Senate met last night to talk about an open letter concerning academic freedom, the strategic plan refresh and pass several motions.
Here’s what you might’ve missed.
Opening remarks
The meeting opened with Senator Ben Britton asking to speak about an open letter signed by over 220 professors from across Canada opposing proposed changes to UBC’s draft academic freedom policy.
President Benoit-Antoine Bacon said this discussion may be “premature” and Senate should wait until they receive the letter and have time to review it and can discuss it at the May Senate meeting.
Senator Brenna Bhandar said she had sent the open letter to Clerk of Senate Christopher Eaton and asked for it to be circulated to senators ahead of the meeting. Eaton confirmed he did receive Bhandar’s email.
She followed up asking when faculty would be able to engage with the policy before it is voted on. Eaton said the draft could be sent out for review at the earliest 10 days prior to the Senate meeting.
Motions approved
The Academic Policy Committee brought forward three motions. The first was to amend the campus-wide policy on change of registration to add the word certificate.
The second motion was to approve amendments to the Faculty of Land and Food Systems regulations around academic standing, readmission, major declaration and program deficiency.
The final motion was to approve amendments to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies in regards to classification part-time students. The amendment adds that part-time doctoral students must be admitted to candidacy within 48 months from their registration date.
All three motions carried.
The Curriculum Committee also moved a motion to approve several new courses, new non-credit program certificates and microcertificates and discontinue the graduate doctor of pharmacy. The motion was passed and will be presented to the Board of Governors for final approval at their next meeting.
Strategic plan refresh
Senators also heard another update from Provost Gage Averill about UBC’s strategic plan refresh.
Averill noted this refresh was not to replace UBC’s current strategic plan, but to define a set of priorities for the next three to five years. In May, Averill said, they will be returning for a formal endorsement of the plan from Senate.
Britton asked whether academic freedom and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) will be reaffirmed in the strategic plan refresh and that these points have “not been articulated in the current socialization of the plan.”
Averill said UBC’s commitment to academic freedom, as included in the plan, “is fully in place” and he said the same about EDI initiatives.
“This is occurring in a period when some of these values are under attack in various places in the world …. It's important to be clear that none of this is in retreat at UBC,” said Averill.
“We will make sure that the framing of the refresh affirms our commitments.”
Senator Steven Pelech raised concern that the number of lab training courses has steadily declined at UBC, causing students to have less fundamental training and hands-on learning experience.
Averill noted the strategic plan includes wanting to enhance student experiential learning opportunities and smaller initiatives have been made, citing the Emerging Media Lab.
Senator Santokh Singh expressed concern over the ability of students and faculty to access mental health resources. Student Senator Kareem Hassib made a similar point and wished there had been better emphasis on student wellbeing.
Hassib noted that students have been facing financial burdens from attempting to find affordable housing to being able to pay for groceries. “The academic and research mission of the university is built upon student wellbeing,” he said.
Averill agreed that the language could be amended to show greater focus on mental health and wellbeing. “We want true communities where people feel valued and included,” he said.
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