The terms of reference of the committee will guide its regular activities. The following information and resources are provided to assist Senate committee Chairs and Secretaries in their responsibilities.
The staff in the University Secretariat are also available to assist as needed.
It is the responsibility of the Chair, with the assistance of the Secretary to:
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establish an action plan for the committee;
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develop the agenda;
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call meetings;
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consult with the committee concerning whether meetings will be open or closed;
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decide whether observer status will be granted to those seeking it;
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determine if guests will be invited;
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prepare and present reports to Senate.
Please refer to the following for more details:
It is the responsibility of the Chair to make clear to both observers and elected members that only elected and ex officio members are counted for quorum, and that observers are not expected to participate extensively in the committee's discussions, unless their opinion is expressly invited on an issue. For more information please refer to the policy:
There may be other aspects on which the Chair will be required to rule in order to ensure the effective functioning of the committee. In addition to the general rules of procedure, the Chair should make particular note of the rules which govern confidentiality and ensure that, at the beginning of the year, an agreement is established among the members of the committee about the extent to which the committee's deliberations should be kept confidential.
During policy development, Senate Committees should consult as widely as possible with the university community. Advice on methods to solicit comment is available by contacting senate@queensu.ca
Membership List
Maintain up-to-date list of committee members (ex officio, elected, observer) contact information - mailing address, telephone, e-mail. (The University Secretariat will supply the list of current members each September, or as soon as it is finalized.) The membership list and committee mandate should be circulated to members at the beginning of the year.
Action Plan
Review with committee chair currently outstanding and potential agenda items and develop a committee action plan for the year. Information describing agenda issues for each Senate Committee is collected at the beginning of September and included in the Senate Agenda for the September Meeting.
Meetings
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Schedule: Depending on the committee membership, the schedule can be established either by collecting timetable information from members and identifying the free time slot, or by selecting a schedule based on the chair's own timetable. A monthly or semi-monthly schedule for the year, or for the term, which is announced at the earliest opportunity, is usually successful. Meetings can be canceled or added based on this core schedule. Remember to check faith dates with the before scheduling meetings
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Location: The secretary is responsible for booking the meeting room and ensuring that notice of the date, time and location of the meeting is circulated in advance to all members, visitors, guests and observers. In most cases, this information can be communicated by the Agenda.
Agenda
In consultation with the chair, the secretary draws up the list of items to be considered at the next meeting of the committee, attaching the necessary background information (reports, correspondence, etc.). For most committees, agendas will be constructed using the Governance Portal, and will be accessible by committee members only.
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Circulation: The agenda package should be circulated to the members prior to the meeting. Committees vary in the required/preferred lead-time for receipt of agenda material. The issues to be discussed will often determine if more or less time is necessary. Presenting information to a committee without notice should be avoided at all costs. Copies should be sent to the University Secretariat for information. Please copy the VP Academic on all committee mailings to deans (e.g. requests for input on proposed policies).
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Methods: Ideally, all members will access the agenda by logging into the Governance Portal. Please accommodate any special needs.
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Outstanding Items: It is helpful to maintain a checklist on the agenda of outstanding items to remind committee members of issues to be dealt with in the near future.
Minutes
The secretary records the date of the meeting, the attendance, the actions taken by the committee and any other issues of substance that are discussed.
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Style: A concise minute style that records decisions and reasons, with only limited, salient, points of discussion, is recommended. The secretary must be sensitive to the needs of the committee; however, the secretary should also exercise a measure of reasonable judgement about how much information is necessary to support the work of the committee. Discussion with the chair about these issues is recommended.
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Circulation: Minutes should be circulated with the agenda for the next meeting and should be approved as the second item of business after the adoption of the agenda.
Reports
The outcome of a committee's deliberations will usually be a report to the Senate containing recommendations in the form of motions/actions if approval is required for a course of action or a report for information, if approval by the Senate is not required. The secretary must ensure that reports are submitted to the Senate in an acceptable format and conform to accessibility standards. Subֱs may be sent as attachments via email to senate@queensu.ca.
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Research: The secretary may assist with research and help draft committee reports.
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Standard Chair's Report: Typically, committees will supply a "Chair's Report" to Senate after each committee meeting for information. Please contact the Secretariat office for a template.
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Motions/Action Reports: If committee business requires Senate approval, then the materials and an Executive Summary must be provide to the Senate.
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Notice: Committees are encouraged to involve the Senate at an early stage on matters of substance. One method is to submit a report in draft for discussion by Senate prior to final recommendations. Another option is Notice of Motion at the meeting prior to the meeting at which the vote on the proposed action will be called.
Notwithstanding these suggestions, the Senate's Rules of Procedure state that circulation of proposals with the agenda prior to the Senate meeting is sufficient notice. Experience has shown, however, that complex matters can be handled more effectively if extra notice is provided.
Meeting Procedures
Secretaries should refer to the Senate Rules of Procedure, (VI) Committees.
- Quorum: One-half of the membership (ex officio and elected members) of a Senate committee shall constitute a quorum.
Consult the Secretariat
Secretaries are invited to consult the Senate staff in the University Secretariat on any of the above items or on any other issues concerning the Senate and its committees.
Accessibility Considerations
Queen’s is committed to an inclusive campus community with accessible goods, services, and facilities that respect the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. As part of these efforts, it is requested that all documents submitted to Senate adhere to the complete guidelines found on the Accessibility Hub. While these are subject to occasional change, and should be consulted, in general the following key principles will apply:
- Use a 12 point font in all documents
- Use a Sans Serif font in all documents and be consistent with that font throughout
- Make sure that all information conveyed with colour can also be conveyed without colour
Report Types
There are two types of reports which committee chairs submit to the Senate, Chair's Reports and Executive Summary Reports.
Chair's Reports
These are submitted after each meeting of the committee and will contain the following information:
- Name of Committee and date of meeting(s) being reported on
- Announcements
- Discussion summary
- Decisions
- Committee membership
These are short, high-level summaries of the meetings and are presented to Senate in the consent portion of the agenda.
Executive Summary Reports
All items of business coming from a committee to Senate require an Executive Summary. This will include items for action, for information, or for discussion. They will contain the following information:
- Purpose - Action, Discussion, Information
- Motion wording if applicable
- Summary
- Analysis
- Committee membership
Templates for both report types can be obtained by contacting the Secretariat staff at senate@queensu.ca and staff will be happy to assist.
All Ontario universities are subject to the provisions found in the Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). The overall purpose of FIPPA is to make public bodies more accountable and to protect personal privacy.
Committee Chairs and Secretaries should be aware of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act as it pertains to Senate committee activities:
- Governance records, including those marked “Confidential” are within scope of an access-to-information request under FIPPA. Accordingly, create records with access in mind. Aim for "crisp" minutes: minutes should not record who said what, but rather should record only substantive discussion and decisions.
- Printed meeting materials that contain personal or confidential information should be retrieved from all committee members once the issue has been dealt with. The Secretary of the committee or the University Secretariat will dispose of the materials securely in accordance with authorized records retention schedules.
- Draft minutes, hand-written notes, voice mails, emails, and even post-it notes constitute “University Records" and can be requested under an access-to-information request. All such drafts and unofficial materials, including those of the Chair and Secretary, can be considered transitory and should be disposed of once the official minutes have been approved.
If you would like more information about FIPPA, including on-line training, please refer to the
Committee Chairs and Secretaries should refer to the Policy on Non-Member Participation at Senate and Senate Committee Meetings for guidance, or contact the University Secretariat staff for assistance.
Rules of Procedure
Senate business is conducted according to Bourinot’s Rules of Order – Standford, Revised 4th Ed. Committee Chairs and Secretaries are invited to familiarize themselves with the Rules of Procedure for Senate and Bourinot's Rules at a Glance to help guide meetings. It is the prerogative of the Chair to determine the overall formality of the meeting.
Style of Address
The style of address at Senate, during debate or in the minutes and reports that are the permanent written record of the Senate, shall be consistent with principles of inclusion and equity as follows:
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In the written minutes and reports, members of Senate shall be identified by their first initial and last name only.
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During discussions on the floor of Senate, the Chair shall normally address speakers as "Senator [last name]" except in the case of Visitors, Guests and Observers.
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As a guideline, when appropriate and particularly to ensure clarity, the title and affiliation of a Visitor, Guest or Observer who is invited to speak or who requests speaking privileges, may also be used.
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The above applies to the Senate, Senate Standing Committees, Subcommittees, Ad Hoc Committees and Task Forces.