AC-96-94 FACULTY OF SCIENCE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, April 29, 1997 at 3:00 p.m. in the Arts Council Room (160). PRESENT: Dean Shaver (Chair), Associate Dean de Takacsy (Vice- Chair), Professors Baines, Doig, Dudek (in the absence of Prof. ThÈrien),Franklin, Grutter, Ingram, Norris, Pollard, Silvius, Sittmann; S. Aggarwal; E. Gibb (in the absence of Ms. Waluzyniec); J. DíAmico REGRETS: Professors Andrews, Brawer, Rigelhof, Wechsler; Mr. S. Park; Mr. Crawford DOCUMENTS:AC-96-75 to AC-96-87/87A AC-96-88, AC-96-89/89A AC-96-90 to AC-96-93 CHANGES TO THE AGENDA Item #12, Approval of Graduate Courses in Basic Science Departments, will be discussed at the Academic Committee Meeting of May 6, 1997. (1) LEO YAFFE AWARD COMMITTEE - PROFESSOR C. ROTH Prof. Roth presented the report of the Leo Yaffe Award Committee: The Leo Yaffe Committee comprising five professors, Sally Gibbs, Peter Grutter, David Harp, Charles Roth (chair), Don Taylor, and two students, Mr. Eric Fenster and Mr. Ritesh Parekh were confronted with a most difficult and challenging task; choosing a winner from ten truly excellent candidates. They were, in alphabetical order: Z. ALTOUNIAN Physics M. DAMHA Chemistry L. HERMO Anatomy & Cell Biology G. INGRAM Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies R. KOESTNER Psychology P. LASKO Biology A. MUCCI Earth and Planetary Sciences N. ROULET Geography D. WOLFSON Mathematics and Statistics E. ZORYCHTA Pathology I am very pleased to announce that the outstanding winner of the Leo Yaffe Award this year is Professor David Wolfson. Professor Wolfson joined ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ in 1974 after completing an honours B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Durban, South Africa, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University. He is married to Tina Wolfson, a professor in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ. They have a teenage son, who aspires to be a tennis pro. Professor Wolfson has taught the incredible number of 14 different undergraduate courses ranging from large service courses to lower and upper level majors and honours courses in Linear Algebra, Pure and Applied Probability and Pure and Applied Statistics. In addition, he has taught 5 different graduate courses. He is actively involved in research, supervision of graduate students, and administrative duties. The committee was particularly impressed with the following: Professor Wolfsonís course evaluations on that part of the form dealing with overall lecturer performance ranged from a low ranking of 4.38 to a high of 4.9 out of 5, thus being consistently outstanding. As can be expected, the comments that students were invited to write on the reverse of the evaluation forms, and which were included in their entirety, from the years 1991-92 to 1995-96 were generally highly laudatory. Finally, the committee was heavily influenced by the testimonials it received from students who have been taught by Professor Wolfson. These paint a compelling picture of Professor Wolfsonís lucid and enthusiastic teaching style, combining a perfect balance between rigor and practicality, and providing deep insight into often difficult material without ever becoming tiresome or tedious. It is clear that his teaching goes much further than this--in many instances, his teaching has changed his studentsí lives and molded their subsequent careers. The letters portray a professor whose office door is always open to his students, one who genuinely cares for their concerns, not only with the course he is teaching them, but for the whole educational process and the deeper issues of life. Some comments from recent course evaluations: îWolfson is am amazing teacher.î îHe makes a boring subject entertaining. I would love to take another course with him and would highly recommend him to anyone.î îI found Professor Wolfson outstanding for his enthusiasm for the course, his energy and his ability to explain the concepts thoroughly and clearly. He was easy to follow in class and I thank him for making the course very interesting and enjoyable.î îInstructor was excellent. He gave us much insight into the topics; unexpectedly he managed to stimulate my full attention. It was a real pleasure to take this course with him.î îHe makes everything easy to understand. He is very good at providing contemporary examples and he obviously enjoys teaching.î îProfessor Wolfson is a great teacher and is always there for extra help.î îProfessor Wolfson was by far the best professor I have ever had at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ. His classes were extremely interesting and his lectures were very clear. I really enjoyed and learned a lot from every class.î îProfessor Wolfson is the best teacher Iíve ever had. His notes are extremely well organized and coherent. He is very approachable and encourages the students to participate in his classes as much as possible.î îHe really knows his stuff and more importantly he is willing and able to impart this knowledge. Promote him and give him a raise.î îHe is a very friendly, approachable teacher. One senses that he really wants us to learn and understand.î îHe makes a large and successful effort to make the problems interesting, and interacted with the class. Basically a really super professor.î îCourse was excellent, material covered was well presented with applications and examples that were very understandable and very clear. Professor Wolfson was very helpful and available.î I would now like to quote some comments from a small sampling of the testimonial letters, all from previous undergraduate students of Professor Wolfson; first from individuals who have their Ph.Dís and are academics in their own right, then from Ph.D. students, and finally from present undergraduates. From Dr. Lawrence Joseph, Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ: îAs a former student of Professor David Wolfson, I am pleased to have the opportunity to relate to you my first hand knowledge of his outstanding classroom teaching. I attended three courses taught by Professor Wolfson, one undergraduate and two as a graduate student. îBased on my experience, there is no doubt whatsoever that David Wolfson is one of the best teachers in any department at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ, and indeed, at any University anywhere. It is literally impossible to imagine anything more that he could have done to improve my time spent as a student at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ, starting from the first day in the undergraduate class to the day I graduated with my Ph.D., with David as supervisor. I have known David since 1982, and there have been countless instances I could cite as evidence of this claim. I will provide only a small representative sample of these below. îI first encountered David when I took his course in Nonparametric Statistics (189-424B) in my last semester of an undergraduate degree in mathematics. Despite the fact that I had previously taken several other undergraduate courses in probability and statistics, it was Davidís in depth and lucid explanations of statistical concepts that finally made me begin to really understand and appreciate statistics. It was very obvious that David spent a great deal of time preparing his courses, and also encouraged students to visit his office for further clarifications of the material. I had found many superb teachers in the Department, but the quality of Davidís teaching was so good that I had no hesitation in deciding to vote for him for the Leo Yaffe Teaching Award, as far back as 1982. It is a bit of a surprise that, 15 years later, David is still being considered for this award, as he really should have been awarded it years ago. Nevertheless, it would be a wonderful decision to grant David the Award this year, since it would recognize almost a generation of outstanding teaching. îUp to that time, I had no notions of entering graduate school. However, David took a personal interest in me, and single-handedly convinced me apply for a Masterís degree in statistics. He did this by showing me how interesting statistics could be both in theory and in real applications, and by providing the necessary guidance and encouragement. îDavidís ability to advise students must be second to none. His vast knowledge of the rules of ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ always allow his students to fly over the jungle of the sometimes confusing regulations that may otherwise delay progress. His reputation for this among the students means that his advice is sought at one time or another by not only his own students, but by virtually everybody. David always provides this advice with thought and patience. He is also crucial in attracting students to his department, since his excellent reputation as an advisor means that he fields calls from many potential students asking about studying statistics. îAlthough the Leo Yaffe Award is specifically for undergraduate teaching, his graduate courses were equally enlightening. His inspired and inspiring performance continue to serve as role models for my own teaching. I often think back to his style in deciding on how to teach certain concepts. He also frequently brings to my attention articles and data sets that are useful for teaching purposes. îIt is very difficult to pinpoint exactly what makes his teaching so good, but here is an attempt to analyze why his classes were such a pleasure to attend: Much of mathematical statistics courses consist of long proofs with many intricate details. In the hands of an average teacher, this could quickly become very boring. In fact, one of the most often heard complaints about statistics courses in general is that they are both very boring and difficult to follow. One could always count on David, however, to explain the importance of each step so clearly that what might otherwise seem to be a dull topic would come alive. Furthermore, he had a subtle sense of dry humour that had the class giggling through many of the lectures. ìIt is crucial to emphasize that my experiences are not unique, and that examples such as these are characteristic of Davidís teaching and his interactions with all of his students. Indeed, whenever I meet an old classmate from one of his courses, we always trade stories about his lectures. The fact that courses taken 15 years ago are still remembered as though they were yesterday is further proof of his amazing abilities in the classroom. îIt is the inescapable conclusion of all those in contact with him that David Wolfson is an unusually talented, dedicated and superb educator, very deserving of the Leo Yaffe Award.î From Dr. Brian A. Barsky, Professor of Computer Science, University of California: îProfessor David Wolfson certainly left his mark on me. Itís difficult to believe that more than 20 years have past since I was a student in his class. I still remember...I believe the course number was 447, with a title along the lines of ìStochastic Processesî and the textbook was Fellerís ìIntroduction to Probabilityî. I remember learning about random walks, and examples about drunks walking from lamppost to lamppost. But I think the most telling memory was the light and pleasant atmosphere in the class, which certainly contributed to a good learning environment. îCertainly, the concepts learned in that class have stayed with me over all these years, and provided a good foundation upon which to draw for other related material. I am pleased to learn of Professor Wolfsonís nomination for recognition for excellence in undergraduate teaching, and I would certainly support such an award.î From Dr. Robert Platt, Assistant Professor, Departments of Pediatrics and of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ: îDavid is one of the best teachers I have ever met. His classes were exciting and challenging. The material was complicated, the pace was fast and the homework difficult, but David did a great job of lecturing and providing insight into probability and statistics. He made a strong effort to give examples and help the students really understand both the mathematics and the real-world importance of statistics. He was always available for questions about the course or homework and really had an interest in making sure that the students were learning.î From Dr. Daniella Morin, Associate Dean, Academic and Student Affairs, Concordia University: îIt is a pleasure for me to write a few lines in support of Professor David Wolfsonís nomination for the Leo Yaffe Award. îI was a Ph.D. student in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ a few years ago. In fact I graduated in 1989. From my first day at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ, Professor Wolfson provided me with his guidance and friendship. He was my teacher in two seminars and I was impressed with his pedagogy and his great ability to present complex material such as measure theory and advanced probability theory. He helped me with my course selection and submitted an article for my German translation exam when my thesis supervisor was on sabbatical. îHe was someone I could always count on. îHe is partially responsible for my entire career, the reason is the following: after one semester in the Ph.D. Programme although I was doing very well in my courses, I started to feel very nervous about writing the comprehensive examination (Paper 1). Since I did not know anybody, I went to see the secretary and asked her how to withdraw from the programme. She simply took my name and said she would call me back. In fact, she never got back to me, Professor Wolfson did. He called me to come meet with him and discuss the situation. After an hour discussion, he had convinced me that I should not give up since I had all the abilities to pursue this degree. Following that meeting, I decided to continue my studies and eventually obtained my Ph.D.; got an assistant professorship position at Concordia University; was promoted, and I am now the Associate Dean, Academic and Student Affairs in the Faculty of Commerce and Administration. îWhen I look back, I realize that this meeting with Dr. Wolfson was probably the most important meeting of all my career. îFor his support and friendship, I say thank you and I strongly support the nomination of an outstanding teacher: Professor David Wolfson.î Dr. Sylvie Cardin of the Department of Clinical Epidemiology at the Jewish General Hospital writes how she was strongly motivated and encouraged by Professor Wolfson to pursue a career in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. As this is a career she loves, she is immensely grateful to him. She also describes that while taking a course with Professor Wolfson, his lectures were always the highlights of her week. Dr. Christian Leger, Associate Professor of Statistics at the UniversitÈ de MontrÈal, in a lengthy letter, writes what a profound influence Professor Wolfsonís teaching and encouragement had on him to pursue a Ph.D. at Stanford and on his subsequent career. He also discusses Professor Wolfsonís excellent guidance and supervision for his undergraduate research project that greatly helped him in his Ph.D. at Stanford. Some comments now from Ph.D. students: Gulham Alpergu in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ: îWhen you graduate from a school you always remember your teachers who had influence on you, in my case Professor Wolfson would be the one. There is an old English saying ëYou have to learn from other peopleís mistakes. You donít have time to do them all yourself.í I will translate this old saying and will call it ënew sayingí as ëYou have to learn from Professor David Wolfsonís outstanding teaching skills. You donít have time to discover them all yourself.í î Christian Boudreau and Patrick Dahman, UniversitÈ de MontrÈal: îThe fact that he was constantly making reference to the possible applications in the real world made his lectures both entertaining and easy to understand. Globally, we could say that he had a well balanced theory - practice approach. In our case, the beginning of the course was mainly theoretical, but as we progressed we saw and performed many applications. In particular, the final project was a research on melanoma cancer. He also invited us to work on a very relevant contemporary problem, the possible link between Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (a.k.a. mad cow disease) and Creutzfelt-Jacob disease. He encouraged us not only to apply our statistical knowledge but also to do some research on the issue at stake.î Zana Chase, Columbia University: îI took a course with Professor Wolfson called Basic Probability and Statistics (189-303) in the fall 1992, during my second year at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ. This is a very basic course that most professors would probably rather not teach, and most students are not excited to take. Yet it came alive with Professor Wolfson. He had an amazing ability to get to the heart of a subject, and build on a solid understanding of fundamental concepts. I felt I was really learning, rather than simply absorbing facts. I have met only one other professor (at Columbia) who matched Professor Wolfson in this regard. The course was taught with a perfect balance between rigor and practicality. He knew all of our names and interests, and would often choose examples from our fields of study. He had a lively lecture style and a genuine, infectious enthusiasm for the subject. Judging by the number of times I refer back to my notes from that course, and how my understanding of statistics compares with that of fellow students who took other single term statistics courses, Professor Wolfsonís course was very successful. I recommended it to many students the following year. îProfessor Wolfson was also a really good person to talk to. I went to his office on several occasions to discuss class material, related topics, specific applications to my biology courses, and even what I was planning to do after the B.Sc., and bicycle riding. He always took time to answer questions carefully, and never talked down to me, or made me feel that he had many more important things to do besides talk to undergraduates. These qualities are surprisingly hard to come by.î Robyn McClelland, University of Washington: îI would like to express my support for the nomination of Professor David Wolfson for the Leo Yaffe Outstanding Teacher Award. I took my very first class on statistics from Professor Wolfson several years ago. It was an introductory level statistics class in which I had very little interest at the outset. His presentation of the material was so crystal clear that the notes read almost like a story by the end of the term, rather than the standard haphazard collection of point form comments. He was so enthusiastic about the material that it rubbed off on many of us, and made statistics seem interesting to a bunch of disinterested students (not an easy task!). He was always very approachable for questions or advice. I stayed on at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ to do my Masters in Statistics under Professor Wolfson--something I likely never would have done (at least not in boring old statistics!) had it not been for that introductory statistics class. I am now in the final phase of a Ph.D. in Biostatistics at University of Washington and have had the benefit of many wonderful teachers in this field. I still look on those early classes as a real turning point in my career, and I think Professor Wolfson would be a superb choice for the Outstanding Teacher Award. Thanks for your time.î Mark Reesor, North Carolina State University: îI credit him with fostering the first legitimate intellectual interest I had in an academic subject (statistics). Not only do I consider him a great teacher, but also a person who truly cares about the present and future well-being of his students. I consulted him numerous times for his advice about my future endeavors. Professor Wolfson offered his guidance and a letter of recommendation which facilitated the completion of a Masterís degree in Statistics from the University of Waterloo. Furthermore, he encouraged me to pursue graduate studies south of the border and, as a result, I will be attending North Carolina State University in the summer for their Ph.D. program in statistics. îThis is a testament of the effect that a great teacher can have on a young personís life. David Wolfson is such a teacher and I whole-heartedly endorse his nomination for this award.î Finally, from a few of the testimonial letters from undergraduates. Spiros Karigiannis, joint honours Mathematics & Physics: îProfessor Wolfson was without question the best professor I have had as an instructor in my four years at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ in many different respects. Even though I personally was not very interested in probability or statistics, he nevertheless succeeded in capturing my attention at every lecture with his extremely clear and well prepared lectures. He made the material interesting by often describing real world current applications of the abstract theory we were learning and he made sure we realized that the field was alive and thriving. He would often describe his own research and that of his colleagues to us so that we could better appreciate how what we were learning could be applied. He was also a person you could get to know personally, and I often discussed such things as politics or hockey with him before class. Being able to communicate well with your teacher in this fashion makes it that much more enjoyable to be part of his class.î Gordon Craig, U3 Honours Mathematics: îI would like to recommend Dr. David Wolfson for the Leo Yaffe award. Among the many excellent teachers that I have had at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ, Dr. Wolfson is unquestionably the best. His commitment to his students, his brilliant lectures and his ability to communicate his fascination for and his understanding of Statistics are particularly outstanding. îDr. Wolfsonís door was always open to all his students, whether it was to ask about the course or just to talk about related topics. His helpful advice outside the classroom and his sense of humour meant that it was always a pleasure to deal with him.î Massoud Dastenaei, U3 Honours Mathematics: îHe is the most organized teacher that I have ever had. He is very motivated, enthusiastic, and dedicated to his work. When he is teaching in class you feel you are encountering somebody who is really a master of the topic which he is talking about. Compared with other people that I have taken a course with, his manner in teaching is exceptional. He starts with a real concrete motivation, gives you a synopsis of the literature, tells you the core of the topic and when you really feel motivated to see the mathematical theory behind the topic, he gives you a clear, precise and beautiful mathematical lecture.î George Katsenos, U3 Honours Mathematics: îIn 1995-96, he was my professor in two courses, namely, 189-356A Probability and 189-357B Statistics. Without any reservation, I consider Dr. Wolfson as the best professor I have ever had. His lectures, apparently well prepared, were always very clear. He made the deep theorems and concepts that he taught comprehensible by explaining the reasons that motivated their development. He managed to stimulate the attention of an initially rather uninterested class (myself included) by presenting many real life applications of the quite abstract theory of the course. With his humour he helped maintain an agreeable atmosphere in the classroom. Finally, his frequent reference to his as well as his colleaguesí research gave us a flavour of the work of a statistician and a better appreciation of the field. îNot surprisingly, a professor with so many virtues in the classroom was also great outside it. The students were always welcome to his office. He discussed with them a variety of topics, ranging from his research in Biostatistics to sports. I can recall him spending a considerable amount of time explaining to me scientifically the futility of proposed statistical methods in gambling against the casino. He also gave me advice regarding my plans for graduate studies; I have found his advice very useful. îHaving looked again at Dr. Wolfsonís excellent work, I am considering myself very fortunate for having had him as a professor. I am therefore, wholeheartedly recommending him for the Leo Yaffe Award.î Finally, Daniel S. Goldberg, major Mathematics: îProfessor Wolfson is candid and open with his students. He creates a supportive learning environment that reaches a broad range of students. He has an ability to simplify and explain complex mathematical concepts, yet he does so while still challenging students to stretch their creativity and to develop their analytic abilities. His classes are enjoyable, almost fun. îWhile at ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ I had the opportunity to get to know David on a personal level. Although anyone who has sat in on his classes could probably guess, I found out for certain that he has a deep concern and care for his students. He cares about their learning and about their success in other areas of their lives. Although I cannot speak to the other facets of Davidís work, I know that he is a tremendous teacher. ƽÌØÎå²»ÖÐ would be lucky to have more like him.î I would like to conclude on a personal note by stating what an honour and privilege it has been for me to act in the capacity of chair of this prestigious committee for the last three years. A most encouraging realization is the fact that we have outstanding teachers in all department of this faculty. Notwithstanding the severe cutbacks in these difficult times, their commitment, dedication and passion for teaching, as well as their genuine concern and caring for their students, are inspirations for others, and significant factors in making this university so great. Thank you very much. Dean Shaver said that it was a real pleasure to hear the impact Prof. Wolfson had on his students. He said that it was interesting to note that several of the nominees are active in administration and research, as well as being excellent teachers. As in the past, the winnerís name will be kept secret until the Faculty of Science Meeting on May 20, 1997. Prof. Roth will contact the winner. On behalf of the Academic Committee, Dean Shaver thanked Prof. Roth for serving as chair of the Leo Yaffe Award Committee. He said it had been a pleasure to hear Prof. Roth describe the outstanding teachers, and added that he admired Prof. Rothís style in describing these teachers. In reply, Prof. Roth said it was an honour and a privilege to serve on the Committee. (2) MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 25, 1997 AC-96-175 Correction: 702.1 Prof. Baines had in fact attended the Academic Committee Meeting of February 25, 1997. Prof. Doig moved, seconded by Prof. Silvius, that the amended minutes be approved. The motion carried. (3) BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES Minute 602.3, Biology 177-274A 703.1 Associate Dean de Takacsy said the Department of Biology was in the process of consulting with all Biomedical departments, and that the issue would be brought up again at a future Academic Committee meeting. Minute 607.1 to 607.3, Internship Program Proposal 703.2 Associate Dean de Takacsy said that NRCP had approved the Internship Program B.Eng. The Faculty of Science has received an invitation to join the program; NRCP would welcome the Faculty. Associate Dean de Takacsy mentioned that the IYES Office does not really have any contacts in biological and biomedical areas; contacts are in the industrial sphere. The only Science department involved with IYES is the School of Computer Science, apart from one student in the Department of Physics. (4) REPORT ON MINOR COURSE CHANGES AC-96-76 (for information) (5) COMPUTER SCIENCE New Course: 308-206A Programming Techniques AC-96-77 1 credit Prof. Franklin moved, seconded by Prof. Dudek, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. (6) GEOGRAPHY New Course: 183-190A FYS: Environmental Prospectives AC-96-78 1 credit Prof. Doig moved, seconded by Prof. Franklin, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. Course Retirement (Withdrawn): 183-199A FYS: The Geographical Environment AC-96-79 3 credits Prof. Pollard moved, seconded by Prof. Doig, that the above course be retired. 706.1 Prof. Pollard said he found that he had spent more time teaching first year students how to participate in seminars than in actually giving seminars. He said it was a very inefficient use of dwindling resources, and that instructors found it very unsatisfying. 706.2 Prof. Baines said that one yearís experience was not enough to evaluate the course. He said the course could be bulleted, while trying out the new format (183- 190A). 706.3 Dean Shaver said that the enrollments of the FYS courses were being monitored, as well as the experiences of the professors involved with such courses. He said that at the Faculty of Science Chairs meeting, the responses ranged from outright enthusiasm to ambivalence. Dean Shaver said that one common feedback was that the FYS courses were a very expensive method of teaching students, but nevertheless he thought that one year was a little too premature to retire the -199 courses. He said that bulleting 183- 199A would be possible, while monitoring is continued. 706.4 After some discussion, Prof. Pollard agreed to bullet the course for a few years, instead of retiring it. The motion was withdrawn. New Course: 183-307B Socioeconomic Applications of GIS AC-96-80 3 credits 706.5 Dean Shaver suggested, with regard to GIS-computer software applications, that consultation between the MacDonald Campus and the Downtown Campus take place. Prof. Pollard moved, seconded by Prof. Franklin, that the above course be adopted. The motion carried. New Course: 183-424A Place, People & Culture: Europe AC-96-81 6 credits 706.6 Prof. Pollard said that Geography 183-424A had been presented at a previous Academic Committee meeting, where it had been deferred pending a recommendation from the Faculty of Arts Curriculum Committee. He said that the course had been approved by the Faculty of Arts. 706.7 Associate Dean de Takacsy said that he was not completely comfortable approving a course with such a broad scope. Revisions:(1) Remove íXís from Document AC-96-81, #16, #18, and #19. (2) Remove 183-408A & 183-316B from Document AC-96-81, #14. Prof. Pollard moved, seconded by Prof. Silvius, that the above course be adopted. The motion carried. New Course: 183-551A Environmental Decisions AC-96-82 3 credits Prof. Pollard moved, seconded by Mr. Aggarwal, that the above course be adopted. The motion carried. - B.A. Major in Geography AC-96-83 (for information) (7) PSYCHIATRY New Course(Referred back to instructor for further information): 555-502 Brain Evolution & Psychiatry AC-96-88 3 credits 707.1 Concern was expressed that the prerequisite course, Biology 177-115B, was a low-level course for a 500- level course, and that the Department of Psychology had not been consulted. 707.2 Dean Shaver suggested that the course instructor be invited to the next Academic Committee meeting, at which time the course would be reconsidered. (8) ANATOMY & CELL BIOLOGY - NAME CHANGE AC-96-84 (for information) (9) PSYCHOLOGY - MSc (Applied, Deafness) AC-96-89/89A New Courses: 204-530A Applied Topics in Deafness AC-96-90 3 credits 204-611A Applied Project in Deafness I AC-96-91 3 credits 204-612B Applied Project in Deafness II AC-96-92 6 credits 204-613C Applied Topics in Deafness III AC-96-93 15 credits 709.1 Prof. Franklin gave a brief history of the proposed MSc program, and added that there were no other similar programs in Canada. Revisions:(1) Document AC-96-89, Program Proposal Form, #1(d) should be checked off as îNo.î (2) Document AC-96-92,AC-96-93 and AC-96-94, Course Proposal Form, #6 should read îProf. MacDougall & Staff.î (3) Document AC-96-89, Page 2, ...îEvaluation by supervisor and program committee,î Prof. Franklin will submit a revised document explaining the role of the committee. 709.2 Dean Shaver raised the concern that there was only one professor responsible for the entire program, including its courses. He said that he was concerned about the effect on students and the department should the professor suddenly become unavailable. The Department would have to make sure that these courses would continue to be offered. Prof. Franklin moved, seconded by Prof. Dudek, that the program and the courses be adopted. The motion carried. (10) FACULTY OF ARTS - MULTI-TRACK PROGRAMME AC-96-85 710.1 Associate Dean de Takacsy said that the program had been approved by the Faculty of Arts, and that NRCP had approved the document and would be recommending it to APPC. The plan is to introduce the new Arts program in September, 1998. 710.2 The Faculty of Arts would like to offer their students a liberal arts education, that is, decrease specialization, and increase the required breadth in disciplines within the faculty. 710.3 The structure of Arts major programs will no longer be parallel to Science major programs. This would obviously be a problem for the Science departments offering BAís. 710.4 Another direct effect on the Faculty of Science relates to minors. Science minors are 24 credits, as were old Faculty of Arts minors. The new Faculty of Arts minors will be 18 credits. 710.5 Cross-faculty double majors are also a problem, with Science requiring about 54 credits per major, and new Arts majors requiring only 36 credits. 710.6 Dean Shaver said that it was likely that there would be effects on the Faculty of Science. He suggested that a memo be sent to the Academic Representatives, along with the Faculty of Arts Multi-Track Programme document. Representatives should then discuss the new Arts curriculum with their curriculum committee, appraising potential issues that may arise with regard to their programs/students, and outlining their perception of the issues. The Academic Committee would be able to discuss the topic in the Fall. At that point everyone would have a better perception of the potential problems. 710.7 Among the questions: How do departments see their programs fitting in with Arts programs? Should Science minors be redefined? Currently there is a coordinated system; should Science follow in step with Arts? Does Science wish to ask Arts to put on 24-credit minors for Science students? 710.8 Associate Dean de Takacsy said that he was introducing the issue now, because it would take some time to discuss it. (11) FIRST YEAR SEMINARS - ENROLLMENT AC-96-86 711.1 Associate Dean de Takacsy listed several possible reasons for the pattern of enrolment in FYS courses, including logistical problems with caps and the termination of Add/Drop period, and the tight schedule of Science U0 students. 711.2 Mr. Aggarwal suggested opening FYS courses to all U1 students, and said that students were interested in current issues and that departments could possibly take this into account in designing FYS courses. (13) CEGEP PREREQUISITES - PROF. R. HARRIS AC-96-87/87A 713.1 Prof. Harris tabled document AC-96-87A, and discussed its implications. 713.2 Associate Dean de Takacsy said that he would like to keep the Academic Committee informed of developments with regard to CEGEPís. (14) OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 5:10 p.m.