Academic calendar dates
St. Thomas University’s registrar, Karen Preston, put forth the motion for approval of the 2022-2023 academic calendar dates.
There were three votes against the motion.
Matthew Hayes, Senate board member, said he voted against the motion because the fall semester reading break lands “well into November,” which he argued is not the middle of the term.
“Many of us know that it’s very difficult both for students and for faculty who are limping along at that point,” said Hayes. “The quality of the courses are degraded in the remaining usually lump of two or three weeks that are remaining in the semester.”
Hayes said a much better use of time would be to have the break in the middle of the semester, sometime in October.
Despite the three votes against, the motion was still approved with a majority of Senate in favour.
Change of history course numbers and descriptions
Dawne Clarke, chair of the St. Thomas University Senate curriculum committee, put forth motions for the approval of changes to STU’s history department.
The motions for approval are: change of the calendar explanations for the minor, major, and honours in history; change of the calendar explanations for course numbering; change in year of study for World History to 1400 from HIST-1013 to HIST-2013; change in course description and year of study for World History Since 1400 from HIST-1023 to HIST-2023; change in course description and year of study for Precolonial Africa from HIST-2133 to HIST-1133; change in course description and year of study for Modern Africa from HIST-2143 to HIST-1143; change in course description and year of study for The Global History of the Automobile (HIST-3173) to Cars in World History (HIST-1173); change in course description and year of study for Citizens and Citizenship in World History from HIST-3413 to HIST-1413; change in course description and year of study for Sport in World History from HIST-3763 to HIST-1763; change in course description and year of study for Film in History (HIST-3783) to Screening History (HIST-1783); and change in course description and year of study for Introduction to Food and World History from HIST-2123 to HIST-1123.
All of the motions were approved.
Karen Robert, chair of the STU history department, said these changes were implemented to help with declining enrolment affecting history departments across North America. She said they are moving World History out of the first year of study because it is too “dense” for first-year students and is possibly affecting overall enrolment.
“The external reviewers didn’t think we should throw [World History] out altogether. They thought it should remain as a requirement for majors and honours,” said Robert. “They suggested replacing it by taking upper-year courses, thematic courses, that are quite popular with students and reworking them as introductory courses that would give students a gentler entry point into what we do when we teach history.”
New programs
Csilla Dallos, St. Thomas University chair of the Senate academic planning committee, put forth two programs for approval. The first proposal was in relation to the proposed expansion of the master of social work to include a pre-master of social work. The motion was carried and the program approved.
The second motion was for the approval of an agreement between STU’s gerontology department and New Brunswick Community College for an applied arts degree in gerontology and practical nursing. The motion was carried and the program approved.
Award approval
Dawne Clarke, chair of the St. Thomas University Senate admissions and academic standing committee, called for the approval of three awards: the Gloria Paul Memorial Graduating Prize, the Gloria Paul Memorial Scholarship and the James and Judith DiPaolo Moot Court Graduating Prize. All three awards were approved.
New courses
Dawne Clarke, from the St. Thomas University Senate curriculum committee, put forth motions for the approval of new STU courses.
The motions were for the approval of the following courses: Queer Anthropology (ANTH-3253), The Art and Science of Happiness (ECON-2003), Indigenous Education and Reconciliation (EDUC-5213), Reading and Responding to Indigenous Literatures (ENGL-2403), Field Course in Art and Ecology (FNAR-3406), History of Magic and Demons (HIST-1153), Special Topics in Journalism and Media (JOUR-3333), Invented Traditions (NATI-2703), and Sociology of Time (SOCI-2233).
All of the proposed courses were approved.
Bachelor of Social Work graduation list
St. Thomas University’s registrar, Karen Preston, put forward a motion for the approval of the Bachelor of Social Work graduation list. The candidates were approved, but latecomers may be approved by the registrar if they become eligible in the meantime.
