Committees & Policies

Terms of Reference

Academic Planning & Policy Committee (AP&P) is a standing committee of Senate, reporting to Senate and advisory to the Provost and Vice President Academic:

• To support the ongoing process of academic planning and policy at the University
• To provide advisory feedback on reports and proposals, and recommend actions the University can take to strengthen its academic programming and educational environment
• To develop and revise academic policies at the University level (e.g., admissions, academic integrity), and make recommendations to Senate
• To review proposals for new degree and graduate diploma programs, including the associate budgets. Review and acceptance of monitoring reports for new programs
• To review proposals for terminating academic programs and recommend terminating academic programs to Senate
• To review proposals to create or change the status of academic units (departments/programs/schools) and make recommendations to Senate

Composition  

• Provost and Vice President Academic - Chair
• Dean
• Dean, Graduate Studies
• Dean, Trent University Durham GTA
• University Librarian
• 4 Faculty, 1 with graduate experience
• 3 Students (named by TCSA, TGSA and TDSA)
• Senior Director, Academics & Quality Assurance (secretary)                     

Consultants 

• Deans who are not members
• Associate Vice-President, Finance
• University Registrar

Terms of Reference revised Feb 2003, July 2007, Oct 2008 merger Academic Planning and Senate Budget Cttees, Mar 2012, Nov 2012, January 2015, May 2017, May 2019, 2022, May 2023, May 2026

Academic Personnel Decisions

• ​Promotion, Tenure, Reappointment
• ​Sabbaticals
• Merit

Additional Departmental Considerations 

For a full list of ADCs, please visit the Additional Departmental Considerations SharePoint site

Terms of Reference

Administrative Advisory Committee

• Concerned with reappointment, tenure, permanence, promotion, merit and sabbaticals
• To consider and recommend to Senate candidates for the distinction of `Professor Emeritus' who do not automatically qualify
• Functions in accordance with the Collective Agreement between the University and the Trent University Faculty Association

Composition

• Academic Administrator designated by the Provost (ex officio) - Chair
• 6 faculty members (two from each division)
• 1 faculty member from either the School of Education or the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing
• 1 librarian member
• Administrative support from the Provost’s Office (secretary, consultant)

For more information on cyclical review process, see Quality Assurance / Cyclical Program Review

Terms of Reference

Cyclical Program Review Committee (CPRC) is a standing committee of Senate, reporting to Senate and advisory to the Provost and Vice President Academic.

In accordance with the Institutional Program Quality Assurance Policy and Procedures (IQAP), responsible for the cyclical review of existing programs, including reviewing Self-Study documents, Review Committee Reports and Responses by academic units and Deans; preparing Final Assessment Reports for approval by the Provost; receiving and acceptance of Implementation Reports from academic units, and preparing Reports for Senate.

Composition

• Designate of the Provost (normally a Dean or Associate Dean) - Chair
• Dean or Associate Dean - Graduate Studies
• 4 faculty
• 3 students (named by TCSA, TGSA and TDSA)
• Quality Assurance Coordinator, Office of the Provost (secretary, non-voting)

Consultants

• Deans
• Senior Director, Academics & Quality Assurance, Office of the Provost

Terms of Reference (replaces Program Quality Assurance Committee) est. Jan 2015, revised May 2017, Apr 2019, May 2023, May 2026

The Undergraduate Studies Committee (USC) acts under the authority of Senate and is responsible for the review and approval of undergraduate academic curriculum, including modifications to existing programs, and makes recommendations to the Academic Planning & Policy Committee (AP&P) on the degree requirements and curriculum of proposed new academic programs. 

USC Policy and Resources

• USC Policy
• USC Terms of Reference
• Undergraduate Degree Level Expectations
• Course Numbering Policy
• Science Credit Designation
• Indigenous Course Requirement
• Course Learning Outcomes Overview (PDF)
• Course and Program Learning Outcomes Resource (Centre for Teaching & Learning) (PDF)

*2025-2026 Submission Deadline: November 15, 2025*

USC Proposal Forms

Modifications to Program

Modifications to Program (.docx)
Changes to program requirements, name of program

(For new degree program proposals, please see Quality Assurance / New Degree Program Development)

New Specialization, Option, Minor, Diploma, or Certificate

New Special Program (.docx)
New Specialization within a major; new Option; new Minor in a subject area in which a major exists; new Certificate for university credit; new undergraduate Diploma

New Courses

Before starting a proposal for a new course, please review the information on course syllabuses and provide to the course developer if needed.

New Permanent Course (.docx)
New course offering to be regularized upon introduction

New Trial Course or Special Topic Course (.docx)
A trial course is not a permanent addition to curriculum offerings and may be offered twice, after which it must be regularized to be offered again; a special topic is offered to cover material not dealt with in regular course offerings and is not normally regularized

Course Syllabus Template (.docx)
A template that may be used for the new syllabus

Indigenous Course Requirement (.docx)
Appended to new course regularization proposals

Changes to Existing Courses

Minor Changes to Course (.docx)
Title, description, prerequisite, cross-listing, level, code, reserve list, permanent deletion

Trial Course Regularization (.docx)
To make a trial course permanent after it has been offered twice

Indigenous Course Requirement (.docx)
Appended to trial course regularization proposals

Course Split (.docx)
Two new half-credit courses from an existing full-credit course

Course Compression (.docx)
Full-credit course reweighted to a half-credit course

Contact

For more information about the application process, please contact Anna Lightfoot at usc@trentu.ca.

Terms of Reference

Faculty Board is a body established by the Faculty Council Constitution and is "responsible for fulfilling and executing the powers and duties of the Faculty Council relating to the academic policies of the University on the Council's behalf in consultation with the Steering Committee of Faculty Council." Faculty Board normally meets prior to each Senate meeting and receives and considers various proposals that will be made to Senate, notably with respect to matters of academic policy and new programming. Faculty Board also acts as an academic advisory committee to the President and the President's senior academic advisors. Faculty Board also receives regular updates from administrators regarding issues of importance to faculty including staffing, enrolment, and integrated planning.

Membership

• Provost & Vice President Academic (Chair, as delegated by the President)
• President & Vice-Chancellor
• Vice President Research & Innovation
• Deans
• Associate Deans
• University Registrar
• University Librarian
• Chairs/Directors of Academic Units (undergraduate and graduate programs/departments; schools)
• Three at-large members of the Faculty Council Steering Committee
• TUFA representative, appointed by the Trent University Faculty Association Executive Committee
• CUPE representative, appointed by the part-time members of the University staff

Terms of Reference developed 16 August 2010 based on the Faculty Council Constitution (Revised 15 September 1989, 1 November 1991, 29 October 1993, 24 March 2000, 8 April 2005)

Minutes

TUFA Faculty - to access recent minutes, please visit the Faculty Board SharePoint site.