Report of the Planning Committee
to University Council
Jan. 27, 2000
Items for Approval
1. New programs in Archaeology (see Appendix One).
The Planning Committee recommends that Council approve the B.A. Three-year, Four-year and
Honours in Archaeology, the B.Sc. Four-year and Honours in Archaeology, and related new course.
2. Major program revision in Pharmacy (see Appendix Two).
The Planning Committee recommends that Council approve the program changes in Pharmacy,
including revisions to admission requirements, The Committee also recommends that Council
approve the admission quota of 80 students for this program.
3. New programs in Biotechnology (see Appendix Three).
The Planning Committee recommends that Council approve the following new programs:
Biotechnology minor in B.S.A. program
B.Sc. Honours in Biotechnology and Cell Biology
B.Sc. Honours in Biotechnology and Biology
B.Sc. Honours in Biotechnology and Biochemistry
B.Sc. Honours in Biotechnology and Microbiology
B.A. Four-year in Sociology of Biotechnology
Biotechnology major in B. Comm. program
Biochemistry Option in B.E. Chemical Engineering program
Biotechnology Option in B.E. Chemical Engineering program
and related new and revised courses
4. Virtual College of Biotechnology (see Appendix Four).
At its Oct. 21, 1999 meeting, Council approved guidelines for the structure for virtual colleges at the
University of Saskatchewan. The first Virtual College has now been proposed; its structure is
consistent with these guidelines.
The Planning Committee recommends that Council approve the Virtual College of Biotechnology, as
described in the enclosed report.
Items for Information
Languages and Linguistics program revision
The proposed revisions to the programs in Languages and Linguistics are still under consideration by
the Planning Committee. It is anticipated that a recommendation will be made on these revisions for
the February meeting of Council.
Semi-annual Report
The Planning Committee has met 16 times this term, from September to January, in addition to
holding an all-day Retreat in October.
As Council members will be aware, the 1998 document A Framework for Planning at the University
of Saskatchewan identified four goals for the University:
1. Improving the quality of instructional programs.
2. Intensifying research efforts.
-2 -
Planning Committee
Jan. 27, 2000
3. Fostering the teacher-scholar model.
4. Responding to the needs of aboriginal peoples.
Over the last two years, the Planning Committee has played a major role in implementation of
several strategies to achieve these goals, including the Priority Determination process and Systematic
Program Review. An additional strategy, the development of Program Termination Procedures, is
also underway.
The strategies now underway are aimed primarily at improving instructional programs. The focus of
the Planning Committee this term has been to develop additional strategies which will intensify
research and foster the teacher-scholar model. Development of these strategies was the focus of the
Retreat held by the Committee in October, and we expect to circulate and bring to Council this spring
two discussion papers on these issues.
At the request of the Vice-President (Academic) the Committee reviewed the Operations Forecast
document and the submissions of other council committees for this forecast. Requests for
expenditures on Information Technology were made by a large number of committees and colleges,
and the Information Technology report to Council in November also recommended a number of
expenditures in this area. A Joint Subcommittee has been formed by the Budget Committee, the
Planning Committee, and the Capital Planning Committee, chaired by Bob Gander, to identify
priorities in Information Technology and recommend on these priorities to Council.
The Planning Committee reviewed a number of program proposals from Colleges, and worked to
ensure that these proposals proceeded through Council committees in a timely fashion.
The Planning Committee is also monitoring a number of issues and will be reporting on these to
Council in due course. These include recommendations from the Aboriginal Task Force, budget
reallocations under DesRosiers, plans for the College Building, and quota changes in Nursing.
Submitted on behalf of the Planning Committee of Council,
_______________________________________
Jene Porter, Chair
Committee members:
R.P. MacKinnon, President
M. Atkinson, Vice-President (Academic)
A.J. Whitworth, Vice-President (Finance and
Administration
M. Corcoran, Vice-President (Research)
S. Junor (USSU)
S. Pinder (GSA)
R. Thompson (Sessional Lecturer)
R.E. Bilson
G. Khachatourians
L. Qualtiere
W.W.E. Slights
E.B. Waygood
B.L. Dubray, University Studies Group
P.M. Melis, Office of the Vice-President
(Academic)
C. Fornssler, Committee Coordinator