Faculty Councils

In accordance with the Academic Council Handbook, each Faculty of the University has a Faculty Council that is responsible for academic governance and approval of new programs and courses, policies of the Faculty (including admissions to the Faculty), academic standards, curriculum and degree requirements, and long-range academic planning.

Faculty Councils are established by Academic Council and operate under delegated authority from Academic Council.  The rules, procedures, and membership of Faculty Councils, and proposed changes to them, shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee of Academic Council to ensure their compliance with recognized principles and practices.

Each Faculty Council shall consist of the following regular voting members:

a. The Dean, Associate Deans and Assistant Deans of the Faculty;
b. All core faculty members of the Faculty with a primary appointment in the Faculty including those on sabbatical or leave;
c. All core faculty members whose primary appointment is in another Faculty, but who hold a 25% or more secondary appointment in the Faculty;
d. All full-time academic associates holding a primary appointment in the Faculty and all full-time academic associates holding at least a 25% secondary appointment in the Faculty;
e. Representatives of the Teaching Assistants and Part-Time Faculty who have taught in the Faculty for at least two consecutive academic years not to number more than 10% of categories a, b, c and d combined (where this number is at least 10);
f. Students not to number more than 10% of categories a, b, c and d combined (where this number is at least 10); and
g. Professional/Management/Technical and Administrative Staff of the Faculty not to exceed 10% of categories a, b, c and d combined (where this number is at least 10).

NOTE: Any exceptions to the rules set out above must receive approval from Academic Council.

The Dean of the Faculty shall act as the Chair of Faculty Council.  Each Faculty Council shall elect a Vice-Chair annually from among the core faculty members of the Faculty.  The President, Vice-Presidents, and Associate Provosts of the University, the Deans of other Faculties of the University, the Secretary of Academic Council, and the University Librarian shall be ex-officio, non-voting members of each Faculty Council.

Each Faculty Council shall establish an Executive Committee to be chaired by the Dean of the Faculty with the following mandate:

a. To organize the regular ongoing business of the Faculty Council including the preparation of the agenda for all regular and special meetings;
b. To exercise the powers held by the Faculty Council for what are normally considered routine administrative matters (all such actions are to be reported to the Faculty Council); 
c. To receive and review reports and recommendations from Faculty Committees prior to their submission to the Faculty Council at its regular meetings;
d. To present to the Faculty Council, normally at the last regular meeting in the academic year, a list of members for Faculty Committees for the coming year; and
e. To make recommendations to the Faculty Council as may be necessary from time to time regarding the establishment of ad hoc Committees of the Faculty Council (recommendations shall include terms of reference and Committee members).

Each Faculty Council should establish a Curriculum Committee with the following mandate:

a. To make recommendations to the Faculty Council with respect to rules and regulations for the government, direction and management of undergraduate studies in the Faculty;
b. To make recommendations to the Faculty Council with respect to new undergraduate programs/plans, and the deletion of undergraduate programs/plans;
c. To recommend to Faculty Council all new undergraduate courses, the deletion of undergraduate courses, and proposed changes to existing undergraduate courses and programs;
d. To provide to the Curriculum and Program Review Committee of Academic Council a summary of the Faculty Council's deliberations and actions in areas of its jurisdiction (the responsibility for the approval of new programs remains with Academic Council and Faculty Curriculum Committees are expected to flag matters of broader academic policy for the attention of Academic Council);
e. To coordinate and oversee all matters in the Faculty relating to examinations, grading and assessment practices and academic standards;
f. To explore curriculum policy issues including instructional development and quality of teaching. The committee shall report its findings and make recommendations to the Faculty Council and Academic Council where relevant; 
g. To oversee all non-degree courses and programs in the Faculty; and
h. To advise the Dean on all matters relating to undergraduate studies within the Faculty.

As Faculties grow in size, other Faculty Council Committees may be added. Additional Committees are likely to include Research, Graduate Studies and Student Appeals.