Highlights from Senate, Board of Governors meetings

Comments on the review of Ontario's postsecondary education system, final undergraduate and graduate enrolment and an update on Refining Directions, McMaster's strategic plan, were some of the highlights from recent Senate and the Board of Governors meetings.

The following are some of the issues members addressed:

Provincial postsecondary review

McMaster has submitted a response to the Bob Rae Task Force, which is developing recommendations for the post-secondary education system in Ontario. The response was developed in consultation with a number of campus groups including the University Planning Committee and Senate.

McMaster's comments, in response to Rae's discussion paper, include:

McMaster favors as much autonomy as possible for institutions to develop their unique mandates, and accepts in return an obligation to operate with full transparency and be held accountable.

For Ontario to have the most innovative, flexible, student-centered and accountable postsecondary education system to support its economic and social objectives, decision making must be further decentralized to the institutional level.

Barriers to increased participation and success go beyond financial considerations and better information.

Accessibility issues exist for all students.

McMaster initiatives focus on dissolving boundaries.

Differentiation and specialization will improve the quality of the higher educational experience by giving students more choices and enabling institutions to strive for higher degrees of excellence in areas of specialization in research, teaching/learning and community relations.

A differentiated system requires tuition flexibility, with a student assistance program that ensures no student is denied access for financial reasons only.

McMaster's final report to the government will be made in January 2005. Rae is expected to deliver his final report early in the new year with recommendations to be acted upon in the spring budget.

2004/05 student enrolment

McMaster's graduate and undergraduate enrolment numbers were presented to Senate and the Board of Governors.

Fred Hall, associate vice-president academic, presented undergraduate enrolment figures for the 2004-2005 academic year (as of Nov. 1). He says full-time undergraduate enrolment is 17,691, with 4,935 students enrolled in level 1. Last year, total undergraduate enrolment was 16,703, with 5,574 students in first year.

Dean of graduate studies Fred Hall reported that graduate enrolment at McMaster, as of Nov. 1, is 2,298 full-time graduate students, and 370 part-time graduate students.

Refining Directions

Andrew Hrymak, project co-ordinator of Refining Directions, McMaster's strategic plan, reported on the next steps of this process. The implementation report for the process that will guide the growth and development of the University over the next five to 10 years of the process, is available at http://www.mcmaster.ca/pres/refining/update_nov404.pdf

School of Geography and Geology name change

The School of Geography and Geology will be renamed the School of Geography and Earth Sciences, effective July 1, 2005.

The name change recognizes an increasing integration of the geology and physical geography components of the school's research and teaching, and rapidly changing emphasis of much of that work.

New Faculty of Health Sciences chairs

Four gifts will support four new chairs in the Faculty of Health Sciences.

An endowment fund will support a John R. Evans Chair in Health Sciences Educational Research and Instructional Development. The chair, within the Faculty of Health Sciences, will design, implement and evaluate computer-based curricula to supplement existing skills in educational development and research in the faculty. As well, the incumbent will contribute expertise in learning technologies to enhance a program of research on the role of experience in professional competence and the development of strategies to organize experience to optimize learning. Further, he or she will provide guidance and mentorship in the assessment of learning technologies to colleagues and educational programs, throughout membership in the Program for Educational Research and Development. The chair will be for an initial five-year period.

A gift from Michael G. DeGroote will provide an endowment fund in support of a Chair in Central Pain. The chair will reside in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, for an initial five-year term.

Another gift was directed to the Faculty of Health Sciences to provide an endowment fund in support of the Chair in Thromboembolic Disease. The five-year chair will be named the David Braley and Nancy Gordon Chair in Thromboembolic Disease.

A third gift, an endowment fund, will support a Chair in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, also for an initial five-year period.

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Comments on the review of Ontario&#039;s postsecondary education system, final undergraduate and graduate enrolment and an update on <i>Refining Directions</i>, McMaster&#039;s strategic plan, were some of the highlights from recent Senate and the Board of Governors meetings.<p><br />
<br />
The following are some of the issues members addressed:<p><br />
<br />
<b>Provincial postsecondary review</b><p><br />
<br />
McMaster has submitted a response to the Bob Rae Task Force, which is developing recommendations for the post-secondary education system in Ontario. The response was developed in consultation with a number of campus groups including the University Planning Committee and Senate.<p><br />
<br />
McMaster&#039;s comments, in response to Rae&#039;s <a href="http://www.raereview.on.ca/en/involved/workbook.asp?loc1=involved&loc2=workbook">discussion paper</a>, include:<ul><br />
<br />
<li>McMaster favors as much autonomy as possible for institutions to develop their unique mandates, and accepts in return an obligation to operate with full transparency and be held accountable.</li><br />
<li>For Ontario to have the most innovative, flexible, student-centered and accountable postsecondary education system to support its economic and social objectives, decision making must be further decentralized to the institutional level.</li><br />
<li>Barriers to increased participation and success go beyond financial considerations and better information.</li><br />
<li>Accessibility issues exist for all students.</li><br />
<li>McMaster initiatives focus on dissolving boundaries.</li><br />
<li>Differentiation and specialization will improve the quality of the higher educational experience by giving students more choices and enabling institutions to strive for higher degrees of excellence in areas of specialization in research, teaching/learning and community relations.</li><br />
<li>A differentiated system requires tuition flexibility, with a student assistance program that ensures no student is denied access for financial reasons only.</li></ul><br />
<br />
McMaster&#039;s final report to the government will be made in January 2005. Rae is expected to deliver his final report early in the new year with recommendations to be acted upon in the spring budget.<p><br />
<br />
<b>2004/05 student enrolment</b><p><br />
<br />
McMaster&#039;s graduate and undergraduate enrolment numbers were presented to Senate and the Board of Governors. <p><br />
<br />
Fred Hall, associate vice-president academic, presented undergraduate enrolment figures for the 2004-2005 academic year (as of Nov. 1). He says full-time undergraduate enrolment is 17,691, with 4,935 students enrolled in level 1. Last year, total undergraduate enrolment was 16,703, with 5,574 students in first year.<p><br />
<br />
Dean of graduate studies Fred Hall reported that graduate enrolment at McMaster, as of Nov. 1, is 2,298 full-time graduate students, and 370 part-time graduate students.<p><br />
<br />
<b><i>Refining Directions</i></b><P><br />
<br />
Andrew Hrymak, project co-ordinator of <i>Refining Directions</i>, McMaster&#039;s strategic plan, reported on the next steps of this process. The implementation report for the process that will guide the growth and development of the University over the next five to 10 years of the process, is available at <a href="http://www.mcmaster.ca/pres/refining/update_nov404.pdf">http://www.mcmaster.ca/pres/refining/update_nov404.pdf</a><p><br />
 <br />
<b>School of Geography and Geology name change</b><P><br />
<br />
The School of Geography and Geology will be renamed the School of Geography and Earth Sciences, effective July 1, 2005.<p><br />
<br />
The name change recognizes an increasing integration of the geology and physical geography components of the school&#039;s research and teaching, and rapidly changing emphasis of much of that work.<p><br />
<br />
<b>New Faculty of Health Sciences chairs</b><p> <br />
<br />
Four gifts will support four new chairs in the Faculty of Health Sciences. <p><br />
<br />
An endowment fund will support a John R. Evans Chair in Health Sciences Educational Research and Instructional Development. The chair, within the Faculty of Health Sciences, will design, implement and evaluate computer-based curricula to supplement existing skills in educational development and research in the faculty. As well, the incumbent will contribute expertise in learning technologies to enhance a program of research on the role of experience in professional competence and the development of strategies to organize experience to optimize learning. Further, he or she will provide guidance and mentorship in the assessment of learning technologies to colleagues and educational programs, throughout membership in the Program for Educational Research and Development. The chair will be for an initial five-year period.<p><br />
<br />
A gift from Michael G. DeGroote will provide an endowment fund in support of a Chair in Central Pain. The chair will reside in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, for an initial five-year term. <p><br />
<br />
Another gift was directed to the Faculty of Health Sciences to provide an endowment fund in support of the Chair in Thromboembolic Disease. The five-year chair will be named the David Braley and Nancy Gordon Chair in Thromboembolic Disease.<p><br />
<br />
A third gift, an endowment fund, will support a Chair in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, also for an initial five-year period.

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