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the
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August 30, 2012 | The University of Saskatchewan student newspaper since 1912
Medical college faculty refuses to roll over
raisa pezderic/photo editor
DARYL HOFMANN Senior News Editor A special meeting of the general academic assembly has been called for Sept. 6 to revisit university council’s hotly-debated decision to approve sweeping changes to the College of Medicine. University of Saskatchewan President Ilene Busch-Vishniac called the meeting after her office received 50 requests from individual academics at the university, which triggered a clause in the university’s legislation that has not been used since being enacted in 1995. “The [legislation] has never been invoked before,” U of S Secretary Lea Pennock said. Under section 67 of the University of Saskatchewan Act,
1995, a meeting of the academic assembly must be called when 50 of its members appeal — in writing — a decision made by council. The assembly is made up of more than 1000 full-time faculty members from across campus, and at least 150 members must be present at the meeting to vote, Pennock said. Busch-Vishniac wrote in the announcement that the purpose of the meeting is to vote on whether or not to require council to “reconsider its motion of May 17, 2012 as it pertains to the establishment of three new divisions in the College of Medicine.” Council approved a plan in May to revamp the college’s academic governance model, despite fiery opposition from a throng of faculty
members. The plan, based on a concept paper designed by top administrators, is meant to improve methods of clinical instruction in the undergraduate program and to clarify roles and responsibilities of instruction within the college. The plan was put forward after a team of inspectors visited the college and found 10 areas of weakness. In a letter sent to the dean of the college, accreditors wrote that if the non-compliance areas were not corrected promptly, the college would risk being placed on probation and “seriously compromise the ability of the faculty to deliver a quality medical education program.” But critics of the plan, including many of the college’s department heads, argue they were not properly consulted and that the
new strategy is unmanageable. They say going forward will leave doctors overworked and drive away students, faculty and potential recruits.
The legislation has never been invoked before. lea pennock
university secretary
At the special meeting, the assembly “will be able to hear people speaking on all sides of the issue,” Pennock said. A two-thirds majority vote is needed to force
council to reconsider its decision. Tom Wilson, who is chair of the medical college’s faculty association and a vocal critic of the plan, said he realizes the story is of interest to both students and faculty at the U of S, but refrained from providing a comment. “As [the plan for the college] continues to evolve, I feel it would be premature for me to comment at this time,” he wrote in an email. The special meeting’s call to order will take place at noon on Sept. 6 in Convocation Hall. The meeting will be open to both GAA members and observers, with members seated on the ground floor and observers seated in the balcony on the second floor.
Google maps the Bowl DARYL HOFMANN Senior News Editor Soon embarrased first-year students can stop touring campus with Mommy and Daddy and just show their parents campus online. Google Street View mapped the University of Saskatchewan’s roads and pathways last week as the tech giant’s tricked-out three-wheel bike cruised through campus and periodically captured 360-degree digital images. Google employees will now piece together the images into a panorama, blur faces and license plates and make the campus’ landscape available on the web. Ivan Muzychka, the associate vice-president of communications
for the university, said he expects Google’s photographs to be available online in about eight months. “They’ll take that back and process it and eventually you will be able to have really nice Street Views of our campus,” he said. Once online, Street View will help students with disabilities scout wheelchair access to buildings and help new students find their classrooms before they’ve arrived on campus. It will also give potential students and faculty from around the world a genuine look at the campus, which could affect whether or not they choose to study or work at the U of S, Muzychka said.
“We think we have one of the most beautiful campuses in Canada, if not the world,” he said. “So we’re pleased that in the height of the summer Google came and mapped our campus.” Google began charting the city streets of Saskatoon with Street View several years ago, but only recently built the tricycle. Now the company has the ability to capture Street View of the Bowl and the many kilometres of paths on campus. Last week, Google made national headlines while mapping the village of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut with the tricycle. It was the first time the new technology was used above the 60th parallel. samantha braun/graphics editor