Senate >> Committees >> Standing Committee on Francophone Affairs and Official Languages
Terms of Reference
Establishment
The Standing Committee on Francophone Affairs and Official Languages was established on February 4, 2008 by resolution of the Senate 2007-2008.50. The terms of reference were amended by the Senate on April 12, 2010 (2009-2010.42).
Status
The Committee is an advisory standing committee of the Senate. Its role is to oversee the planning and implementation of initiatives that will help the University fully assume its mission and commitment to promote and develop French culture in Ontario. The Committee will also support the University community’s development in both official languages.
Functions
- To ensure that the recommendations proposed in the Senate-approved development plan for programs and services in French are implemented, the results are evaluated annually, and the next five-year plan for Francophone affairs is prepared.
- To establish, implement and coordinate a mechanism for receiving and processing complaints related to the use of official languages in the various programs and services.
- To ensure that the Regulation on Bilingualism at the University of Ottawa is promoted, is subject to follow-up, and fully and consistently applied, and to annually evaluate how the Regulation is applied in the various programs and services.
- To design and implement an ongoing action plan for improving linguistic balance within the student population.
- To work closely with faculties to design and implement an action plan for ensuring that mandatory courses are offered in French and that the range of elective courses offered in French is expanded.
- To examine and support the implementation of faculties’ plans designed to increase the opportunities of practical, clinical and Co-op placements in Francophone or bilingual settings.
- To evaluate faculties’ annual action plans for developing French teaching materials and recommend the allocation of appropriate resources.
- To establish a University-community roundtable forum and regularly consult its members.
- To monitor how faculties and services control the quality and the level of bilingualism of written communication.
Membership
- The Vice-President Academic and Provost, co-chair
- The Vice-President Resources, co-chair
- The Associate Vice-President Academic
- The Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
- One member of the Board of Governors, appointed by the Executive Committee of the Board
- Four faculty members, including two from sciences and two from humanities, appointed by the Senate
- One dean or director of an academic unit, appointed by the Senate
- Four students, including at least one graduate and one undergraduate, appointed by the Senate
- Two support staff members, appointed by the Senate
- Two alumni or retired staff members who are active in the community, appointed by the Senate
- The Executive Assistant to the Vice-President Academic and Provost
Mandates are renewable. To ensure continuity, mandates will be renewed for a period of one or two years.
Officers
- Co-chairs: the Vice-President Academic and Provost and the Vice-President Resources
- Secretary: the Executive Assistant to the Vice-President Academic and Provost
Meetings
The Committee will meet at least four (4) times a year, when convened by the co-chairs.
Meeting Attendance
A member who misses three consecutive meetings will lose the status of member of the Standing Committee and his or her position will be filled on an interim basis by the Committee until the end of the mandate.
Relations
The Committee reports regularly to the Senate.
Quorum
The majority of members constitutes a quorum.
Secretarial services
Secretarial services are provided by the Office of the Vice-President Academic and Provost.