• Academic Planning Committee
• By-Laws & Regulations Committee
• Executive Committee
• Finance Committee
• Honorary Degree Committee
• Information Technologies, Committee on
• Instructional Development, Committee on
• Nominating Committee
• Promotion and Tenure Committee
• Research and Publication, Committee on
• Student Appeals Committee
• Student Life Committee
• Other Senate-Elected Positions

The Senate Academic Planning Committee makes recommendations to Senate on all matters related to the overall direction of academic programs at Laurier. This includes: adapting and modifying the overall university plan as required; responding to specific requests (from the Board of Governors or from the Ministry) to articulate a Laurier niche or position relative to a current situation or need; responding to requests from Faculties and units to initiate new programs, modify current programs, or cancel them; dealing with questions of policy that govern scholarships, bursaries and awards.

As part of this broad mandate, SAPC oversees the program review and approval process run by the University under the Ontario Universities' Council on Quality Assurance, managed by the Ontario Council of Academic Vice-Presidents.

In general, its role is to offer to Senate a considered conceptualization of where the university is, in what direction it should be heading, and what needs to be undertaken to accomplish this.

Chair: Vice-President: Academic & Provost
Administrative Support: University Secretariat

The By-laws and Regulations Committee shall consider and make recommendations to Senate for the proper functioning of the Senate.

Terms of Reference: By-laws and regulations refer to the structural organization of the Senate and to its internal operations; consequently they fall within the purview of the By-laws & Regulations Committee. All by-laws are to be reported to the Senate by this committee, whereas regulations will normally reach Senate consideration by avenues other than this committee. However, when the relationship of the university Act or the Senate by-laws to any proposed regulation is in doubt, the question may well be referred to the Senate By-laws & Regulations Committee for advice. The By-laws & Regulations Committee will interpret Senate by-laws and regulations not only to the Senate but to individuals and bodies of the university outside the Senate. Such requests for interpretation and information are not necessarily reported to Senate.

Chair to be elected by committee from among elected committee members
Administrative Support: University Secretariat

It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to care for any matters committed to it by Senate, to function in place of the Senate between meetings of the Senate, to consider matters pertinent to Senate, including policies and protocol relating to university convocations and functions, and to report to Senate.

Chair: President, Chair of Senate
Administrative Support: University Secretariat

The Senate Finance Committee considers the financial position of the university and its fiscal responsibility for maintaining all academic programs. It makes recommendations to Senate on budget planning; financial matters pertaining to scholarship, bursaries and awards; the details of the annual university operating budget as prepared for presentation to Senate and the Board. The recommendations of Senate on that budget are forwarded to the Board of Governors, the body with ultimate fiduciary responsibility for the university.

Chair to be elected by committee from among elected committee members.
Administrative Support: University Secretariat

Subject to the approval of Senate, the Honorary Degree Committee shall make policies regarding honorary degrees, shall invite nominations for honorary degrees, shall receive nominations respecting honorary degrees and make recommendation thereon to the Executive Committee of Senate.

Chair: President
Administrative Support: University Secretariat

The Senate Committee on Information Technologies recommends policies and priorities for computing services to Senate, as they affect the academic life of the university. Its responsibilities include development of long-range plans for the provision of effective, efficient and top quality information technology services to the institution; advising the executive director of information technology services (ITS) on academic and administrative policies and their potential impact on information technology; serving as a forum for discussion of issues and the establishment of standards relevant to supporting information technology activities in local, distributed, units at all levels within administrative and academic units; reviewing annual programming plans and budget submissions of ITS and providing liaison among other committees on campus (e.g. Teaching, Learning and Technology Steering Committee (TLT), University Information Technology Advisory Committee (UITAC).

Chair to be elected by committee from among elected committee members.
Administrative Support: Office of the Executive Director of Information Technology Services

The Committee on Instructional Development shall review and examine policies and priorities on instructional development as they affect the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the university and make recommendations to Senate thereon.

Chair to be elected by committee from among elected committee members.
Administrative Support: Office of Teaching Support Services

The Nominating Committee shall have the responsibility of preparing a list of nominees to Senate committees for the annual meeting or as required. The Nominating Committee may select nominees from outside the Senate except where otherwise stipulated. The establishment of a list of nominees does not preclude nomination from the floor.

Nominating Procedure: Senate will accept nominations from the floor in addition to the list prepared by the Nominating Committee, without the prior consent of the nominee, and whether or not the nominee is present. Should nominations be made from the floor, the Secretary of Senate shall determine the eligibility of those so nominated and seek the written consent of all such nominees. Such written consent shall be received within five working days of the meeting of Senate. The Secretary of Senate shall convey all information regarding eligibility and consent to the university secretary. If any nominee is not eligible or does not provide written consent, the nominee’s name shall not be included on the ballot. The election shall then proceed by mailed ballot.

Chair to be elected by committee from among elected committee members
Administrative Support: University Secretariat

The Promotion and Tenure Committee shall, in accordance with the policies and procedures governing its operations, make recommendations to the president on specific applications for promotion and tenure.

Chair: Vice-President: Academic
Administrative Support: Office of the Vice-President: Academic

The Research and Publications Committee shall review and examine policies on research as they affect the academic life of the university, and, where appropriate, make recommendations to Senate. Its mandate shall include receiving annual reports from the Animal Care Committee and the Research Ethics Board, and annually approving the distribution of funds within the university’s internal research grants program. It shall also advise the vice-president: research on matters that pertain to research and its effective promotion and dissemination, and shall consult with the director of the WLU Press on issues concerning scholarly publications.

Chair:  Vice-President: Research
Administrative Support: Office of Research Services

The Student Appeals Committee shall hear and determine appeals from the decisions of the divisional faculty councils on applications and examinations by students and appeals relating to scholarships, bursaries and awards, and subject to the approval of Senate, shall establish rules and procedures for the hearing and determination of such appeals.

The vice-president: academic shall be the chair of the committee
Administrative Support: Office of the Vice-President: Academic

The Senate Student Life Committee will recommend to Senate policies relating to the lives of students at Laurier insofar as those lives are affected by the academic environment of the institution. The educational experience at an institution like Laurier depends on many factors. Its intellectual life is intimately connected with both the academic program as it exists formally and other activities of members of the Laurier community.

Chair to be elected by committee from among elected committee members
Administrative Support: Office of the Dean of Students