AGENDA ITEM NO: 14.1
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL
TEACHING, LEARNING AND ACADEMIC RESOURCES COMMITTEE
FOR INFORMATION ONLY
PRESENTED BY:
Aaron Phoenix, Chair, Teaching and Learning Committee of Council
DATE OF MEETING:
19 June 2014
SUBJECT:
Teaching, Learning and Academic Resources Committee
Annual Report
COUNCIL ACTION:
For Discussion Only
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
TEACHING, LEARNING AND ACADEMIC RESOURCES COMMITTEE OF
COUNCIL
2013-14
At its April 2013 meeting, University Council approved the disestablishment of the Teaching
and Learning Committee and the Academic Support Committee and the establishment of the
Teaching, Learning and Academic Resources Committee.
The Teaching, Learning and Academic Resources Committee met eleven times over the past
year.
Terms of Reference
1) Commissioning, receiving and reviewing scholarship and reports related to teaching,
learning and academic resources, with a view to supporting the delivery of academic
programs and services at the University of Saskatchewan.
2) Making recommendations to Council and the Planning and Priorities committee on
policies, activities and priorities to enhance the effectiveness, evaluation and scholarship
of teaching, learning and academic resources at the University of Saskatchewan.
3) Promoting student, instructor and institutional commitments and responsibilities, as set
out in the University of Saskatchewan Learning Charter and as reflected in the priority
areas of the University of Saskatchewan Integrated Plans.
4) Designating individuals to act as representatives of the committee on any other bodies
where such representation is deemed by the committee to be beneficial.
5) Carrying out all the above in the spirit of a philosophy of equitable participation and an
appreciation of the contributions of all people, with particular attention to rigorous and
supportive programs for Aboriginal student success, engagement with Aboriginal
communities, inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and experience in curricular offerings,
and intercultural engagement among faculty, staff and students.
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Membership (as of June 19, 2014)
Council members
Bev Brenna
Kathleen James-Caven
Deborah Lee
Dwight Makaroff
(Chair) Aaron Phoenix
Curriculum Studies
English
Library
Computer Science
Chemical and Biological Engineering
2016
2015
2015
2014
2015
General Academic Assembly Members
Sandra Bassendowski
Nursing
Marcel D’Eon
Community Health and Epidemiology
Trisha Dowling
Veterinary Biomedical Sciences
John Kleefeld
Law
Alison Muri
English
Jay Wilson (vice-chair)
Curriculum Studies
2014
2016
2015
2013
2016
2014
Sessional Lecturer
Leslie Ehrlich
2013
Other members
Undergraduate Student Member
Graduate Student Member
Patti McDougall
Mark Roman
Ken Ladd
Bob Cram
Jim Greer
Administrative Support
Sociology
Jordan Sherbino / Desireé Steele, VP Academic USSU
Izabela Vlahu / Ranjan Datta, VP Academic GSA
Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning
CIO and Associate Vice-President ICT
A/ Dean, University Library
Executive Director, Centre for Continuing and Distance
Education
Director, University Learning Centre and Gwenna Moss
Centre for Teaching Effectiveness
Cathie Fornssler / Alex Beldan, Committee Coordinator
Associate members
Associate members are administrative and technical staff with valuable expertise and experience,
who receive committee agendas and can attend TLARC meetings on request or at their initiative.
Aboriginal engagement
Candace Wasacase-Lafferty, Director, First Nations and Metis Engagement, English River
ULC/ GMCTE:
Director, Centre for Discovery in Learning
Frank Bulk, Acting Director, University Learning Centre
Nancy Turner, Program Director, GMCTE
Technology/ space:
Bryan Bilokreli, Director, Space Planning, VP Finance and Resources
Ron Cruikshank, FMD
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Glenn Hollinger, Director of Client Services, ICT
Director, eMAP
Financial:
Kelly Bendig, Audit Services
Student services:
Maxine Kinakin, Disability Services for Students
University Services:
Brenna Lozinsky, Copyright Coordinator
Issues and discussions
Working groups
At its October 9th, 2013 meeting, the committee identified four general priorities for
committee development, and formed four working groups to address these priorities. These
working groups are:
1. Teaching/ Research Nexus
The working group was tasked with reviewing university policies and practices within the
context of teaching, learning and academic resources and recommending appropriate policy
changes and strategies to support the enhancement of teaching and learning within the
teaching/ research mandate of the University of Saskatchewan. The members who
volunteered for the working group were Marcel D’Eon, Leslie Ehrlich, John Kleefeld, Jim
Greer, Aaron Phoenix, and Nancy Turner.
2. Aboriginal Engagement
The working group was tasked with reviewing university policies and strategies within the
context of teaching, learning and academic resources and recommending appropriate
changes to the set of university policies and strategies so that they are supportive of
aboriginal success and engagement. This working group was informed by and worked with
the other groups and individuals on campus tasked with enhancing and developing aboriginal
initiatives. The members who volunteered for the working group were Deborah Lee, Jim
Greer, Patti McDougall, Jordan Sherbino, Candace Wasacase-Lafferty, and Nancy Turner.
3. Learning Charter Implementation
The working group was tasked with reviewing university policies and practices within the
context of teaching, learning and academic resources and recommending appropriate
changes to the set of university policies and practices so that they best reflect the principles,
and promote the implementation of, the Learning Charter. The working group was also
tasked with making recommendations for promoting and celebrating the Learning Charter
and its implementation. The members who volunteered for the working group were Bev
Brenna, Patti McDougall, Aaron Phoenix, Bob Cram, Jay Wilson, Jim Greer, and Nancy
Turner.
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4. Evaluation of Teaching
Following work begun in 2013 by the Teaching and Learning Committee, the working group
was tasked with considering whether and what policy is required to help govern studentbased evaluations of teaching. In addition, consideration was given to establishing a set of
procedures to guide operational as well as strategic directions with regard to student-based
evaluations of teaching. TLARC supported a recommendation by the working group to move
ahead with a notice of intent regarding the development of policy. Finally, the working group
was given the task of planning for a review of the current evaluation instrument (SEEQ) and
companion framework that supports the instrument. The members who volunteered for the
working group were Patti McDougall, Trish Dowling, Jordan Sherbino, Marcel D’Eon,
Dwight Makaroff, Jay Wilson, Alison Muri, Jim Greer, and Nancy Turner.
Vision 2025
In response to the President’s request to the university community to comment on the draft
of the Vision 2025 document, the Committee brought the draft document to the October 30th,
2013 meeting as an item for discussion. Committee discussion of the draft, including work
from the Learning Charter Implementation group, resulted in suggested changes to the
document and a discussion about the draft with the President at the January 15th, 2014
meeting of the Committee.
Change to Standing Agenda of Council
The Aboriginal Engagement group proposed that the standing agenda of Council be changed
to include a recognition that Council is meeting on Treaty 6 land. This proposal would bring
the University of Saskatchewan in line with other Canadian universities who similarly
recognize the historic importance of place at university meetings.
TransformUS Action Plan
The committee discussed the TransformUS reports and Action Plan in light of the reports’
impact on teaching, learning and academic resources, providing consultation and feedback to
the Planning and Priorities Committee.
Reports received
Advising Charter
Following work begun in 2013 by the Teaching and Learning Committee, the final version
of the Academic Advising Charter was brought to committee. The Academic Advising
Charter served to define the nature of academic advising at the university, and provided
guidelines in the form of core goals, commitments and responsibilities for those serving in an
advising role. It was discussed at the October 30th, 2013 meeting, and was approved and sent
to Council for information.
Survey of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
The Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching Effectiveness has undertaken a study of the
landscape at the University of Saskatchewan for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.
Findings from this research initiative have been shared with appropriate committees of
University Council including TLCC and RSAW, presented at the Third Annual Scholarship
of Teaching and Learning Symposium. The final report is available at the GMCTE website
under 'reports': www.usask.ca/gmcte/resources/library
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Experiential Learning Concept Paper
Following work begun in 2013 by the Teaching and Learning Committee, a subgroup of the
committee, with the assistance of GMCTE staff, undertook the task of drafting a concept
paper on experiential learning. This document addresses definitional issues as well as
providing a brief overview of research on the benefits of experiential learning. Consideration
is given to activity and operational structure at U15 comparators as well as providing an
overview of experiential learning opportunities at the U of S. The document concludes with a
set of recommendations regarding our planning goal to increase experiential learning
opportunities by 20% by 2016. The primary source of data for U of S activity stems from the
Experiential Learning Inventory Project, conducted in the spring of 2013 by the University
Learning Centre. The committee accepted the paper at its December 11th, 2013 meeting, and
presented the paper to Council for information. See the committee’s website for the full
paper: http://www.usask.ca/secretariat/governingbodies/council/committee/TLAR/index.php
Other activities
The committee also received an update from Disability Services for Students on
implementation of the revised policy on Academic Accommodation and Access for Students
with Disabilities, and an update from the Vice-Provost Teaching and Learning on the
implementation of the Distributed Learning Strategy. The committee has been interested in
following the Open Source Textbook project. At the recommendation of the Aboriginal
Engagement group, at its March 12th meeting, the committee attended the Danis Goulet Talk
and Film Screening event as part of Aboriginal Achievement Week.
Acknowledgements
On behalf of the Committee, I wish to thank Jay Wilson who acted as Vice-Chair of the
committee this year, Cathie Fornssler, who acted as Committee Coordinator until February 10th,
2014, followed by Alex Beldan who took over this important role. I also thank all the members of
the Committee for their thoughtful participation in the Committee’s work.
Respectfully submitted,
Aaron Phoenix, Teaching & Learning Committee of Council
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