Wilfrid Laurier University
EN-13: Community Stakeholder Engagement

DEFINITIONS OF POLICIES AND
PROCEDURES (Regulation)
"Policy" is defined as a statement of principle or intent designed to direct future decisions and actions.
As such, a Senate policy is understood to have broad meaning for the direction of the educational affairs of the University. The implementation of such policy is carried out through Senate committees or a variety of university administrative and faculty offices and bodies following procedures, which the committee defines as rules prescribed for conduct and for implementation. For clarity, for coherency, and for the best understanding of academic responsibilities and roles, these policies and procedures
should be established deliberately and clearly by the Senate. It is the responsibility of implementing bodies, whether Senate committees or other university offices or units, to seek Senate approval for any course or action relating to educational policies and procedures which fall within the Senate's responsibilities as established by paragraph 19 of The Wilfrid Laurier University Act, 197

Terms of Reference

Laurier, as a multi-campus university, is a federation of campuses. However we have not fully determined what type of federation we should be as a university. There are numerous possibilities (just as no one multi-campus model works best, neither is there a perfect model of a federation).

Over the past 11 years decisions about academic programming, provision of services, lines of authority and accountability, and many other matters have been made in the absence of an over-arching federation or governance model. Processes and practices have evolved in an ad hoc fashion, without the benefit of guidance that an overarching governance framework would provide.

Governance: is the process whereby societies or organizations make important decisions, determine whom they involve and how they render account. (Canada Institute on Governance).

Premises: The work of the Task Force is guided by the Vision, Values, and Mission statement of the university. More specifically, the work of the Task Force is founded on the recognition:

1. That Laurier embraces a multi-campus model of operations and that it will be a multi-campus university for the foreseeable future

2. That Laurier values an intimate and supportive community environment that is most readily achieved when student numbers do not exceed approximately 15,000 in any one locality

3. That Laurier aspires to excellence in education that engages students in purposeful developmental activities both inside and outside the classroom

4. That Laurier aspires to increased research intensity in the context of a number mid-sized campuses, each delivering undergraduate education and a limited number of focused, nationally and internationally recognized areas of research excellence

5. That Laurier aspires to complementarity among teaching and research foci among its campuses such that synergies are enabled to ensure that the whole university has impact and presence that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Mandate: of the Presidential Task Force on Multi-Campus Governance is to build on these premises and the Vision, Mission and Values statement to identify and recommend to the university community an overarching model of federation and governance among the existing and potential campuses of Laurier. Considerations should include, but not be limited to:

identifying principles that should guide the distribution of academic programs across campuses

principles to guide the allocation of resources among campuses

the functions of academic, administrative, and student leaders (Deans, Chairs, Directors, Managers, etc) across campuses,

identifying the principles that should be applied to make changes in composition of the Board and Senate as campuses develop and grow,

shifts in representation that should be implemented in university committees as new campuses grow,

expectations of the university community to be participating citizens across campuses as well as at their “home” campus

identifying principles to establish the administrative structures that must follow from governance recommendations of the Task Force

such other matters as the task force identifies as fundamental to effective and efficient governance in multiple locations

Timeframe: The work of the Taskforce will begin in March 2010 and is expected to be substantially complete by the end of the calendar year.

Reporting: The task force will report to the university community with a report of its findings and it will also report separately to the Board, Senate, Brantford faculty, Academic Faculties, and such other bodies and groups as are deemed appropriate.

Consultation: The Task Force will consult stakeholder communities widely and appropriately as it conducts its work.

Appendix: Key Issues to be Analyzed

Student experience

Faculty experience

Area of focus (how is it organized)

Programs/courses

Research

Other offerings

Organization - decision making: Governance

Central administration

Campus administration

Finance/budgets

Organization - decision making: Senate

Faculties

Curriculum

Faculty hiring

Faculty tenure & promotion

Relationships

Among campuses

With local community

With government (town, municipal, regional, provincial, federal)

Partnerships (public, private)

Drivers & desired outcomes

Terms and parameters

At what level(s) are they made? Managed?

To what extent do they impact stakeholder groups?

Pros/cons, benefits/compromises

Student Membership

Two Members Representing the Secondary School System of Ontario

Faculty Membership

President: Student Affairs

Associate Vice President: Teaching & Learning

Dean of Brantford Campus

Principal/Vice President of Brantford Campus

Vice President: Research

Officio Members of Senate

Librarian Membership

Administrative Staff

New programs in sustainability: Sustainability Option, Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, Interdisciplinary course in Sustainability.
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