Joint task force
Senate has approved creating a joint task force on governance and communication made up of representatives from Senate and the Board of Governors.

        The task force will be created for one year and advise on issues of accountability, conflict of interest guidelines and communications mechanisms. A permanent task force could be created if needed after one year.

        The task force was approved by the Board of Governors in June. Two of the things it will work on are recommendations made by Harry Arthurs and Joyce Lorimer in their March review of Trent's administration.

        Interim president David Smith said Senate will be asked to consider proposals responding to other recommendations made by Arthurs and Lorimer later. Senate will be asked to discuss establishing an institutional planning process in November. The Senate budget committee will review recommendation to make budgeting more transparent. And a committee to look at restructuring the Senate will be formed next spring.

Positions to be reviewed
While searches proceed for four top administrative positions, other senior posts are under review and decisions expected in February, acting dean Colin Taylor told Senate Oct. 14.

        Extending Paul Healy's three-year term as dean (formerly associate dean) of research and graduate studies to the usual five years is currently under consideration. A committee of science chairs is expected to discuss the position of associate dean of science, now filled by Keith De'Bell whose term ends within a year. Committees on colleges and continuing education will discuss the position of associate dean of part-time studies, now occupied temporarily by Jackie Tinson.

Rewriting calendar
The Registrar's Office has taken over responsibility from the Communications Office for publishing the annual academic calendar, the prospectus and part-time studies course brochures.

        Course listings will be updated on an electronic version of the calendar on Trent's Web site. The printed edition will "be a snapshot taken at one time," acting dean Colin Taylor told Senate Oct. 14.

        Some senators were concerned that students could make decisions based on different and changing versions of calendar listings. They pressed Taylor to archive old versions of the calendar as it was updated.

        The university plans to hire someone to rewrite the calendar, said Taylor. It will be rewritten in "plainer English and with an index," he said.

        An editorial advisory committee consisting of representatives from the Registrar's, Dean's and Communications offices will oversee academic calendar changes.