Senate Notes
A regular meeting of Senate held May 29, 2006
Chancellor: Concordia’s new chancellor David P. O’Brien was introduced to Senate by President Claude Lajeunesse, who noted his previous experience as a member of the board of the University of Calgary. Chancellor O’Brien said that although he has been largely absent from Montreal for many years, he has family in the city, many of whom, like him, are Concordia graduates. He is impressed by the strength of support for the university, and looks forward to his new duties.
Library space: Two recommendations were introduced by VP Finance of the Graduate Students Association Jason Moschella, with the support of Director of Libraries, Bill Curran. One called for Senate to support the expansion of the Webster (downtown) Library; the other recommended that approximately 20 rooms on the fifth floor of the Library building be converted for seminar study space, accommodating on average four students per room.
In the discussion, the following points were made: That the shortage of study space in the library is acute; that security concerns will have to be evaluated regarding the fifth floor offices; that the Education Department, currently housed mainly on that floor, has been waiting for five years to be moved and will be further inconvenienced by this proposal; that the expansion of the library is part of a larger plan by the Vice-President Services; and that specific space recommendations probably lie beyond the scope of Senate.
The first motion, to support the expansion of the Webster Library, was approved. The second, to open seminar rooms on the fifth floor of the library building, was tabled.
Update on searches: The President reported that the Board had approved the profile of the new post, Vice-President, Research and Graduate Studies. He further reported that the Board had approved a revision of the rules for appointing senior administrators (see Board, page 4). Provost Martin Singer reported that advertisements for the position of Dean of the John Molson School of Business had appeared in newspapers and journals.
ENCS team wins design contest: Dean Nabil Esmail reported that a team of undergraduate students won a design competition held in Calgary by the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineers (CSME). They came first for designing, building and flight-testing the first fixed-wing Canadian Micro-Air Vehicle (MAV).
Speaker: In the absence of other nominees, and on the recommendation of Senate steering committee, John O’Brien was re-elected Speaker for 2006-07. Senate congratulated him with a round of applause.
Next meeting: Sept. 15.