Senate Agenda - EXHIBIT I - January 28, 2000

REPORT OF THE OPERATIONS/AGENDA COMMITTEE

FOR APPROVAL

1. Senate Membership: Faculty of Information and Media Studies Constituency

Recommended: That Bernd Frohmann and Michael Nolan, elected representatives to Senate for the Faculty of Information and Media Studies constituency, be granted leaves of absence, and

That Margaret Ann Wilkinson and Gloria Leckie be elected to serve on Senate as their Alternates (term from January to April, 2000).

2. Nominating Committee Membership

Composition: Seven members of Senate, elected by Senate, at least one of whom shall be a graduate student. Not more than two members from a single academic unit. The Faculty of Graduate Studies is not considered an academic unit in this context.

[Ex Officio members include the Chair of the Student Caucus on Governance.]

There will be three alternates who are members of Senate, one of whom is a student, to attend meetings when regular members are unable to attend.

Current Elected Membership:

Continuing to November 2000:

Members: R. Telfer (Grad.), B. Bryan (Sci), J. MacKinnon (HS), R. Young (SS).
Alternate: R. Darnell (SS)

Retiring November 2001:

Members: P. Deane (Arts), R. Hawkins (Law), S. Mangsen (Music)
Alternates: G. Cherian (M&D), E. Dipchand (Undergrad)

Member Required:

One graduate student Senator to replace R. Telfer who has resigned.

Nominee: [nomination to be invited at the Senate meeting]

Eligible Senators are graduate students Jennifer Clark, Geoffrey Vanderburg, and Mark Weyers.

Alternate Required:

One member of Senate to serve as alternate to R. Darnell who has requested a leave of absence (January to June 30, 2000)

Nominee:

3. Subcommittee on Research Ethics Policy (SUREP)

Recommended: That the Senate establish the Subcommittee on Research Ethics Policy (SUREP) as a subcommittee of the University Research Board, as detailed below:

Subcommittee on Research Ethics Policy

Terms of Reference:

To review issues relating to research involving human subjects and make recommendations to the Vice-President (Research).

To decide appeals of final decisions made by the research ethics boards.

Composition:

To be appointed by the Vice-President (Research) for two year terms (staggered):

• Chair of the Subcommittee
• Two Ethicists
• One Hospital/Research Institute representative
• Two additional members

Ex officio:

• Vice-President (Research) or designate
• Chair of the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board
• Chair of the Non-Health Sciences Research Ethics Board
• Director, Office of Research Services, or designate

• Deputy Chair of the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board (non-voting unless acting as Alternate for the Chair of the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board)

The Subcommittee shall meet as required, but at least twice annually.

The Subcommittee may establish ad hoc working groups and bring in expertise as required.

The Office of Research Services (Research Ethics section) shall act as Secretariat to the Subcommittee.

Background:

In 1998, the Vice-President (Research) established an ad hoc committee to review the medical ethics review board and process. One of the recommendations of that committee was to establish a research ethics policy advisory committee to review general policies relating to research on human subjects and to provide advice and/or recommendations to the Vice-President (Research). In the past, Chair of the various ethics boards responded independently to policy issues that arose, but with the implementation of the Tri-Council (NSERC, SSHRC and MRC) guidelines and heavy workload of the Health Sciences Research Ethics Board, the creation of a separate advisory committee, as a subcommittee of the University Research Board, is recommended.

FOR INFORMATION

1. Mandated Review of Faculty of Health Sciences P&T Procedures [S.97-28b]

In February 1997, the Senate approved alternative procedures for appointments, promotion and tenure in the Faculty of Health Sciences, in recognition that the Faculty structure was unique.

In approving the alternative procedures, Senate also mandated a review of them by February 2000:

That, by February 1, 2000, the Provost initiate a review of these alternative procedures to determine whether they should be established through formal amendment to Conditions of Appointment. Any amendments to Conditions of Appointment would follow the usual procedures.

In 1998, the UWO Faculty Association became certified to represent full- and part-time faculty at The University of Western Ontario. As a result, under the terms of the Ontario Labour Relations Act, a "freeze" exists on conditions of employment. Appointments, promotion and tenure procedures are conditions of employment, and therefore it would be inappropriate to conduct the review while a first collective agreement is being negotiated.

2. Senate Election Procedures: Candidacy of Faculty with Joint Appointments

Senate Election Procedures define candidate and voter eligibility for Senate membership. The procedures have been revised as shown below with respect to the candidacy of faculty members with joint appointments. The new text is taken from the Procedures for Joint Appointments within the University, approved in June of 1997.

Pursuant to Senate Resolution:

A member of faculty, holding an appointment in more than one academic unit (or constituency within that unit) other than the Faculty of Graduate Studies, may accept nomination only in that unit designated as the "Home Faculty/School". Such a member of faculty would, however, be eligible to vote in each academic unit in which he or she is a member. shall be regarded as a full-time member of the Departments (Faculties) in which he/she holds a joint appointment for the purposes of eligibility to vote in Senate elections and to stand for election to Senate. A faculty member with a joint appointment in two or more Faculties (other than the Faculty of Graduate Studies) may cast one vote in each Faculty in which he/she has an appointment. A faculty member whose departments are within the same Faculty may cast only one vote in such an election.