The terms of reference for the Academic Programs Committee were revised in 2007 when
Council approved the elimination of the Budget Committee and related transfers of responsibilities to the
Planning & Priorities Committee and to the Academic Programs Committee. The primary change for
APC is that the Committee now has responsibility for review of all aspects of academic program proposals, including resources, budget, and assessment of program quality. The Committee’s revised terms of reference are as follows:
1) Recommending to Council policies and procedures related to academic programs and sustaining program quality.
2) Recommending to Council on new programs, major program revisions and program deletions, including their budgetary implications.
3) Approving minor program changes, including additions of new courses and revisions to or deletions of existing courses and reporting them to Council.
4) Reporting to Council processes and outcomes of academic program review, following consultation with Planning and Priorities and other Council committees as appropriate.
5) Undertaking the academic and budgetary review of proposals for the establishment, disestablishment or amalgamation of any college, school, department or any unit responsible for the administration of an academic program and forwarding recommendations to the Planning and
Priorities Committee.
6) Undertaking the academic and budgetary review of the proposed or continuing affiliation or federation of other institutions with the University and forwarding recommendations to the
Planning and Priorities Committee.
7) Reporting to Council on the academic implications of quotas and admission standards.
8) Approving the annual academic schedule and reporting the schedule to Council for information and recommending to Council substantive changes in policy governing dates for the academic sessions.
9) Approving minor changes (such as wording and renumbering) to rules governing examinations and reviewing and recommending to Council substantive changes.
10) Recommending to Council classifications and conventions for instructional programs.
The Academic Programs Committee of Council held 15 meetings this year (compared to 17 last year.) The Committee has dealt with 35 proposals for new programs, program revisions and policy revisions this year (compared to 20 last year.)
Curricular Changes
Council’s curricular approval process. As indicated in the Terms of Reference, the Academic
Programs Committee has responsibility for oversight of curricular changes at the University of
Saskatchewan. Before 1995, the U of S system required that every change, even so much as a course title, had to be approved by a university-level committee. The resulting complexity and gridlock were disincentives for curricular renewal. Approval authority has been devolved so that colleges are now in substantial control of their own curriculum.
University-level approval procedures now focus on major curricular changes or changes which may affect the students or programs in other colleges. Many curricular changes can be approved quickly and, for the most part, automatically through the Course Challenge. This allows the Academic Programs
Committee to focus on the major curricular innovations and improvements which colleges propose. The
Committee also deals with wider academic and curricular policy issues, and acts as a reference and approval body for various academic policies and policy exemptions for the Student and Enrolment
Services Division.

New programs, major program revisions, and program terminations. The Academic Programs
Committee reviews major curricular innovations and improvements and makes recommendations to
Council regarding approval. The Academic Programs Committee has also been delegated the authority to approve several types of program changes from colleges, including new Options and Minors in new fields of specialization. This improves Council’s ability to handle these types of program changes more quickly and efficiently, while still maintaining a university-level review of the changes to maintain quality and resolve any conflicts with other colleges.
The following proposals were dealt with by APC this year:
Ag & Bioresources
Deletion of the Program Option in Cooperative Education
Reinstatement of majors in Crop Science, Horticulture, and Applied Plant Ecology and minors in
Applied Plant Ecology, and Rangeland Resources; deletion of Plant Science major
Cross-college minor in Toxicology
Arts & Science
Changing BSc requirements to encourage multi-disciplinary study, including deletion of
Advanced and Honours Certificates in Science
BSc Four-year and Honours in Psychology
Deletion of Classical and Near Eastern Studies field of specialization in BA programs
BA Four-year and Honours in Community Planning & Native Studies
Change of Program Name to major in Microbiology and Immunology
Bachelor of Arts & Science Four-year and Honours in Environment and Society
BA Three-year and Four-year in Modern Languages, and deletion of the BA Three-year in
German, Russian and Spanish, BA Four-year and Honours in Comparative Literature &
Languages, and BA Four-year and Honours in Linguistics & Languages.
Edwards School of Business
Deletion of Biotechnology Management major
Change of Program name to major in Human Resources
Aboriginal Business Administration Certificate and International Business Administration
Certificate
Graduate Studies & Research
Master of Public Policy and PhD in Public Policy
Deletion of Plant Science field of specialization in Master of Agriculture and Post Graduate
Diploma programs
Master of Science and PhD in Biostatistics
Master of Arts in Anthropology
Post Graduate Degree Specialization Certificate: Nurse Practitioner
Course-based Option in Master of Education Educational Psychology & Special Education
Medicine
Draft proposals for Masters programs in Occupational Therapy and Speech Language Pathology
Deletion of BSc in Physical Therapy
Nursing
Deletion of post-registration BSN
Pharmacy & Nutrition
Cross-college minor in Food Science
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Cross-college minor in Nutrition
Review of the following proposals will continue in September, 2009
Graduate Studies & Research
PhD in Epidemiology
Proposal documentation and information about approval status are posted on the APC website www.usask.ca/university_secretary/council/committees/academic_programs/reports.php
University Course Challenge. The University Course Challenge is a process mandated by University
Council which allows for efficient but collegial review and approval of curricular revisions. University
Course Challenge documents are posted on the UCC website at www.usask.ca/university_secretary/council/committees/academic_programs/course_challenge.php
Since May 2008, a total of 15 Course Challenge documents have been posted (compared to 16 posted the previous year) These included new courses, prerequisite changes, course deletions and program revisions for programs in Agriculture & Bioresources, Arts & Science, Education, Edwards School of Business,
Engineering, Dentistry, Graduate Studies & Research, Law, Medicine and Nursing.
This year, a large number of prerequisite revisions to clarify or modify course prerequisites were posted on the University Course Challenge due to the introduction of automatic prerequisite checking on registrations.
One proposed curricular change regarding use of an equivalent course for admission purposes was challenged this year and the challenge was resolved through agreement by the Provost.
Other curricular changes: Council has delegated authority for approval of many other curricular changes, such as course titles and descriptions, to colleges. In some cases, such as changes of course labels, this should be done in consultation with SESD. Changes of this type which affect the Calendar listings of other colleges can be posted for information in a course challenge posting. This year, admission procedure changes for Medicine and for Dentistry were posted for information in the Course
Challenge.
Council has delegated the authority to approve changes to non-university-level programs, such as certificates of successful completion and certificates of attendance, to the appropriate Dean and/or the
Provost. This year, the following new certificate was approved by the Provost:
Edwards School of Business
Executive Business Administration Certificate
The Approval Authority chart is located at www.usask.ca/university_council/acad_prog/reports/changes_chart.shtml
Proposal forms, examples, and other information about approval procedures are available on the
Committee’s website at www.usask.ca/university_council/acad_prog/procedures.shtml
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Policies and Procedures
There are a number of areas of Council policy and procedures which are reviewed on a regular basis by the Academic Programs Committee. These include issues around implementation of the enrolment plan, exam regulations, admission policies and procedures, and other areas of interest to students and faculty.
This year, the Academic Programs Committee dealt with the following policy issues:
Student Enrolment and Services Division
Revisions to Examination Regulations and development of the Academic Courses Policy draft
Policy for timing of Spring Convocation
Admission regulations: Proposal to use SAT scores from US high schools
Admission regulations: Revision in English proficiency requirements
Nursing
Admission regulations: increase English proficiency requirements
Education
Admission regulations: ending of the Saskatchewan First admissions preference
In addition, the APC assisted SESD in hosting a workshop aimed at increasing Articulation and Transfer
Agreements between Colleges at the University of Saskatchewan and other advanced education institutions in Saskatchewan.
Academic schedule
The Committee reviewed and approved the 2009-10 Academic Schedule and change in date for Fall, 2009
Convocation. This was reported to the January, 2009 meeting of Council.
Policy exemptions
In specific situations and based on academic rationale, the Academic Programs Committee can permit colleges to implement curricular changes which are contrary to overall policies. This year, the following exemptions were approved:
Arts & Science
Permission to offer Specializations in BSc programs
Third offering of NS 298.3 Special Topics Aboriginal Health and Healing
Use of numeric identification for St. Thomas More sections
Medicine
Double-listing of BIOL 224/BMSC 224
Changes to Committee procedures
The Committee approved changes to the Committee’s proposal forms, to add descriptions of expected outcomes for courses and for programs, and to ask that when courses are listed in proposals that their titles be used as well as the course labels.
The Committee has discussed the university’s intentions for program assessment procedures with
Assistant Provost Pauline Melis and the APC chair will be a member of the Assessment Policy and
Directions Committee. It is expected that this committee and/or APC will be involved with developing the review process, reviewing assessments, determining appropriate standards and determining schedules for reviews.
Members of the Academic Programs Committee
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Council Members (5)
Mik Bickis
Sheila Carr-Stewart
Jo-Anne Dillon
Gordon Hill (CHAIR)
Mathematics & Statistics
Educational Administration
Arts & Science
Chemical Engineering
Greg Wurzer Library
General Academic Assembly Members (6)
Michel Desautels
Derek Peak
Physiology
Soil Science
Len Proctor
Peta Bonham-Smith
Fred Remillard
Sessional Lecturer
Curriculum Studies
Biology
Pharmacy & Nutrition
Elaine Hulse Religion & Culture/Curriculum Studies/ and
Leslie Ehrlich Sociology
Undergraduate Student Member
Brea Lowenberger/Daniel McCullough USSU VP Academic
2011
2011
2011
2009
2010
2010
2011
2011
2011
2009
2009
Graduate Student Member
Xiaodong (Daniel) Zhang/ Devin Ens GSA VP Academic
Ex Officio (voting)
Ernie Barber [Provost designate] Vice-Provost, Teaching & Learning
Kelly McInnes / Janelle Hutchinson Registrar
Ex Officio (Non-voting)
Marion Van Impe
Resource Personnel
Kyla Shea
[VP Finance designate] Director, Student Accounts & Treasury
Dale Amerud
Administrative Support
[Assistant Provost designate] Strategic Planning & Projects Officer
[Budget Director designate] Financial Analyst
Cathie Fornssler (Secretary) Committee Coordinator, Office of the University Secretary
I wish to thank Committee members for their willingness to undertake detailed and comprehensive reviews of program proposals. Their commitment to excellence and high standards resulted in improved programs for the University of Saskatchewan. In particular, I am grateful to Greg Wurzer and Michel
Desautels who acted as vice-chairs of the Committee this year; and especially to Cathie Fornssler for yet another year of excellent support and wise advice from her many years of dealing with University academic issues.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Committee,
Gordon Hill, Chair
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