The Queen’s Senate will consider several motions at Tuesday’s meeting, including a proposed dual degree and changes to an international certificate. 

The meeting is set to take place at 3:30 p.m. in Robert Sutherland Hall.

See the highlights below. The full meeting agenda can be found here. 

Dual Degree M.Sc. in Chemistry

The Senate will vote upon a motion to introduce a new dual Masters degree program between Queen’s and the University of Stuttgart in Germany. 

The two universities founded the program after signing a Memorandum of Understanding in 2014, which was discussed in a Senate Committee on Academic Development (SCAD) meeting on Jan. 6. 

If the program is approved, students will focus on coursework at their home university in the first year of their degree and complete a second year focused on research at the partner university. 

Queen’s students studying at Stuttgart will pay their Queen’s tuition fees and will be eligible to receive a degree from both universities if they satisfy the criteria for a dual Masters. 

Enrollment in the program is projected to be between two and three students in its first year, but it may expand if the program proves to be a success. 

Modifications to the Certificate in International Studies

While the Certificate in International Studies has existed since 2000, Senate will vote on modifying its structure in alignment with the 2014 policy on Certificate and Diploma Programs.

The number of units required will be brought from 30.0 to 15.0 to make the certificate more flexible and manageable for a larger number of students. 

Greater emphasis will be placed on a study-abroad experience along with cultural and intercultural studies courses. If passed, students outside of Arts and Science will also be able to complete the program. 

A new name for the Department of Art

The Department of Art, which previously encompassed Art History, Art Conservation and Visual Art, may be renamed the Department of Art History and Art Conservation. 

Since 2011, the Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) degree in Visual Art has been a standalone program with a separate Director from the rest of the department. After discussion at a January SCAD meeting, the committee agreed that there were no plans to reintegrate the BFA program and a change to the name of the department will raise the program’s profile. 

Permanent School of Medicine Postgraduate Tribunal 

Senate will vote whether to make the temporary Postgraduate Tribunal in the School of Medicine a permanent feature.

In January 2013, the Tribunal was approved by Senate on a temporary basis to ensure the rights of medical residents to appeal formal decisions about their professional behaviour and competence. 

The Faculty of Health Sciences requested to return to SCAP three years after that temporary approval to report on the Tribunal’s successes or shortfalls. Following consultations, SCAP has proposed that the Tribunal become a permanent fixture in the School of Medicine.

Nominating Report

Three individuals will be nominated to Senate Committees during the meeting. 

Students Leah Brockie, ConEd ’19, and Palmer Lockridge, ArtSci ’17, are slated to be added to the Senate Orientation Activities Review Board from January to December 2016. 

The Faculty of Education’s Denise Stockley is slated to be added to the Senate Cyclical Program Review Committee starting in January 2016 and ending August 2018.