Dave Heppenstall |  Contact

Student Senator 07-08

My Priorities | Commitee Memberships | Voting Record

The University of Guelph Senate is responsible for the educational policy of the University of Guelph. The Senate is representative of the University community: executives, college deans, department chairs, faculty and student senators. Together, the members of Senate shape University programs, regulations and policies.

As the elected undergraduate student representative for the Bachelor of Computing during the 2007-08 school year, I represented the interests of my peers with professionalism and integrity. My mandate was to listen to the concerns of Computing students and to act in their collective best interest in the Senate.

My successor for the 2008-09 school year was Wyatt Carss.

My Priorities

Defend CIS Interests in the Senate
Computing and Information Science students are greatly concerned about the quality of the education that they are receiving. I will remain dedicated to listening to your concerns and ensuring that they are defended.

Keep you Informed and Up-to-Date
If you've never even heard of the University of Guelph Senate before, that is an indication you are missing out on a lot of important information. I am committed to ensuring that you, my constituents, are kept fully informed regarding any relevant issues regarding your academic futures.

Improve the Reputation and Quality of your Degree
As a new program, the Bachelor of Computing degree continues to be developed and refined. I will endeavour to ensure that any actions of the Senate do not diminish the quality of our degree; quite the contrary.

Commitee Memberships

Senate Committee on Student Petitions
Hears appeals in cases of academic misconduct and hears decisions of readmission if based on procedural grounds. The committee also conducts reviews of recommendations for expulsion and degree revocation. As a Senator, it is my responsibility to attend hearings and participate in the process to decide the outcome of the petition.

Information Services Council
Responsible for recommending policy and strategic directions in the provision and use of information services in support of the teaching, learning, research, service and administrative missions of the University of Guelph. As a member, I participate in discussions to improve computing on campus.

Information Technology Student Advisory Committee
This Committee, ITSAC, was formed by Computing and Communications Services (CCS) to provide a forum for students to share their concerns and priorities about information technology at the University of Guelph. As a student senator member, I represent the interests of my constituents and communicate their interests.

CPES Student Council
This organization has a prime duty to ensure the academic and social well being of all students within the College of Physical and Engineering Science. As a student senator within the college, I participate in assisting the organization with its activities and vote on its affairs.

Voting Record

This section contains a complete record of all my votes on action items in the University of Guelph Senate during my term in office. This record also shows which motions were actually carried, regardless of how I voted. Official meeting agendas and minutes will be posted as soon as they are released by the Senate.

Please note that motions such as the approval of minutes, the granting of speaking rights and the adjournment of session are not listed here due to the fact that they are considered trivial and largely inconsequential.

February 12th, 2008 Senate Session
Agenda | Minutes

• Supported the Membership Slate for the Review Committee for the Provost and Vice-President (Academic). Carried.
• Supported the Proof of English Proficiency for Admissions policy. Carried.
• Supported the proposed PhD Program in Political Science. Carried.
• Supported the proposed Master of Public Health program. Carried.
• Supported the proposed MSc/PhD program in Integrative Biology. Carried.
• Supported the proposed MA program in Art and Visual Culture. Carried.
• Supported the proposed MSc and GDip programs in Hospitality and Tourism. Carried.
• Supported the proposed MA program in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Carried.
• Supported the proposed GDip Applied Statistics program in the Department of Math and Stats. Carried.
• Supported the proposed MSc and PhD programs in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Carried.

December 11th, 2007 Senate Session
Agenda | Minutes

• Supported the Final Report of the Review of the Senate Standing Committees including the recommendations therein. Carried.
• Supported the proposed policy on Deferred Final Examination/Mid-term examination scheduling conflicts for inclusion in the 2008-09 Undergraduate Calendar. Carried.
• Supported and Seconded that the following wording be included under Grading Resolution 2 in chapter eight under Graduate Degree Regulations and Procedures; Grading Procedures 2008-09 Undergraduate Calendar, "Unannounced Evaluations or surprise assessments may not be used for course assessment purposes or to determine course grades". Carried.

November 6th, 2007 Senate Session
Agenda | Minutes

• Supported the new Certificate in Scottish Studies. Carried.
• Supported the new PhD in Management. Carried.

October 2nd, 2007 Senate Session
Agenda | Minutes

• Supported the revised Terms and Conditions for the John Bell Award. Carried.
• Supported the addition of the "Environmental Governance" major to the Bachelor of Arts specialization. Carried.
• Opposed the Proposed Change to the Schedule of Dates. Carried despite opposition.
  Presented the Electronic Consultation Methods Report in defense of my position.
• Supported the new Graduate Diploma in Leadership in the College of Management and Economics. Carried.
• Supported new graduate programs: Master of Bioinformatics, Graduate Diploma in Experimental Bioinformatics, and Graduate Diploma in Computational Bioinformatics, from the College of Biological Science, College of Physical and Engineering Science and Ontario Agricultural College. Carried.