During 2016-2017, the new Office of the Vice-Dean, Governance and Internationalization (VDGInt) continued to develop and implement its two-fold mission of governance and internationalization.
Our international activities, internships and field courses continued in the successful vein they had enjoyed in previous years. A statistical portrait is presented below. The year was marked by some additions and transformations. Thus, the United Nations simulation course; is now under the Office’s responsibility. In 2017, the team was restructured following the departure of Rex Fyles, who had been responsible for these activities since they began. In the current context, the VDGInt has decided to have a professor examine the educational and academic aspects of these activities, rather than fill the position of International Practical Teaching Manager. This new approach and structure will be evaluated in 2018.
In terms of governance, the VDGInt has conducted a complete review and update of the Faculty’s bylaws, a task that had been overdue for several years. During this review we modified obsolete regulations and changed current regulations to comply with new University policies. In addition, we finalized the procedural rules governing our meetings, work we had undertaken during the previous year.
The status of minor programs under the supervision of the Vice-Dean of Undergraduate Studies, such as Social Sciences of Health, Globalization Studies, and Gerontology, had been a longstanding issue of some concern. In response, the VDGInt coordinated the transfer of academic and administrative responsibility for these programs to academic units, whose collaboration in this matter we greatly appreciate.
Given the current academic environment, we will likely face a number of challenges in the years to come. We expect that in the coming months the University’s central administration will announce its orientation or policy on internationalization, an issue that will present challenges of primary importance to the VDGInt. Similarly, issues involving the institutional governance and organization will inevitably be central to our future concerns.