What We Do

Representatives, Liaisons and Lay Observers

The Senate provides community representation to a variety of committees, boards, and working groups on campus. We also support Colleges and Faculties and various admissions processes through Liaisons and Lay Admissions Committee Observers.

If your University committee, board, and/or working group is looking for a Senator to fill a community representative role, please contact our office.

Senate College and Faculty Liaisons

Liaisons act as bridges to individual Colleges and Faculties to provide support and report back to Senate, through the Executive Committee, on issues arising for the Faculty. They may play a key role in sharing community perspectives, connections, and opportunities with Faculties - while also sharing Faculty key messages with external communities and Senate.

LIAISON RESPONSIBILITIES:

Explore the Faculty website to become informed on key programs and initiatives/contact Senate Faculty Liaison partner(s).
Offer to meet with Dean or designate to learn more about opportunities to share with community connections or Senate.
Participate when invited to Faculty events and meetings.
Encourage and support Faculty engagement in Honorary Degree nominations, U School, community conversations, and the Chancellor's Cup.
Complete a brief electronic survey about contacts and conversations through the year.

University Committees

The role of the Senate Representative to University Committees is to help foster the connection of the University to the greater public community. This connection is two-way from the community to the University and from the University to the community. Senate representatives may be a resource to work with you to inquire into how your committee is perceived in community, promote the great things your committee is doing, and connect you to networks that may be relevant to the work your committee is engaged with.

Senate Lay Admissions Committee Observers

Since 1978, at the request of the General Faculties Council, the Senate has assigned one of its lay members to each Faculty or Department with a quota program in order to observe the admissions process. The role of the Senate Lay Observers has been to 'liaise with the GFC Committee on Admissions and Transfer (now GFC Programs Committee) so that their comments and/or recommendations may be incorporated in any CAT reports to General Faculties Council on admission to quota programs.

The role of the Senate lay observer relating to admission procedures is to question and observe. The objective is to ensure that the process is, and is seen to be, equitable. The role is neither an advisory or a consultative one, and the lay observer does not have decision-making power or responsibility in the admissions process.' (GFC Policy Manual Section 11.6 NOTE: New language pending as part of GFC’s academic governance renewal). This non-voting membership relationship is also articulated in the Quota Program Admissions Committees: Terms of Reference referenced in the UAPPOL Undergraduate Admissions Procedure.