In October, UBC Okanagan will have its own Senate to determine academic governance matters at the university’s Kelowna campus. Until that time, an Interim Academic Governing Body has been formed to make these decisions.
The inaugural meeting of the Interim Academic Governing Body (IAGB) for UBC Okanagan was held on Tuesday, March 22nd in Kelowna. In her remarks, President Martha C. Piper described the meeting as an historic event with great significance for university governance and postsecondary education in the Province of British Columbia. In February 2005, the UBC Senate passed a motion to delegate much of its authority on issues relating to UBC Okanagan to the IAGB, thereby empowering the IAGB to make decisions with respect to academic governance until such time as the Okanagan Senate can be officially constituted. The Okanagan Senate is expected to be constituted in October 2005, following the promulgation of the University Amendment Act.
IAGB members include representatives from the UBC Senate, current OUC deans, and elected prospective UBC Okanagan faculty and student representatives. Guest speakers at the inaugural meeting included Dr. J. Peter Meekison, the Public Administrator for Okanagan University College and Mr. Dennis Pavlich, UBC Vice President, External and Legal Affairs.
As its first orders of business, the IAGB approved Rules and Procedures for its own operation and established four committees. The committees will now begin considering proposals for eventual approval by the IAGB, including the establishment of faculties, schools, and departments and the structure of new and revised academic programs. One of the newly established committees has as its mandate to consider and make recommendations on issues relating to the establishment and operation of the new Council of Senates.
To mark the occasion, the IAGB passed the following motion:
That the Interim Academic Governing Body express its appreciation to the University of British Columbia Senate for establishing the Interim Academic Governing Body and for delegating the necessary powers to manage the academic governance of UBC Okanagan until such time as the Okanagan Senate is constituted.
The next IAGB meeting is scheduled to be held on May 10, 2005 in Kelowna.
