8 S-00-11 FACULTY OF SCIENCE Meeting of Faculty Tuesday, October 10, 2000 Leacock Council Room - L232 ATTENDANCE: As recorded in the Faculty Appendix Book. DOCUMENTS: S-99-34(Rev) S-00-3 to S-00-10 Dean Shaver called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. (1) ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA Prof. Mark moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the Agenda be adopted. The motion carried. 201.1 Dean Shaver said that the Faculty had to go into `Closed Session' when considering the candidates for degrees. 201.2 Dean Shaver asked any people who were not members of the Faculty of Science to leave the meeting room while the degree lists was being presented. Start Of Closed Session (2) CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES a) Bachelor of Science S-00- 4 Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Farrell, that the candidates in the above list be recommended to the Senate Steering Committee for the Bachelor of Science degree. The motion carried. b) Diploma in Environment S-00- 5 Prof. Farrell moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the candidate in the above list be recommended to the Senate Steering Committee for the Diploma in Environment. The motion carried. Prof. GowriSankaran further moved, seconded by Prof. Mark, 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. Associate Dean Mendelson moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that Faculty thank the Student Affairs Office and advisors, as well as departmental advisors, for the work involved in preparing the degree list. The resolution of thanks was unanimous. c) Diploma in Meteorology S-00- 6 There were no students recommended for this diploma. End of Closed Session (3) MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 12, 2000 S-00- 3 Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Paquette, that the minutes be approved. The motion carried. (4) BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES There was no business arising from the minutes. (5) SEATING OF STUDENT MEMBERS 205.1 Dean Shaver welcomed the new student representatives, and asked students to introduce themselves. (6) ANNOUNCEMENTS 206.1 Dean Shaver introduced Prof. Dik Harris, Department of Physics. 206.2 Prof. Harris announced that there would be a colloquium for Montreal Science teachers on October 27, 2000. This would be an event for teachers at school levels, CEGEP levels, and university levels. Unit heads had been asked to identify volunteers to represent McGill at this event. 206.3 Prof. Harris explained that the event would last the entire day. It was being sponsored by an organization called "La Table de Concertation Interordres Montrealais." He said he had been asked to represent Vice-Principal (Academic) Vinet. 206.4 Prof. Harris said that the event had a significant budget, and was supported by the Ministry of Education. He said that he hoped there would be about 200 people; McGill had twelve places. The event would have two phases, one featuring speakers, and the second involving workshops on various themes. 206.5 Prof. Harris said it was hoped that the colloquium would result in a report containing some substantial recommendations for the QuÇbec government. 206.6 Prof. Harris said members wishing to volunteer could contact him by e-mail or telephone. He concluded by saying that it was very important that McGill be represented. 206.7 Dean Shaver said this was a very important issue, and he urged members who could participate to do so. He said there was an impending crisis in Science education, and that it was a very important time to get involved. 206.8 Dean Shaver thanked Prof. Harris for representing the Faculty of Science, and for his organizational role. (7) REPORTS OF COMMITTEES a) Committee on Student Standing S-00- 8 207.1 Associate Dean Mendelson read the report. b) Sub-committee on Scholarships S-00- 9 New Scholarship: Judith Mappin Scholarship in Environment - Minimum value: $3,000 207.2 Prof. GowriSankaran, on behalf of Prof. Brown, Chair, Faculty of Science Scholarships Committee, introduced the first scholarship to be offered for a B.Sc. student in the McGill School of Environment. c) Academic Committee S-00-10 SECTION A: NEW PROGRAMS (1) AD HOC MINOR IN KINESIOLOGY (AC-00-16) (ITEM WITHDRAWN) (2) CHEMISTRY & PHYSICS - Joint Honours in Physics and Chemistry (AC-00-20) Prof. Paquette moved, seconded by Prof. Farrell, that the program be adopted. The motion carried. SECTION B: MAJOR PROGRAM REVISIONS There were no major program revisions. SECTION C: MINOR PROGRAM REVISIONS (1) PHARMACOLOGY - Minor in Pharmacology (AC-00-6) Prof. Paquette moved, seconded by Prof. Moore, that the program changes be approved. The motion carried. (2) SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE - B.Sc. Minor in Computer Science (AC-00-12) - B.Sc. Major in Computer Science (AC-00-13) - B.Sc. Honours in Computer Science (AC-00-14) Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Ms. Abdurrahmen, that the above program changes be approved. The motion carried. (3) ATMOSPHERIC & OCEANIC SCIENCES - Ph.D. Program Changes (AC-00-22) Prof. Leighton moved, seconded by Prof. Lin, that the above program changes be approved. The motion carried. SECTION D: NEW COURSES (1) PHARMACOLOGY New Course: 549-303B Principles of Toxicology (AC-00-3) 3 credits Prof. Paquette moved, seconded by Mr. Wilson, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. New Course: 549-503A Drug Design and Development I (AC-00-4) 3 credits Prof. Paquette moved, seconded by Ms. Sanagan, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. New Course: 549-504B Drug Design and Development II (AC-00-5) 3 credits Prof. Paquette moved, seconded by Prof. Moore, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. (2) SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE New Course: 308-558B Fundamentals of Comp. Vision (AC-00-11) 3 credits Prof. Marley moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. SECTION E: MAJOR COURSE REVISIONS (1) CHEMISTRY 180-277D Classical Methods of Analysis (AC-00-18) 3 credits Change in credit weight from 4 to 3 180-547B Laboratory Automation (AC-00-19) 3 credits Change in credit weight from 5 to 3 Prof. Farrell moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the above changes be approved. The motion carried. (2) MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS 189-525A Sampling Theory & Applications (AC-00- 21) 4 credits Changes: number (from 189-425), description & credit weight (from 3 to 4) Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Drury, that the above changes be approved. The motion carried. SECTION F: OTHER (1) TOEFL AS AN ADMISSION REQUIREMENT (AC-00-25) 207.3 Associate Dean Mendelson said that the University Admissions Committee had recommended that the minimum TOEFL score be raised from 550 to 575 (213 to 230 for the electronic version of the test). 207.4 Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Chmura, that the new minimum TOEFL score be adopted. 207.5 There was a short discussion concerning the reliability of TOEFL results, and which students were actually required to take the TOEFL exam and which were exempt. 207.6 Prof. Mark suggested as a friendly amendment that the motion be modified to read: 207.7 "That the minimum TOEFL score be raised from 550 to 575, and that the situation for students admitted under this policy be monitored, and that further changes to the minimum TOEFL be considered in the future." The amended motion carried. (2) ADMISSION OF APPLICANTS WITH ADVANCED LEVEL EXAMINATIONS (AC-00-26) 207.8 Associate Dean Mendelson introduced the above item. After answering some questions, Associate Dean Mendelson moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the changes in the A-level admissions criteria, Document AC-00-26, be adopted. The motion carried. SECTION G: MINOR COURSE REVISIONS & OTHER (FOR INFORMATION ONLY) 1. Minor Course Changes (AC-00-2) 2. B.Eng. Minor in Computer Science (AC-00-15) 3. Economics, Geography, Political Science & Sociology (AC- 00-24) - M.A. Economics; Social Statistics Option - M.A. Geography; Social Statistics Option - M.A. Political Science; Social Statistics Option - M.A. Sociology; Social Statistics Option d) Other (i) Ad hoc Constitution Review Committee S-99- 34(REV) - Associate Dean Mendelson - Notice of Motion to Amend the Constitution of the Faculty of Science (for the Faculty of Science Meeting of November 14, 2000) 207.9 Associate Dean Mendelson read the Notice of Motion indicated in Document S-99-34(REV). He said that the amendments would take effect on September 1, 2001. Associate Dean Mendelson encouraged members to attend the next meeting because a quorum would be needed to consider the motion. (8) DEAN'S BUSINESS There was no Dean's business. (9) MEMBERS' QUESTION PERIOD There were no members' questions. (10) REPORT ON ACTIONS OF SENATE Senate Meeting of September 20, 2000 - Report by Prof. G. Schmidt In the absence of the Principal, most of the meeting was chaired by Professor GowriSankaran. The meeting began with the unanimous adoption of a resolution on the death of Professor Ronald Grant Rice presented by Dean Gruzlewski. The agenda was amended to include a motion, seconded by Professor Frankman, congratulating Professor Joel Wapnick for having won the International Scrabble Championship. The Steering Committee had unanimously resolved that this motion should not be placed on the Agenda of Senate. The main concern was that this would set a difficult precedent. Professor Farrell proposed that the motion be postponed sine die provided that the recognition of such accomplishments be included in a Principal's report to Senate and that these achievements be circulated to the University at large. This was carried. The APPC report recommended the approval of 2 new programs, in particular the new Major Program in Physics and Computer Science, and this was quickly agreed upon. There was then a lengthy discussion of a "method of evaluation of graduate supervision and departmental support to graduate students" brought to Senate for approval. Dean Crago outlined the proposed procedure and described the way in which this had been developed. Professor Shore outlined a range of concerns. There was considerable support for the principle of evaluation of graduate supervision but also widespread concerns centered about the multiple uses of the evaluation form, questions of confidentiality, the length of the evaluation form, the nature of some of the compound questions, the slow lag time until sufficient data could be collected, etc. After a lengthy discussion it was moved by Dean Crago and seconded by Professor Shore, that the matter be referred back to APPC to be reconsidered in the light of the Senate discussion and to be returned to Senate at the first meeting of 2001. There was a long, largely routine, report from the Senate Nominating Committee. Nominations were approved for a committee to select a Vice-Principal (Information Systems and Technology). It was also agreed that the Senate representatives on the Advisory Committee for the selection of a Principal, will be chosen by election. A report of the Honorary Degrees and Convocations Committee recommended some amendments to the Criteria and Guidelines for Appointment to Emeritus Professor. It soon became evident that many senators felt that these changes were not all merely "housekeeping changes". In particular, the question arose as to whether eligibility was, or should be, restricted to full professors. The relationship of the document under consideration and the "Regulations Relating to the Employment of Academic Staff" became an issue. It was decided to refer the matter to an ad hoc committee composed of two representatives of MAUT and two representatives of the administration which is to report back to Senate in January. After discussion of some other items of less import, the Senate moved into Committee of the Whole with Professor Farrell in the Chair for a discussion of the RÇponse de l'universitÇ de McGill au document de consultation sur la politique scientifique du QuÇbec. This had been prepared during the summer. There was some feeling that the document could have stressed more strongly the concern of the university that research policy should not be tied too tightly to the private sector. Vice-Principal Vinet responded that the first point the University delegation made when it met with the Minister was that applied research is and must be based on fundamental research. There was also some discussion of the need to harmonize McGill's Intellectual Property policies with those of other QuÇbec universities. Finally there were some observations related to gender bias and a remark in the McGill document that there are also certain areas in which men are under-represented. After receiving the report of the Principal to the Board of Governors, the meeting ended with a Motion of Thanks to Professor Bruce Pennycook wishing him the best of luck in his future endeavours. (8) OTHER BUSINESS There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.