Recommendation of Faculty Name and Transition Working Groups

Dear colleagues:

After reviewing the feedback provided on the online discussion forum the transition team will make a recommendation to the University Planning Committee (UPC) to name our faculty the Faculty of Arts.

The transition team recognizes that the name of the faculty is intimately associated with the kinds of activities our faculty engages in. The team felt that over the long term, we need to strategically situate ourselves externally as well as to leave behind the terms that represent previous administrative structures.

Among our G13 counterparts, Faculty of Arts is the most common name for a unit consisting of programs and research similar to ours. The benefit of aligning ourselves with the broader community of G13 universities and with the U of A and the U of L is the advantage it provides to external audiences. For example, among prospective students, use of a more common faculty name will increase their understanding of the nature of the programs we offer as they consider to which universities they will make an application. Similarly, our goal is to facilitate understanding of our programs and research among key external stakeholders, such as donors and community partners with whom we seek to maintain and build new relationships.

The recommendation will be made to the UPC at its October 28 meeting, followed by a review at General Faculties Council (GFC) November 26 and the Board of Governors (BOG) December 9. We expect a final vote and decision to be made at the December 9, 2009 Board of Governors meeting.

It was our desire to make this recommendation quickly, given the lengthy decision-making process and so that we may move on to the other important issues of creating the structures, policies and regulations for the new faculty. As such, we have also organized a series of working groups that will address the most pressing matters associated with this transition in addition to the items already identified by the University Planning Committee in their document for the transition team to address.

Transition Working Groups

The following are the transition working groups:

1) Governance and Policy Development - Chaired by Kevin McQuillan

2) Student and Academic Issues and Programs - Chaired by Dan Maher

3) Research Development and Support - Chaired by Geoffrey Simmins

4) External Activities - Chaired by Ann Calvert

5) Facilities and Infrastructure - Chaired by Peter Toohey

6) Finance and Human Resources - Chaired by Kevin McQuillan with membership consisting of the Deans and Interim Deans from the four faculties.

Membership in the working groups will be determined based on the following criteria:

1) Working groups will consist of members within our existing units who hold expertise in the area the group is to address.

2) In striking each group, we will seek to include representation from staff, faculty and students.

3) In striking each group, we will seek to include a broad cross-section of individuals who represent a range of program units, while maintaining a group size that is conducive to working and making decisions efficiently.

Each working group will create opportunities to engage with the larger membership of staff, faculty and students in our collective faculty in order to consider ideas, input and feedback as their work progresses. The function of the working groups is to advise the transition team. The transition team will then make appropriate recommendations to the governing bodies of the university. More detailed information on the mandate and membership of each working group will be posted at www.ucalgary.ca/transitionteam/workinggroups. Now that the working groups have begun their work, you can expect regular updates on their progress.

Sincerely,
Kevin McQuillan
Chair, Transition Team