Senate highlights – March 8

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BY Deborah McIvor

April 3, 2006

McMaster University Senate last met on Wednesday, March 8, 2006 in the Council Chambers of Gilmour Hall. Following are some of the items addressed at this meeting:

The McMaster Research Ethics Board shared the MREB annual report for the period of July 2004 to June 2005. The report summarizes and reviews protocol, meetings and workshops, educational initiatives, management activities and board policy decisions.

Dean of Graduate Studies Fred L. Hall, on behalf of Graduate Council, presented on the status of various programs:

  • Senate approved the establishment of the MD/PhD in Health Sciences, which will provide an MD/PhD curriculum in an integrated format offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences and School of Graduate Studies. This program will take advantage of the excellence within both of the Faculty and the School, allowing students to complete all the requirements of the MD curriculum and the PhD curriculum in shorter completion times. It is anticipated that the program will accept up to three students annually to reach a steady capacity of approximately 10-15. Admission to the program will be from Honours Bachelor of Science to undergraduate BHSc, BSC in biochemistry, biology. Applicants will be required to apply through OMSAS for medical admission and separately to the Graduate program/department of interest.
  • The Health Research Methodology (HRM) graduate program has been refining the nature of its policies and curriculum, which has led to a restructuring of defined fields of study. Five new fields within the existing program have been designated as follows:

    • * Clinical epidemiology

    * Biostatistics

    * Health services research

    * Public and population health

    * Health technology assessment

  • Twenty new graduate programs have been initiated since December 2004 or are in the process of approval internally and through the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies (OCGS).

    • New graduate programs approved:

    Online, Course-Based Option for the MSc in Rehabilitation Science

    Joint MEng in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE) (McMaster/Waterloo/Western)

    MBA Management Accounting Sub-Specialization

    MEPP in Engineering & Public Policy

    MA Cultural Studies and Critical Theory

    BEng/MEng in Electrical & Biomedical Engineering

    Graduate Diploma in Steel Processing & Manufacturing

    MASc/PhD Biomedical Engineering

    MSc/PhD Chemical Biology

    MEng/MASc/MSc/PhD Computational Engineering & Science

    MA in Economic Policy

    Combined MD/PhD

    Pending full approval:

    PhD Rehabilitation Science

    MA in Digital Society

    MEng in Manufacturing Engineering

    MA in Communication Management (Joint with Syracuse Univ.)

    MEng in Engineering Design

    Due to faculty departures and retirements in the Music Program, Senate voted to close the MA program in Music Criticism to future applicants. Currently enrolled students will be allowed to complete the program. “This is about changing the shape of the Faculty; allowing for growth in new directions,” said Dean of Humanities, Nasrin Rahimieh. “Many music colleagues are quite enthusiastic about the move toward development in emerging areas.”

    Fred A. Hall, associate vice-president (academic), presented the Undergraduate Council report addressing a revision to the terms and conditions of the newly established academic grants. A number of academic grants have now been created to recognize students who have high sessional average as well as demonstrated financial need. The terms and conditions were revised since the last presentation to Senate to clarify eligibility criteria and guidelines for awarding decisions.

    A proposal was also approved to establish travel grants, allocated to students who go on formal exchange. These travel grants will be awarded above and beyond other sources of financial assistance to recognize academic achievement and the role students take on as ambassadors for McMaster while on exchange. Each award would be $1,000 regardless of the number of terms on the exchange. This amount is intended to assist students with travel expenses incurred by participating in an exchange.