From: Calver, Sandra
Sent: Wednesday, April 06, 2011 6:10 PM
Subject: RE: Items for Senate Executive Committee consideration
Sent on behalf of the Chancellor,
Dear Mary Jean,
Thank you for taking the time to bring forward the items below. At our recent Senate Executive Committee meeting, members had the opportunity to discuss your suggestions, and a brief summary response follows below. Please also feel free to approach me at our spring meeting if you have any questions or additional thoughts—I would be interested to know your reaction to the reconfigured meeting space.
From: Mary Jean Hande Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 2:52 AM
To: McBain, Norma
Subject: Items for Senate Executive Committee consideration
Thank you Norma,
Please find below my proposed agenda item:
1) Upcoming Presidential Selection
- I propose that the Senate be advised on how it may provide input into the selection of the next UofS president.
At the spring meeting, you will see that Nancy Hopkins, Chair of the Board of Governors and Chair of the Presidential Search Committee has assured members of Senate that they will be consulted regarding the University’s strategic needs as they relate to the presidency, which will then inform the search committee’s consideration of candidates. In addition, a member of Senate will serve on the Presidential Search Committee to represent the Senate.
I would also like to suggest that the University Secretary consider the following two suggestions:
1) Modifications to the Agenda
- For the October 16, 2010 meeting, I received the agenda less than two weeks prior to the meeting. In order for Senate members to study and comment on agenda items, I suggest that the agenda should be distributed earlier so as to give Senate members more time for review.
To facilitate the transmission of documents for Senate, the Executive agreed to transmit the agenda materials electronically to those members who wish to receive materials in this manner, and thereby bypass the wait time associated with regular mail delivery. The consensus was, however, that two weeks was an adequate amount of time in which to review the materials and is consistent with the time frame for the receipt of materials by other committees and governing bodies, including the Board of Governors.
- I would also like to suggest that clear deadlines be posted on the UofS website as to when proposed agenda items must be submitted to the Office of the University Secretary, so that they will be considered by the Senate Executive Committee in ample time prior to drafting the final agenda. As far as I know, there are none to date.
Primarily, items are referred to the Senate Executive Committee by other committees of Senate or by the University Secretary, and therefore it is somewhat unusual to have items submitted from individual Senate members. Senate Executive generally meets three weeks in advance of Senate to approve the agenda for the meeting and consider any other business, and so that could be considered a general guideline for submission. Items from individual members could be submitted at any time of the year, and will be held by the University Secretary to bring forward to the Executive’s attention.
2) Meeting Room and/or Space
- Discussion of the physical layout of the Senate hall during meetings. October 16, 2010 was my first Senate meeting. I was slightly taken aback at the hierarchal and confrontational nature of the meeting. To ensure a participatory environment, I suggest that “meeting-in-the-round” might be an effective way of creating a space in which everyone feels equally respected, represented and “heard”. This might include a discussion of the actual room in which we hold senate meetings or simply the physical arrangement of the seating.
To accommodate this suggestion, which was viewed positively by members, our room set-up for the next meeting will not be a meeting-in-the-round, but will attempt to bring all members closer to the podium to reduce the sense of hierarchy some members may feel is present. At the same time, we are a formal governing body, and meetings will continue to be conducted formally.
Thanks for your for giving these your consideration,
Mary Jean
Mary Jean, thank you once again for sharing your thoughts and for our engagement as a Senator. I look forward to seeing you at our spring meeting!
Kind regards,
Vera Pezer, Ph.D.
Chancellor and Chair of Senate