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I. Mandate
The Senate Orientation Review Committee (SORC) has responsibility for ensuring that execution of the university鈥檚 undergraduate Orientation aligns with Senate-approved policies and procedures. This responsibility will be primarily achieved through identification of the proposed outcomes of each undergraduate student society and university unit鈥檚 Orientation, confirmation of alignment with the Senate-approved Goals of Orientation and an evaluation of whether, and to what effect, such outcomes were achieved. Processes supporting this work are developed and updated through the collaboration of the Committee, the University Secretariat, the Division of Student Affairs, and the Alma Mater Society.
The Committee will provide an annual report to Senate on the alignment of Orientation with Senate鈥檚 policies and procedures, the content of which shall be shared widely with relevant student societies and university units, with adequate time to ensure recommendations can impact planning for the subsequent year鈥檚 Orientation.
The Senate Orientation Review Committee is a governance body. Operational authority and responsibility for Orientation lies with the Division of Student Affairs and is executed in collaboration with all relevant bodies, including the 鈥淒eans and Designates Orientation Working Group鈥, the DSA/ORT group, and the Alma Mater Society. SORC鈥檚 mandate permits it to review how each student society and university unit plan to ensure Orientation conforms to university policy and their subsequent success in achieving their goals. SORC shall not monitor Orientation activities and/or carry out risk management responsibilities directly, which are the purview of university administration.
II. Responsibilities
With regard to responsibility for each of the topics below, the Committee shall:
i) Senate Policies and Procedures
Review on a five-year basis any and all Senate-approved policies and procedures related to the university鈥檚 orientation goals, activities, and practices to ensure their completeness and alignment with to the university鈥檚 vision, mission, and goals.
Develop and bring to Senate for approval any new or revised policies and procedures related to orientation that may be deemed necessary by the Committee, university, or students involved in orientation activities. Requests for such policies, if not originating from the Committee, must be presented at Senate and referred to the Committee for review and recommendation.
ii) Auditing and Review of Orientation
Review and discuss significant findings and any misalignment between the outcomes of orientation against their proposed purpose and Senate-approved policies and procedures related to Orientation. This responsibility shall be fulfilled as follows:
- In advance of orientation 鈥 Receive a summary report of objectives and planned outcomes for Orientation from the Division of Student Affairs and each faculty society, together with a list all planned activities, as approved by the Deans and Designates Orientation Working Group, working in collaboration with the AMS. The Committee may make comment regarding the objectives and planned outcomes and their alignment with the key principles of Orientation along with Senate policies and procedures and provide its advice to the relevant parties in this regard.
- After orientation 鈥 Receive a final report on activities from the Deans and Designates Orientation Working Group, with a reconciliation of planned and achieved objectives and outcomes, and any notes regarding deviation from planning or Senate policies and procedures. Receive data from orientation evaluation surveys and review results and trends in the context of orientation objectives and outcomes.
iii) Reporting to Senate
Deliver an annual report to Senate by December of each year on the Committee鈥檚 audit and review findings to ensure its feedback can be taken into consideration in time for the subsequent orientation period.
Membership
Elected members
- 3 undergraduate students-at-large, including one student senator
- 2 faculty or staff
Ex officio members
- Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs, or delegate
- 1 member of the Deans and Designates Group, appointed by the Deans and Designates Group
- AMS Vice-President University Affairs, or delegate
- Human Rights and Equity Office representative
Official Observers (non-voting)
- Orientation Roundtable Chair
- 1 representative appointed by the 成人大片 Alumni Association
- 1 representative from the Student Experience Office
The chairship of the Committee shall rotate on an annual basis between an elected student and an elected non-student member.
To ensure that the Committee acts with adequate objectivity and is free from bias, elected Committee members shall not be staff members who work in a university office which has direct responsibility/oversight for Orientation, or students who have previously been involved in the organization and execution of Orientation at a level higher than an Orientation group leader.
Support for SORC shall be provided by the University Secretariat.