S-03-54 FACULTY OF SCIENCE Meeting of Faculty Tuesday, May 18, 2004 Trottier Building - Room 2120 ATTENDANCE: As recorded in the Faculty Appendix Book. DOCUMENTS: S-03-42 to S-03-53 Dean Shaver called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. (1) ADOPTION OF AGENDA - Item 2(a), Leo Yaffe Award Committee, to be considered after Item 3(c). Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. Th‚rien, that the amended Agenda be adopted. The motion carried. (2) REPORTS OF COMMITTEES a) Leo Yaffe Award Committee 902.1 Prof. L. Hermo, Chair, Leo Yaffe Teaching Award and Principal's Prizes Committee, thanked the Committee members for their work in choosing nominees. He also thanked Josie D'Amico for her organizational work. The members of the Committee were: Rhonda Amsel, Department of Psychology Oliver Coomes, Department of Geography Fredrick Fabry, Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences Vicky Kaspi, Department of Physics Evan Lewis, Student Member Anne Wechsler, Department of Physiology Anthony Williams-Jones, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences Edith Zorychta, Department of Pathology The Nominees for the Leo Yaffe Award Were: John Abela, Department of Psychology James Coulton, Department of Microbiology & Immunology Masad Damha, Department of Chemistry Laurie Hendren, School of Computer Science Paul Lasko, Department of Biology Carlos Morales, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology Nilima Nigam, Department of Mathematics & Statistics Wayne Pollard, Department of Geography Ken Ragan, Department of Physics John Silvius, Department of Biochemistry 902.2 Prof. Hermo said that after much difficult deliberation, the Committee had chosen Prof. John Abela, Department of Psychology, as the 2004 Leo Yaffe Award winner. 902.3 Prof. Hermo read the citation for Prof. Abela: "Prof. John R. Z. Abela, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Psychology "This year's nominee for the Leo Yaffe Award is Prof. John Abela. In 1999, Prof. Abela received his Doctorate of Philosophy in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania with a Major in Clinical Psychology. He was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology from 1999, and was promoted to Associate Professor this year. In 2003, Prof. Abela won the prestigious McGill University Principal's Prize for Excellence in Teaching at the assistant professor level. "Prof. Abela has an active research profile, has published many articles, leads a team of young investigators at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and holds several grants from various research agencies. Prof. Abela has been active in teaching PSYC 412 'Deviations in Child Development' during the academic year (approx 150 students) and summer session (90 students) since 1999; his overall rating of 4.5 on a 5.00 scale for teaching evaluations is impressive, and is 0.9 standard deviations above the departmental mean. He has also taught PSYC 528 'Vulnerability to Depression' (10 graduate and undergraduate students) for 3 summer sessions, and PSYC 641 'Behaviour Deviations' and PSYC 752 'Psychotherapy and Behaviour Change' to graduate students (7 students), in addition to other graduate courses. "Prof. Abela has strong letters of support from many of his students that express 'the difficulty of the course and yet its exhilarating experience' and 'his love of teaching that makes his students eager to learn and curious to go further.' "Prof. Abela also serves as one of the academic advisors for the undergraduate program and gives information sessions to undergraduate students on academic and vocational preparation. Prof. Abela is truly worthy of receiving the Leo Yaffe Award for the year 2004. "Some other quotes from students were: 'The real test for a professor: made course material very stimulating - I actually went to most of the classes (which was highly unusual for me)!!!' 'I really appreciate how he smiles in the hallways and tries to make himself as approachable as possible!' 'Excellent, no bad comments!'" 902.4 Dean Shaver congratulated Prof. Abela. He said that there were a lot of good people in the Faculty of Science, and that the teacher-scholar model was flourishing. b) Nominees for Principal's Prize for Excellence in Teaching 902.5 Prof. Hermo announced the names of the departmental nominees for the Principal's Prize for Excellence in Teaching. The Departmental Nominees Were: Full Professor: Martin Lechowicz, Department of Biology; Lawrence Mysak, Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences; Charles Roth, Department of Mathematics & Statistics; Donald Taylor, Department of Psychology; Sanjo Zlobec, Department of Mathematics & Statistics. Associate Professor: Thomas Bureau, Department of Biology; Eyal Goren, Department of Mathematics & Statistics; Richard Koestner, Department of Psychology. Assistant Professor: Barbel Knauper, Department of Psychology; Nilima Nigam, Department of Mathematics & Statistics; Laura Nilson, Department of Biology. Faculty lecturer: Nicole Allard, Department of Psychology. 902.6 Prof. Hermo said that the Faculty's nominees for the Principal's Prize were: Full Professor: Martin Lechowicz, Department of Biology Associate Professor: Richard Koestner, Department of Psychology Assistant Professor: Nilima Nigam, Department of Mathematics & Statistics 902.7 Dean Shaver congratulated the nominees. 902.8 Dean Shaver thanked Prof. Hermo and the Committee for the excellent work they had done. c) Scholarship Committee S-03- 43 902.9 Prof. Bennett, in the absence of Prof. Leighton, Chair, Scholarships Committee, said that the two Governor- General's Silver Medals had been awarded to an Arts student, and to a Science student, Mr. Christian James R. Hordo, First Class Honours in Psychology. Prof. Bennet moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the Scholarship Report be approved. The motion carried. (3) CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES a) Bachelor of Science S-03-44 b) Diploma in Environment S-03- 45 c) Diploma in Meteorology S-03- 46 Prof. Gyakum moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the above candidates be recommended to the Senate Steering Committee for the above degrees. The motion carried. Prof. GowriSankaran further moved, seconded by Prof. Schmidt, 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. 903.1 Associate Dean Mendelson said that there were 595 Science degrees being conferred at the June 2004 Convocation, compared to 563 last June. The number of degrees being conferred at the June 2004 Convocation was higher than at any Convocation over the last six years. 903.2 Associate Dean Mendelson thanked advisors in both departments and the Student Affairs Office, for their hard and diligent work in preparing the degree lists. (4) MINUTES OF APRIL 20, 2004 S-03- 42 Prof. Barrette moved, seconded by Prof. Th‚rien, that the Minutes be approved. The motion carried. (5) BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES There was no business arising from the Minutes. (6) REPORTS OF COMMITTEES (continued) d) Scholarship Committee - New Awards - Riva Rabin Schwartz Scholarship in Science S-03-47 Value: $2,000 - Arthur and Crystal Lau Scholarship S-03- 53 Value: $ 2000 Prof. Bennett moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the Riva Rabin Schwartz Scholarship in Science and the Arthur and Crystal Lau Scholarship be approved. The motion carried. e) Committee on Student Standing S-03- 48 Associate Dean Mendelson referred members to the above report from the Acting Chair of the CSS. f) Academic Committee S-03-49 SECTION A: NEW PROGRAMS - None SECTION B: MAJOR PROGRAM CHANGES - None SECTION C: NEW COURSES (1) GEOGRAPHY GEOG 380 Adaptive Envr. Management AC-03- 152(Rev) 3 credits Prof. Ewing moved, seconded by Prof. Peterson, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. (2) ATMOSPHERIC & OCEANIC SCIENCES ATOC 669 CSE Seminar AC-03- 164 1 credit Prof. Gyakum moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. Associated Minor Course Change: MATH 669 CSE Seminar AC-03- 165 Change in description 1 credit Prof. Gyakum moved, seconded by Prof. Bartello, that the changes be approved. The motion carried. (3) COMPUTER SCIENCE COMP 669 CSE Seminar AC-03- 133(Rev) 1 credit (Approved: Academic Committee Meeting, January 20, 2004) Prof. Th‚rien moved, seconded by Prof. GowriSankaran, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. COMP 655 Distributed Simulation AC-03- 169 4 credits Prof. Th‚rien moved, seconded by Prof. Schmidt, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. SECTION D: MAJOR COURSE CHANGES GEOGRAPHY/AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS GEOG 503/AGEC 503 Location & Spatial DevelopmentAC-03- 163/163A Changes in title & description 3 credits Prof. Ewing moved, seconded by Prof. Meredith, that the changes be approved. The motion carried. SECTION E: MINOR COURSE CHANGES (For Information Only) - None SECTION F: MINOR PROGRAM CHANGES (For Information Only) - Report on Minor Program Changes AC-03- P1 (1) ATMOSPHERIC & OCEANIC SCIENCES M.Sc. Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences; CSE Option AC-03- 166 (2) MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS M.Sc. Mathematics & Statistics; CSE Option AC-03- 167 (3) COMPUTER SCIENCE M.Sc. Computer Science; CSE Option AC-03- 134(Rev) (For Information at AC) - Minor in Computer Science for Engineering Students (4) MINOR IN EDUCATION FOR SCIENCE STUDENTS AC-03- 168 SECTION G: OTHER (For Approval) (1) CENTRE FOR ADVANCED SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES IN COMMUNICATIONS (CAST COM) AC-03- 170 906.1 Prof. Th‚rien gave a brief description of the Centre for Advanced Systems and Technologies in Communications. 906.2 Associate Dean Burns mentioned that the Centre included a variety of people throughout Qu‚bec, as well as having a number of industrial partners. Prof. Th‚rien moved, seconded by Prof. Schmidt, that the Centre be approved. The motion carried. (2) ADVANCED LEVEL AND ADVANCED SUBSIDIARY EQUIVALENCES TO McGILL COURSES AC-03-171 906.3 Associate Dean Mendelson briefly described the above document. 906.4 A member suggested that it be spelled out in the document that if a student receives credit for a course but has not done the corresponding laboratory work, that the student should not receive credit for doing the required laboratory work. Associate Dean Mendelson moved, seconded by Prof. Ewing, that the above proposal be adopted. The motion carried. SECTION H: OTHER (For Information Only) - Online Course Evaluations 906.5 Associate Dean Mendelson said that there had been a pilot project for online course evaluations. This had been a success, with increased student participation and support from students. The pilot project would continue during the summer. A Science workgroup would be struck to further examine the issue of online evaluations. 906.6 Associate Dean Mendelson added that Science participation in the pilot project had been enthusiastic. However, multi-section and multi- instructor courses, as well as those involving assistant professors, would not at this point participate in trials of the online-evaluation system. g) Nominating Committee S-03- 50 906.7 Dean Shaver said that the Nominating Committee was made up of the Faculty of Science Senators, and that Associate Dean Mendelson was the convenor. He said that the Faculty had been asked to designate Science representatives for the Council of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies to replace Professors Levine and Barrette. The Nominating Committee recommended: - Prof. Doina Precup (Computer Science) - 2007 - Prof. Morton Mendelson (Psychology) - 2007 The continuing member is Prof. David Burns, Department of Chemistry (term ends 2006). Prof. GowriSankaran moved, seconded by Prof. de Takacsy, that the above recommendations be approved. The motion carried. h) Other Reports or Academic Business - Planning Update 906.8 Dean Shaver said that documents and appendices were in the process of being uploaded to the Faculty's Planning Website. There would be an interim budget for the upcoming academic year, and multi-year budgets in the future. (7) REPORT ON ACTIONS OF SENATE Senate Meeting of April 21, 2004 - Report prepared by Prof. D. Kramer, and read by Prof. K. GowriSankaran: Vice Principal-Yalovsky noted the second phase of a Senate-Mandated Health and Safety Review, a workgroup chaired by Associate Vice-Principal (Research) Ian Butler would be compiling and validating risk information for the major research laboratory buildings. These will lead to plans for the implementation of detailed audits with the work to be completed by March 2005. The Principal briefly referred to the Quebec budget indicating that there had been widespread disappointment in the higher education sector but that the door had been left open to future improvements. A positive note was that the tax holiday for new recruits had been extended, though phased down. She also noted that at recent meetings of Association of American Universities, the Canadian G-10 universities and the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada which she and other members of the administration had attended, there were common themes of budget crunches. However, there was a worrisome trend in the U.S. for Homeland Security to start monitoring university courses for anti-American content. There has been a large increase in overseas graduate applications to McGill, possibly as a result of changes in U.S. immigration policy. Vice-Principal Crago noted, however, that this had not translated into a notably higher rate of acceptances and that some of the increase could be related to the initiation of electronic application procedures. The major item for discussion was the Senate's response to the Board of Governor's plan to greatly reduce its size in an effort to improve the opportunity for discussion at its meetings and the involvement of individual members of the Board. The elimination of many positions had a risk of changing the balance among constituencies on the Board and of apparently disenfranchising some groups. A Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Governance had prepared a compromise proposal to address these concerns. This was presented to Senate by Roger Prichard. There was a vigorous discussion. Almost all faculty Senators spoke in favour of the proposal as a reasonable compromise and the graduate students association PGSS also took this position, but undergraduate senators were strenuously opposed to it, suggesting that student representation would be seriously affected. In the end, the motion supporting the proposal was strongly supported by Senate. Senate Meeting of May 5, 2004 - Prof. M. Baines: RESOLUTION ON THE DEATH OF PROFESSOR DEAN FRYE of the Department of English. REPORT OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE Regarding Item 2 a), Business Arising, Dr. Vinet reported to Senate that a memo had been sent to the deans of teaching faculties asking them to identify their current practices and policies regarding viewing of final exams. All the deans have now provided this information and it is now clear that only two departments in the Faculty of Engineering impose a fee for viewing final examinations. One of the two departments has since abandoned the practice. Dr. Vinet indicated that he will be sending a memo to all deans confirming that, in conformity with Article 14 of the Handbook on Student Rights and Responsibilities, students have a right to view final examinations free of charge. Regarding Item 3, Update on Planning Process, Dr. Vinet noted that the Planning Process is in its final stage. Submissions from faculties are currently being analyzed and budgets developed. The final series of meetings with deans will take place late in May, 2004. CHAIR'S REMARKS The Principal reminded Senate that the Spring Convocations will take place on lower campus this year for the first time since 1969. The Principal thanked the University Marshal and the Secretary-General for their efforts to make this event a great success. The Principal advised Senate that Dr. Alex Navarre, Director of the Office of Technology Transfer, will be leaving McGill University on May 21, 2004. She thanked Dr. Navarre for his service to the University. The Principal congratulated Professor Rod MacDonald, Faculty of Law, who has been awarded a Trudeau Foundation Fellowship. She also congratulated Professor Ann Dale, of Royal Roads University, an alumna of McGill, who has also been awarded a Trudeau Foundation Fellowship. NOTICE OF MOTION TO AMEND THE STATUTES Mr. Carpenter, in response to a question from Professor de Takacsy, indicated that motion is intended to permit the President and Vice-President (University Affairs) of SSMU to sit on Senate without being technically in violation of the Statues, which currently require that students must be registered for a minimum of eighteen credits in order to serve on Senate. Typically, the President and Vice-President (University Affairs) pursue less than this number of credits. 359TH REPORT OF THE ACADEMIC POLICY AND PLANNING COMMITTEE Dr. Vinet presented the 359th Report of the Academic Policy and Planning Committee (D03-75). Regarding Item I A 1, To be Approved by Senate, New Teaching Programs, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, on motion by Dr. Vinet, seconded by Dean Buszard, Senate approved the B.Sc. (Ag.Env.Sc.); Major in Microbiology; Biotechnology; the B.Sc. (Ag.Env.Sc.); Major in Microbiology; Environment and the B.Sc. (Ag.Env.Sc.); Major in Microbiology; Ecology. REPORT OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE On motion by Dr. Vinet, seconded by Dean Crago, Item 1, Advisory Committee for the Selection of a Dean of the Faculty of Management, was approved. POLICY FOR THE APPROVAL AND ACCOMMODATION OF CAMPUS EVENTS Vice-Principal Yalovsky presented the Report on the Use of University Property for Campus Events (D03-80). He noted that this is an interim report and that the group would continue to meet in order to develop a more comprehensive policy which would return to Senate in the coming academic year. On motion by Vice-Principal Yalovsky, seconded by Professor Zannis Hadjopoulos, the recommendation in the report were approved. CALENDAR OF DATES Dean Shore presented the revised Calendar of Dates 2005- 2006 (D03-71). He moved that Senate approve the revised Calendar of Dates with the addition of the notation providing that the Thursday, December 1, would follow the Monday timetable, making up for Labour Day, Monday September, 5. The motion was voted upon and carried. The meeting ended at 3:10 p.m. (8) MEMBERS' QUESTION PERIOD 908.1 In reply to a member's question, Dean Shaver said that the Faculty would look into the status of the Space Audit Report for Burnside Hall. (9) RESULTS OF SCIENCE ELECTION FOR SENATE S-03- 51 909.1 Dean Shaver announced the results of the recent election for Science Senators. Newly Elected Senators: Prof. Niky Kamran (Mathematics & Statistics) Prof. Charles Lin (Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences) Prof. Mark Sutton (Physics) Continuing Senators: Prof. M. Baines (Microbiology & Immunology) Prof. K. GowriSankaran (Mathematics & Statistics) Prof. D. Harpp (Chemistry) Prof. D. Kramer (Biology) Prof. M. Mendelson (Psychology) Prof. S. Whitesides (Computer Science) 909.2 Dean Shaver congratulated the newly elected senators, and thanked the continuing senators. He said that members should feel free to contact their senators on relevant issues. (10) SCHEDULE OF MEETING DATES S-03- 52 910.1 Dean Shaver referred members to the schedule of meeting dates for the 2004-2005 academic year. (11) OTHER BUSINESS 911.1 On behalf of the Faculty of Science, Dean Shaver thanked Professor Patrick Farrell for his devotion and service to the Faculty. He said that Prof. Farrell's wide-ranging knowledge and attention to detail had been invaluable to the Faculty. 911.2 Dean Shaver proposed a formal resolution of thanks to Prof. Farrell for his many years of service. The resolution was adopted unanimously. 911.3 Dean Shaver thanked Associate Dean Morton Mendelson for serving as Associate Dean (Academic & Student Affairs) since 1998. The post had recently been split into Associate Dean (Academic) and Associate Dean (Student Affairs). As of June 1, 2004, Prof. Mendelson would become Associate Dean (Academic), and Prof. Henry Leighton would be serving as Associate Dean (Student Affairs). 911.4 Dean Shaver said that Associate Dean Mendelson's hard work, dedication and attention to detail had been greatly appreciated by the Faculty of Science, and that Associate Dean Mendelson had become a very important figure across the University. 911.5 Dean Shaver proposed a formal resolution of appreciation and thanks to Associate Dean Mendelson. The resolution was adopted unanimously. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m. 11 FacultyMinsMay2004.doc