Terms of Reference

• Steering Committee

  1. TERMS OF REFERENCE

  1. The Steering Committee (“Committee”) is the body responsible for facilitating the work of Academic Council (“AC”). The Committee’s responsibilities include:

  • coordinating the business of AC by reviewing and approving the agendas of AC meetings;
  • assigning all matters deemed routine and uncontroversial to the consent agenda;
  • reviewing the reports and proposals being presented to AC to ensure that relevant background material is available to AC members prior to meetings;
  • receiving and reviewing suggested agenda topics from the community and determining whether they are appropriate topics for discussion by AC;
  • considering, preparing and scheduling discussions of broad academic interest between 2 – 4 times per academic year; and
  • coordinating annual reports from the subsidiary bodies of AC.

  b.  AC may approve a temporary delegation of its authority to the Committee because of an emergency or extraordinary circumstance, as declared by AC: 

  • The AC must grant the temporary delegation of authority by resolution. 
  • The AC may also limit the scope of this delegation.  
  • The delegation of authority will take effect as of a date to be determined by AC or will be triggered by the inability of AC to reach quorum. 
  • The delegation of authority will remain in effect until the emergency or other extraordinary circumstance has ended, or until amended or revoked by AC by resolution, whichever is earlier.  
  • The Committee will make all efforts to arrange Academic Council meetings such that this delegation of authority is reviewed monthly, or as quickly thereafter as possible.
  • The Committee will report all actions taken on behalf of AC to AC for information as soon as is reasonably possible.

  2.     MEETINGS

  The Committee will meet at least 2 weeks before each meeting of AC, or otherwise at the Committee Chair’s discretion.  In accordance with the UOIT Act and By-laws, the Committee shall conduct two types of meetings as part of its regular administration:  Public and Non-Public.

  3. MEMBERSHIP

  The Committee shall be composed of:
  
  Ex-officio

  • President & Vice-Chancellor (Chair)
  • Provost & Vice-President, Academic

  • Chair of the Academic Council committee responsible for undergraduate curriculum
  • Chair of the Academic Council committee responsible for graduate curriculum
  • Chair of the Academic Council committee responsible for research
  • Secretary of Academic Council (non-voting)

   Elected Representatives from Academic Council

  • Between three (3) and six (6) elected representatives of Academic Council (Teaching Staff, Administrative Staff and Students) to ensure the Committee benefits from a balance of skills, expertise, and knowledge among its membership, while reflecting the demographic and cultural diversity of the communities served by the university.
  • One of the elected representatives will also serve as Vice-Chair of Academic Council and the Agenda Committee. The Vice-Chair will be selected in accordance with the relevant procedure established by the Governance and Nominations Committee.

   

  4. QUORUM

  Quorum requires that a majority of the Committee members entitled to vote be present. 

  
  

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• Academic Appeals Committee

  I. MEETING DATES AND TIMES

  Meetings shall be scheduled based on specific needs.

  II. MEMBERSHIP

  •Four (4) core faculty members 
  • Three (3) student representatives, elected from student body at large

  III. TERMS OF REFERENCE

  1. Appeals shall be heard by a panel of a minimum of 3 Committee members, as determined by the chair, provided that at least one student member and at least two teaching staff members are present.

  2. The appeal hearing shall be conducted by the chair or the chair's designate, who shall be counted as one of the panel members.

  3. Decisions with respect to the final disposition of an appeal will be carried by a simple majority of panel members hearing the appeal.

  4. An appellant must have completed any prior levels of appeal open to him or her before filing a Notice of Appeal with the Committee.

  5. An appeal to the Committee shall be commenced by filing a Notice of Appeal in the required form no later than 4:00 p.m. on the tenth working day after the date of the decision which is being appealed.

  6. The chair may refuse to give a hearing to an appeal on the grounds that it is not within the jurisdiction of the Committee.

  7. The panel of the Committee hearing an appeal may dismiss an appeal by unanimous decision after considering the written submissions notwithstanding a request for an oral hearing on the grounds that there is no real case for an appeal, i.e., the appeal is frivolous or vexatious and without merit on its face.

  8. In the Notice of Appeal, the appellant shall elect whether an oral hearing is requested. If no election is made, the appeal shall be determined in writing.

  9. Where an appeal is to be determined in writing: i. As soon as reasonably practicable the Committee shall provide a copy of the Notice of Appeal to the responding Faculty;

  ii. The responding Faculty has 10 working days to deliver to the Committee a written response to the Notice of Appeal, attaching any documents relevant to the decision under appeal. A copy of the written response and attached documents shall be mailed to the appellant;

  iii. The appellant shall have 10 working days from the mailing date of the responding Faculty's response to provide any final written response. A copy of this shall be mailed to the Faculty.

  10. Where the appeal is to be determined by oral hearing:

  a. Upon receipt of the Notice of Appeal, the Committee, in consultation with the appellant and the responding Faculty will schedule a date for the oral hearing;

  b. No less than 10 working days prior to the hearing, the appellant shall deliver to the Committee (3 copies) and the responding Faculty (1 copy); i. Any written submissions to be relied upon at the hearing;

  ii. Copies of all documents to be referred to at the hearing;

  iii. A list of persons attending as witnesses and a brief summary of each witness's intended evidence;

  c. No less than 5 working days prior to the hearing, the responding Faculty shall deliver to the Committee (3 copies) and the appellant (1 copy) of its material listed at paragraph 10 (b), (i) to (iii), above;

  11. Where the appeal is to be determined in writing, the members of the panel may convene in person or via teleconference.

  12. On an oral hearing, the following procedures shall apply: i. At the commencement of the hearing, the chair shall identify the parties and the members of the Committee;

  ii. The appellant or a representative shall briefly describe the case to be presented, and provide factual support for the case through documentary evidence and testimony of the appellant and any witnesses, if relevant;

  iii. The responding Faculty or a representative shall briefly reply to the appellant's case and provide facts in opposition to the case through documentary evidence and the testimony of witnesses, if relevant;

  iv. Committee members may ask questions at the conclusion of each person's statement or testimony, or at the conclusion of the appellant's or responding Faculty's case;

  v. Normally, neither the appellant nor the responding Faculty may ask questions of the other's witnesses. Where facts important to the decision of the appeal are in dispute, however, either party may ask permission and, if appropriate, the Committee may grant permission for the cross‐ examination of some or all witnesses;

  vi. Following the presentation of the appellant's and the responding Faculty's cases, each of the appellant and the responding Faculty may make brief closing statements to summarize the main points of their respective positions;

  vii. Following the foregoing steps, the parties will withdraw and the Committee will move in camera for its deliberations;

  viii. The decision of the Committee will be in writing and shall include the names of the Committee and all who appeared, a brief summary of the issues on the appeal, the Committee's decision and reasons in support of the decision.

  13. The time limits specified under these procedures may be extended by the chair at the request of the appellant or responding Faculty, if reasonable grounds are shown for the extension.

   

• Governance & Nominations Committee

  1.  TERMS OF REFERENCE

  
  

  The Governance & Nominations Committee (“Committee”) is a standing committee of the UOIT Academic Council and is responsible for providing advice to Academic Council on its governance structure and processes, the nomination and election of new members, and Academic Council performance. 

  Specifically, the Committee will have the following responsibilities: 

  (a)  Governance

  • Advise Academic Council on operations, efficient and effective structures supporting good governance, and Academic Council’s relationship with other bodies at the university as established in the UOIT Act and By-Laws;

  • Advise Academic Council on the establishment, terms of reference, composition, membership and retirement of its committees, including its own;

  • Propose, oversee, and periodically review the governance policies of Academic Council and its committees and make recommendations to Academic Council for development and revision when appropriate;
  • Establish, oversee, and periodically review the governance procedures, guidelines, and directives of Academic Council and revise when appropriate;
  • Develop, implement and monitor procedures for assessing and/or improving the effectiveness of Academic Council and its committees; and
  • Oversee the delivery of programs for the orientation and ongoing education of members of Academic Council and its committees on good governance practices.

  (b)  Nominations

  • Review and monitor the membership needs of Academic Council and its committees;
  • Oversee the process of recruitment, selection, and election of new members of Academic Council and its committees and recommend appointments for approval by Academic Council in accordance with the UOIT Act and By-laws. In doing so, the Committee shall strive to achieve a balance of skills, expertise, and knowledge among its membership, while reflecting the demographic and cultural diversity of the communities served by the university; and
  • Oversee the nomination and selection of Academic Council’s Vice-Chair from among the members of Academic Council.

  2.  MEETINGS

  The Committee shall meet between six (6) and eight (8) times per year, or otherwise at the Committee’s discretion.  In accordance with the UOIT Act and By-laws, the Committee shall conduct two types of meetings as part of its regular administration:  Public and Non-Public.

  3. MEMBERSHIP

  
  

  The Committee shall be composed of:

  • One (1) elected Academic Council member, being a Teaching Faculty member or Tenured/Tenure Track member, from each Faculty
  • One (1) Dean
  • One (1) student member from Academic Council

   Ex-officio

  • President & Vice-Chancellor (Chair)
  • Provost & Vice-President, Academic
  • Staff member of Academic Council (since there is only 1)
  • Secretary of Academic Council (non-voting)

  4.  NOMINATION

  The Academic Council Executive Committee will nominate members through expressions of interest from Academic Council members.  When nominating candidates, the Academic Council Executive Committee should ensure the Committee members represent the diverse perspectives of the different constituencies within the UOIT community, including a balanced representation of tenured/tenure-track faculty and teaching faculty.   

  5. QUORUM

  Quorum requires that a majority of the Committee members entitled to vote be present. 

   

   

• Graduate Studies Committee

  I. MEETING DATES AND TIMES

  Meetings shall be held monthly from September to June unless otherwise determined by the Chair.

  
  II. MEMBERSHIP

   Ex-officio (non-voting)

  • Provost
  • Deans
  • Librarian
  • Office of the Registrar representative
  • Centre for Institutional Quality Enhancement representative
  • Secretary of Academic Council (or designate)

   Ex-officio (voting)

  • VP, Research and Innovation
  • Graduate Program Directors

  School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

  • Dean (Chairing, voting only in the event of a tie)
  • Associate Dean and Assistant Dean (voting)
  • Manager (non-voting)

  Students (voting)

  • 1 representative from Graduate Student Council
  • 1 elected graduate student

  Note: at least one of the graduate students must be at the PhD level
   
  Academic Council members (voting)

  • 2 members from among elected faculty members of Academic Council who have graduate faculty appointments

  III. TERMS OF REFERENCE

  The Graduate Studies Committee has the responsibility for the academic quality of graduate studies in each Faculty. It represents Faculty-wide concerns about graduate students to Academic Council, and provides advice to Faculty and Academic Council on issues related to graduate studies.
  Specifically, the Graduate Studies Committee will:

  1. Maintain the academic standards set by Academic Council
  2. As needed, appoint sub-committees to deal with issues related to graduate These may include, but are not limited to scholarships, policy and regulations, appeals, etc.;
  3. Examine proposals for new graduate degree and diploma programs, major changes to existing programs and to recommend their approval, as appropriate, to Academic Council;
  4. Approve minor program adjustments and changes to individual graduate
  5. In reviewing the proposals under (c) and (d), the committee will:
     • Take responsibility for ensuring the academic quality of the proposal;
     • Look for evidence that the proposal has emerged from unit planning processes and will meet the standards established by relevant external bodies including the Quality Assurance Framework;
     • Encourage, wherever possible, cooperation and consultation among academic units including the promotion of complementary programming; and
     • Flag for Academic Council’s attention matters bearing on academic policy.
  6. Approve Final Assessment Reports (FARs) and action plans arising from the cyclical review of graduate programs and report to Academic Council on the outcomes of reviews conducted during the academic year, the implementation of recommendations from previous reviews, and the schedule of reviews for the next academic year;
  7. Review approved nominations for graduate faculty appointments for supervision and teaching Make decisions on appeals related to graduate faculty appointments.
  8. Review and recommend for approval graduate student admissions requirements;
  9. Review and recommend for approval graduate program regulations;
  10. Review and recommend for approval graduate scholarship policy;
  11. Review and approve terms of reference for all graduate scholarships, bursaries and other academic awards and prizes and to report its decisions on these matters to Academic Council;
  12. Provide advice to Academic Council on student financial support issues;
  13. Review and recommend for approval student and registrarial policies related to financial support, admission, transfer of credits, ;
  14. Render a decision with respect to cases of graduate students' misconduct of research, appeals and any other issues related to unsuccessful completion of a graduate
  15. Establish, oversee, and periodically review the graduate academic, admissions, and scholarship procedures, guidelines, and directives; and revise when appropriate; and provide regular updates to Academic Council; and
  16. to review and recommend to Academic Council changes to graduate academic, admissions, and scholarship.

   

• Honorary Degrees Committee

  1.1 CRITERIA

  Honorary degrees are to recognize persons who have:

  • made an outstanding intellectual and/or scholarly contribution in their chosen field of academic eminence;
  • provided outstanding service and/or contributions to greater society through non‐academic achievements and/or public service; or
  • made major contributions in areas relevant to the mission of UOIT and/or to Durham Region/Northumberland County.

  2.0 DEGREES CONFERRED

  Academic Council may award either of the following honorary degrees:

  2.1 Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (LLD)

  Awarded for outstanding achievement in the social sciences in the broadest sense, or significant community contributions at the local, national, or international levels.

  2.2 Doctor of Science, honoris causa (DSc)

  Awarded for outstanding achievements in the pure and applied sciences and engineering, usually through research.

  3.0 COMMITTEE ON HONORARY DEGREES

  Academic Council shall establish a Committee on Honorary Degrees to be comprised of:

  • The Chancellor
  • The President (Chair)
  • The Provost
  • The Vice‐President of Advancement
  • Three faculty members
  • One student representative
  • The Secretary, Academic Council (ex‐officio, non‐voting)

  The Committee on Honorary Degrees is charged with reviewing all nominations and recommending to the President a list of names of potential degree recipients, the type of degree in each case, the appropriate convocation at which the degree should be granted, and the choice of convocation speaker.

  4.0 GUIDELINES

  4.1 Faculty and staff at UOIT are not eligible for nomination until at least three years after retirement.

  4.2 A nominee may not be an active Canadian politician.

  4.3 The nominee must be living (if the candidate were to pass away after accepting the nomination, but prior to its award, the degree would be awarded posthumously).

  4.4 Nominations that reflect the diversity of Canadian society are encouraged.

  4.5 UOIT shall be under no obligation to award an honorary doctorate in any year.

  4.6 Normally not more than one honorary degree will be awarded at convocation, although a second single degree may be awarded in exceptional circumstances.

  4.7 The Committee shall direct particular focus to individuals who have not received honorary degrees from other institutions, but who are clearly meritorious candidates.

  5.0 SELECTION PROCESS

  5.1 The Committee on Honorary Degrees shall call for nominations for honorary degrees in September of each year. Nominations may be received from members of the University community and the community at large.

  5.2 Nominations should include appropriate background information, such as basic personal information, a summary of the nominee's achievements and other appropriate supporting documentation.

  5.3 All nominations must be forwarded to the Committee on Honorary Degrees on or before October 31.

  5.4 The Committee shall meet in November of each year to develop a list of worthy candidates to serve for the convocation(s) of the coming year.

  5.6 Recommendations of the Committee on Honorary Degrees will be forwarded to the President for his/her consideration. Names of candidates will be kept on a reserve list for three years.

  5.7 Recipients will be selected by the President from among the approved candidates on the reserve list. Candidates chosen shall be contacted directly by the President.

  5.8 The outcome of the Committee's deliberations shall not be released out of respect for the nominee and to ensure the integrity of the process.

  5.9 If the nominee declines the invitation or is unable to be present at the respective convocation, the President may approach the next nominee on the approved list.

  5.10 In the event that an individual declines acceptance of an honorary degree that has been approved by the Committee, or where the conferring of an approved degree has not been scheduled within three years of approval by the committee, the Honorary Degree will be deemed to be cancelled.

  5.11 Confidentiality at all points in the nominating process is critical. No discussion concerning nominees shall take place outside of those directly involved in the evaluation process or the formal evaluation meetings. Discussion and voting will be in executive session by all evaluating groups.

  5.12 Whenever possible, names of Honorary Degree recipients should be reported to Academic Council before being announced to the media.

  5.13 Due to the confidential nature of the proceedings, nominators will be contacted after nomination consideration only if the candidate is selected to receive an honorary degree.

  6.0 CONVOCATION PROCEEDINGS

  6.1 The President will identify someone to present each nominee at convocation. This will normally be a UOIT faculty member and frequently the individual who nominated the recipient.

  6.2 Each honoree, and especially those from out‐of‐town, will be hosted by a UOIT faculty or staff member, usually the individual performing introductions at convocation. He/she will be responsible for ensuring that the honoree(s) are met at airports, escorted to and from campus events and generally made to feel welcome and appreciated.

  6.3 Nominees will normally address convocation but, in some cases, may not be asked to do so.

  6.4 Speeches should be brief (not to exceed ten minutes) and introductions should be confined to three minutes. All speeches should be directed to the graduating class.

  6.5 UOIT will normally host either a luncheon or a dinner for honorees, their immediate families, and special friends.

• Research Committee

  1. TERMS OF REFERENCE

  The Research Committee of the Academic Council (“Committee”) is a standing committee of the university’s Academic Council and is responsible for providing advice on research-related policy, procedures and strategy. 
  Specifically, the Committee will have the following responsibilities:

  • Advise and make recommendations to Academic Council on policies and programs that promote, support and celebrate high‐quality research, scholarly work and innovation and their dissemination;
  • Advise and make recommendations to Academic Council on issues related to the conduct of research and scholarly work and any such practices that violate the university's mission and respect for academic freedom;
  • Advise and make recommendations to Academic Council on policies, procedures, practices and issues related to the ethical, regulatory, etc., conduct of research and scholarly work and its dissemination;
  • Examine proposals for the establishment of research entities at the university, and recommend to Academic Council the establishment or discontinuation of such entities;
  • Review annually the activities of the university’s research entities;
  • Report annually to Academic Council on the university’s research and scholarly activities;
  • Advise the Vice‐President, Research and Innovation on matters related to research, scholarship and innovation policy, strategy and implementation;
  • Advise the Vice‐President, Research and Innovation on matters related to research agencies and other partners that sponsor research at the university;
  • Recommend the recipients of the university Research Excellence Award to the Vice‐President, Research and Innovation;
  • Inform faculties of the current standards, policies and guidelines that have an impact on research, scholarship and innovation;
  • Establish such working groups as needed to fulfill the Committee’s responsibilities; and
  • Perform other duties as assigned by Academic Council.

  2. MEETINGS

   The Committee shall meet monthly from September to May, except December, unless otherwise determined by the Chair.

  3. MEMBERSHIP

  The Committee will be composed of:

  • One (1) faculty member from each Faculty
    • Where there is a Faculty with an Associate/Assistant Dean Responsible for Research, s/he will assume the representative role for that Faculty on the Committee as an ex officio
    • Where there is a Faculty without an Associate/Assistant Dean Responsible for Research, the VPRI will consult with the Dean to find a suitable representative using determining factors such as, but not exclusive to, upcoming leaves of absence, and service commitments.
    • Faculty members may submit expressions of interest to their Dean.
    • Committee members will be nominated by the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, in consultation with Faculty Deans, and approved by Academic Council.
      
  • Two (2) members from among elected faculty members of Academic Council

  Ex-officio

  • Vice-President, Research and Innovation (Chair)
  • Dean, School of Graduate and Post-doctoral Studies
  • Executive Director, Research Services (non-voting)
  • University Librarian (non-voting)
  • Manager, Research and Trust Accounting (non-voting)

  Vice-Chair
  The Chair may choose to nominate a Vice-Chair for the academic year from the existing members of the Committee with approval by the members of the Committee by secret ballot.  Nomination consideration will be given to experience, leadership, and diversity. The Vice-Chair shall represent the Chair at Committee meetings and in other stead, at the Chair’s discretion, should the Chair be unable to attend.
   
  Administrative Support
  Administrative support is provided by the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

  4. TERM OF APPOINTMENT

  Committee members will normally be appointed for a three-year term that is renewable.

   

  5. QUORUM

  Quorum requires that a majority of the Committee members entitled to vote be present. 
• Undergraduate Studies Committee

  1. TERMS OF REFERENCE

  The Undergraduate Studies Committee (“Committee”) is a standing committee of the university’s Academic Council whose mandate is to consider and make recommendations to Academic Council on matters pertaining to the appropriateness, merit and quality of the university’s undergraduate academic programs. The context for the Committee’s mandate is provided by the university’s strategic and academic plans as these may from time to time be established by the Academic Council and/or the university’s Board of Governors.

  Specifically, the Committee will have the following responsibilities:

  1. to examine proposals for new undergraduate degree programs and major changes to existing programs and to recommend their approval, as appropriate, to the Academic Council;
  2. to approve minor program adjustments and report them to Academic Council for information;
  3. to be informed of changes to individual undergraduate courses;
  4. in reviewing the proposals, the Committee:
     • will ensure the academic quality of the proposal;
     • will ensure that the proposal has emerged from unit planning processes and will meet the standards established by relevant external bodies including the Quality Assurance Framework;
     • should encourage cooperation and consultation among academic units including the promotion of complementary programming; and
     • should flag for the Academic Council’s attention matters bearing on academic policy.
  5. to approve Final Assessment Reports (FARs) and action plans arising out of the cyclical review of undergraduate programs and report to Academic Council on the outcomes of reviews conducted during the academic year, the implementation of recommendations from previous reviews, and the schedule of reviews for the next academic year;
  6. to coordinate and oversee matters in the university relating to undergraduate academic standards;
  7. to examine policy issues related to undergraduate curriculum and instructional development;
  8. to establish, oversee, and periodically review the undergraduate academic, admissions, and scholarship procedures, guidelines, and directives, and revise when appropriate, and provide regular updates to Academic Council; and
  9. to review and recommend to Academic Council changes to undergraduate academic, admissions, and scholarship policy, including terms of reference for all undergraduate scholarships, bursaries, and awards.

  2.     MEETINGS

  Meetings will be held monthly from September to June unless otherwise determined by the Chair.   

  3. MEMBERSHIP

  The Committee will be composed of:     
  
  

  Ex-officio (voting)

  • Senior academic administrator responsible for Quality Enhancement (or designate) as Chair (voting only in the event of a tie)
  • Chair of the undergraduate curriculum committee for each Faculty (or equivalent)
  • Registrar (or designate)

  Academic Council members (voting)

  • Two (2) members from among elected faculty members of Academic Council

  Elected (voting)

  • Two (2) undergraduate students elected from the student body

   Non-Voting

  • Representative from the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (or successor)
  • Manager from the Office of the Registrar, as designated by the Registrar
  • Manager of the Centre for Institutional Quality Enhancement (or designate)
  • Secretary of Academic Council (or designate)
    
    

    4. QUORUM

  Quorum requires that a majority of the Committee members entitled to vote be present.