2006

UGFA’s response to the Provost’s White Paper

As you will be aware, the Provost released a White Paper entitled “The Lighting of a Fire: Re-imagining the Undergraduate Learning Experience” in November 2005. The document is available at www.uoguelph.ca/vpacademic/whitepaper.

This News & Views explains why and how UGFA plans to response to the White Paper.

How was the White Paper developed? Did UGFA participate in the process?

The White Paper was developed and drafted by the Provost’s Office, without the formal involvement of other agencies, such as Senate, UGFA, or students. The White Paper does state that “University Curriculum Committees, members of VPAC, and the Associate Vice-Presidents have been intently discussing the issue of quality of the undergraduate experience for two years”. The President of the Association received an advance copy of the document but UGFA was not part of the development of the White Paper. We appreciate the courtesy of an advance copy to the President of the Association, however, UGFA reserves, and will exercise, the right to examine and comment independently on the document. We welcome the opportunity to provide input and comment on the White Paper and we are committed to doing so with high priority.

Is the White Paper now accepted as part of the University’s plans?

No. The White Paper is, by its very nature, a discussion document. It is not policy . The Provost has assured UGFA that there will be plenty of opportunity for feedback and input from faculty. Changes to academic programs flowing from the White Paper would have to be adopted by Senate. Changes to faculty rights, responsibilities, or Terms and Conditions of employment would have to be agreed by Faculty/librarians, through negotiations of the Special Plan Agreementand the normal Joint Faculty Policy process.

What aspects of the White Paper may change the way I do my job as a Faculty Member?

Many aspects of the white paper, if implemented, would fundamentally change the way in which we do our jobs as faculty members and librarians. This includes, but is not limited to, increased workload expectations, faculty assessment, quality of education (class size, course delivery and assessment methods), quality of student experience and others.

How is UGFA responding to the White Paper?

The lead in preparing the UGFA response has been taken by UGFA Vice-President, David Josephy, who has been mandated by Council to chair an ad hoc subcommittee that will draft the UGFA response. This draft will be sent to Executive and Council for review and approval. We feel that it is important to proceed with dispatch. The ad hoc subcommittee has already met twice in January and intends to complete its draft report in late February.

The members of the ad hoc subcommittee are David Josephy, Chair, Jane Burpee, Scott Colwell, Alan Filewod, Theresa Lee, Denis Lynn, Karen Racine, Deb Stacey.

If you have any comments you would like to share with the Association, please send them to David Josephy c/o Faculty Association Office, Room 535, U.C. or e-mail it to facassoc@uoguelph.ca