Senate Meeting Report, 2012-11-14

From: Marc Richard
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 11:06 AM
Cc: Marc Richard
Subject: Senate Meeting Report, 2012-11-14

Senate Meeting Report, 2012-11-14

Colleagues,

The following is a summary of the Senate meeting which took place on Wednesday, November 14, 2012.

Dean Ferguson served as Chair for today's meeting. The Principal is currently in Asia on University business.

The meeting opened with Dean Grant presenting a resolution on the death of Emeritus Professor Manuel Phillip Langleben. Senate then adopted the minutes of the last Senate meeting ( the report of the Steering Committee ( and the agenda (

There being no comments from the Chair owing to the Principal's absence, nor any formal questions at today's meeting, Senate proceeded into confidential session to consider the report of the Honorary Degrees and Convocations Committee. Upon Senate's return to open session, V.-P. Goldstein presented the annual report on Research Funding Performance and an introduction to the Strategic Research Plan ( and She then presented for Senate's endorsement the Strategic Research Plan (

In the period for discussion of the motion, Senator Gillon asked if we have a way to monitor whether curiosity-driven research is being squeezed out. V.-P. Goldstein responded that a way could be found to do so, for example by looking at the discovery grants from the research councils. Senator Zidel asked about the difference between collaboration and dependence, and stated his concerns about McGill becoming dependent on industrial partners. V.-P. Goldstein regarded the question as being part of a broader discussion on what kind of relationships McGill should have with non-governmental funding sources, adding that we must take care to adhere to our principles and ethics. Referring to the Section 3 of the SRP, Senator Roulet noted that each of the seven thematic Areas of Research Excellence is followed by a long list of key areas; he asked in what way the SRP was being strategic by listing so many things. V.-P. Goldstein responded that the items in these lists were examples fitting under the seven larger interdisciplinary themes; she added that we will have to work together to be strategic about them, and that using the plan will be a learning process.

Senator Lu noted that the SRP does not mention providing basic infrastructure (such as space) for research. V.-P. Goldstein answered that the requirement for infrastructure is being built into grant applications; she recognized that this issue is a challenge and that we need to work across portfolios to make it work. Senator Galaty asked if the SRP has implications for future hiring decisions. V.-P. Goldstein responded that the document is meant to guide strategic resource allocation, but that the conversations on this subject -- notably at the decanal, faculty and unit levels -- have not yet taken place. The motion for Senate to endorse the SRP was voted on and approved.

Dean Madramootoo presented the Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Recording and Transmission of Senate Meetings ( This was followed by a motion for Senate to approve the report's recommendations. Senator Richard referred to the paragraph on page 7 which mentions forcing Senators to prepare better for Senate meetings and forcing Senators to speak much more precisely and concisely. He asked the authors of the report if they were implying that Senators currently come to Senate poorly prepared and make long, rambling statements during meetings, saying that he found this insinuation to be rather insulting. Dean Madramootoo assured him that no such meaning was being implied. Senator Azmy asked for more information on the broadcast cost estimates given in the report. Dean Madramootoo indicated that the costs mostly represented staff time.

Senator Redel referred to the report's recommendation that the broadcasts not be archived for subsequent viewing, saying this was a step backwards for engagement, openness and transparency. Dean Madramootoo explained that the recommendation was a safety mechanism against this material being reproduced and used for unauthorized purposes. Senators Wolfson and Pritz (both members of the Ad Hoc Committee) added that the Committee had been working from the principle that Senate meetings are open and that simultaneous broadcasting extends these open meetings to individuals who cannot be present in the room itself. Senator Ismael did not concur with the safety mechanism rationale, arguing that individuals who are determined to misuse the broadcasts would find a method of doing so one way or the other; he thus felt that the broadcasts might as well be archived. Senator Cuello stated that he was not enthusiastic about the proposal to broadcast Senate meetings because this would take away from the character and intimacy of the current arrangements; he also expressed the view that the proposed disclaimer was not sufficiently strong.

Senator Mooney initiated discussion of a proposal to amend the Ad Hoc Committee's document so that the archiving of Senate broadcasts for later viewing would be allowed rather than prohibited. Senator Richard raised a point of order, noting that it is not in Senate's capacity to amend a report it has received; it is permissible for Senate to amend motions which arise from a report, but not the report itself. The Chair concurred with this interpretation. Senator Aitken proposed amending the recommendations on which Senate would be voting in order to permit archiving. During discussion of this amendment, it was further moved by Senator Gillon that the report be tabled and returned to the Ad Hoc Committee with a request that the Committee consider additional input from Senators and bring the document back to Senate at a later date. Senator Galaty evoked the idea of returning to the original motion, whereupon Senators Gillon and Aitken both withdrew their amendments. Senate then voted on and adopted the report's recommendations in their original form.

Senate received the 441st report of the Academic Policy Committee ( which did not contain any points requiring Senate approval, and approved the report of the Senate Nominating Committee (

Associate V.-P. Nicell presented the Annual Report of the Senate Committee on Physical Development ( and Deputy Provost Mendelson presented the Annual Report of the Committee on Student Services ( and the Annual Report of the Committee on Enrolment and Student Affairs ( Senate also received for information the Annual Report of the Committee on Student Discipline ( presented by Dean Starkey, and the Report of the Board of Governors to Senate ( presented by Senator Raz.

The next Senate meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 5, 2012. If you have any questions, please get in touch with us.

Regards,

Your librarian Senate reps,

Daniel Boyer

Maya Kucij

Marc Richard