The UBC Senate meets monthly to discuss and vote on academic matters pertaining to the university. What goes on in the Senate chambers can often feel very overwhelming or dull to the average student, and the agenda docket posted before every Senate meeting can be long and tedious to read. Here’s what to expect at the April 19 Senate meeting.
Manufacturing engineering
Following a lengthy development process, the Faculty of Applied Science, through the Senate curriculum committee, is requesting the approval of a new bachelor of applied science in manufacturing engineering, which is slated to begin accepting second year students in September 2019. Students will be able to focus on either a technical or management-focused stream in their fourth year, and the program is designed to improve mobility between the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
Faculty of education merger
Senate will be considering, on the recommendation of the academic policy committee, the approval of a merger between the Vancouver-based Faculty of Education with UBC Okanagan’s Faculty of Education. The move is intended to alleviate some of the pressures on the Okanagan Faculty, as its relatively smaller size has put significant burden; that division will become the School of Education under the Vancouver faculty of education. This structure is similar to that of the faculty of applied science, which has had an Okanagan-based School of Engineering for over ten years.
Budget 2018 update
While the Board of Governors holds the formal responsibility of approving the university budget each year, there is a legislative requirement for the Senate to be consulted as a part of the approval process. Though this happens on a monthly basis through the Council of Senates Budget Committee’s Subcommittee for the Vancouver campus, the Vancouver Senate is given a report collectively once each year as well.
Faculty of education merger
Having moved to create a diversity and inclusion ad-hoc committee at its December meeting, Senate will now be considering the approval of appointments of eleven individuals to this body on the recommendation of the nominating committee. The committee’s composition includes four students – two from within Senate’s membership and two from outside.
Jakob Gattinger is a fourth-year applied science student and a student member and vice-chair of the UBC Vancouver Senate, as well as the chair of the Senate agenda committee.