Vice-Principal, Research, University of Toronto Mississauga: Professor Bryan Stewart

PDAD&C#60, 2012-13

To: PDAD&C; Faculty, Staff and Students, University of Toronto Mississauga

From: Deep Saini, Vice-President, University of Toronto & Principal, University of Toronto Mississauga

Re: Appointment of Professor Bryan Stewart as Vice-Principal, Research, University of Toronto Mississauga

It is with great pleasure that I announce that the Agenda Committee of Academic Board has approved the appointment of Professor Bryan Stewart as Vice-Principal, Research, University of Toronto Mississauga from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2016.

Professor Stewart is currently Chair of U of T Mississauga's Department of Biology and holds a graduate appointment in the Department of Cell and Systems Biology. He is recognized as one of Canada's leading researchers in the molecular mechanisms by which nerve cells process and transmit information. Professor Stewart has previously served as Associate Chair of the Department of Biology (July 2010-June 2011) and held the Canada Research Chair in Molecular Genetics of Neural Communication from 2002 until 2013. Past awards/honours have included the Robert Haynes Young Scientist Award from the Genetics Society of Canada, a fellowship with the Japanese Society for Promotion of Science, and a Premier's Research Excellence Award.

Professor Stewart's research is directed at understanding the mechanisms by which nerve cells develop and function. He uses a variety of experimental approaches in his laboratory at UTM, including genetics, electrophysiology and imaging, and he collaborates widely with colleagues in chemistry, physics, and computer science. By studying the most basic components of the nervous system, his research contributes to our understanding of how the brain functions and helps to build a foundation for understanding neural disease.

Please join me in congratulating Professor Stewart on this appointment.

NSERC Grant Applications New CV Requirements

Anyone applying for an NSERC Discovery Grant this Fall (either new or renewal) please note that the new Canadian Common CV (CCV) form will be needed to apply rather than the Form 100.  Form 100 will still be accepted for the RTI competition.

Rumor has it that transferring your information to the new format is not a simple process so ensure to start early.

Holiday Schedule 2013-14 and 2014-15

PDAD&C#59, 2012-13

To:   PDAD&C

      Professional and Managerial Staff

      Confidential Staff

From:       Angela Hildyard, Vice-President, Human Resources & Equity

      Cheryl Misak, Vice-President and Provost

Date: May 21, 2013

Re:   Holiday Schedule 2013-14 and 2014-15

In planning the University's holiday schedule, we make every effort to provide a two week closure in December, knowing how all of us appreciate the opportunity to have a break and also to match the closure schedule set out by the GTA school boards.  Following consultation with registrars we are delighted to report that there will be a two week closure over the December break for both 2013-14 and 2014-15. 

July 1, 2013 - June 30, 2014

Canada Day        Monday July 1, 2013

Civic Holiday           Monday August 5, 2013

Labour Day        Monday September 2, 2013

Thanksgiving Day Monday October 14, 2013

Christmas/New Year      Monday December 23, 2013 to Friday January 3, 2014 inclusive

Family Day        Monday February 17, 2014

Good Friday             Friday April 18, 2014

Victoria Day            Monday May 19, 2014

July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015

Canada Day        Tuesday July 1, 2014

Civic Holiday           Monday August 4, 2014 

Labour Day        Monday September 1, 2014 

Thanksgiving Day Monday October 13, 2014 

Christmas/New Year      Monday, December 22, 2014 to Friday January 2, 2015 inclusive

Family Day        Monday February 16, 2015 

Good Friday             Friday April 3, 2015

Victoria Day            Monday May 18, 2015 

It should be noted that summer hours begin on July 1 and end at Labour Day annually.

This announcement is not intended to establish service or operating schedules in such divisions as the Central Library, ITS, or Facilities and Services, where announcements will be made separately.  In other areas, certain staff may be required to maintain essential services or to provide service to the public.  Staff required to work during holiday periods should be granted compensating time off at a later date.  Employees covered by collective agreements are subject to the provisions contained in their collective agreements.

Supervisors and administrators are requested to schedule holiday staffing arrangements, where required, as far in advance as possible, and are encouraged to consult their personnel officer in Human Resources offices at 215 Huron Street or in decentralized personnel offices for advice.  Any questions about the alternative arrangements that should be made for non-unionized administrative staff who are required to work on a scheduled holiday should be directed to the personnel officer assigned to your area.  Questions regarding the application of the collective agreements for unionized staff should be directed to Human Resources at (416) 978-6503.

We would be grateful if you would bring this schedule to the attention of all staff.

Honorary Degree Nominations

From:             David Naylor, President

Date:               May 17, 2013

Re:                  Honorary Degree Nominations, 2013-14

In September, the Committee for Honorary Degrees will begin meeting to consider candidates for the awarding of honorary degrees at the 2013 and some of the 2014 convocations. We would like to encourage interest and participation in this important process, and urge you and your colleagues to submit nominations for exceptional individuals.

By awarding honorary degrees, the University of Toronto seeks to recognize extraordinary achievement, in Canada or abroad, in community, national or international involvement, and to honour those individuals whose accomplishments are of such generally perceived excellence that they provide, through example, inspiration and leadership to the graduates of the University.  Their esteem should be such that, by virtue of accepting an honorary degree, their presence will bring honour and distinction to the University of Toronto.

Nomination forms and further information, including the Terms of Reference and Guidelines for the Committee are available on the Governing Council website at: http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/bac/HD_1.htm.

Nominations are welcome at any time; however, the Committee requests that they be received no later than August 16, 2013 to allow for their consideration by the Committee in September. Please submit completed forms to:

The Secretary, Committee for Honorary Degrees
Office of the Governing Council
Simcoe Hall, Room 106
27 King’s College Circle
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1
Fax:  416-978-8182

governing.council@utoronto.ca

The Committee defines as broad a range of categories for achievement as possible in obtaining and considering nominations. In determining the leaders and exemplars to honour, it will seek over time to achieve a balance across disciplines and backgrounds.  The Committee also considers the association nominees may have with the University of Toronto or with higher education more broadly.  The award of an honorary degree is an important statement of recognition and respect from the University to the broader community. It is also an excellent way to build special relationships between your Faculty, Department, Centre or College and outstanding individuals who symbolize the best of our institution.

A Sub-committee for Nominations works to ensure that the Committee is able to consider the broadest and deepest possible pool of high quality candidates. In addition to providing input on the nominations received, the Sub-committee may contact members of the University and external communities in order to generate nominations, and will also follow up with nominators to obtain more thorough information if it is required.

Nominations are kept active for a period of one year.  If you have submitted a nomination since December 2012, it will be brought forward to the Committee for its consideration this September.  For candidates who have not been successful, we recommend a waiting period of not less than 2 years before re-nomination, unless there are special circumstances. We recommend re-submissions that can stand on their own, rather than recycling or relying on earlier nominations, as this ensures that the committee will take a fresh look at the submission.

Please note that it is a requirement that honorary degree recipients attend Convocation for the conferral of their degrees. For two categories of nominees, the conferral of honorary degrees will not normally occur until a minimum of two years has elapsed following their retirement from active service in their field, and consequently, nominations should not be submitted until at least one year has elapsed. First are nominees who are currently active in political life, though exceptions may be considered for Governors-General and Lieutenant-Governors, as well as for judges and others whose appointments place them outside active partisan politics. The second category includes nominees who are serving members of the Governing Council or of the University staff, upon whom honorary degrees should not be conferred until a minimum of two years following their retirement or departure from the University. In exceptional circumstances, the Committee may choose to waive these requirements in order to allow the University to honour truly meritorious individuals.

Please take the time, either on your own or in consultation with your colleagues, to submit one or more nominations. In preparing submissions, nominators should pay particular attention to the statement of reasons for the nomination, and ensure that they provide sufficiently thorough information for the consideration of the Committee. We hope that, with your assistance, a large pool of excellent nominations will come before the Committee for consideration. 

Thank you in advance for your contribution to this important process.

2013 Arbor Awards Call for Nominations

MEMORANDUM

To:       PDAD&C listserv

From:  Barbara Dick, Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations

Re:       2013 Arbor Awards

_____________________________________________________________________

Since 1989, the University of Toronto has recognized hundreds of the University’s most dedicated volunteers through the Arbor Awards program.  The nomination process for the 2013 Arbor Awards is now underway with all the faculties and colleges preparing their local submissions.

As always, we are pleased to consider nominations of alumni and friends to recognize their service to the general university community.

Your nominations will be reviewed and considered as central award recipients.

Please visit the new Arbor Award website for full details including a complete listing of past winners and to submit your nominations:

www.alumni.utoronto.ca/arbor 

Please note the following dates:

Friday, June 28, 2013                    Nomination process closes

Tuesday, September 10, 2013      Arbor Award presentation and reception

Thank you in advance for your consideration.  If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Dick, Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations directly at barbara.dick@utoronto.ca or 416 946 7680.

Inaugural JJ Berry Smith Supervision Award Recipients

MEMORANDUM

TO:                  Graduate Chairs, Directors, Coordinators and Administrators:

FROM:             Brian Corman, Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice-Provost, Graduate Education

CC:                  Council of Graduate Deans, School of Graduate Studies Staff

Date:                May 14, 2013

RE:                  Inaugural JJ Berry Smith Supervision Award Recipients

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I am pleased to announce that Professor Brenda J. Andrews and Professor Clifford Orwin are the inaugural recipients of the JJ Berry Smith Doctoral Supervision Award which recognizes outstanding performance in the multiple roles associated with doctoral (PhD, EdD, DMA, SJD) supervision.

The annual JJ Berry Smith Supervision Award honours active faculty members who, over a minimum of a fifteen-year period, have demonstrated excellence in supervision at the University of Toronto by:

•        inspiring and guiding students to reach excellence in scholarship;

•        providing an environment that is supportive and stimulating;

•        enabling students to learn the essential methodologies, concepts and cultures of their discipline;

•        introducing students to the wider content of the discipline and relevant communities of scholars;

•        positioning students for future careers both within and outside academe;

•        fostering a strong sense of academic integrity.

Professor Brenda J. Andrews has been a faculty member in the Department of Molecular Genetics since 1990, and is currently the Director of the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular research. Prof. Andrew’s achievements are unparalleled as a scholar in life sciences and as a mentor of young scientists. During her time as a faculty member at the University of Toronto she has supervised 23 doctoral students, many of whom have gone on to careers in academia (University of British Columbia, University of Ottawa as well as University of Toronto) as well as outside academia (Senior Research Associates, Lab and Project Managers, Science writers). Nominators described Prof. Andrews as “an inspiring supervisor and mentor, a role model for all of her students…who has successfully balanced an outstanding career as a research scientist with major academic leadership role”. Former students noted that Prof. Andrews always makes time for her students and is a supervisor whose unique talents include turning “a student’s frustration and scientific exhaustion into a recharged fresh outlook”.

Professor Clifford Orwin has been a faculty member in the Department of Political Science for almost forty years. A supervisor whose style of mentorship is often referred to by his students as “tough love”, Prof. Orwin is greatly admired and appreciated for his “exacting standards”. Prof. Orwin has supervised 22 dissertations to completion and is currently serving as supervisor to 6 doctoral students. Prof. Orwin was praised for his commitment to the achievements of his students and their career progress as he guides them to positions both within and outside academe. His students have gone on to academic appointments at Western University, University of British Columbia, Yale University and Emory University; other students have gone on to careers outside the academe as writers, attorneys and policy analysts.  He was singled out by his nominators for his commitment to his students, noting that he is dedicated to “coaxing the very best work from each student”.

Recipients will receive a JJ Berry Smith Supervisory Award Certificate, their name on a plaque housed at the School of Graduate Studies, as well as a SGS Conference or Travel Grant to be awarded by the recipient to support a current doctoral student.

For further information, please contact: Kerri Huffman, Associate Director, SGS Student Services at: kerri.huffman@sgs.utoronto.ca

Dalhousie University, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering: Assistant Professor in the area of Civil Engineering

The Department of Civil and Resource Engineering is currently seeking an Assistant Professor in the area of Civil Engineering and we would like to solicit your assistance in getting the posting out to potential candidates. 

If you could please circulate or post the attached it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Shelley for Dr. Craig Lake, Department Head-Civil & Res. Eng.

Shelley Parker

Administrator

Civil & Resource Engineering

Dalhousie University

1360 Barrington Street, Room D215

P. O. Box 15000, Halifax, NS Canada  B3H 4R2

Telephone: (902)494-3241  Fax (902) 494-3108 Web site:  http://civilandresource.engineering.dal.ca

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Dalhousie University

Department of Civil and Resource Engineering

Diversity Faculty Award

The Faculty of Engineering at Dalhousie University invites applications for a probationary tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor. This position is part of the Dalhousie Diversity Faculty Award program. The appointment will be in the general area of Civil Engineering.

Established in 1818, Dalhousie is a leading, research-intensive university offering more than 180 degree programs in 11 faculties. It is the largest university in Atlantic Canada and is located in heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia which boasts a youthful spirit, rich history and scenic waterfront. The Department of Civil and Resource Engineering at Dalhousie has research strength in the environmental and materials area. Currently the Department holds two NSERC Industrial Research Chairs and is undergoing a search for two Canada Research Chairs. It is anticipated that the successful candidate will either assist in growing these research areas or develop collaborations with other faculty in the general area of civil engineering.

Applicants should have the potential to establish independent scholarly research.  The successful candidate will teach both undergraduate and graduate courses, develop graduate level courses, and support the Department’s initiatives. The applicant will be expected to establish a strong externally funded research program, supervise graduate student research, and foster existing and new collaborations with government and industry as well as with members of Dalhousie’s research community. Community outreach activities to promote engineering to youth are also part of this position. Consideration will be given to individuals with outstanding communication skills and who can teach fluently in English.

The successful candidate will be a promising scholar who self-identifies in one of the groups covered by the Award: Aboriginal persons; persons of African (Black) heritage; persons with a disability. S/he will possess a PhD (or near completion) in civil engineering. The candidate would also be expected to be eligible for professional engineering registration in the province of Nova Scotia. The successful candidate would be expected to have research strength in structural engineering, engineering mechanics (with civil engineering application), or geotechnical engineering. Ideally the candidate will have experience in industry.

Interested individuals should submit a single PDF file containing a letter of Application, a CV and a statement of teaching and research to: Chair of the Search Committee, Department of Civil and Resource Engineering – email: civil.office@dal.ca. Three letters of reference should be sent directly by referees to the same e-mail address. The review process will commence on 1 June 2013 and continue until the position is filled. For more information about the Diversity Faculty Awards program, please contact Marlo Shinyei, Academic Recruitment Advisor, by phone at (902)494-2965 or by email at Marlo.Shinyei@dal.ca

In keeping with the principles of Employment Equity, the Dalhousie Diversity Faculty Award program aims to correct historic underrepresentation. This position is restricted to candidates who self-identify in one (or more) of the following groups: Aboriginal persons; persons of African (Black) heritage; or persons with a disability. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

President's Teaching Award Recipients

PDAD&C#57, 2012-13

To: PDAD&C

From: Cheryl Misak, Vice-President and Provost

Date: May 3, 2013

Re: President's Teaching Award Recipients

I am extremely pleased to announce that at its meeting on May 2, the Academic Board approved the appointment of the 2012-13 President's Teaching Award Recipients. They are as follows:

o Dr. Chris Perumalla, Department of Physiology and Division of Teaching Laboratories (DTL), Faculty of Medicine o Professor Lawrence Sawchuk, Department of Anthropology, UTSC o Professor Alissa Trotz, Women & Gender Studies Institute and Caribbean Studies Program, Faculty of Arts & Science

The President's Teaching Award recognizes sustained excellence in teaching, research on teaching, and the integration of teaching and research. Recipients of a President's Teaching Award are designated as a member of the Teaching Academy for a minimum period of five-years and receive an annual professional development allowance of $10,000 for five years.

The biographies of this year's recipients as well as more information about the President's Teaching Award are available at http://www.provost.utoronto.ca/Awards/presidentaward.htm.

In addition to congratulating this year's recipients, I would also like to thank the nominators for preparing the dossiers and the members of the Selection Committee for reviewing the nominations.

Call for nominations (team or individual): 2013 Excellence Through Innovation Award

To:     PDAD&C; All Administrative Staff

From:   Angela Hildyard, Vice-President, Human Resources & Equity  

Re:     Call for nominations (team or individual): 2013 Excellence Through Innovation Award

Please distribute to all administrative staff on your team(s).

Once again we have the opportunity to recognize U of T’s outstanding staff contributions and I encourage you to take a few minutes to nominate a colleague for a 2013 Excellence Through Innovation Award today.

Complete details of the program, including nomination forms, are available here on the ‘Awards & Recognition’ section of the Human Resources & Equity site.

All award recipients will be invited to a reception at the President’s house on October 28 where they will be recognized for their significant contributions to U of T. Last year, we celebrated the achievements of 109 employees.

This year we’re introducing something new to help promote the award-winning innovative ideas across the University. All award-winning individuals and teams will have their submission reviewed by a panel of members of the University’s senior leadership team in something we’re calling an ‘Innovations Den’. There, the submissions will be reviewed to see how we can take some of these great ideas and adopt them elsewhere at U of T. Stay tuned for more information.

This change is in addition to the two changes introduced last year. These were that:

• Any staff member may nominate an individual or team for the award, whereas in the past it was implied that only Managers could nominate. If the nominator is not the nominee’s supervisor, he or she will need to discuss the nomination with the person’s supervisor prior to submission.

• Unionized administrative employees (non-academic employees) may be recognized as members of a team or as individual contributors.

Deadline for nominations

Nominations for team or individual awards must be submitted to the nominator’s Division Head AND their Divisional HR Office by end of day Thursday, July 11.

For more information

Please contact your Divisional HR Office or visit the ‘Excellence Through Innovation Award’ page of the Awards & Recognition section of the HR & Equity website.

Heffernan Commercialization Fellowship

Heffernan Commercialization Fellowship

This is an exciting opportunity for a faculty member to nominate an entrepreneurial PhD or MASc recent graduate for a $32,000 one-year fellowship, with the winning fellow then becoming principal of their newly own created company. U of T is hoping to get a strong selection of candidates for this year's fellowship.

Please note that, via a separate channel, all current graduate students will be receiving notice. Because this opportunity is of potential interest to master's or doctoral graduates from the past few years – our hope is that you would be able to send to your faculty members so they will then approach their graduate alumni who may be interested.

For information please follow this URL http://uoft.me/heffernanfellowship.

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Fellowship Opportunity: Help Bring Novel U of T Technologies to the Marketplace

Deadline: May 31, 2013

Calling all faculty members: nominate a recent entrepreneurial graduate for a one-year HeffernanCommercialization Fellowship.

This Fellowship invites a professor to nominate their chosen candidate, and stay involved through mentoring throughout the prototype development and commercialization phases of the project. The end goal is to enable research technology developed at U of T to become new, successful technology-based companies in Ontario.

The winning Fellow will receive $32,000 over the one-year period of this special fellowship and will become the principal of their newly created company.

Join the ranks of successful past fellowship recipients like U of T Computer Science graduate Anand Agarawala, whose rapid-growth start-up company BumpTop was successfully sold to Google. Or Carlos de Oliveira (CivE MASc 0T6), whose research on earthquake-resistant structural casting led to the founding of Cast ConneX Corp.

Guidelines and Letter of Intent. Applications should be emailed to: Laura De Bartolo at: laura.debartolo@utoronto.ca

Appointment of Professor Peter Pauly as Interim Dean of the Rotman School of Management

PDAD&C#58, 2012-13

To:         Faculty, staff, and students of the Rotman School of Management

            PDAD&C

From:       Cheryl Misak, Vice-President and Provost

Date:       May 8, 2013

Re:         Appointment of Professor Peter Pauly as Interim Dean of the Rotman School of Management

Cc:         President David Naylor

            The Bulletin

I am extremely pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Peter Pauly as Interim Dean of the Rotman School of Management, from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, or until the appointment of a new Dean, whichever comes first. 

An extensive consultation process resulted in the resounding recommendation of Professor Pauly as Interim Dean, and I am grateful that he has agreed to serve in this important role.  Professor Pauly is an excellent and highly-experienced academic administrator.  In his current role as Vice-Dean, Academic, he has shepherded the Rotman School through its ambitious expansion and has also been an exemplary University citizen.  

Professor Pauly's academic research interests are in the areas of econometrics, macroeconomics, and international economics. He is a leading scholar in the field of applied econometrics and macroeconomic modeling.  His recent work has dealt with trade and exchange rate issues, and with the theoretical foundations of model-based forecasting techniques.  He has been the author of several books and more than seventy articles in these areas.  He has been a policy advisor to national governments and central banks around the world and serves as a consultant to many national and international agencies.  Since 1981, Professor Pauly has also served as the Executive Director of Project LINK, an international economic research consortium headquartered at the University of Toronto and at the United Nations in New York.  Professor Pauly holds degrees from the University of Hamburg (B.A. 1971, Ph.D. 1976), as well as an honorary degree from the University of Pretoria. 

The Advisory Committee for a new Dean of the Rotman School has been meeting frequently and I am happy to report that our discussions are proceeding well.  Due to the unusual January start time of the search, the committee is still in the middle stages of its deliberations, with an eye to accelerated completion during the autumn term.

SGS Appointments starting July 1, 2013

To:        Graduate Chairs/Directors, Coordinators, Administrators and SGS Staff

From:    Brian Corman, Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice-Provost, Graduate Education  

Dear Colleagues:

Consistent with the Policy on Appointment of Academic Administrators, and approved by the Provost and the Academic Board, I am pleased to announce the following appointments:

FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE

Professor John Astington

Acting Director, Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies

July 1, 2013 to December 31, 2013

Professor Joshua Barker

Acting Chair and Acting Graduate Chair, Department of Anthropology

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014

Professor Eva-Lynn Jagoe

Acting Director, Centre for Comparative Literature, Faculty of Arts and Science

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014

Professor Peter Martin

Interim Director, Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics (extension)

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014

Professor Nestor Rodriguez

Acting Chair and Graduate Chair

Department of Spanish & Portuguese

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

Professor Alan Bewell

Graduate Chair, Department of English [reappointment]

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2016 (two-year term over three years)

Professor Donald Jackson

Graduate Chair, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2019 (five-year term over six years)

Professor James Stafford

Graduate Chair, Department of Statistics [reappointment]

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2017 (three-year term over four years)

FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Professor Markus Bussman

Vice-Dean, Graduate Studies, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2018

Professor Christopher Yip

Director, Institute for Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2018

FACULTY OF MEDICINE

Professor Howard Lipshitz

Chair, Department of Molecular Genetics

July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2016 (revised term of office)

ONTARIO INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES IN EDUCATION (OISE)

Professor Douglas McDougall

Chair and Graduate Chair

Department of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, OISE

July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2018 (reappointment

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO SCARBOROUGH

Professor George Cree

Interim Graduate Chair, Department of Psychological Clinical Science, UTSC

July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014

I thank these Academic Administrators for their willingness to serve the University in the furtherance of graduate education.  I am sure that you will join me in congratulating them.

With my best wishes,

Brian

CIV Club and MIN Club Executive

Congratulations to the newly elected executives of the CIV Club and the MIN Club, who will serve the following terms in 2013-2014.

CIV Club

• Chair: Colin Kalaska
• Vice-Chair: Nico Valenton
• Treasurer: Peter Luo
• Academic Rep: Ernesto Diaz Lozano Patino
• Business Rep: Stephanie Daou
• Social Rep: Kate Kazlovich
• Sports Rep: Teodor Karamelo
• 4th Year Rep: Suchit Chanana
• 3rd Year Rep: Sharon Mandair

MIN Club

• President: Andreas Steckenborn
• VP Finance: Channa Kumarage
• VP Industry: Daryl Li
• VP Social: Peter Miszkiel
• VP Academic: Thomas Bamford

Accommodation for Religious Observances

PDADC#54, 2012-13

To:   PDAD&C

CC:   Professional/Managerial Staff

From:       Jill Matus, Vice-Provost, Students

Date:       April 25, 2013

Re:   Reminder - Accommodation for Religious Observances

I am writing to remind you of the University's commitment and policy concerning accommodation for religious observances. As first noted in PDAD&C #16 (2007-08), this office has published a regularly updated web page as a ready reference on issues related to this topic:

http://www.viceprovoststudents.utoronto.ca/publicationsandpolicies/guidelines/religiousobservances.htm.  The page provides guidelines, some example dates of relevance for the current and upcoming academic year, links to the University's Policy on Scheduling of Classes and Examinations and Other Accommodations for Religious Observances, and provides other advice on specific accommodation issues.

Please note that the obligation not to discriminate on the basis of religion ("creed") is a statutory duty arising from the Ontario Human Rights Code. It carries with it the obligation to accommodate religious requirements where doing so does not cause undue hardship to the University. For example, accommodation normally requires that scheduled graded term work or tests conflicting with religious requirements be adjusted by providing similar evaluation on alternate dates.

Students who will miss an examination due to a religious observance should not normally be charged an examination deferral fee. However, all other normal examination deferral procedures should apply. With respect to minimum advance notice, the Policy provides that "Students have a responsibility to alert members of the teaching staff in a timely fashion to upcoming religious observances and anticipated absences." Since students would normally be aware of upcoming religious observances as well as examination schedules in advance, a minimum of three weeks advance notice should be considered sufficient.

The dates listed on the web site are provided to assist instructors and those planning academic activities to anticipate when some students might choose to seek accommodations for religious observances. It is important to note that there are many holy days associated with various faiths and that the absence of such dates on this list should not be interpreted to mean that there should be no accommodation for students who observe those holy days. Also, some holy days are already captured by statutory holidays. Finally, some observances are based on an interpretation of the lunar calendar, or a faith practice, and thus may vary by one or two days depending upon the interpretation relevant to a student's faith tradition.

Letters/documentation from faith leaders to support requests for accommodation should not be requested. The reasons for not requesting such letters are as follows: The practice of requiring some sort of faith leader substantiation for requests for accommodation implies a potential assessment of the sincerity of the religious practice. Not all faith traditions necessitate involvement in an organized faith community.

For those using a UTORexchange calendar, the dates for 2013-14 outlined in the table on the 'Accommodations for Religious Observances' web page have been automatically populated in your calendar in the same way as U of T holiday dates (statutory holidays, Presidential holidays, December/January closure). The 2014-15 dates will be populated in your calendar shortly. For other Microsoft Exchange users, please contact your network administrator if you wish to arrange to have these dates added to your calendar.

For assistance in interpreting the Policy and for support in the development of divisional or departmental procedures which are consistent with the Policy, please contact David Newman, Acting Director, Office of the Vice-Provost, Students at 416-978-4027 or dl.newman@utoronto.ca.

For assistance in devising reasonable accommodations for religious observances and Holy Days, please contact the Multifaith Centre at 416-946-3144 or richard.chambers@utoronto.ca or the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office at 416-978-1259 or antiracism@utoronto.ca.

National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job: Friday, April 26

U of T Observes National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job

All flags on the three campuses will be lowered to half-mast on Friday, April 26 to observe the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job.

The National Day of Mourning, officially recognized by the federal government in 1991, is held annually on April 28 in approximately 80 countries around the world and has been adopted by the AFL-CIO and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.

According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, http://www.ccohs.ca/events/mourning, in 2011 there were 919 workplace deaths recorded in Canada. Since 1993, an average of 898 employees have died from work-related incidents in Canada each year, averaging more than two deaths every day.

From 1993 to 2011, 17,062 people lost their lives due to workplace incidents. The Canadian flag on Parliament Hill will fly at half-mast as well as those of businesses and other organizations across the country.

The University of Toronto will participate in this National Day of Mourning by lowering the flags in various locations across each campus and through this act affirms its commitment to the promotion of health and safety for all members of the university community and to the provision of a safe and healthy work and study environment.

Appointment: Principal, Woodsworth College

PDAD&C #56, 2012-13

To:   Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni, Woodsworth College

      Principals, Deans, Academic Directors and Chairs

From: Cheryl Misak, Vice-President and Provost

Date: April 24, 2013

Re:   Reappointment of Professor Joseph Desloges as Principal, Woodsworth College

I am very pleased to announce that Professor Joe Desloges has agreed to serve a second term as Principal of Woodsworth College, from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2018.

Professor Desloges has provided outstanding leadership since 2008 as the seventh principal of Woodsworth College.  He has enriched the student experience on numerous fronts, including the establishment of the Woodsworth ONE program, the growth of the College's academic writing centre, enhancement of Woodsworth's important academic bridging programs, and further development of the College's summer and study abroad programs.

Prior to being named Principal, Professor Desloges served as chair of the Department of Geography and Program in Planning at the University of Toronto, and is also appointed to the Department of Earth Sciences.  He received his B.E.S. from the University of Waterloo, his M.Sc. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his Ph.D. from the University of British Columbia. 

Professor Desloges' research focuses on the influence of climate change and human disturbance on river forms, glacier landscapes and general landform development in the northern hemisphere.  He has won numerous grants and awards for his excellent research and teaching. 

New Department Member

Please join me in welcoming Alicia Tulloch to the Student Services Team.  Alicia joins us from the First Year Office here in our Faculty where she served as the First Year Assistant.

Alicia will act as our front line receptionist and will assist members of the Student Services Team with various duties including general inquiries, graduate admissions, Ph.D. exam scheduling, TA’s, etc.   In addition, she will assist instructors with course work materials, ie uploading info to Blackboard; photocopying course documents (handouts, exams, etc.).  She can also assist with room bookings and with outgoing courier packages and mail. 

Alicia is in the Student Services Office, GB 105 her email is a.tulloch@utoronto.ca, phone 416 978-3099.  Please drop by and introduce yourself to Alicia.

Engineering Alumni Honours & Awards Committee Recommendations

The Engineering Alumni Honours & Awards Committee recommends that the following distinguished graduates of the Faculty be inducted in the Engineering Hall of Distinction:

Anthony Lacavera, CompE 9T7
Lee Lau, ElecE 7T7, ECE MENg 8T3
Donald Sadoway, Engsci 7T2, MSE MASc 7T3, MSE PhD 7T7
David Wilkinson, EngSci 7T2, MSE 7T4
Anna Dunets Wills, CivE 7T6  


The Committee also recommends that the 2T5 Mid-Career Award be awarded in 2013 to our distinguished graduate:

Samantha Espley, MinE 8T8

Results of the 2013 Elections for the UTM and UTSC Campus Councils and their Standing Committees

Memorandum

To:   Governing Council

         Academic Board

         Business Board

         University Affairs Board

         College of Electors

         Principals, Deans, Academic Directors, and Chairs

         Professionals, Managers and Confidential Staff

         President, UTFA

         President of Employee Unions

         University of Toronto Alumni Association – Board of Directors

         Presidents of APUS, GSU, UTSU (SAC), UTMSU and SCSU

From: Anwar Kazimi, Chief Returning Officer

Date:   April 16, 2013

Subject:    Results of the 2013 Elections for the UTM and UTSC Campus Councils and their Standing Committees

It is with pleasure that I provide the lists of the successful candidates who will serve on the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) and University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) Campus Councils and their Standing Committees in 2013-2014:

UTM

Details of the election results, including the names of all candidates, are available at:

http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=9662

UTSC

Details of the election results, including the names of all candidates, are available at:

http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=9663

Please join me in thanking all of the candidates who participated in this year’s elections.

I would like to offer my congratulations to those who have been elected or acclaimed in their respective constituencies, and I thank everyone who participated in the elections process.

Thank you for your ongoing interest in University governance.