University looks to the future of research and innovation
Senate announced at its September 14 meeting that plans are underway to develop an updated strategic research plan for the next five years.
President Andrew Petter announced that, along with a university wide consultation, the SFU community is invited to engage in the process through online surveys and Twitter discussions on the plan, which will be discussed in an open forum later this fall.
Senate was also reminded that the new SFU innovation strategy will be unveiled formally on October 1, the same day a new incubator and accelerator will be opened at the Vancouver campus.
This incubator is the result of a $10.7 million grant from the federal government and will focus on digital technology.
Academic accommodation motion for SFSS AGM
One of the last items of the agenda was an academic accommodation motion for the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) Annual General Meeting to take place on September 22.
The motion, moved by SFSS President and Senator Enoch Weng, “encourages all instructors to accommodate, without any academic penalty, any students who communicates in advance, their intent to participate in the Annual General Meeting.”
Senator Peter Tingling argued that if students wish to attend the AGM they should be prepared to accept the academic consequences. Said Tingling, “I think that it’s fundamentally wrong to encourage the idea that you can have your cake it and eat it too.”
Senator Brady Yano commented that the SFSS had looked into the logistics of hosting the AGM on SFU’s satellite campuses however the cost of the necessary conferencing technology would have been $40,000, which the board saw as prohibitive.
“[This] will be the final attempt of the SFSS board to move forward with the Build SFU project,” said Yano in response to concerns raised by Senator Tracey Leacock that more requests for accommodation for AGMs could come to Senate in the future.
The motion was supported by an overwhelming majority of the senators. However, it is worth mentioning that the wording of the motion encourages, but does not enforce, accommodation.
