Board of Governors - APPENDIX II - November 30, 2000
FOR APPROVAL
Recommended: That the Board of Governors approve the proposed space allocation in new buildings as set out in "SuperBuild Facilities at Western: Space Allocation in New Buildings" (Annex 1).
Background:
In June 2000, Senate and the Board of Governors approved proposals for the siting of three new academic buildings. Since then, consultations have continued with Faculty Deans and directors of student service units. While the physical plant of the University falls within the jurisdiction of the Board of Governors, as part of the ongoing institutional consultation process, Senate's advice in the matter of allocation of space in academic buildings was sought at Senate's November 17th meeting, and the above-noted report was endorsed.
The Provost circulated a copy of the document to Board members, Senators and others in October 2000, inviting comments and suggestions to be submitted by November 2, 2000. Those received tended to focus in a few key areas:
Classrooms: A number of questions were raised regarding the sizes of the proposed new classrooms. As indicated in the document, specific classroom proposals are preliminary and will be refined in the coming months.
Some respondents argued for larger classroom facilities, including the retention of Alumni Hall as instructional space. It is the position of the Provost that, while some manipulation of medium-size classroom space is possible within the "academic" buildings, construction of very large (1000-1300 seats) classrooms would constrict timetabling and actually narrow student choice by channeling high-enrolment courses into fewer sections. It is hoped that additional instructors will enable Faculties and departments to mount additional sections rather than simply increasing "superclass" sizes.
Distance factors: Some respondents point to the broad distribution across campus of new classroom and laboratory facilities, noting their distance from established locations for work within particular disciplines or from library and other support facilities. While consolidation of functions will be used to keep disruption to a minimum, it is inevitable that the construction of new facilities will create different traffic and scheduling patterns across the campus.
Functionality within buildings: Discussion was advanced concerning appropriate assignment of laboratory, teaching, office, and studio/performance space. Space usage can be refined as the design stages of each specific building advance, with consultation between the architects, the Faculty and department user committees, the Office of Institutional Planning and Budgeting, ITS and the Physical Plant Department. Adaptation of space to meet academic needs is ongoing, within the basic building configurations outlined in the October document and the budget limitations of the SuperBuild initiative.
Not enough space for me: Many Faculties and departments indicate a need for more space than is allowed under the current SuperBuild program. In many cases, the arguments for increased space are quite justifiable. The resources available under the program are, however, finite, and decisions as to the use of available and newly-constructed space are being made on the basis of priority and need across the academic units, as well as the opportunities to secure supplementary funding through commitment to enrolment increases in particular areas and through links with other initiatives such as the CFI, ORDCF, and OIT, which provide support for research activities and related space needs.
Recommended: That the Board of Governors approve:
Background:
Each year the Senate Subcommittee on Enrolment Planning and Policy (SUEPP) approves enrolment forecasts which are used in the tuition-related revenue projections of the University's operating budget. These projections were approved by Senate (October 20) on the recommendation of the Senate Committee on University Planning (SCUP), and by the Property & Finance Committee (October 23).
The enrolment plan in Annex 3 updates Western's initial projections submitted to the Ministry in mid-August. It reflects the University's adherence to increases in undergraduate students committed in the funded SuperBuild projects and an increase in projected future growth in graduate student numbers from 500 to 800. Whereas Annex 2 to this report reflects Western's particular program structures (and thus will be more familiar to the UWO community), the forms attached to the letter (Annex 3) are provided by the Ministry and are applicable to program designations at the provincial level.
Recommended: That the Board of Governors authorize the purchase of 48 Compaq systems to be manufactured and assembled for delivery in April 2001 at a cost of $4.8 million, upon final CFI approval.
Background:
The vision of SHARC-Net (Shared Hierarchical Academic Research Computing Network) is to establish in Ontario a world-leading initiative emphasizing shared resources of state-of-the-art computing facilities, advanced networking, and recruitment of critical new faculty and personnel to enable pioneering research advances across a set of core research areas. The SHARC-Net partner institutions currently are Fanshawe College, McMaster University, Sheridan College, the University of Guelph, The University of Western Ontario, the University of Windsor and Wilfrid Laurier University. Dr. Mike Bauer, Associate Vice-President (Information Technology), is the Principal Investigator of the SHARC-Net project.
By exploiting world-class supercomputing power, SHARC-Net researchers will be able to accelerate the production of research results, and for the first time be able to meet the needs of commercial partners on a time scale appropriate for competitive business activity. This will also substantially improve our ability to attract industrial research partnerships. Canadian students, researchers and companies that presently must go outside Canada to study and use high-performance computing will now be able to realize their goals in Ontario. As a focal point for linking researchers and corporate partners, SHARC-Net will provide an atmosphere that encourages cross-fertilization and commercialisation of ideas and the creation of new companies.
The bulk of the capital infrastructure for SHARC-Net will be provided by the Innovation Fund of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The CFI has provided $6.623M for infrastructure; this has also been matched by the Province of Ontario OIT fund. The Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund has provided funding for both support staff and research personnel, as well as sustaining the infrastructure for the first five years of SHARC-Net's operation. The ORDCF has provided up to $8.8M for five years.
A five-year investment by ORDCF in SHARC-Net will:
· Create 14 critical new faculty positions at the partner universities and colleges;
· Fund an average of 8 positions per year for senior visiting researchers and postdoctoral fellows;
· Release 6 faculty per year from teaching to pursue research full time;
· Fund 14-17 graduate student positions every year;
· Every year allow an average of 17 undergraduate students enrolled in programs at the partner universities and colleges to obtain training and co-op experience in the operation and use of SHARC-Net's world-class resources; and
· Fund 8 critical support personnel positions, to foster the development of world-class technical expertise, and so that SHARC-Net can be operated effectively.
By funding the above research personnel through ORDCF, Compaq's matching investment in SHARC-Net can be cost-effectively deployed to sustain the capital infrastructure and to provide management personnel positions.
Detailed evaluation and analysis concluded Compaq was the only vendor who could provide this hardware environment at this time. The acquisition of the networking equipment, however, is being done through an RFP.
The SHARC-Net project has received preliminary approval from CFI. Funds will be released once the project receives final approval.
Vicky Blair Fellowship in Vascular Surgery
Recommended: That the Board of Governors approve the establishment of the Vicky Blair Fellowship in Vascular Surgery under the terms of reference set out below for a period of ten years, based on a generous expendable gift from Mr. William Blair.
| Vicky Blair Fellowship in Vascular Surgery | |
| Donor and Funding: | This annually funded Fellowship is made possible by a generous donation from Mr. William Blair in memory of his wife, Vicky Blair, in the amount of $105,000 to be received over ten years. In accordance with University policy, an amount equal to 5% of the total gift will be applied to support fundraising, donor management and stewardship costs. This will result in a net gift of $99,750 available for spending. |
| Annual Spending: | Up to $9,975 annually to be used to support travel costs. |
| Effective Date: | July 1, 2000 |
| Purpose: | The Vicky Blair Fellowship in Vascular Surgery is to be used to support travel away from London for an educational experience to enhance the holder's skills or knowledge as related to vascular surgery. It may also be used to support an individual travelling to London to experience a special education endeavour conducted within the Division of Vascular Surgery with the expectation that enhanced knowledge and skills will be returned to the community. Specifically, the award is to sponsor an increase in technical skills, knowledge or general ability to practice vascular surgery. |
| Criteria: | Appointment as the Vicky Blair Fellow in Vascular
Surgery shall be made according to normal
University practices and by the Selection
Committee consisting of the Chair of the Division
of Vascular Surgery at The University of Western
Ontario, one other division member and one
additional member from the Faculty of Medicine &
Dentistry named by the Chair of the Division. Mr.
Blair will have input as to the membership of the
Committee, but the Committee, in its sole
discretion, will select the Fellow.
At the time of initial appointment, the appointee will be a resident, post-doctoral fellow, or junior faculty member in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry or a physician working in the area of vascular surgery in the community. Each appointment will be for one year and is not renewable. However, a recipient may receive the Fellowship again provided she/he is selected in accordance with the process as set out herein. The stipend provided to the holder of the Fellowship will terminate upon completion of the term. At the completion of the Fellowship, the Fellow will write a brief report addressed to the chair of the Selection Committee who will share this report with Mr. Blair. |
| Reporting: | The Division of Vascular Surgery agrees to provide
a formal annual report to Mr. Blair or others as
instructed, regarding all activities of the holder of
the Fellowship.
The name of the Fellowship will be mentioned in any scientific or public activity in the medical community in which the holder of the Fellowship is engaged as part of the program. |
FOR INFORMATION
See Annex 4. Dr. Moran will provide an oral report at the meeting.
See Annex 5.
See Annex 6.
Critical Injury Accident
On Monday September 18, 2000 at approximately 6:15 p.m., an employee was carrying some coins to her cash register in the UCC. She rounded the corner of the cash counter when she slipped on a recently mopped floor. When she fell, she hit her arm on the counter and stool. The wet area of the floor had been posted with a "slippery when wet" sign. As a result of the fall, she suffered a fractured left humerus and fractured left femur.