Posted on June 16: Highlights from Senate, Board of Governors meetings

The following are highlights from the June 9 Senate meeting and June 10 Board of Governors meeting:

Bob Rae commission

McMaster President Peter George is optimistic about the appointment of former Ontario premier Bob Rae as head of an advisory panel for the design and funding of Ontario's postsecondary education system. He says the real test will be how the government responds to his recommendations.

In his report to the Board of Governors, George said this is the fifth such review in the last 25 years, adding each of these were unanimous in their recommendations that universities require additional funding to succeed.

“We'll hear more about the Rae commission as the year progresses,” he said, adding it will be an immediate priority for McMaster to get engaged with the review and make a case to Rae. The University brief will be presented to the University Planning Committee, Senate and the Board of Governors in the fall, before submission to the task force.

Refining Directions

Ken Norrie, McMaster provost and vice-president academic, reported on Refining Directions, McMaster's strategic planning document.

A draft implementation on the report is due this month, he said, noting the report will be presented first to working groups, then the University Planning Committee and finally to Senate and the Board of Governors in the fall for discussion and debate.

“In consultation with various groups and individuals, the question I'm always asked is, 'why are we always talking about enrolment?'” Norrie said.

He gives three reasons. First, virtually all operating revenue is from grants and tuition; second, nearly all increments to grant revenue have come from increased enrolment; and third, virtually all increments to tuition revenue have come from increased enrolment.

Norrie says this is a poor time to make long-run enrolment decisions. “The funding environment is in limbo,” he said, adding there should be a clearer picture after the Bob Rae Task Force reports on the post-secondary education sector in December or early January.

Over the summer and fall, the EMT will work on the implications of funding models that come before the Rae Task Force and will revisit the issue of long-run enrolment targets once the government reacts to the Rae recommendations (expected by the next provincial budget).

2004/05 budget approved

McMaster's Board of Governor's approved a $638-million budget for the 2004/05 year. The consolidated budget incorporates all sources and uses of income for the University.

Investments were made in academic, administrative and critical success areas. These include “must-do” allocations for increased physical plant and utility costs to ensure adequate resources are invested in these areas. Two other prominent cost pressures in 2004/05 also had to be addressed  undergraduate scholarship costs related to the Entrance Scholarship program and expenses related to contributions to the Salaried Employees Pension Fund.

“The 2004/05 budget, I feel, will help McMaster deliver on the promises in Refining Directions as well as help achieve our vision of international distinction for creativity, innovation and excellence,” says Les Robb, professor and associate chair of economics, in a letter to President Peter George.

The 2004/05 operating budget will be available on The Office of Analysis and Budgeting Web site at the end of June at http://www.mcmaster.ca/anbud/budget/bud-finc.html.

Masters in cultural studies and critical theory

An innovative master's program in cultural studies and critical theory will be offered by the Department of English.

The proposed program, which will be presented to the Ontario Council of Graduate Students this month, will lead to a master of arts in cultural students and critical theory. It will be one of a small number of similar interdisciplinary programs in the country. While the program will be administered by the Department of English, it will include faculty and courses from a number of departments and programs in the faculties of humanities and social sciences.

The program will examine a wide range of cultural forms and expressions, from influential philosophical tests and avant-garde theoretical reflections to materials and practices that have typically been overlooked in university study (such as television, cinema, cyberculture and the practices of everyday life).

The intention is to admit five students into the program initially, beginning in September 2005, and then to build up within three to five years to a cohort of 10 students annually.

Deferred maintenance and facility renewal program

McMaster's annual deferred maintenance and facility renewal program has been approved. The program consists of projects such as roof repairs, air quality improvements, minor renovations and code compliance programs. This year, capital costs for two significant building projects were included in the program.

Funding sources for the program include $1.8 from the Ministry of Colleges and Universities Facilities Renewal Program and $1 million from the University's capital operating fund.

Deferred maintenance projects include classroom renovations to Chester New Hall Rm. 107 and Psychology Building Rm. 155; roof replacements to the E.T. Clarke Centre, and Kenneth Taylor Hall penthouse; an Arts Quad podium project; window replacement to Arthur Bourns Building and John Hodgins Engineering Building; a washroom program, clock program and unplanned major repairs; central plant broiler control system; asbestos abatement; and accessibility projects.

Campus Plan

University planner Linda Axford presented the second annual report measuring the effectiveness of the University's campus plan.

The plan states that the current campus will be the focus for future growth and evolution, which includes the Michael deGroote Centre for Learning & Discovery, addition to the Information Technology Building, front entrance, multi-sports complex and a new residence building.

Over the past year, each new project has been reviewed by the University Planner to ensure they fit into the vision of the Campus Master Plan.

The plan also states that McMaster will have a pedestrian-focused campus, and improvements will be made to accessibility, signage and safety features, such as speed bumps and bike walking zones.

Joint intellectual property policy

A joint intellectual property policy has been established between McMaster and its affiliated hospitals. Under the joint policy, all intellectual property at McMaster, Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton will be dealt with under the University system.

Origins Institute

The Board of Governors has approved the establishment of the Origins Institute, an initiative that seeks to address some of the most interesting and important questions of fundamental science, such as “how and why did the universe begin?”

The interdisciplinary institute will include fields from a variety of areas including astrophysics, physics, biology and biochemistry, mathematics, geology, chemistry, anthropology and advanced computational and visualization techniques.

School for Engineering Practice

A McMaster School for Engineering Practice and its two centre, the McMaster Centre for Engineering and Public Policy and the McMaster Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation, was approved.
The school is intended to provide a focus for high-profile research and interdisciplinary education initiatives in three areas of engineering practice: engineering and public policy, engineering entrepreneurship and innovation, and engineering design. To achieve this, two associated centers are proposed, including a Centre for Engineering and Public Policy and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. A proposed Centre for Engineering Design will be brought forward at a later date.