Senate notes
New jazz program for music faculty
Chelse McKee, staff
At the senate meeting on Nov. 7, new programs and scholarships were introduced.
The meeting began with the introduction of two new financial awards sources for students. One of the awards, entitled the Faculty of Engineering Bursary Assistance Fund, will be financed by one quarter of the annual tuition surcharge gathered from the faculty for this school year. Currently, there is no set value or number for the bursary, all of which will be determined at a later date by a selection committee. The qualifications for the award are a minimum GPA of 2.0 or qualified direct admittance to the faculty as well as financial need.
The second award, entitled the Sara and Nathan Wolk award, was determined and established by the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba. It is designated for students in the faculty of education. A student must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 while having a full-time course load, a commitment to the community, and financial need.
In addition, the Manitoba Egg Producers Bursary and Scholarships have both increased to $1,200 each. Another award revision is the MBA entrance scholarship for the I.H. Asper School of Business, which previously was only open to full-time students and is now available to part-time students.
Unfortunately, a donor to the university has withdrawn two scholarships, the Sony Science School in engineering and science.
Joanne Keselman, vice-president (research), announced at the meeting that five of the seven university applications submitted to the National Science and Engineering Research Council’s (NSERC) Strategic Project Grants Program have been approved. She said that the national average for approval was 48 per cent while the university’s success rate put them above the bar at 71 per cent. The successful faculties were science, engineering, and agriculture-food sciences.
Elaine Goldie, vice-president (external) of senate, said that the university has received, thus far, $18 million towards its annual fundraising goal of $32 million. The goal was set on April 1, 2007 and fundraising will end on March 31, 2008. She said that the goals of the fund will be for student support, with focus on grad student support and the large infrastructure projects for the upcoming year.
Goldie continued on to announce that $3.2 million of federal money has been given to the faculty of engineering’s biomedical image and biosensor research facilities.
Deborah McCallum, vice-president (administration), was unable to make the meeting due to a previous obligation on campus. Thus, Emoke Szathmáry, president and vice-chancellor, spoke about the resolutions of UMFA and CAW. She said “that is excellent” that they were resolved and people were back to work.
In addition, a new program for the school of music has been passed. The new program will be directed specifically for jazz. Although it will not be in full swing by next September, it will partially be up and running according to Richard Lobdell, vice-provost (programs). He said that 12-15 students will be accepted into the four year program each year. Students will have to go through the same criteria as any other music program.
Students Peter Nawrot and Aimee Pochinco were elected to the senate executive committee for a one-year term. Arlene Young was re-elected as vice-chair for the senate committee on appeals.
