Education
MSU VP Administration
MSU President
Deans of faculties
Professors
University officials (such as President Patrick Deane)
Interdisciplinary Science Courses
To offer courses to students that go beyond the traditional boundaries of
science education, in order to connect scientific principles, issues and ideas to
other disciplines and art forms. Possible courses include: Applying science
into business (“Selling” Science); scientific writing for the masses;
incorporation of scientific thought/reasoning/principles into government and
company policy; practicing law in the scope of current scientific issues such as
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abortion, euthanasia, energy policy; incorporating science into different media
forms including online video, company branding, social media, aesthetics, etc.
Benefits
-
Difficulties
-
Long-term
How
-
Partners
Objective 4
Description
-
Integration of knowledge and skills in the dynamic and multifaceted
workplace
Allowing students to explore their interests and abilities within science
Develop critical and unconventional thinking, focusing on intellectual
maturation and cognitive development
Encouraging students to recognize diversity in styles of spoken and
written forms of communication between disciplines
Investigating pressing world challenges such as pandemics, water
politics, global warming, famine, etc.
Finding professors who are educated enough and comfortable teaching
interdisciplinary courses
Convincing the faculty that students want these courses and will sign
up for them if offered
Budgetary issues
Role of future science caucuses to follow up in subsequent years and
propose modifications
Research into benefits of interdisciplinary course offerings
Spread idea through faculty of science using help of MSS for
additional ideas, modifications, and support
Use VP Education’s help to draft policy to SRA for approval
Use MSU as leverage to convince university that students are
demanding these types of courses
Hold meetings with department chairs, Deans, and other faculty
officials (Associate Dean of Science)
MSU VP Education
MSU President
McMaster Science Society
Various professors
University Affairs Committee
Department heads
Faculty of Science heads
University president Patrick Deane
Partnership with MSS
To increase connections between MSU and McMaster Science Society for the
benefit of students. Also, to add an SRA tab to the MSS website where
viewers can:
View updates about what tasks and goals the science caucus is working
on - Locate contact information for caucus members so students can bring up
questions, concerns or information to the SRA
Learn more about involvement opportunities that are science-specific,
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including those within and beyond the MSU.
Benefits
Difficulties
Long-term
How
-
- Making attendance at MSS meetings for future science caucuses.
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Partners
Increased MSU visibility and outreach
Having a voice of the MSU on our faculty society
Sharing of ideas, concerns to each other
Using MSS to share ideas with science students through word of mouth
(executive members), website, and regular general assembly meetings
with large-scale attendance.
-
Attending weekly MSS meetings (Spencer, Rodrigo, Christine)
Collaboration with MSS Website webmaster Alexander Young to get
SRA tab onto MSS site
Speaking on behalf of the MSU at MSS general assemblies
Caucus members
MSS president and executive council
GOALS to strive for
List 3 things you would like to have completed during the fall term (1st)
1) Holding meetings with faculty deans and department chairs, possibly discussing budgetary
and administrative concerns.
2) Sitting down with School of Graduate Studies to discuss what TA training programs already
exist and how we can enhance/modify them.
3) Have SRA tab incorporated onto MSS site
List 3 things you would like to have completed during the winter term (2nd)
1) Have meetings with Patrick Deane regarding the vision of his “Forward with Integrity” paper
and how the SRA Science’s educational visions align with his proposals
2) Developing a framework for TA training workshops with School of Grad studies and
undergraduate TA bodies
3) Discussion with university on how we can institute the new interdisciplinary courses and
innovation program.
4) Make an entertaining and informative Vlog for students to see what we’re up to.
If you could jump to the end of your term and were asked to tell someone the highlights of what
your caucus or committee did over the course of the year, what would that include?
-
Got the SRA onto the MSS website
Guided and helped develop new TA training workshop modules for Sept. 2013
Instituted alternative and innovative education such as Interdisciplinary courses and
innovation program offered for Sept 2013 and Summer 2014, respectively.
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MASTER SUMMARY calendar and checklist
Summer
(preparation)
September
- Research into things we can put on SRA tab on MSS website
- Bonding within our caucus
- Setting time for meetings
- Holding initial caucus meetings
- Defining goals
October
- Research into new educational goals – what works, what might not
work, the benefits to students
- Delegating specific tasks to individuals on caucus
- Discuss new educational ideas with constituents at MSS general
meeting
- Initial discussions with university officials on purpose, feasibility and
budgetary concerns of these ideas (TA training, interdisciplinary courses,
innovations program)
- Incorporate science tab onto MSS site
November
December
- Drafting policy proposals for MSU to support
January
- Passing advocacy policies through SRA for MSU support
February
- Meetings with university officials, where we try to convince them to
consider our ideas and adopt policies and strategies of their own, with
help from MSU.
March
- Meetings with university officials, where we try to convince them to
consider our ideas and adopt policies and strategies of their own, with
help from MSU.
April
- Final meetings; hopefully succeeding in convincing university to offer
these programs, courses and TA workshops to students
Weekly
- Weekly caucus meeting on Sundays at 5:30 pm
- Weekly MSS meetings on Mondays at 7:30 pm
- Any work that needs to be done at that particular time
- Attending necessary meetings outside the sphere of MSU
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COLLABORATION with MSU Services
[Please provide at least one example of where your caucus or committee might collaborate with
another MSU Service. Make sure to specify which MSU Service the example is relevant to, how
the project or idea is better supported by collaboration between departments of the organization
and what each partner can gain from collaborating on the project or idea.]
- Collaboration with Teaching Awards Committee – use
TAC to connect with professors who are outstanding
teachers, and possibly approach/hold meetings to
determine whether interdisciplinary courses are something
that either A) they would be willing to consider teaching, or
B) if they know other professors who may be interested.
FINAL COMMENTS leave nothing out
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Our ideas are ambitious, but I plan on following them through to the best of our
abilities, not be frustrated by setbacks, and using the BOD and other SRA
members for guidance and assistance throughout the entire process.
David – let me know if you’d like additional information or have any ideas that
could help us in succeeding!
Boo-yah.
- Spencer
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