Faculty of Arts Student Engagement Framework for Program Proposals

The purpose of this page is to outline the standard approach for student engagement for program proposals (i.e., program pauses, suspensions, or terminations) in the Faculty of Arts. 

The governance process established by the Board of Governors and General Faculties Council and approved by the Ministry of Education is the formal mechanism outlining the process for program proposal consultation with the Students’ Union (SU) who has representation on the Faculty of Arts’ Curriculum and Review Committee (CARC) and Faculty of Arts Council, and on the University of Calgary’s Academic Program Subcommittee (APS), Academic Planning and Priorities Committee (APPC), and Calendar and Curriculum Subcommittee (CCS). 

The Faculty of Arts Students Association (FASA) also has representation on Faculty of Arts Council. This document provides additional details about the timeline, guiding principles, and components of the student engagement process with the SU, FASA, and Faculty of Arts student population.

Timing and Accessibility

• Notification of upcoming program pauses, and proposed suspensions and terminations will be provided via email to the SU president, SU VP Academic, SU Arts representatives, and FASA president and FASA VP academic alongside email notification to current students in the affected programs, which will include the following information:
• As noted in the University of Calgary Calendar, “students previously admitted to a [paused or] suspended program will be supported in the completion of their program.” 
• Students who have been shadowing ^[1] a program prior to its pause or suspension can reach out to the Associate Dean (Academic) to request admission to the program.  
• There will be multiple opportunities for student engagement and feedback, which will inform the proposal under development
• That students can reach out directly to the Associate Dean (Academic) with any questions or concerns
• The timeline of student engagement and feedback opportunities
• Student consultations on program proposals will occur after notification of current students in the affected program(s) takes place and will occur early enough to ensure feedback can inform development of the program proposal.
• Consultations will consider:
  • academic schedule (i.e., start/end of term, term break, final exams etc.);
  • students’ familiarity with Faculty of Arts and University of Calgary governance process;
  • accessibility of the location/format;
  • the governance review and approval timeline.

^{[1] Shadowing is when a student is taking courses within a different major than their own with the intent to change programs to that major in the future}

The Faculty of Arts will communicate:

• the rationale for the program pause or proposal;
• a response that summarizes the feedback (“what we heard”) and how it has influenced the final proposal. Initial feedback will be appended to the proposal in advance of CARC with a summary of additional feedback received throughout the consultation process to be appended to the proposal prior to APS.

• All students in the affected programs will be invited to participate in the consultation process, which will include at least one online and two in-person opportunities to ask questions and provide feedback; students must be given at least two-week deadline to provide online feedback and at least one week and ideally two weeks’ notice of any in-person consultation session.
• All students will have an opportunity to bring forward their questions and concerns.
• Sharing information and involving students in the consultation process is intended to build positive relationships.

• Student email and survey, both of which will strive to use plain language 
• One presentation to FASA council
• At least one in-person and one online consultation sessions with affected students in a town hall format
• At least one in-person consultation session with the Faculty of Arts student population using a town hall format (ensuring adequate space for full participation)
• Program proposals to be distributed to SU and FASA representatives at least five business days prior to CARC
• Location and times for Student Engagement Events to be shared with SU and FASA representatives and students via email, as well as on the Faculty of Arts Instagram, Facebook, X(Twitter), and D2L pages