When the Faculty updated its constitution and by-laws in 2018-2020, a number of operational challenges that affected the standing committees and the Academic Appeals Board (AAB) were uncovered. These included inconsistent and out-of-date manuals and committee procedures. Moreover, no manual existed for the Executive Committee of Council. I am pleased to announce that I have appointed a working group to respond to these challenges and to bring forward recommendations, with the following mandate, process, timing and membership.
Mandate
- Update the Procedures for Commitees of Council of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering to include general guiding principles for standing committees/AAB pertaining to mandates, elections, terms of members, membership composition, performance assessment, etc.
- Support the updating of the existing manuals of the Faculty’s standing committees/AAB:
- Review the mandates and scopes of standing committees/AAB, as a whole and individually,
- Create a template for committee/AAB manuals;
- Review the documentation of each standing committee/AAB;
- Confer with the leadership and the membership of each standing committee/AAB; and
- Support the revision, as appropriate, of the manuals of standing committees/AAB.
- Support the creation of a manual for the Executive Committee of Council.
- Support the creation of a manual for the Standing Committee Chairs Committee.
Process
The working group will consult with stakeholders through standing committees; departments, divisions and institutes; and constituency groups of Faculty Council including teaching staff, non-academic staff, undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni; and others as appropriate. Its recommendations will be presented as a report to the Dean and Faculty Council.
It is noted that each standing committee and the AAB are responsible for updating their own manuals and, after local approval, for submitting their recommendations through regular Faculty governance channels for approval.
Timing
Commissioning date: July 1, 2020
Target completion date: June 30, 2021
Membership
Doug Reeve, Professor and Speaker of Faculty Council 2015-2020 (Working Group Chair)
Caroline Ziegler, Engineering Governance Officer and Secretary of Faculty Council (Working Group Secretary)
Julie Audet, Professor and Vice Dean, Graduate Studies (Chair, Engineering Graduate Education Committee)
Evan Bentz, Professor (Chair, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee)
Chaim Katz, Graduate Student (President, Graduate Engineering Council of Students)
Mirjana Mijalkovic, Undergraduate Student (VP Academic, Engineering Society)
Daniel Posen, Professor (Chair, Examinations Committee)
Marisa Sterling, Assistant Dean and Director, Diversity, Inclusion and Professionalism
I am grateful to everyone on the working group for their commitment to Engineering.
To our students, faculty and staff,
The devastation and despair resulting from the massive explosion in Beirut is heartbreaking. Many in our U of T Engineering community have close ties to Lebanon. We share in your sorrow and concern for family and friends affected by this terrible tragedy.
Today, flags across all three campuses fly at half-mast as the entire University mourns for the lives lost and the traumatic impact on survivors.
Wherever you are in the world, please know that these immediate resources and supports are available to you 24/7:
- U of T My SSP (available in multiple languages): 1-844-451-9700; or download the app: uoft.me/myssp
- Good2Talk student helpline: 1-866-925-5454
- Employee & Family Assistance Program for staff and faculty: 1-800-663-1142
Grief support is also available through the Multi-Faith Centre.
If you would like to contribute to humanitarian efforts in Lebanon, consider supporting relief organizations like the Canadian Red Cross.
Chris
Christopher Yip
Dean
Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
University of Toronto
To our U of T Engineering community
As we enjoy some summer weather — physically distant, of course — I’m also thinking about the Fall and looking forward to the new school year. I am sending an enthusiastic welcome to our incoming first-year students — you have a terrific semester ahead of you!
You received the President’s message this week in regards to what the Fall will look like at U of T, the resumption of research, and incorporating COVID-19 preparations as well as safety into every element of University operations. I wanted to check back in and share some updates about how we have been preparing here in Engineering.
Fall term
We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our whole community, and ensuring that we deliver an excellent semester through remote learning. All Fall term classes, lectures, and course events will be offered online. We are also making a remote access guarantee, which will allow every one of our students to complete all academic requirements remotely, including final exams/assessments. No student will be required to be on campus in person during the Fall 2020 term.
We are planning to offer meaningful in-person experiences to complement the remote delivery of courses, labs and tutorials. We continue to take direction from the government and public health agencies, and those guidelines continue to change. You will be hearing from us as soon as we know if and where it is possible to add in-person elements to your courses. In-person activities will not be requirements of any course.
Current students, please visit our undergraduate student FAQs and graduate student FAQs for more. Our incoming first-year students can find the latest info, from course enrolment to your preparation checklist, on the Guide to First Year site. Also, keep an eye on your inboxes every Friday for the First Year News Feed, a weekly newsletter with the latest info as you prepare to join us this Fall.
Facilities
In keeping with the province’s reopening stages, U of T’s St. George campus is now open for essential workers and approved research teams. We will continue to reopen gradually and safely.
Current students who require internet access for their academic work can access the Wallace Room in the Gerstein Science Information Centre with a reservation. While physical access to the Engineering Computing Facility (ECF) labs and printers remains closed at this time, the entire ECF environment is remotely accessible from any internet connection. Remote access instructions and a complete list of resources is available on the ECF webpage.
We know many students are planning to live in U of T residences this fall — the University is adapting its housing to ensure a safe and healthy living situation for all students. Find the latest info on residences on the Provost’s site.
Winter term
As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we hope to safely offer more in-person experiences in the Winter term. To allow every one of our students to complete all academic requirements, including final exams/assessments, without delaying their graduation we will extend the remote access guarantee for the 2021 Winter term.
Course enrolment for the Winter term is now open, and returning students received a message from the Registrar’s Office this week with more information about how to enroll. Students will not yet be able to enroll into 2021 Winter term in-person sections of Engineering courses through ACORN. Students will have opportunities to opt into limited, optional, in-person sections of Engineering courses for which they are already registered (not waitlisted) starting early September, provided they can confirm they will be available and in Toronto to attend all in-person sections. We will share more details in the Fall.
I’ll continue to share updates on our plans and reopening with our community. In the meantime, please take some time to enjoy a break and get some fresh air if you can — we will be swept up in the energy of a new semester before we know it.
Chris
Christopher Yip
Dean
Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
University of Toronto