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Category Archives: Themes:
Should Queen’s Dissolve the Senate Committee on Creative Arts and Public Lectures? (16 May 2013)
By Mark Jones, posted 16 May 2013. A notice of motion buried in the 330-page April agenda for Queen’s Senate would have Senate dissolve the Committee on Creative Arts and Public Lectures (SCCAPL) at the end of May (see appendix to this … Continue reading
Queen’s Senate Urges GSEC to Rescind New Times-to-Completion Policy (30 April 2013)
Based on an email sent by Samantha King to campus lists, 2 May 2013: On Tuesday, April 30, Senate passed the following motion on Times to Completion for graduate students at Queen’s. Several speakers spoke passionately and convincingly in favour … Continue reading
Posted in Grad. Students / Grad Programs, Process
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New Draft for Academic Plan on Virtualization and Online Learning (18 April 2013)
The Senate Academic Planning Task Force (SAPT) has posted its second draft for Queen’s Academic Plan on Virtualization and Online Learning. The first draft was posted on March 22. For comments on the first draft, see here.
Ariel Salzmann, An Open Letter to Dean Brouwer and the School of Graduate Studies (4 April 2013)
As sent to Dean Brenda Brouwer and copied to community lists, 4 April 2013. Posted by permission. This year the Department of History made a valiant effort to recruit an exceptional graduate student. The student applied to our Ph.D. program … Continue reading
Mark Jones, Clarification of the “Course Variants” Motion (31 March 2013)
The Curriculum Committee (CC) in the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) has circulated a memo to Undergraduate Chairs about “course variants” (see appendix, below). The memo refers to a motion I brought before the Faculty Board (FB) in December: … Continue reading
Gradgrind: Queen’s Cuts Time Allowances for MAs, PhDs (19 March 2013)
By Mark Jones; posted 19 March 2013. Yesterday a message to graduate students announced a new policy on Time Limits for Completion of Programs.
New Questions about Online Learning (26 February 2012)
Some recent articles and studies raise serious questions about the uses of online learning in college and university (updated 4 May 2013):
Mark Jones, Questions Concerning Proposals for Course Redesign (13 February 2013)
From the Arts and Science Faculty Board Agenda for 13 February 2013. For the response, see the Minutes, pp. 8-11. Questions for Dean MacLean, Arts and Science Faculty Board, February 2013 from Mark Jones, Department of English Units in Arts … Continue reading
Mark Jones, Data Check: Recent “Evidence” in Support of Blended and Online Learning (27 January 2013)
The Arts and Science webpage for “Blended Learning”[1] claims that A 2010 meta-analysis of more than a thousand empirical research studies showed that learning outcomes for students taking blended courses were significantly better than those of students receiving purely face-to-face … Continue reading
Arts and Science: Call for Proposals for Course Redesign Project (24 January 2013)
Emailed to departments as a pdf document, Call for Proposals3 Jan 2013, 24 January 2013. Italics and boldface are in the original. See also Associate Dean Ravenscroft’s earlier mailings of February and May 2011 and February 2012. Note that the present memo does not … Continue reading
Queen’s-Blyth Worldwide: A Faculty Discussion with Vice Provost James Lee (23 January 2013)
On 6 November 2012, a group of Queen’s faculty (Annette Burfoot, Karen Dubinsky, Marc Epprecht, Petra Fachinger, Emily Hill, Jennifer Hosek, Mark Jones, David McDonald, and Adèle Mercier) met with Vice Provost James Lee, Tom Gallini (Queen’s-Blyth International Assistant, International … Continue reading
Posted in Queen's-Blyth Worldwide (QBW)
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Podcast: Digital Boon or Digital Doom? The Virtual Future of Higher Education (16 January 2013)
The panel discussion “Digital Boon or Digital Doom?” moderated by Ira Basen (University of Western Ontario, 16 January 2013), including panelists Luis von Ahn, Carnegie Mellon University Elizabeth Hanson, Queen’s University Doug Mann, Western University Jonathan Schaeffer, University of Alberta George … Continue reading
Mark Jones, Comments on the Most Recent Academic Planning Survey (19 December 2012)
The new “Survey for Quality Assurance in Online Courses” (reprinted at the end of this post) is a mess. An academic planning survey should be designed to gather views and information useful for policy recommendations. This one looks more like it’s … Continue reading
Graduate School: Whether to Go (Sources) (5 December 2012)
Compiled by Mark Jones, December 2012, with subsequent additions. Suggestions welcome. As universities seek to increase graduate admissions and at the same time to reduce full-service tenure-track faculty employment, a question arises, particularly for students specializing in fields where … Continue reading
Mark Jones, Open Letter: Response to Principal Woolf re Apology to Michael Mason (27 November 2012)
Dear Colleagues: An update on the letter of apology for Professor Michael Mason: It was published in the Globe & Mail on 19 November with a column by James Bradshaw. The National Post also reported it on 19 November, and the Kingston Whig-Standard on the 20th.
Posted in Academic Freedom, CAUT, Open Letters
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Mark Jones, Two Motions for Faculty Board (26 November 2012)
Submitted to the Agenda Committee, 26 November 2012, for the 7 December agenda of Arts and Science Faculty Board. The first motion was debated and referred to the Curriculum Committee (a similar motion to submit all courses for curriculum committee … Continue reading
Open Letter to Michael Mason: We (Queen’s University) Apologize (19 November 2012)
As published in the Globe & Mail online, appended to James Bradshaw, “Professors sign letter criticizing Queen’s University,” 19 November 2012. This letter is still being signed on ipetitions. The version below has been updated to include recent signatures. Dear Professor Mason: In … Continue reading
Posted in Academic Freedom, Open Letters, Petitions, Protests, PSAC 901
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SGPS Appeal: Holiday Assistance Program (9 November 2012)
As emailed to campus lists by the Queen’s Society of Graduate and Professional Students, 9 November 2012: With the holiday season fast approaching, a number of our students face additional hardships. In particular, students with dependents struggle as they are … Continue reading
PSAC 901 Responds to CAUT Report on Michael Mason (1 November 2012)
PSAC Local 901, representing Graduate Teaching Assistants and Teaching Fellows at Queen’s, has posted two critical responses to the CAUT Ad Hoc Investigatory Committee Report on the situation and treatment of Dr. Michael Mason in the Department of History at … Continue reading
Posted in Academic Freedom, CAUT, PSAC 901, TFs / TAs
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Peter Christie, “A fear of stories” does a disservice to our university (1 November 2012)
As published in the Kingston Whig-Standard, 1 November 2012: A few years back, American Scientist magazine published an essay urging people whose job it is to explain the world—scientists, in this case—to stop being afraid of stories: narrative is often … Continue reading
QJ: Policy in the works for undergrad TAs (19 October 2012)
By Julia Vriend. As published in Queen’s Journal, 19 October 2012. See also Doug Nesbitt, President, PSAC 901, “Assisting Professors” (Letter to the Editors), Queen’s Journal, 23 October 2012. AMS launches investigation into outdated policies for Queen’s undergraduate assistants The policy … Continue reading
Posted in Clippings, TFs / TAs, Undergraduate TAs
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Highlights from the CAUT Almanac of Post-Secondary Education, 2012-13 (9 October 2012)
The CAUT Almanac “documents the most current statistical information available on the status of post-secondary education in Canada,” using Stats Canada and other data. Each chapter of charts and tables is prefaced with “Highlights,” as quoted below.
QJ: Dissolving Queen’s-Blyth abroad (5 October 2012)
Queen’s Faculty Letter printed in Queen’s Journal, 5 October 2012. To sign this letter, see: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/qbw/. For the list of further signatories, see http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/qbw/signatures. See also Jim Lee, Letter to the Editor, QJ, 19 October 2012, and Patrick O’Neill, Blyth Information … Continue reading
Two Questions for Faculty Board (2 October 2012)
As submitted by Mark Jones for the October 12 Agenda of Arts and Science Faculty Board: Two Questions for Dean Alistair MacLean Respectfully submitted by Mark Jones, Dept. of English 1. The CAUT Report on Queen’s University’s treatment of Dr. … Continue reading
Posted in Academic Freedom, FAS Faculty Board, Process, Queries
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Elizabeth Hanson, The Fantasy of Online Education (18 September 2012)
Letter to CBC Radio in response to Ira Basen’s documentary, The Big Disruption: Universities in the Digital Age (The Sunday Edition, 9 September 2012). Posted by permission. To CBC Sunday Morning As a professor in an Ontario university I listened with … Continue reading
Mark Jones, Heads Up on Ontario’s Aims for Post-Secondary Education (13 September 2012)
A Provincial “discussion paper,” “Strengthening Ontario’s Centres of Creativity, Innovation and Knowledge” (SOC), was issued by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) on 28 June 2012, and was followed up with a series of “consultations” (really more like … Continue reading
OCUFA Memo on SMA’s (23 August 2012)
By Mark Rosenfeld, Executive Director of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA); as emailed to member associations, 23 August 2012. Re: Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) Strategic Mandate Agreements for Ontario Universities and Colleges I am … Continue reading
OCUFA: Ontario Government Launches Consultation on University Reform (5 July 2012)
As sent to members by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations on 5 July 2012 and subsequently posted: On Thursday, June 28, 2012, OCUFA President Constance Adamson and OCUFA staff met with Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities Glen … Continue reading
OCUFA, Reality Check: Online education is expensive when you do it right (4 June 2012)
From the OCUFA Report, emailed by Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations to members on 4 June 2012. It is not cheap to provide a high quality university education online. At first glance, the operating expense per student appears lower … Continue reading
Access Copyright: Who has signed, who has not (31 May 2012)
First posted 31 May 2012. Updated 9 June 2012. As of 7 June, UBC, Athabasca, Windsor, Winnipeg, York, New Brunswick, and Waterloo have announced that they will not sign with Access Copyright. To follow this list see Ariel Katz’s blog … Continue reading
Queen’s Journal: Students accuse public agency of misconduct (28 May 2012)
By Holly Tousignant. As published in the Queen’s Journal, 28 May 2012. See also the readers’ comments on the QJ site and “Motions” in May Senate Notes. An Ontario government agency was accused of academic misconduct last month after two Queen’s … Continue reading
Posted in Clippings, HEQCO, Research Ethics
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Queen’s Journal: Student strikes raise concerns (28 May 2012)
By Isabelle Duchaine. As published in the Queen’s Journal, 28 May 2012. Rising tuition costs across the country need to be evaluated to ensure quality education For over 100 days, students in Quebec have been marching, chanting and boycotting classes … Continue reading
Mark Jones, Comments on the “Business Case to Grow Distance Enrolments in the Faculty of Arts and Science” (25 May 2012)
re: http://www.queensu.ca/artsci/sites/default/files/Business_Case_Final.pdf The “Business Case to Grow Distance Enrolments in the Faculty of Arts and Science,” which was declared by the Provost to be confidential in early March, was recently released in response to a FIPPA request.[1] One cannot expect … Continue reading
David Murakami Wood, Open Letter on Access Copyright (24 May 2012)
From a campus email, 24 May 2012. Posted by permission. Dear all, I don’t usually do this, but I am sending you this message to encourage you to write to the Provost, Alan Harrison, and the University Librarian, Martha Whitehead, … Continue reading
Posted in Copyright, Open Letters
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Michael Geist, Why Universities Should Not Sign the Access Copyright – AUCC Model Licence (24 May 2012)
Link to posting of 24 May 2012 on Michael Geist’s Blog. “Dr. Michael Geist is a law professor at the University of Ottawa where he holds the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law […. and] an internationally syndicated columnist … Continue reading
Posted in Clippings, Copyright
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“Business Case” Released (22 May 2012)
Queen’s “Business Case to Grow Distance Enrolments in the Faculty of Arts and Science” (Aug. 2011) has been released in response to a FIPPA request and is now posted on the Arts and Science website. See “Commentary.”
UBC Says No to Access Copyright (15 May 2012)
From a University of British Columbia broadcast e-mail, 15 May 2012: To: All UBC Faculty and Staff [….] After extensive review, the University of British Columbia has decided not to sign a license agreement with Access Copyright (AC) based on … Continue reading
QNC: Access Copyright update (14 May 2012)
As posted on Queen’s News Centre, 14 May 2012. No mention is made of the many liabilities of or protests against Access Copyright: see also posts by CAUT and QULA. Queen’s will be signing a letter of intent to accept … Continue reading
Posted in Clippings, Copyright
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QULA on Access Copyright: A Letter to the Provost and University Librarian (7 May 2012)
For this post, please see QUFA Forum.
Posted in Copyright
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OCUFA: Statement on allegations of research misconduct at Queen’s University and HEQCO (27 April 2012)
As posted by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations and sent to members on 27 April 2012: OCUFA-Statement-on-Queens-HEQCO-April-2012-FINAL
Posted in HEQCO, Research Ethics
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Real Academic Planning 