S-98-50 FACULTY OF SCIENCE Meeting of Faculty Tuesday, May 25, 1999 Leacock Council Room - L232 ATTENDANCE: As recorded in the Faculty Appendix Book. DOCUMENTS: S-98-38 to S-98-49 Dean Shaver called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. (1) REPORTS OF COMMITTEES a) Leo Yaffe Award Committee - Prof. D. Wolfson 901.1 Prof. Wolfson, Chair of the Leo Yaffe Award Committee for 1999, gave a report. 901.2 The committee members were Professors: D. Taylor, Psychology (Continuing Member); J. Crawford, Physics; L. Hendren, Computer Science; M. Lapointe, Geography; B. Lennox, Chemistry; J. Paquette, Earth and Planetary Sciences; H. Warshawsky, Anatomy and Cell Biology; M. Yau, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences; the two student members were R. Leonar, Physiology, and D. Shiff, Microbiology and Immunology. 901.3 Prof. Wolfson said that Prof. L. Hendren, School of Computer Science, stepped down from the Committee when she became aware that her husband, Prof. P. Panangaden, had been nominated by the School of Computer Science. He said the Dean had decided that a replacement was unnecessary since the committee was sufficiently broad. R. Leonar had been replaced by M. Chuhhom, Microbiology & Immunology, because R. Leonar had been a student of one of the nominees. 901.4 The nominees were Professors: M. Damha, Chemistry; L. Hermo, Anatomy & Cell Biology; N. Kamran, Mathematics & Statistics; R. Koestner, Psychology; L. Lefebvre, Biology; P. Panangaden, Computer Science; J. Silvius, Biochemistry; and E. Zorychta, Pathology. 901.5 Prof. Wolfson said that Prof. Prakash Panangaden of the School of Computer Science had been nominated by the Committee to receive the 1999 Leo Yaffe Award. 901.6 The following is a detailed report of the Leo Yaffe Award Committee: "Professor Panangaden's selection as the 1999 nominee for The Leo Yaffe Award for excellence in undergraduate teaching in the Faculty of Science was greeted with spontaneous applause by the Leo Yaffe Award committee. Such was the committee's enthusiastic support for its own nominee! Professor Panangaden's profile as an educator of undergraduate students, rather than a mere teacher, simply demanded recognition. "Prakash, as he prefers his students to call him, came to McGill in July 1990 from Cornell University. His arrival at McGill was described in 1997 by the Director of the School, Professor Devroye, as 'the pivotal event of the last ten years.' For Prakash immediately undertook to revise and streamline the undergraduate program in Computer Science. One of his first tasks was to teach the important 'Introduction to Computer Science' course which he did with brilliance and creativity, by unlocking the creativity in his students. Professor Devroye writes, 'Overnight, the course became a playground for brainstorming and joint discovery of new ideas and solutions. . . . Without exception, students idolized Prakash, started hanging around his office at the oddest of times, and congregated with or without Prakash for discussions and cerebral excitement. Most importantly, all students leave Prakash's course loaded with confidence and curiosity.' The ability to engage all, and not just the few very talented, is the mark of an exceptional teacher. "The consistently high course evaluations which Prakash has received over the years attest to his ability to reach all, even when the subject matter is tough. His former students were happy to write about the influence he has had on them. Theirs are words of uninhibited praise that capture the many facets of excellent teaching: 'He is as passionate about teaching as he is about his research, which he would enthusiastically tell anybody about if they gave him the chance.' 'Prakash often comes out more as a friend than a teacher.' The same person wrote, 'He has single- handedly sparked and maintained a real interest in computer science in many students, including myself. His attributes have made him a role model as far as my professional life is concerned.' '...........he made me realize my full potential in adjacent areas such as Calculus and Linear Algebra.' 'Prakash is never afraid to admit that he does not know the answer to some difficult question.' '...........his lectures are clear, well-structured, organized and informative.' '..........his office door is open to students often outside of office hours. He is ready to help students with any of their concerns or questions.' 'What sets Prakash apart, however, is that he always manages to inject even in the most basic courses a sprinkle of modern research, anecdotes and analogies with modern development that always give the feeling that there's a lot more work to be done in the field and that we should all think about that.' "The gems contained in the many letters are far too numerous to list completely. As if teaching courses as effectively as does Professor Panangaden were not enough, he has also been a fervent participant in undergraduate education in general. The President of the Computer Science Undergraduate Society describes Prakash's role in this broader setting. 'Speaking on behalf of the Computer Science Undergraduate Society, he has attended almost every CSUS event, which shows that he is dedicated to the students. He is not only a professor, but he is also the Undergraduate Program Director for Computer Science. . . .He understands the students' needs and wants to ensure the quality of their education. On many occasions he has asked the students and myself about our opinions of certain courses and will take action on a situation when necessary.' "There is yet more! Professor Panangaden has been the coach of the McGill ACM (Association for Computer Machinery) programming contest team the past two years. This is a worldwide contest and the most prestigious of its type, involving over 1200 universities. In 1998, the team went to the finals and placed 17th, ahead of Dartmouth, MIT, Caltech and Stanford. Training the team is an act of devotion to students and subject. For Prakash squeezes this activity into his schedule despite his prolific and internationally recognized research and his long list of graduate students. "There is little one can say about Professor Panangaden that has not been said by his former and current students and two successive chairs of the School of Computer Science. His role as explainer, inspirer, advisor, innovator, listener, and student friend places him in that small group of educators who truly make a difference in the lives of their students." 901.7 Prof. Panangaden said that he was very lucky to have been singled out by the students. He said he would like to thank the students who had nominated him. 901.8 On behalf of the Faculty of Science, Dean Shaver congratulated Prof. Panangaden for being the recipient of the 1999 Leo Yaffe Award. b) Faculty of Science Excellence Award - Prof. H. Leighton, in the absence of Prof. L. Mysak 901.9 Prof. Leighton, on behalf of Prof. Mysak, Chair of the Faculty of Science Excellence Award Committee, read the following letter to the Dean from the Chair of the Award Committee: "The advisory committee for this award, consisting of Steve Kecani, Mark Romer, Elaine Tremblay and myself as chair, met on April 19, 1999 to review the five nominations submitted. I would like to thank the committee most sincerely for their fine efforts, which helped make this a very pleasant task. "The committee noted the fine qualities of all of the candidates, but in the final analysis recommends to you that the Faculty of Science Excellence Award for 1999 be given to Ms. Vicki Loschiavo, Administrative Officer (AO) of the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (A&OS). Ms. Loschiavo is an AO of exceptional talent, who has played a key role in the operation of the Department of A&OS for over ten years. She brings an extraordinary sense of responsibility to this position, and from her highly positive attitude it is clear that the welfare of the Department and its students, both undergraduate and graduate, are a priority in her life. From the day when students arrive to the day they graduate, her constant preoccupation is to ensure that their needs are met and that their problems are successfully solved. "Vicki Loschiavo's work is also of central importance to the professors of A&OS, a department which, as you know, is very research intensive. Vicki is responsible for completing appointment forms and keeping track of over 60 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and visitors. Her exceptional administrative efficiency ensures that this work is done on time and without error. "Finally, Ms. Loschiavo is also exceptionally talented and effective in dealing with staff, distributing responsibilities equitably and ensuring that work schedules are respected. It is hard to imagine a more efficiently run and congenial office. "The committee also wishes to commend two runners-up for this award: Anne Comeau, Biology Undergraduate Advisor; and Joanne Longo, Secretary to the Chair of Physics. These individuals are also highly deserving candidates, and their dedication and fine abilities warrants public recognition at the same time as the award winner is announced. It is the committee's wish that you also write to these two individuals, praising their achievements and dedication to the Faculty. "As a way of generating more nominations, the committee suggests that greater visibility be given to this award earlier in the new year, and that two reminders be sent out in February and March, the last one about two weeks before the nomination deadline." 901.10 On behalf of Prof. Lin, Chair, Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, Prof. Leighton said he would like to add a few words. He read some of the comments from the supporting letters: "Her combined responsibilities result in a workload that would be excessive for the average person. We are fortunate to have an outstanding Administrative Officer who looks for and meets new challenges. Vicki has been working beyond the call of duty for many years, and we are delighted to have this opportunity to express our appreciation for her devotion to the Department." "In the many years that I have worked with Vicki she has always done all that she could to assist me with my responsibilities. I have never had to ask twice, I have never heard her make an excuse why something could not be done or was not done. I have always had good advice and unfailing support." ".......it is difficult for me to envisage how the department can be run without her. She is extremely pleasant, efficient, and always gets the work done in the most professional way. On numerous occasions, she has served beyond the call of duty with complete devotion." ".......she helped me ......deal with the Salaries Office when they misprocessed paper work that was intended to give me a small raise, but resulted in my disappearing from the payroll altogether." "Vicki is an invaluable member of the managerial arm of this department. Not only is she an expert on the inner-workings of the university, but Vicki is always eager and generous when solving students' various administrative problems. She is considerate and attentive. Our requests are always answered promptly and courteously. Her organisational skills and ability to get things done on time are impressive without fail. It is obvious from Vicki's demeanour and attitude that she truly loves her work as Administrative Officer." "She is the human face of the Department. I think she is a key factor in the inter-personal dynamics, because she knows in depth the complexity of the student- professor relationship. For her, hierarchy is not an issue, anyone has the same human value." "In our department, the name "Vicki" has become a synonym of dedication, efficiency and trustworthiness. There is not a bit of exaggeration in that. Add to this the fact that she is always available to help you in the most friendly way, and we have a winning formula." 901.11 Prof. Leighton said that Ms. Loschiavo was all of the above and more. He said that she carries out her responsibilities in a superb way, with dedication, cheerfulness and efficiency. Prof. Leighton said the Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences was immensely grateful for Vicki's wonderful qualities, and that the Department was delighted that the Faculty had recognized Vicki. 901.12 Ms. Loschiavo said that listening to all the comments and quotes made her wonder about whom people were talking. She said she was very lucky to be in such a great department. She said that although the department may be very small relative to other departments in the Faculty, its members certainly work really well together. Ms. Loschiavo said that her students were wonderful, and that naturally she supported them, as well as the faculty members. Ms. Loschiavo quoted correspondence from a former Dean: "The Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences is the jewel in the crown of the Faculty." Ms. Loschiavo said that she certainly agreed with the quote. She added that she loved working in the Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences. 901.13 Dean Shaver said that over the years, he had had the opportunity to deal with Vicki, particularly over budget. He said that Vicki would certainly vouch for her department and also fight for it. Dean Shaver added that Ms. Loschiavo had won the 1997 Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Award for Excellence in Service. 901.14 On behalf of the Faculty of Science, Dean Shaver congratulated Ms. Loschiavo for being the recipient of the 1999 Faculty of Science Excellence Award. c) Sub-committee on Scholarships - Prof. K. GowriSankaran S-98-39 901.15 Prof. GowriSankaran presented the Report of the Sub- committee on Scholarhips. 901.16 Prof. GowriSankaran said that there had been two Moyse Travelling Scholarships awarded this year. He said that normally only one scholarship is awarded in the Faculty of Science, but since there had been no qualified candidates in the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Science was able to offer two in 1999. The recipients were: Mr. Alexandru Ghitza and Mr. Marco Gualtieri. Mr. Gualtieri also won a Rhodes Scholarship. 901.17 Prof. GowriSankaran announced that the Governor- General's Silver Medal had been offered to Mr. Adam Smith, First Class Joint Honours in Mathematics and Computer Science. Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Leighton, that the report be adopted. The motion carried. (2) CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES a) Bachelor of Science S-98-40 Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Leighton, that the above candidates be recommended to the Senate Steering Committee for the Bachelor of Science degree. The motion carried. b) Diploma in Environment S-98-41 Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Yau, that the above candidate be recommended to the Senate Steering Committee for the Diploma in Environment. The motion carried. c) Diploma in Meteorology S-98-42 Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Yau, that the above candidate be recommended to the Senate Steering Committee for the Diploma in Meteorology. The motion carried. Prof. GowriSankaran further moved, seconded by Prof. Yau, 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. 902.1 Associate Dean Mendelson proposed a resolution that Faculty thank the Student Affairs Office (SAO) for the very large amount of work involved in preparing the graduation list. He said that special thanks should go to Mr. Donald Sedgwick, Senior Advisor, SAO, for reducing the work. Associate Dean Mendelson said that Mr. Sedgwick had written a computer program that automated some of the checking of records; this had resulted in a savings to the SAO of 18 working days. The Faculty unanimously agreed to the resolution. 902.2 Associate Dean Mendelson also pointed out that he had a list of 18 students who had been recommended by departments, but whom the SAO had deemed ineligible for graduation at that time. He said members should contact him immediately if a student's name was not on the graduation list. 902.3 Associate Dean Mendelson said there were 543 June graduands; this number was comparable to the previous several years. (7) DEAN'S BUSINESS b) Report: McGill Day - Ms. B. Redmond, Recruitment & Liaison Office S-98-49 907.1 Dean Shaver said there had been a question concerning McGill Day, an event designed for CEGEP students. He said that a lot of effort had gone into coordinating the availability of people in departments; however, the turnout by CEGEP students had been very low. Because of this, the issue was being brought to Faculty. Dean Shaver said that Ms. Redmond would explain what had happened. 907.2 Ms. Redmond said that the main reason for the low turnout was that an inappropriate date had been chosen for the event. She said that traditionally the event had been held in late May, and it was felt that such a date served mainly to confirm those who had already indicated that they would be attending McGill. The date was changed in order to attempt to positively influence students' decisions. Also, the date was changed in order not to conflict with CEGEP final exams. Ms. Redmond said that after consultation with five faculties, and after polling guidance personnel at a few CEGEPs, it was decided to hold the event on May 5. However, May 5 fell in the last week of class. This apparently had a very negative effect on attendance, which had not been anticipated. Ms. Redmond said that it had been estimated that 500-700 students would attend the event. She said that 197 students had signed in and estimated that an extra 10 or 15% also attended. She said that the results in terms of students' appreciation of the event were very good. Ms. Redmond said that the date for the year 2000 would be carefully considered. 907.3 (Ms. Redmond's full report [S-98-49] is available from Josie D'Amico's office.) 907.4 Dean Shaver said that members could send any comments or suggestions directly to Ms. Robin Geller, Registrar and Director of Admissions, or to Ms. Beverly Redmond, including suggestions for the most optimal date. 907.5 One member mentioned that Leacock 232 was not a good room in which to hold the event, because it was too crowded. a) Report: Chief Invigilator for Examinations - Ms. Sharon Bezeau, Student Affairs Office 907.6 Dean Shaver reminded members that the issue of invigilation had been discussed at a previous Faculty meeting, and a different format of invigilation had been decided on. The SAO had taken over invigilation, with Ms. Bezeau as Chief Invigilator. Dean Shaver then introduced Ms. Bezeau to report on the April examination period. 907.7 Ms. Bezeau said that the work of Chief Invigilator comprises not only overseeing the examination, but also a lot of clerical work, involving room bookings and hiring and scheduling invigilators. Among the changes she had made for the April examination period were the hiring of three more deputies and some extra invigilators and circulators, holding paid training sessions for invigilators, and preparing and providing manuals for invigilators. She had also created e-mail lists of invigilators. 907.8 Ms. Bezeau said that for the next examination period, she would like to reduce the clerical work by having invigilators apply via the WEB. Also, she would like to ask the permission of the Deans of Arts and Science to purchase a software package for scheduling invigilators. 907.9 Ms. Bezeau said, concerning the examination rooms, that the Associate Deans and herself would like to try assigned seating, with the exception of the Main Gym. This would be on a trial basis. 907.10 Ms. Bezeau said that the SUS had also suggested the formation of an advisory committee to the Chief Invigilator. This would provide feedback to invigilators, the Chief Invigilator, associate deans and deans. She said she had received many good comments from students, and had incorporated these into the process wherever possible. 907.11 On behalf of the Faculty of Science, Dean Shaver expressed sincere appreciation to Ms. Bezeau for taking on this task at short-notice and under pressure. There had been a tremendous response from the SAO. He hoped to provide more resources to obtain the software. (3) MINUTES OF APRIL 6, 1999 S-98-38 Prof. Barrette moved, seconded by Prof. Baines, that the minutes be approved. The motion carried. (4) BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES There was no business arising from the minutes. (5) ANNOUNCEMENTS 905.1 Dean Shaver announced that Prof. Howard Bussey of the Department of Biology had been given the Award of Excellence from the Genetics Society of Canada. This was in recognition of his ongoing work in elucidating mechanisms of yeast cell wall biosynthesis, and for his major contributions to the international yeast genome project. 905.2 Dean Shaver congratulated Ms. Nicola Terceira, a student in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, who won the Faculty of Science's second Rhodes Scholarship of the year. The other winner was Mr. Marco Gualtieri. Dean Shaver said this was a tremendous achievement. (6) REPORTS OF COMMITTEES (continued) d) Committee on Student Standing S-98-43 906.1 Associate Dean Mendelson read the report of the Committee on Student Standing and expanded on the second student appeal of the report. He said that if a student did not have the appropriate entrance requirements to be admitted to the Faculty of Science, he/she cannot obtain a degree from the Faculty, even if all the requirements for the B.Sc. degree in Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics and Statistics, or Psychology are completed. e) Academic Committee S-98-44 ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MEETING OF APRIL 20, 1999 GEOGRAPHY New Course: 183-501A/B Modelling Environmental Systems (AC-98-89[Revised 2]) 3 credits Prof. Rasmussen moved, seconded by Prof. Brawer, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. MCGILL SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT New Course: 170-400A,B Environmental Thought (AC-98-107[Revised]) 3 credits Prof. Rasmussen moved, seconded by Prof. Yau, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. New Course: 170-401A,B Environmental Research (AC-98-106[Revised]) 3 credits Prof. Rasmussen moved, seconded by Prof. Yau, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. GUIDELINES FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH COURSES 906.2 Associate Dean Mendelson said that the Academic Committee had adopted a policy that independent research courses should have guidelines outlining the responsibilities of students, supervisors and departments. The guidelines were prepared by departments and circulated to Academic Committee members. He said he was pleased to say that the final versions of the guidelines addressed the issues that were identified as important by the Academic Committee. ISSUES ARISING FROM THE ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSION ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY (for information) 906.3 Associate Dean Mendelson reminded Faculty that there had been a round-table discussion on academic integrity attended by students and faculty members, and that a number of issues had been raised at this discussion. Three issues had been brought to the Academic Committee for further discussion. No action had so far been taken, but Associate Dean Mendelson thought it would be a good idea to mention the three issues. a) Credit Weight and Workload 906.4 Associate Dean Mendelson said that students had raised the issue that some courses have a credit weight that does not reflect the actual workload of the course. A course with a credit weight of 3 should not have the workload of a 6-credit course. Students could not always meet the requirements of these courses and some students could feel pressure to take short cuts that are less than honest. Associate Dean Mendelson said that this was an issue that should be examined. b) Evening Mid-term Examinations 906.5 Associate Dean Mendelson said that some mid-term examinations take place in the evening. There had been some discussion at the round-table as to whether or not this was an appropriate strategy. The issue was that students who have a mid-term examination in the evening may find it difficult to go to classes the next day; thus one professor's examination is impinging on another professor's territory. However, the Academic Committee felt there did not seem to be any reason to change the current practice. c) Curving Grades 906.6 Associate Dean Mendelson said that this issue was the most important and serious one and that it would have to be explored further. There were two types of curving, one being an adjustment of the mean level of the distribution by shifting everyone up or down. The second type involves actually changing the shape of the distribution by adjusting, for example, the translation of numbers to letter grades; this might be a more serious concern. This will be discussed at a future Academic Committee meeting. 906.7 Dean Shaver said that if members had any comments or ideas, they should contact Associate Dean Mendelson. ACADEMIC COMMITTEE MEETING OF MAY 6, 1999 MINOR COURSE CHANGES (AC-98-134) (for information) MCGILL SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT - B.Sc. Major in Environment: Ecological Determinants of Health Domain (AC-98-109[Revised]) Prof. Yau moved, seconded by Prof. Barrette, that the program be adopted. The motion carried. MINOR IN HUMAN NUTRITION (AC-98-137[Revised]) Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Yau, that the Minor program be adopted. The motion carried. DISTANCE EDUCATION COURSES (AC-98-136) (for information) 906.8 Associate Dean Mendelson said that a number of years ago, Faculty had approved a practice whereby entrance requirements to the Faculty could be met through 'correspondence courses.' However, there was no policy concerning distance education courses taken by students enrolled at McGill. There had been a discussion of this by the Academic Committee, and in the end the committee had adopted Option C in document AC-98-136. 906.9 Dean Shaver said that the Academic Committee considers the issue of distance education as an evolving new area, and it was appropriate that the Faculty of Science start examining the issue. He encouraged faculty to contact the Dean or Associate Dean with any comments. Dean Shaver said it was appropriate at the current time to have a policy that is flexible and responsive to the situation. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENTS (APs)(AC-98-138) 906.10 Associate Dean Mendelson introduced document AC-98-138. After the proposal had been accepted by the Academic Committee, Associate Dean Mendelson had spoken with Associate Dean of Arts Quaroni-Rossetti. The Faculty of Arts had adopted a proposal similar to that in document AC-98-138. Prof. Yau moved, seconded by Prof. Paquette, that the proposal be adopted. 906.11 Prof. Panangaden proposed a friendly amendment to add computer science and psychology to the Science subjects (biology, chemistry, physics, math) listed in the document. The amended motion carried. BIOLOGY New Course: 177-444A Genetic Basis of Life Span (AC-98-139) 3 credits Prof. Rasmussen moved, seconded by Prof. Yau, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. f) Nominating Committee S-98-45 906.12 Dean Shaver said that the Nominating Committee consists of the Senators from the Faculty of Science. 906.13 Prof. GowriSankaran presented and briefly described items 1-4 of document S-98-45. He said that the name of Prof. Bruce Lennox, Department of Chemistry, should be added to the Ad hoc Graduate Studies Committee as chair. Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. de Takacsy, that items 1-4 of the Nominating Committee Report be adopted. The motion carried. 906.14 Prof. de Takacsy said that Prof. GowriSankaran had for a long time been chair of the Faculty of Science Scholarships Committee. Prof. GowriSankaran had recently become chair of the University Committee on Scholarships and Student Aid. Prof. G. Brown, Department of Biology, will be the new chair of the Faculty of Science Scholarships Committee. 906.15 Prof. de Takacscy said it was appropriate that Prof. GowriSankaran's long history as Chair of the Faculty of Science Scholarships Committee be acknowledged. He said it took a considerable amount of work and devotion to ensure the process runs smoothly. Prof. de Takacsy proposed that it be resolved that the Faculty of Science express its deep appreciation to Prof. GowriSankaran for his outstanding service to the Faculty of Science and to its students during his long term as Chair of the Faculty Scholarships Committee. The Faculty unanimously agreed to the resolution. 906.16 Dean Shaver announced that Prof. GowriSankaran had agreed to chair the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, in addition to chairing the University Committee on Scholarships and Student Aid. Dean Shaver expressed his appreciation. 906.17 Dean Shaver said that the Faculty expresses its appreciation to Prof. G. Schmidt, who served the Department of Mathematics & Statistics as chair for five years. 906.18 Dean Shaver thanked Prof. GowriSankaran and Prof. Schmidt. (8) MEMBERS' QUESTION PERIOD There were no questions. (9) REPORTS ON ACTIONS OF SENATE* Senate Meeting of April 14, 1999 - Report by Prof. E. Meighen, to be given at the next Faculty Meeting. Senate Meeting of April 28, 1999 - Report by Prof. Rigelhof, read by Prof. GowriSankaran In the absence of the Principal, Dean John Dealy was in the Chair. The Chair welcomed Dr. Luc Vinet to his first meeting of Senate. A student senator, Ms. Sam Johnston, presented a motion that Senate strike a Working Group to create an environmental policy to address environmental issues in a progressive and efficient manner. The motion was adopted. Vice-Principal (Academic) Chan presented the 310th report of APPC, which contained a motion, which Senate adopted, allowing evidence generated by the Exam Security Computer Monitoring Program to be used as permissible evidence in disciplinary procedures. This motion brought closure to an issue first raised in Senate about 10 years ago. It should be noted that the Computer Program to which the motion refers was developed by Professors D. Harpp and J. Hogan of the Department of Chemistry. The final item of business was the Report of the University Committee on Scholarships and Student Aid. The Report, presented by Professor Rigelhof, contained a report of a working group on definitions and funding of awards, which was adopted by Senate. *Senate documents are available in the Dean's Secretariat for consultation. Senate Meeting of May 12, 1999 - Report by Prof. N. de Takacsy. 1) Budget Update: - The original 1998-99 budget predicted a deficit of M$5.5 but this now looks to be M$1.0. In addition, the last QuÇbec budget included a special allocation for the reduction of the universities' deficits, of which McGill's share is M$24.6. - Today's preliminary version of the 1999-2000 budget predicts a deficit of M$5.4. This prediction is based on many assumptions including: a) A 2% decrease in enrollment and therefore in fees in 1999-2000. b) An increase of M$1 due to additional session fees, and medical and dental tuition fees. c) An increase in the MEQ grant to cover a 2% salary increase. d) A budget cut to units of 1.9% base plus 1% non-base. 2) Parental Leave Policy: As a result of a complaint by an academic staff member, the maternity and adoption leave policies are being integrated. Senate voted to recommend to the Board that the new policy be adopted but that the old policy be applied to people who had already initiated an adoption process. The main elements of the policy are: - Maternity leave of 20 weeks at 100% of salary, including EI - Parental leave of 5 days at 100% of salary - Extended maternity and parental leave of a maximum of 52 weeks with the first 11 weeks at 60% of salary (including EI) - The staff member must decide whether the extended leave will or will not count on the tenure clock. It does not count on the sabbatical clock. (10) RESULTS OF SCIENCE ELECTION FOR SENATE S-98-46 910.1 These results were announced by e-mail and the document was tabled at the meeting. (11) RESULTS OF THE ELECTION FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE S-98-47 FOR THE SELECTION OF THE DEAN OF THE FACULTY OF SCIENCE 911.1 These results were announced by e-mail and the document was tabled at the meeting. (12) SCHEDULE OF MEETING DATES S-98-48 912.1 Dean Shaver brought members' attention to the Schedule of Meeting Dates for 1999-2000. This document was tabled at the meeting. (13) OTHER BUSINESS There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m. Fmn1998may.doc