Council Matters
JANUARY 2015
The20thyearofourrepresentativeCouncilisatimeforreflectionontheroleofCouncilwithin
ouruniversity’stri‐cameralgovernancestructure.Itismyfirmbeliefthatacademicgovernance
attheUniversityofSaskatchewanhasmaturedoverthepast19yearsasourinstitutionhas
becomemorecomplex;however,Councilhasalwaysworked,andcontinuestoworkunderthree
majorprinciples:
 First,Councilhasalwaysenjoyedacademicfreedominthepast,andwecontinueto
valueit;
 Second,Councilisacollegialself‐governingbodyandwehaveresponsibilitiesto
governourselvesaccordingly;
 Third,Councilistheuniversity’sacademicgovernancebodywhereacademicmatters
areconsideredanddecisionsaremade.
IampleasedtoreportonbehalfofCouncilonthosedecisionsanditems,whichengagedCouncil
fromOctoberthruDecember,andthosewhichwillbepresentedattheupcomingCouncil
meetingsonJanuary22ndandFebruary26th.Councilagendasarepostedat:
http://www.usask.ca/secretariat/governing‐bodies/council/agendas.php
UPCOMING JANUARY COUNCIL ITEMS
 AdraftArticulationandTransferCreditPolicy;
 NewcertificateprogramsatthegraduateandundergraduatelevelinOneHealth,
PracticalandAppliedArts,andSocialEconomyandCo‐operatives;
 Universitypartnershipswithinternationalagencies;
 ChangestoCouncilcommitteememberandchairtermstofacilitaterenewalthrough
membershipturnover.
UPCOMING FEBRUARY COUNCIL ITEMS
 Areportfromthevice‐presidentfinanceandresourcesinresponsetothemotioncarried
unanimouslybyCounciltoprovideinformationon:
 theoriginofthepreviouslyprojected$44.5Mdeficit;
 thepresentactualdeficitsaswellasfutureprojecteddeficits,
 howandwhythe$44.5millionprojecteddeficitwasadjustedtoreflectthe
presentandfutureprojecteddeficits.
ITEMS APPROVED AT THE OCTOBER THROUGH DECEMBER COUNCIL
MEETINGS
University council bylaw amendments
 PartOne,s.II,clarificationofelectionprocessesregardingfacultymembers,voting
andvacancies;
 InternationalActivitiesCommitteetermsofreferencetorefocusthemandateofthe
committee;
 CollegeofLawFacultyCouncilmembership–additionofagraduatestudent
NOMINATIONS – SEARCH COMMITTEE FOR THE PRESIDENT,
University Review Committee, RENEWALS AND TENURE APPEAL
COMMITTEE
Thenominationscommitteesubmittednominationsto:
 thesearchcommitteeforthepresident;
 vacanciesontheuniversityreviewcommittee,planningandprioritiescommittee,
andthescholarshipsandawardscommittee;
 thesearchcommitteesforthedeanofLawanddean,EdwardsSchoolofBusiness;and
 nomineestothenewrenewalsandtenureappealcommittee,mandatedunderthe
2014‐17USFAcollectiveagreement.
Inresponsetonominationsfromthefloor,electionswereheldtonametheGAA
membersservingonthesearchcommitteeforthepresidentandtotheuniversity
reviewcommittee.
Academic programs
 ApprovalofCertificateofProficiencyinClassicalandMedievalLatin
 DeletionofB.Sc.inEngineering–BiologicalEngineering
Other business
 Vice‐presidentresearchreport;
 Enrolmentreport;
 DepartmentofReligionandCulturerenamedtoDepartmentofLinguisticsandReligious
Studies;
 Newresearchchairs:theCanadianCanolaGrowersAssociationAgriculturalPolicyChair
andtheCo‐operativeRetailingSystemChairinCo‐operativeGovernance.
Councilisthegoverningbodyresponsibleforallthingsacademic,anditreliesonthecollegial
modelofacademicself‐governancetodoitsbusiness.Thatmeansthatyou,asamemberofthe
GeneralAcademicAssembly,haveanopportunitytoinfluencetheacademicdirectionofthe
institution,bothbyelectingmembersofyourcollegetoCouncil,andbyconsideringlettingyour
namestandforelectiontoCounciloroneofitscommittees.Moreinformationcanbefoundon
ourwebsiteatwww.usask.ca/secretariat/governing‐bodies/council/index.php.Questionscanbe
directedtouniversity.secretary@usask.ca.
CouncilmeetsonceamonthfromSeptembertoJune.Meetingsareopentoall,andwehopeyou
willfeelwelcometojoinusandtowatchyourCouncilinaction.
RemainingmeetingsofUniversityCouncilinthewinterterm
January22,2015
February26,2015
March19,2015
AllmeetingsareonThursdaysinNeatby‐TimlinTheatre,Arts241,at2:30p.m.
OnbehalfofCouncilanditscommitteesandoftheCouncilsecretariat,Iwishallofyoua
rewardingsecondtermandlookforwardtoseeingyouatCouncil.
JayKalra,Chair,UniversityCouncil