Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
Saint Mary's University Senate was established in 1963 and was given legal status by the Saint Mary's University Act in 1970. "Subject to the powers of the Board, the Senate shall be responsible for the educational policy of the University and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) may create, maintain and discontinue such faculties, departments, schools or institutes and establish such chairs as it may determine and may fix the duties of those employed therein; (b) may recommend to the board the affiliation or discontinuance of the affiliation of or with other colleges or universities; (c) may determine the courses of study, admission standards, qualifications for diplomas, certificates and degrees, examinations, scholarships and bursaries and may issue the university calendars and other official publications; (d) shall be responsible for the library; (e) shall be responsible for student discipline; (f) may create such committees as it deems necessary or useful; and (g) may make regulations governing the matters that are assigned to it by this Section" (Saint Mary's University Act, 1970). All Senate standing and ad-Hoc committees report directly to the Senate.
The Senate consists of the President, Vice-President Academic and Research, Deans of all faculties, Librarian, Registrar, five students elected by the students, fifteen members elected by the academic staff, and the Director of Student Services. The Chair of the Senate is elected annually at the initial meeting of the Academic year from one of the members. The Chair presides over all meetings of the Senate, calls special meetings of Senate, casts a vote in the event of a tie, and is an ex-officio member of all committees of the Senate (Senate By-Laws, 1981). Known members to hold the position of Chair: C.J. Fischer (1964-1968), Henry Labelle (1968-1971), D. Owen Carrigan (1971-1977), John B. Owen (1977-1979), Arthur Monahan (1979-1982), D. Mulrooney (1982-1983), J. Chamard (1983-1986), Ronald A. Lewis (1986-1991; 1992-1996), Roger Barnsley (1991-1992), and Donald J. Naulls (1996-1999).
The Vice-Chair of the Senate is elected annually at the initial meeting of the Academic year. The Vice-Chair presides over meetings of the Senate in the absence of the Chair and is an ex-officio member of all committees of the Senate (Senate By-Laws, 1981). Known members to hold the position of Vice-Chair: J.E. Healey (1964-1965), Hugh Kierans (1965-1967), G.W. Tait (1969-1971), Ronald A. Lewis (1979-1986), Keith Vaughan (1986-1988; 1990-1991), Nathan Kling (1988-1990), Wendy Katz (1991-1992), Roger Barnsley (1992-1993), Peter Ricketts (1993-1996), Margot Schenk (1996-1998), and Geraldine Thomas (1998-1999).
The Secretary of the Senate is appointed annually at the initial meeting of the Academic year. The Secretary is responsible for recording, publishing, and distributing the minutes of the Senate and of the Executive Committee of the Senate, distributing documentation presented at the meetings, providing and posting a list of Senate committees and their membership, maintaining a list of Senate members (Senate By-Laws, 1981). Known members to hold the position of Secretary: Kevin Cleary (1964-1972; 1977-1999).