22 S-96-42 FACULTY OF SCIENCE Meeting of Faculty Tuesday May 20, 1997 Leacock Council Room - L232 ATTENDANCE: As recorded in the Faculty Appendix Book. DOCUMENTS: S-96-30 to S-96-41 Dean Shaver called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. Dean Shaver announced that Professor Leo Yaffe, Department of Chemistry, had passed away on May 14, 1997. He said that a Resolution on the death of Prof. Yaffe will be presented at the next Faculty of Science meeting, in September, 1997. Dean Shaver said that it was important to remember Prof. Yaffe, particularly at this Faculty meeting, at which the Leo Yaffe Award for Excellence in Teaching was to be presented. This award is in memoriam to Prof. Yaffeís dedication to research and teaching at McGill University. (1) REPORTS OF COMMITTEES a) Leo Yaffe Award Committee - Prof. C. Roth Prof. Roth said, îAs Dean Shaver has mentioned, it is extremely sad that Prof. Yaffe is no longer with us. We have lost a great scientist, teacher, and friend. Prof. Yaffe particularly enjoyed meeting and congratulating the new Leo Yaffe Award winners.î Prof. Roth presented the report of the Leo Yaffe Award Committee: îThe Leo Yaffe Committee, comprising five professors, Sally Gibbs, Peter Grutter, David Harp, Charles Roth (chair), Don Taylor, and two students, Mr. Eric Fenster and Mr. Ritesh Parekh, was confronted with a most difficult and challenging task: choosing a winner from ten truly excellent candidates. They were, in alphabetical order, Professors: Z. ALTOUNIAN Physics M. DAMHA Chemistry L. HERMO Anatomy & Cell Biology G. INGRAM Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences R. KOESTNER Psychology P. LASKO Biology A. MUCCI Earth & Planetary Sciences N. ROULET Geography D. WOLFSON Mathematics & Statistics E. ZORYCHTA Pathology îI am very pleased to announce that the outstanding winner of the Leo Yaffe Award this year is Professor David Wolfson. îProfessor Wolfson joined McGill in 1974 after completing an honours B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Durban, South Africa, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University. îHe is married to Tina Wolfson, a professor in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McGill. They have a teenage son. îProfessor Wolfson has taught the incredible number of 14 different undergraduate courses ranging from large service courses to lower and upper level majors and honours courses in Linear Algebra, Pure and Applied Probability and Pure and Applied Statistics. îIn addition, he has taught 5 different graduate courses. He is actively involved in research, supervision of graduate students, and administrative duties. îThe committee was particularly impressed with the following: îProfessor Wolfsonís course evaluations on that part of the form dealing with overall lecturer performance ranged from a low ranking of 4.38 to a high of 4.9 out of 5, thus being consistently outstanding. îAs can be expected, the comments that students were invited to write on the reverse of the evaluation forms, and which were included in their entirety, from the years 1991-92 to 1995-96 were generally highly laudatory. îFinally, the committee was heavily influenced by the testimonials it received from students who have been taught by Professor Wolfson. These paint a compelling picture of Professor Wolfsonís lucid and enthusiastic teaching style, combining a perfect balance between rigor and practicality, and providing deep insight into often difficult material without ever becoming tiresome or tedious. It is clear that his teaching goes much further than this--in many instances, his teaching has changed his studentsí lives and molded their subsequent careers. The letters portray a professor whose office door is always open to his students, one who genuinely cares for their concerns, not only with the course he is teaching them, but for the whole educational process and the deeper issues of life. îSome comments from recent course evaluations: íWolfson is an amazing teacher.í íHe makes a boring subject entertaining. I would love to take another course with him and would highly recommend him to anyone.í íI found Professor Wolfson outstanding for his enthusiasm for the course, his energy and his ability to explain the concepts thoroughly and clearly. He was easy to follow in class and I thank him for making the course very interesting and enjoyable.í íInstructor was excellent. He gave us much insight into the topics; unexpectedly he managed to stimulate my full attention. It was a real pleasure to take this course with him.í íHe makes everything easy to understand. He is very good at providing contemporary examples and he obviously enjoys teaching.í íProfessor Wolfson is a great teacher and is always there for extra help.í íProfessor Wolfson was by far the best professor I have ever had at McGill. His classes were extremely interesting and his lectures were very clear. I really enjoyed and learned a lot from every class.í íProfessor Wolfson is the best teacher Iíve ever had. His notes are extremely well organized and coherent. He is very approachable and encourages the students to participate in his classes as much as possible.í íHe really knows his stuff and more importantly he is willing and able to impart this knowledge. Promote him and give him a raise.í îI would now like to quote briefly some comments from a small sampling of the testimonial letters, all from previous undergraduate students of Professor Wolfson; first from individuals who have their Ph.Dís and are academics in their own right, then from Ph.D. students, and finally from present undergraduates. îFrom Dr. Lawrence Joseph, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McGill: íAs a former student of Professor David Wolfson, I am pleased to have the opportunity to relate to you my first hand knowledge of his outstanding classroom teaching. I attended three courses taught by Professor Wolfson, one undergraduate and two as a graduate student. íBased on my experience, there is no doubt whatsoever that David Wolfson is one of the best teachers in any department at McGill, and indeed, at any University anywhere. It is literally impossible to imagine anything more that he could have done to improve my time spent as a student at McGill, starting from the first day in the undergraduate class to the day I graduated with my Ph.D., with David as supervisor. I have known David since 1982, and there have been countless instances I could cite as evidence of this claim. I will provide only a small representative sample of these below. íI first encountered David when I took his course in Nonparametric Statistics (189-424B) in my last semester of an undergraduate degree in mathematics. Despite the fact that I had previously taken several other undergraduate courses in probability and statistics, it was Davidís in depth and lucid explanations of statistical concepts that finally made me begin to really understand and appreciate statistics. It was very obvious that David spent a great deal of time preparing his courses, and also encouraged students to visit his office for further clarifications of the material. I had found many superb teachers in the Department, but the quality of Davidís teaching was so good that I had no hesitation in deciding to vote for him for the Leo Yaffe Teaching Award, as far back as 1982. It is a bit of a surprise that, 15 years later, David is still being considered for this award, as he really should have been awarded it years ago. Nevertheless, it would be a wonderful decision to grant David the Award this year, since it would recognize almost a generation of outstanding teaching. íUp to that time, I had no notions of entering graduate school. However, David took a personal interest in me, and single-handedly convinced me to apply for a Masterís degree in statistics. He did this by showing me how interesting statistics could be both in theory and in real applications, and by providing the necessary guidance and encouragement. íDavidís ability to advise students must be second to none. His vast knowledge of the rules of McGill always allow his students to fly over the jungle of the sometimes confusing regulations that may otherwise delay progress. His reputation for this among the students means that his advice is sought at one time or another by not only his own students, but by virtually everybody. David always provides this advice with thought and patience. He is also crucial in attracting students to his department, since his excellent reputation as an advisor means that he fields calls from many potential students asking about studying statistics. íAlthough the Leo Yaffe Award is specifically for undergraduate teaching, his graduate courses were equally enlightening. His inspired and inspiring performance continue to serve as role models for my own teaching. I often think back to his style in deciding on how to teach certain concepts. He also frequently brings to my attention articles and data sets that are useful for teaching purposes. íIt is very difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes his teaching so good, but here is an attempt to analyze why his classes were such a pleasure to attend: Much of mathematical statistics courses consist of long proofs with many intricate details. In the hands of an average teacher, this could quickly become very boring. In fact, one of the most often heard complaints about statistics courses in general is that they are both very boring and difficult to follow. One could always count on David, however, to explain the importance of each step so clearly that what might otherwise seem to be a dull topic would come alive. Furthermore, he had a subtle sense of dry humour that had the class giggling through many of the lectures. íIt is crucial to emphasize that my experiences are not unique, and that examples such as these are characteristic of Davidís teaching and his interactions with all of his students. Indeed, whenever I meet an old classmate from one of his courses, we always trade stories about his lectures. The fact that courses taken 15 years ago are still remembered as though they were yesterday is further proof of his amazing abilities in the classroom. íIt is the inescapable conclusion of all those in contact with him that David Wolfson is an unusually talented, dedicated and superb educator, very deserving of the Leo Yaffe Award.í îFrom Dr. Brian A. Barsky, Professor of Computer Science, University of California: íProfessor David Wolfson certainly left his mark on me. Itís difficult to believe that more than 20 years have passed since I was a student in his class. íThe concepts learned in that class have stayed with me over all these years, and provided a good foundation upon which to draw for other related material. I am pleased to learn of Professor Wolfsonís nomination for recognition for excellence in undergraduate teaching, and I would certainly support such an award.í îOther academics as Dr. Robert Platt, Assistant Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McGill; Dr. Daniella Morin, Associate Dean, Academic and Student Affairs, Concordia University; Dr. Sylvie Cardin of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology at the Jewish General Hospital and Dr. Christian Leger, Associate Professor of Statistics at the UniversitÈ de MontrÈal all write at length about Professor Wolfsonís outstanding teaching abilities, his enthusiasm and ability to make difficult concepts fascinating and relatively easy to comprehend. Even more significantly, they all express a tremendous debt of gratitude to Professor Wolfson for his caring, dedication, motivation, personal interest and encouragement to pursue postgraduate studies and then embark upon academic careers. îSome comments now from Ph.D. students: îGulham Alpergu in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McGill: íWhen you graduate from a school you always remember your teachers who had influence on you, in my case Professor Wolfson would be the one. There is an old English saying ëYou have to learn from other peopleís mistakes. You donít have time to do them all yourself.í I will translate this old saying and will call it ënew sayingí as ëYou have to learn from Professor David Wolfsonís outstanding teaching skills. You donít have time to discover them all yourself.í îZana Chase, Columbia University: íI took a course with Professor Wolfson called Basic Probability and Statistics (189-303) in the fall 1992, during my second year at McGill. This is a very basic course that most professors would probably rather not teach, and most students are not excited to take. Yet it came alive with Professor Wolfson. He had an amazing ability to get to the heart of a subject, and build on a solid understanding of fundamental concepts. I felt I was really learning, rather than simply absorbing facts. I have met only one other professor (at Columbia) who matched Professor Wolfson in this regard. The course was taught with a perfect balance between rigor and practicality. He knew all of our names and interests, and would often choose examples from our fields of study. He had a lively lecture style and a genuine, infectious enthusiasm for the subject. Judging by the number of times I refer back to my notes from that course, and how my understanding of statistics compares with that of fellow students who took other single term statistics courses, Professor Wolfsonís course was very successful. I recommended it to many students the following year. íProfessor Wolfson was also a really good person to talk to. I went to his office on several occasions to discuss class material, related topics, specific applications to my biology courses, and even what I was planning to do after the B.Sc., and bicycle riding. He always took time to answer questions carefully, and never talked down to me, or made me feel that he had many more important things to do besides talk to undergraduates. These qualities are surprisingly hard to come by.í îThere were many other testimonial letters from postgraduate students expressing similar sentiments as the above. îFinally, from a few of the testimonial letters from undergraduates. îSpiros Karigiannis, joint honours Mathematics & Physics, winner of the Anne Molson Gold Medal, the Horace Watson Medal and Prize, and the Moyse Travelling Scholarship: íProfessor Wolfson was without question the best professor I have had as an instructor in my four years at McGill in many different respects. Even though I personally was not very interested in probability or statistics, he nevertheless succeeded in capturing my attention at every lecture with his extremely clear and well prepared lectures. He made the material interesting by often describing real world current applications of the abstract theory we were learning and he made sure we realized that the field was alive and thriving. He would often describe his own research and that of his colleagues to us so that we could better appreciate how what we were learning could be applied. He was also a person you could get to know personally, and I often discussed such things as politics or hockey with him before class. Being able to communicate well with your teacher in this fashion makes it that much more enjoyable to be part of his class.í îGordon Craig, U3 Honours Mathematics: íI would like to recommend Dr. David Wolfson for the Leo Yaffe Award. Among the many excellent teachers that I have had at McGill, Dr. Wolfson is unquestionably the best. His commitment to his students, his brilliant lectures and his ability to communicate his fascination for and his understanding of Statistics are particularly outstanding. íDr. Wolfsonís door was always open to all his students, whether it was to ask about the course or just to talk about related topics. His helpful advice outside the classroom and his sense of humour meant that it was always a pleasure to deal with him.í îFinally, Daniel S. Goldberg, major Mathematics: íProfessor Wolfson is candid and open with his students. He creates a supportive learning environment that reaches a broad range of students. He has an ability to simplify and explain complex mathematical concepts, yet he does so while still challenging students to stretch their creativity and to develop their analytic abilities. His classes are enjoyable, almost fun. íWhile at McGill I had the opportunity to get to know David on a personal level. Although anyone who has sat in on his classes could probably guess, I found out for certain that he has a deep concern and care for his students. He cares about their learning and about their success in other areas of their lives. Although I cannot speak to the other facets of Davidís work, I know that he is a tremendous teacher. McGill would be lucky to have more like him.í îI would like to conclude on a personal note by stating what an honour and privilege it has been for me to act in the capacity of chair of this prestigious committee for the last three years. îA most encouraging realization is the fact that we have outstanding teachers in all department of this faculty. Notwithstanding the severe cutbacks in these difficult times, their commitment, dedication and passion for teaching, as well as their genuine concern and caring for their students, are inspirations for others, and significant factors in making this university so great. îThank you very much.î On behalf of the Faculty of Science, Dean Shaver congratulated Prof. Wolfson on winning the Leo Yaffe Award, and thanked Prof. Wolfson for allowing Faculty to hear the many great things that had been said about him. Dean Shaver said it had been a privilege, and had provided him with a great deal of satisfaction, to hear about excellent teaching at McGill. Dean Shaver thanked Prof. Roth for serving as Chair of the Leo Yaffe Award Committee for the past three years. He said that he often admired the style in which Prof. Roth presented the awards, and it was obvious that Prof. Roth, a former recipient of the Leo Yaffe Award, enjoyed presenting them. b) Faculty of Science Excellence Award - Prof. S. Olson Prof. Olson presented the report of the Committee for the Faculty of Science Excellence Award: îDear Dean Shaver, îThe committee has unanimously recommended that the Faculty of Science Excellence Award be given to Mr. Mark Romer, manager of the McGill Phytotron. Mr. Romer has certain qualities we note in all of the nominees for the award - enthusiasm and dedication to the twin missions of the Faculty: its research and teaching. He is a problem-solver, present and inventive in the face of sudden threats like power failures, lab contaminants, or budget crises. In this sense, the award to Mark is a recognition of ALL of the people who make McGill work! îWe note with special appreciation: (1) the interdisciplinary nature of the unit and therefore the service to several branches of science and several units in the Faculty; (2) Mark's teaching role (we received many testimonials to the learning-value of his consultation on honours projects and thesis research); (3) his effective collaboration with private entreprise on design and modifications for the highly specialized equipment; and (4) his active role in the international committees which set standards for the management of ëcontrolled environmentsí. îThe committee also wishes to commend three runners-up: Mary Gauthier (undergraduate program secretary in Psychology), Marie LaRicca (administrative assistant at Redpath Museum), and Vicki Loschiavo (administrative officer Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences). Because all are highly deserving, their names should be announced at the same occasion and we urge the Dean to write to each of them. îThe committee, consisting of Lawrence Mysak, Connie Di Giuseppe, Steve Kecani, Kathryn Peterson and Sherry Olson, Chair, represented the various components of the larger team of the Faculty: clerical, technical, managerial and academic staff. It was a pleasure for me to work with this thoughtful group. îSincerely yours, Sherry Olsonî In response to Prof. Olson, Mr. Romer spoke: îThank you all for coming today, Iím very honoured to be here and to receive this award. Shortly after Dean Shaver phoned me about winning this award, I received a notice from the University informing me I had just completed my 10th year as a McGill employee. What a wonderful gift to celebrate 10 years of service! îI wish to thank my colleague Claire Cooney for nominating me for this award, and all the persons who wrote letters of support on my behalf. It gives a whole new meaning to the term performance evaluation! (and a very pleasant one at that!) îIt has been a real privilege to be a part of the development of the Phytotron facility and our success over the past decade can be attributed to the cooperation and collaboration of many levels of our University community. The shared nature of our facility has brought scientists and students from different disciplines, different departments, and different institutions together under one roof to accomplish some fascinating studies in ecology, molecular and cell biology, biotechnology and plant science. Many new and innovative protocols and methodologies and a great deal of the hands on work associated with these studies was made possible through contributions of many non-academic support staff who form an integral link between the researcher and the controlled environment equipment in the Phytotron. The maintenance and overall fitness of our facility over 10 years of operation can be attributed to the contributions of many people at our Facilities Management Department and I am particularly grateful to Mr. Alan Oliver from the Controls department for educating me on hundreds of topics from mechanics to controls technology. îMy role in the Phytotron has been to interact with, and integrate these various diverse groups and individuals into a functional and productive unit. This responsibility has brought me my greatest challenges and in retrospect, my greatest rewards. îI am very grateful to Martin Lechowicz, Kathryn Peterson and the Biology Department for giving me a unique opportunity, not only to operate and manage a group of growth chambers & greenhouse rooms (which any University has), but to go further and develop the Phytotron into one of the premier research facilities of its kind in the world. Kathryn and Marty have encouraged and supported my own personal development, and by giving me the responsibility for this complex operation, they have gained my respect and motivated me in the best way possible. îI share this award with two dedicated and hard working individuals. Claire Cooney and Frank Scopelleti have shared my vision of what the Phytotron is and can still be, and I am very privileged to have them on my team! In addition to working on the multitude of tasks which face us every week, Claire and Frank have grown and developed in their own positions as well ÖAs an example, our facility is one of the first that is working towards eliminating the use of pesticides and chemical toxins in favour of newer and sounder pest management practices. Claire has spearheaded this change and in so doing is rapidly becoming one of North Americaís authorities on Biological control of greenhouse pests. îI am also fortunate to be supported and encouraged by my family, several of whom have come to be here today, and I am grateful to my wife Bonnie, my parents, brothers & sisters for being such great role models to me. îI feel we have laid a solid foundation upon which our Phytotron can grow and develop and I thank you for coming today and honouring me for my part in this process.î Dean Shaver congratulated Mr. Romer on behalf of the Faculty of Science. He said that the McGill Phytotron was a world-class facility, and that it was a very impressive and complicated instrument of research. c) Sub-committee on Scholarships S-96-31 701.1 Prof. GowriSankaran announced that this year the Scholarships Sub-committee had recommended two students for the Governor-Generalís Silver Medal. They are: (1) Mr. FranÁois Labelle, Honours Mathematics and Computer Science, and (2) Mr. George Thanassoulis, Honours Microbiology and Immunology. Prof. GowriSankaran said that only two medals would be awarded throughout the whole university. A meeting to choose the winners was scheduled for May 21, 1997. 701.2 Prof. GowriSankaran thanked the departmental representatives of the Scholarships Sub-committee for their cooperation, effort, patience and work. Prof. GowriSankaran thanked Sharon Bezeau, Recorder, Student Affairs Office (SAO), for monitoring the late submission of grades. Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Hogan, that the Scholarships Report be approved. The motion carried. 701.3 Associate Dean de Takacsy thanked Prof. GowriSankaran, Chair, Scholarships Sub-committee, for his leadership and work. He said that Prof. GowriSankaran had had to work with an extremely tight schedule. Associate Dean de Takacsy moved, seconded by Dean Shaver, a vote of thanks to Prof. GowriSankaran and the Scholarships Sub-committee for their excellent work and effort. The resolution of thanks was unanimous. (2) CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES a) Bachelor of Science S-96-32 702.1 Dean Shaver introduced Mr. Donald Sedgwick, Chief Advisor, SAO, to answer any questions. 702.2 Associate Dean de Takacasy reported that again there had been a significant increase in the total number of graduands, as compared to the previous year. He said that in 1995 there had been 450 graduands; in 1996 there had been 502; and there were so far 560 students graduating in June 1997. He said he thought the increase was due to the higher enrolment in the past three years. Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Hogan, that the above candidates be recommended to the Senate Steering Committee for the Bachelor of Science degree. The motion carried. b) Diploma in Environmental Studies S-96-33 Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Farrell, that the above candidates be recommended to the Senate Steering Committee for the Diploma in Environmental Studies. The motion carried. c) Diploma in Meteorology S-96-34 Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Ingram, that the above candidates be recommended to the Senate Steering Committee for the Diploma in Meteorology. The motion carried. Prof. GowriSankaran further moved, seconded by Prof. Whitehead, that the Dean be given discretionary power to make such changes in the degree list as would be necessary to prevent injustice. The motion carried. 702.3 Associate Dean de Takacsy thanked the staff of the SAO for the graduation list. He said that some staff members had worked on weekends, and that some of the grades had not been submitted until very late. Associate Dean de Takacsy moved, seconded by Dean Shaver, that Faculty thank the SAO. The resolution of thanks was unanimous. (3) MINUTES OF March 11, 1997 S-96-30 Prof. Mucci moved, seconded by Prof. Derome, that the minutes be approved. The motion carried. (4) BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES There was no business arising from the minutes. (5) ANNOUNCEMENTS S-96-39 705.1 Dean Shaver said that a number of awards had been announced, and that a list had been tabled (S-96-39). He said that many members of the Faculty of Science had received awards, and mentioned that several had received more than one award. Dean Shaver said this indicated that the Faculty had received a lot of recognition this academic year. 705.2 Dean Shaver announced that Ms. Vicki Loschiavo, Administrative Officer for the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, had been one of the winners of the Award for Excellence in Service, offered by the Faculty of Graduate Studies. 705.3 Dean Shaver announced that Prof. Shaun Lovejoy from the Department of Physics, and Prof. Alfonso Mucci from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, had been promoted to the rank of Full Professor. New/Reappointed Chairs/Director 705.4 In the Department of Physics, Prof. Jean Barrette will succeed Prof. Subal Das Gupta for a five-year term, starting June 1, 1997. 705.5 In the School of Computer Science, Prof. Denis ThÈrien will succeed Prof. Luc Devroye as director for a three- year term, starting June 1, 1997. 705.6 In the Department of Psychology, Prof. Norman White will replace Prof. Tony Marley during Prof. Marleyís sabbatical leave. Prof. Marley has been reappointed to the position of chair for three years, starting June 1, 1998. 705.7 In the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Prof. Georg Schmidt has been reappointed for two years. On behalf of the Faculty of Science, Dean Shaver congratulated staff members for the above achievements. (6) REPORTS OF COMMITTEES a) Committee on Student Standing 706.1 Associate Dean de Takacsy said that the Committee on Student Standing had met on May 15, 1997. He said that there had been one case presented, an appeal for first class honours; the appeal had been denied by the Committee. b) Academic Committee S-96-36 REPORT ON MINOR COURSE CHANGES (AC-96-76) (for information) COMPUTER SCIENCE New Course: 308-206A Programming Techniques(AC-96-77) 1 credit Prof. ThÈrien moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. GEOGRAPHY New Courses: 183-190A FYS: Environmental Perspectives(AC-96-78) 1 credit 706.2 Associate Dean de Takacsy said, with regard to îFYSî being part of the course title for Geography 183-190A (a one-credit course), that this issue is still being discussed. Prof. Moore moved, seconded by Prof. Ingram, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. 183-307B Socioeconomic Applications of GIS(AC-96-80) 3 credits Prof. Moore moved, seconded by Prof. Ingram, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. 183-424A Place, people & Culture: Europe(AC-96-81) 6 credits Prof. Moore moved, seconded by Prof. Potvin, that the above course be adopted. The motion carried. 183-551A Environmental Decisions(AC-96-82) 3 credits Prof. Moore moved, seconded by Prof. Sittmann, that the above course be adopted. The motion carried. - B.A. Major in Geography (AC-96-83) (for information) ANATOMY & CELL BIOLOGY - Name Change (AC-96-84) (for information) PSYCHOLOGY - MSc (Applied, Deafness) (AC-96-89) Prof. Marley moved, seconded by Prof. Franklin, that the above program be adopted. The motion carried. New Courses: 204-530A Applied Topics in Deafness (AC-96-90) 3 credits 204-611A Applied Project in Deafness I (AC-96-91) 3 credits 204-612B Applied Project in Deafness II (AC-96-92) 6 credits 204-613C Applied Project in Deafness III (AC-96-93) 15 credits Prof. Marley moved, seconded by Prof. Franklin, that the courses be adopted. The motion carried. FACULTY OF ARTS - MULTI-TRACK PROGRAMME (AC-96-85) (for information) 706.3 Associate Dean de Takacsy said that the new Arts program was intended to begin in September, 1998. He said that although the Faculty of Science had nothing to do with the approval of the program, there would be a number of consequences for the Faculty of Science. Some of the points Associate Dean de Takacsy raised were: 706.4 (1) Minor Programs - Currently the Arts and Science minors are 24 credits; the new Arts minors will be 18 credits. Should the Faculty of Science switch to 18- credit minors, or should the Science minors remain unchanged? 706.5 (2) Double Majors - 54 credits are currently required for a Science major. 36 credits will be required for a new Arts major. 706.6 Associate Dean de Takacsy said the document (S-96-85) had been presented to the Academic Committee on May 6, 1997, and a memorandum had been circulated to the Academic representatives. The Faculty of Science would have to address the issue in September 1997. 706.7 Dean Shaver said that representatives of the Academic Committee had been requested to review the new Arts curriculum with respect to their departmental programs. FIRST YEAR SEMINARS - ENROLLMENT (AC-96-86) 706.8 Associate Dean de Takacsy explained some possible interpretations for the enrolment pattern in Science FYS courses (AC-96-86), including: that Science U0 and U1 students have very tight course schedules; that Science students are not interested in seminars/ discussion sessions, and would rather take large enrolment elective courses; and logistical problems with caps and the termination of Add/Drop period. He said that raising the caps in the 1997-98 year should eliminate the logistical problems. 706.9 Responding to a question, Dean Shaver said the Academic Committee was monitoring FYS courses, and that the first year had been experimental; one year was not enough to evaluate these courses. He said there were some departments that would like to drop the FYS courses, while other departments found them to be very rewarding for professors. Dean Shaver said the common feedback was that FYS courses were an expensive way of teaching students; however, he thought some students enjoyed them. 706.10 A member noted that about half the students in the first term Science FYS courses were Arts students, the other half being Science students; however, in the second term there were no Arts students taking Science FYS courses. The question could be raised as to whether these courses are fulfilling their intended purpose. Academic Committee Meeting of May 6, 1997 BIOLOGY New Courses: 177-460A Aquatic Conservation (AC-96-99) 3 credits Prof. Sittmann moved, seconded by Prof. Gibbs, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. 177-471D Independent Studies in Biology (AC-96-100) 6 credits Prof. Sittmann moved, seconded by Prof. Gibbs, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. AD HOC HONOURS PROGRAM IN MATHEMATICS & NEUROSCIENCE (AC-96-101) Prof. Rigelhof moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the ad hoc honours program for Ms. Madeline Pool be approved. The motion carried. PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS 549-562A General Pharmacology I (AC-96-102) Changes: prerequisites, corequisites, course description. 549-563B General Pharmacology II (AC-96-103) Changes: prerequisites, corequisites, course description. Prof. Franklin moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the changes be approved. The motion carried. PSYCHIATRY New Course: 555-502 Brain Evolution & Psychiatry (AC-96-88) 3 credits Prof. Schmidt moved, seconded by Prof. Franklin, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. (7) DEANíS BUSINESS There was no Deanís business. (8) REPORT: McGILL SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT(MSE) - Prof. Ingram 708.1 Prof. Ingram reported that the Faculty of Science MSE Coordinating Committee (MSE-CC-SCI) had met on May 2, 1997, in response to a memo from Dean Shaver. The MSE- CC-SCI recommended to the Dean that two members be appointed from the Faculty of Science for the MSE Executive Committee. The members are Prof. J. Rasmussen, Department of Biology, and Prof. N. Roulet, Department of Geography, with Prof. A. Mucci, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, serving as an alternate. Furthermore, the MSE-CC-SCI was unanimously of the opinion that a director should come from within McGill, and that he/she should be appointed for a minimum of three years. In regard to the design of the Curriculum Committee, Prof. Ingram said that the MSE-CC- SCI preferred that responsibilities for the core courses and for the domains remain separate, and that the Committee with a maximum of three staff members (maximum of one per department) per core faculty (Science, Arts, and Agricultural & Environmental Sciences [AES]); one representative from each of the other interested faculties on campus; and a graduate and an undergraduate student representative. The Curriculum Committee would contain two subsets, with one subset working on the core program design, and the other working on administering the development of domains, including the establishment of domain criteria, soliciting proposals for domains, etc. The MSE-CC-SCI also felt that representatives to the Curriculum Committee should be appointed in collaboration with departmental chairs, and that the Cuurriculum Committee should include not only individuals from the MSE-committees, but also people who have not been involved with the MSE before. The MSE-CC-SCI thought that the present members of the committee should continue to advise the representatives to the Executive Committee in the future. A support position to administer the development of the MSE may be created at the same time as the Curriculum Committee. Prof. Ingram said that he understood that the Executive Committee would be meeting for the first time on May 26, 1997. He said that the Faculties of Arts and of AES had each nominated two people for the Executive Committee. They are: Arts - Prof. C. Scott and Prof. C. Green; AES - Prof. J. Fyles and Prof. M. Scott. Science is represented by Profs. Rasmussen and Roulet. 708.2 Dean Shaver said that the deans of the Faculties of Arts, of Science, and of AES had submitted a budget proposal to BPG. He said that BPG had allocated a base budget for the MSE of $120,000, to initiate developments. This is a significant step in recognizing that the MSE actually does exist. Dean Shaver said that he was looking forward to an active summer - getting programs together, and initiating the search for the director of the MSE. (9) MEMBERSí QUESTION PERIOD There were no questions. (10) REPORT ON ACTIONS OF SENATE* Prof. Farrell reported on the Senate Meeting of March 19, 1997. Report will be tabled. *Prof. Glass - Senate Meeting of April 2, 1997 (S-96- 40) Dean Shaver pointed out the highlights of the Report on the Actions of the Senate meeting on April 2, 1997 (S- 96-40). *Prof. GowriSankaran - Senate Meeting of April 16, 1997 Other than some routine business of the Senate Nominating and Senate Steering Committees, the following two items of business of interest and importance were transacted. 1. Professor Noumoff raised a question concerning the following issue during Memberís Question Period. Following a rash of recent break-ins with substantial loss of cash and valuables, the Manager of Security Systems issued a communication in which he stated îOn two occasions two male í....í individuals were seen in the area where the thefts occurred. Any suspicious individuals that may be lurking around should be reported to the Security, etc.î Prof. Noumoff demanded to know if the Administration is prepared to publicly repudiate the racist innuendo of the Security Services Communication, and assure the House that members of the Security Service will be required to undergo race sensitivity training. Principal Shapiro replied that the Manager of the Security Systems has already retracted the above communication and apologized for his inappropriate reference. The Principal also reported that he has accepted the recommendations of the Joint Board/Senate Committee on Equity (and race relations) that the University institute a program of education to better prepare all University employees to serve a racially and ethnically diverse community. 2. The second and probably a very important legislation was the change to Regulations Relating to Disciplinary Procedures for Academic Staff. The most important aspects of this legislation concerned (1) formation of a single committee on staff grievances and disciplinary procedures (2) the removal of any letters of reprimand from a personís file after a stated period of time not to exceed five years (3) Principalís reprimand and suspension are subject to review by the above committee before final decision (4) considerable simplification the arbitration process, leading to substantial savings of time and money for all parties involved. The recommendations were brought to the Senate by a University-MAUT workgroup. Science Senators Professors Baines and Meighen played important roles in the drafting of this report. The Senate first deliberated the issue as a committee of the whole with (as is the usual practice) Professor Farrell in the Chair. After this initial process the Senate moved into session. There were quite a number of interventions, too numerous to go into detail here, particularly today. The Senate meeting that day went on well beyond the normal curfew hour of 6 p.m. The report as amended was accepted. This is an extremely important document for all of us. A pictogram indicating the changes appeared in a recent bulletin of the MAUT. I think it will be a very good idea for all members of our Faculty to familiarize themselves with these very important changes to the Regulations Relating to Disciplinary Procedures for Academic Staff. The whole text of the Senate Meeting pertaining to this issue will be available in the Faculty office, Josie DíAmico, Room 211A. *Prof. Meighen - Senate Meeting of May 7, 1997 (S-96- 41) Dean Shaver pointed out the highlights of the Report on the Actions of the Senate meeting on May 7, 1997 (S-96- 41). *Senate documents are available in the Deanís Secretariat for consultation. (11) RESULTS OF ELECTION S-96-37 Dean Shaver read out the names of the new and continuing Senators, document S-96-37. (12) SCHEDULE OF MEETING DATES S-96-38 Dean Shaver noted that the Schedule of Meeting Dates had been circulated. (13) OTHER BUSINESS 713.1 Dean Shaver announced that Ms. Helen Meredith had been appointed the new Advancement Officer for the Faculties of Arts and of Science, and welcomed her to the Faculty. Ms. Meredith will be visiting all departments in both faculties, and will try to learn as much as she can with respect to their future development. 713.2 Prof. Farrell moved, seconded by Prof. Whitehead, that the Faculty send a letter of condolence to the family of the late Prof. Leo Yaffe, before the formal resolution is presented. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 4:30 p.m.