Teaching & Learning: The View from Senate

1. Teaching & Learning: The View from Senate Clayton Smith, Ed. D. Vice-Provost, Students & Registrar

2. A Limited Conversation • Focus only on topics contained within Senate bylaws & policies • But there is more information in: • Collective Agreement • Public laws: FIPPA, Human Rights Act • Student Disability Services, Human Rights Office, Legal Counsel’s Office

3. A Little about Senate

4. Powers of Senate • Ultimate and final responsibility for the academic well-being of the university: • Institution/termination of academic programs • Reduction in programs for fiscal/economic reasons (but no budget decision-making authority) • Reviews Budget Committee proposals and forwards feedback to the Budget Committee and the Board for consideration

5. Composition of Senate • Ex-Officio Members • Faculty/Library Representatives • Board of Governors Representatives • Student Representatives • Alumni Representative • Faculty Association Representative • Non-Faculty Professional Staff Representative • Aboriginal Council Representative Current Senate includes 84 members

6. How Senate Operates • 3 Substantive Senate Committees: • Academic Policy Committee • Program Development Committee • Student Committee • Senate Steering Committee • President chairs Senate • Meetings (monthly) are normally open • Support provided by the Office of the Senate Secretariat • Follows Robert’s Rules of Order, where procedures not listed in our bylaws

7. Senior Academic Appointments (Duties) • President • Provost & Vice-President, Academic • Vice-President, Research • Associate Vice-President, Research • Associate Vice-President, Academic Affairs • Vice-Provost, Students & Registrar • Vice-Provost, Teaching & Learning • Deans of Faculties • Associate Deans • AAU Heads

8. Areas of Focus: Senate Bylaws • Types/Terms of Appointments • Renewal, Promotion & Tenure Procedures • Criteria for Promotion & Tenure • Academic Evaluation Procedures • Student Discipline • Senate Rules of Procedure & Standing Committee Mandates/Rules of Procedure • Powers & Rules of Procedure for AAU’s & Faculties

9. Areas of Focus: Senate Policies • Admission Requirements • Course & Program Changes • Final Examination Procedures • Faculty Duties & Responsibilities • Protection of Privacy • Mature Students • Residence Requirements • Student Evaluation of Teaching • Student Code of Conduct • Web Calendars • …etc. (not an exclusive list)

10. Teaching & Learning:Broad Topics

11. Learning-Centredness Defined • Our first commitment is to advance learning by preserving, promoting, producing & disseminating knowledge. • To understand & accommodate different learning styles; • To provide academically-challenging and personally-enriching educational experiences (intellectual, creative, social, ethical, physical, spiritual, emotional); • To provide a caring, engaging, welcoming & supportive campus environment that is built on a partnership in learning characterized by mutual respect and meaningful interactions;

12. Learning-Centred (Cont.) • A focus on student learning and success: • To continually improve and adapt learning experiences to address the needs of our diverse student base; • To infuse learning-centred activities in all aspects of university life: teaching, learning, research, student development services, campus environment and administrative practices; and • To provide friendly and responsive non-academic services

13. Academic Freedom • Academic freedom is intended as a safeguard against all those who would challenge the legitimate autonomy of the University, or who would seek to utilize its resources exclusively for the propagation of their own ideologies • The proper exercise of academic freedom is contingent upon the recognition and adequate discharge of duties and responsibilities

14. Freedom of Discussion • Mutual respect of student and teacher is fundamental to the learning process • Freedom is limited: • A reasonable right for students to question and comment upon material under discussion • Instructor to ensure freedom of discussion for all students

15. Right of Assembly • The University supports the right of assembly and the open expression of ideas and opinions. • Right of assembly is limited: • Responsibility to not interfere with the rights and privileges of others or the continuity of the educational process.

16. Fair Treatment • All people are treated fairly without concern to: • Religion • Race • Colour • National origin • Gender • Sexual orientation • Disability • Age

17. Confidentiality • Respect must be accorded the essentially confidential relationship between the University and its students by preserving to the maximum extent possible the privacy of records relating to each student

18. Student Conduct • Respect for the dignity & individuality of all persons, and the rights and property of others • To practice personal and academic integrity • To take responsibility for their own personal and academic commitments • To contribute to the University community to gain fair, cooperative and honest inquiry & learning • To respect and strive to learn from differences in people, ideas & opinions • To refrain from & discourage behaviours which threaten the freedom & respect that every individual deserves

19. Teaching & Learning:Some of the Details

20. Teaching Excellence • Involves both method & content • Requires good communication with students • Informed by student evaluations • Effectiveness in promoting students’ academic pursuits and where appropriate stimulating interest in continued study of the discipline • Day-to-day availability to students

21. Research Excellence • Best evaluated by reputable academics in his/her field • Outside appraisers needed in fields where published research is not required for academic excellence (e.g., creative scholarship)

22. Academic & Professional Responsibilities of Faculty • University committee and administrative work expected when reasonably requested • Contributions to the activities of learned & professional societies and other community services utilizing professional expertise is to be highly regarded • Neither, however, can replace the need for teaching and research excellence

23. Academic Evaluation • Must provide meaningful feedback to students on their in-course performance prior the voluntary withdrawal deadline (20%) • Course outline by first day of each course, with no changes made after the 1st 2 weeks of classes; a hard copy must be submitted to the AAU Head by the end of the 2nd week of classes • No single evaluative procedure worth more than 50% of the final grade • Non-optional, meaningful final assessment (written test, oral interview, take-home test)

24. Academic Evaluation (Cont.) • Must be 2 full calendar days between the last day of class and the beginning of the final exam period • Students who have 3 final exams scheduled for the same calendar day may request one of their exams be rescheduled on a supplemental exam day • Unofficial final grades to be submitted to the Dean no later than 7 calendar days after the final exam has been written • Examinations, essays, lab exercises and assignments should never be left in public places • Students have the right to review the marking/answer guide and to examine their final examination answer papers

25. Academic Evaluation (Cont.) • Students may appeal their final grade on the basis of incorrect evaluation or irregular procedure provided they do so within 3 weeks of the grade being posted • The Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) must be administered within the final 2 weeks of the term • Plagiarism prevention software is permitted (Turnitin.com) • Students may make a complaint to the Vice-Provost, Students & Registrar regarding discrimination, bias, sexual or other forms of harassment or procedural irregularities with respect to academic instruction or appeals

26. Audio-Recording • Students may audio-record lectures if they have been provided with permission by the Student Disabilities Services (formerly Special Needs) Office related to an approved accommodation

27. Sabbaticals • Normally granted to enable faculty members to engage in research/scholarly/creative activities, which are appropriate for the faculty member’s discipline • Provides opportunity for intellectual renewal

28. Special Needs • The most appropriate accommodation is one that most respects the dignity of the individual with a disability, meets individual needs, best promotes integration and full participation, and ensures confidentiality • Accommodation is a process and is a matter of degree

29. Student Evaluation of Teaching • Provide information based on student opinion for input in the promotion & tenure process • Provide feedback to instructors on their teaching for the purposes of teaching improvement • Provide information for students for choosing courses

30. Calendar • The official calendars are the Undergraduate & Graduate Web calendars

31. Panel Discussion: Faculty Challenges on Implementing Senate Bylaws & Policies • Kai Hildebrandt, Associate Dean, FASS • Phil Dutton, Associate Dean, Faculty of Science

32. For More Information Office of the Senate Secretariat Ext. 3317 www.uwindsor.ca/senate