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Lassonde Faculty Council

This is your Council

The Lassonde Faculty Council is a forum where members of the Lassonde School of Engineering approve academic planning, curricular and research items, and discuss matters relating to the development of the School. Faculty Council is open to everyone in the Lassonde community, although voting rights are reserved for full members. Members of the Dean’s executive team and support staff attend and participate in meetings, and provide updates on activities taking place within the School. Lassonde students are also members of the Council, and representatives of the student clubs and associations affiliated with Lassonde regularly present their latest plans and achievements.

To view the Lassonde Faculty Council Mandate and Terms of Reference document, click here.

To access the Lassonde Faculty Council Moodle site, click here.

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Terms of Reference

The intent and purpose of this Council is:
1.1. Legislative Authority
Lassonde School of Engineering’s (hereafter known as School) Faculty Council, is a committee of the York University Senate. The Faculty Council may convene sub-committees to undertake specific duties on behalf of the Faculty Council.
1.2. Purpose
The Faculty Council is established to exercise academic governance within the School, to effectively engage the School community in academic decision-making, and to contribute to the quality agenda as defined by the University’s strategy, international best practice, and internal and external compliance frameworks.
1.3. Role and Function
The roles and functions of the Faculty Council of the Lassonde School of Engineering are as follows:
1.3.1. The Faculty Council will act as the foremost body for academic decision-making within the School, engage its academic community in that process, and accept the role of custodian of the core principles, processes, standards and integrity of the School’s programs of teaching, learning and research, including the adequacy of resourcing.
1.3.2. The Faculty Council will contribute to the development of the School academic strategy for its programs of teaching, learning and research and will be the forum in which that strategy is approved. The School strategy will contribute to, and operate within, the principles of the University’s Academic Plan.
1.3.3. The Faculty Council will advise the York University Senate on academic matters, including but not limited to teaching, research, academic policy issues, creation and revision of the regulatory framework, and content of qualifications managed by the School on behalf of York University, and matters relating to prizes, scholarships and other awards.
1.3.4. The Faculty Council will monitor and evaluate the contribution of the School to positive Indigenous development in accordance with Universities Canada – Principles on Indigenous Education, The University Academic Plan, policy, and strategy, particularly in relation to addressing the principles outlined in the Indigenous Framework for York University: A Guide to Action.
Specific Delegations
This Faculty Council is established by Senate by means of a statute, which delegates the following powers and responsibilities to the School’s Faculty Council:
2.1. Communicate with, disseminate information to, and seek feedback from faculty, staff and students of the School;
2.2. Advise the York University Senate on academic matters, including but not limited to: the exercise of academic freedom, academic policy issues, revisions to the regulatory framework, and content of qualifications managed by the School on behalf of York University; and matters related to prizes, scholarships and other awards;
2.3. Delegate, as appropriate, through the Faculty Council, to Chairs of Council Committees, Department Chairs and Program Directors, responsibility for program management within the regulatory framework of the University, including but not limited to the admission with equivalent status, recognition of prior learning, approval of waivers, courses of study, and examination results for individual students, and quality assurance of academic program delivery and student learning;
2.4. Establish standing committees, as listed below, to facilitate, support and oversee the implementation of the School’s academic and research strategies, including review of curricula and expected learning outcomes, and the School’s teaching and learning strategy:
• Executive Committee
• Committee on Learning, Curriculum & Students (LCS)
• Committee on Planning, Academic Resources & Research (PARR)
• Committee on Academic Standards
• Committee on Tenure and Promotions
• Committee on Awards: Students, Faculty & Staff
• Sub-committee on Petitions and Appeals
• Joint Sub-committee – Teaching Enhanced & Active Learning (TEAL)
• Sub-Committee – Program Assessment Group on Evaluation & Systems (PAGES)
• Sub-committee – Non-Degree Studies
• Sub-Committee – Engineering Common Curriculum (EC²)

2.5. Maintain rules governing the membership of Council. Any proposed change to these rules is to be reviewed by the Executive Committee for compliance with recognized principles and practices, and is to be formally approved by Senate.
2.6. The list of members of this Faculty Council shall by submitted for approval to the Executive Committee of Senate, this will be done by the Executive Committee on behalf of this Faculty Council.
2.7. Prepare and maintain, in concurrence with the University Procedures for Decanal Searches, a process for Decanal Searches for the School.
2.8. Exercise other powers delegated to it by the York University Senate.
Faculty Council recognizes the importance of cultivating a culture of fairness, equity, diversity and inclusion. Faculty Council ensures that these essential principles are integrated into the School’s policies, programs, operations and practices.
The membership of Faculty Council, Lassonde School of Engineering shall be as follows:
4.2. Period of Appointments
4.2.1. Ex Officio Members
• Ex Officio members shall hold their membership in this Council for the duration of their appointment in that role.
4.2.2. Faculty Members
• Full-time faculty members shall hold their membership in this Council for the duration of their appointment in that role
• Contract faculty members shall hold their membership in this Council for the term during which they hold a teaching position.
• Emeriti faculty members (retirees) shall hold membership in this Council for the term during which they hold a teaching, administrative or supervisory position
4.2.3. Students
• The undergraduate and graduate students elected and/or appointed as members shall serve for one-year, renewable.
• Students are eligible to be representatives only while they are currently enrolled in a qualification hosted by the School.
4.2.4. Staff
• Non-academic staff members shall hold their membership in this Council for a term of two-years, renewable.
4.2.5. Alumni
• Alumni representatives shall hold their membership in this Council for a term of one-year.

4.3. Elections/Nominations
4.3.1. Chair and Vice-Chair of Council
• The Chair and Vice-Chair of Faculty Council shall be elected by Council and shall serve a period of eighteen months. Normally the Vice-Chair shall succeed the Chair.
• The election of members to the Council in accordance with the above shall be managed by the Executive Committee of Council and will include a call for nominees from the relevant constituency and a secret ballot.
4.3.2. Non-Academic Staff Members
• Two members of the non-academic staff will be elected. These two members may not be from the same unit.
• The election of these members to the Council in accordance with the above shall be managed by the Executive Committee of Council and will include a call for nominees from the relevant constituency and a secret ballot.
4.3.3. Students
• Undergraduate and graduate students will be elected such that their number shall not exceed 15% of the Council membership (approximately 22-24 students). This number will include the Lassonde School of Engineering Student Senators (ex-officio). This number will also include at least one undergraduate and graduate student from each of the academic units, to be elected annually by the students in the Lassonde School of Engineering.
• The positions will be filled via a centralized process which will be managed the Executive Committee. The election process is conducted by the respective student bodies of the Lassonde undergraduate student government and Lassonde graduate student associations.
4.3.4. Alumni Representative
• Alumni representatives shall be elected, as managed by the Executive Committee of Council. The Executive Committee shall request that the call for nominees be disseminated by the Advancement Office which maintains alumni relations.

4.4. Power to Co-opt
• The Council Chair may, at his/her discretion, appoint as a member of Council (co-opt) up to four additional members for specific periods to bring specific skills to the Council.

4.5. Representation by Proxy
• Elected and ex-officio members may not designate a substitute.

4.6. Resignation/Dismissal of Members
• Should an elected member resign from Council, the Chair will endeavour to find a replacement. In the event a replacement cannot be found, a call will go out from the Executive Committee to solicit a replacement
• Faculty Council may, by resolution, dismiss an elected member of the Council if the member fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Council. In the event of dismissal of an elected member, a by-election will be held; otherwise, the vacancy will be appointed by the Chair of Faculty Council.
• Should an elected student member resign from the Council, a by-election shall be held to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term of the member.
5.1. Meetings and Protocols
• Meetings are open to members of the Lassonde community, subject to the availability of space
• When Council considers matters relating to specific individuals or to other matters where confidentiality must be observed, the Council may, in the notice for a meeting, declare part of a meeting to be closed or in camera.
• When Council meets in camera, only members may be present.
• The Lassonde Faculty Council has adopted “York University Rules of Senate” to guide and inform its governance structure and operations.
• Faculty Council shall make its decisions based on a simple majority of those members present and voting at a duly constituted meeting
• Council members will notify the Chair/Secretary if they will be absent from a meeting

5.2. Chair
• The Chair of Council is responsible for giving leadership to the Council in the pursuit of its mandate. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Chair presides at all meetings of Council, acts as the official spokesperson for Council, chairs the Executive Committee of Council, and ensures that Council and its committees operate in conformity with the rules enacted by Senate.
• In the case of the absence or illness of the Chair and the Vice-Chair, appoint one of the members of the Council to act as Chair pro tempore and for such period the member so appointed shall act as, and have all the powers of, the Chair.

5.3. Quorum
• No business shall be transacted at a meeting unless at least 20% of the members are present.

5.4. Timing and Frequency of Meetings
• The Council shall meet from September to June typically on the first Friday of the month from 12:30pm to 2:30pm, and at such other times as the Chair shall decide.
• Special meetings of Council shall be convened under the rules of “York University Rules of Senate”

5.5. Standing Orders
• The Lassonde Faculty Council has adopted “York University Rules of Senate” to guide and inform its governance structure and operations.

5.6. Agenda, Administration, and Minutes
• The Lassonde Faculty Council shall be serviced by a Secretary of Council furnished to the Council by the Office of the Dean. The agenda is set by the Executive Committee. Notices of meetings shall be provided as per the “York University Rules of Senate”. The Executive Committee may alter the order of business for any meeting of Council, provided that the order of business appears on the notice of meeting. The Faculty Council may set its own deadlines for agenda items, noting any University policy or agreed deadlines and required formats for matters affecting the academic offerings of the University.
• Meeting minutes should be shared to the extent possible without breaching confidentiality.
• All records of the meetings, including the minutes, shall be retained in accordance with the Common Records Schedule (CRS) for Faculty Councils (ADG15) and Faculty Council Committees (ADG17) under York University’s Information, Privacy and Copyright Office.
• The Council Secretary shall be responsible for ensuring correspondence and decisions made by the Council are available to relevant people or bodies, including the membership of sub-committees and secretaries of relevant Faculty Councils.

5.7. Voting
• All members of the Council are voting members unless specifically indicated otherwise. Ex-officio and elected/appointed members have the same voting rights. When the Chair calls the question in accordance with rules and procedures, voting is conducted by a show of hands.
• Pursuant to the discretion of the Chair, members may be permitted to vote by means of an electronic communication (e-vote) which enables the votes to be gathered in a manner that permits their subsequent verification

5.8. Guests and Visitors
• Non-members are welcome to attend. The Executive Committee or Chair may extend an invitation to a non-member to speak to Faculty Council. Faculty Council itself may, by majority resolution, agree to hear non-members.
• The Council may issue invitations for either the full academic year or for a particular meeting to individuals who are not members of Council. Such individuals shall be entitled to participate in the meeting(s) of Council to which they have been invited but shall not have the right to vote.
• All members of the Lassonde School of Engineering including non-academic staff and students registered in the Lassonde School of Engineering shall have the right to attend Council meetings but shall not have the right to vote.
• Until such time as Senate Executive has completed a positive review of the rules of Council, the Council shall adapt Senate’s rules and procedures for the conduct of meetings.
• Normally, non-adjudicating committee meetings will be open (meetings and agendas circulated to all; input from all Council members can be made to committee Chairs).
6.1. Reporting to the Academic Board
Annually, and as otherwise required by the Senate, the Faculty Council shall furnish to the Senate a report on its activities and the exercise of its delegations.

Contact Faculty Council

Pam Edgecombe, Secretary to Council: pamela.edgecombe@lassonde.yorku.ca

Contact Faculty Council

Pam Edgecombe, Secretary to Council: pamela.edgecombe@lassonde.yorku.ca