the journal Queen’s University
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Vol. 152, Issue 16
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Friday, November 29, 2024
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Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.
Since 1873
JDUC MOVE-IN Academic Program Regulation approved DELAYED AGAIN ‘I can’t wait to go at FAS Board meeting back home,’ AMS
Faculty Board debates key issues of academic integrity amid increasing AI use
President Owen Rocchi says M eghrig M ilkon Senior News Editor
M eghrig M ilkon Senior News Editor Sixty-four per cent of the Arts and Science Faculty Board voted in favour of the revisions to the Academic Program Regulation. The Faculty Board meeting took place on Nov. 22 at 2:30 p.m. in Dupuis Hall, with faculty and staff participating in a hybrid format, both in-person and online. The meeting focused on academic integrity and its role at the University, sessional dates, and the approval of an academic regulation that would allow programs to transition to a Modular Degree Framework—a topic that has generated controversy among faculty and students in recent weeks. Although Dean of Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) Bob Lemieux was unavailable to address Faculty Board in-person or online, he sent a statement to the Board explaining that he was “in transit conducting business for the Faculty of Arts and Science overseas.” In his statement, Lemieux clarified the approval of changing the regulation of the academic program didn’t signify approval of the Modular Degree Framework itself, but rather provided departments with the option to transition to the framework, should they choose to do so.
Faculty Board met on Nov. 22 in Dupuis Hall.
PHOTO BY HERBERT WANG
The JDUC revitalization projects hits another roadblock in their move-in timeline, leaving students in limbo amid construction delays. Days before the previously stated granted occupancy for Nov. 29, the University announced on Nov. 27 the JDUC revitalization project is expecting to receive an occupancy permit for the previously-existing areas of the building on Dec. 6. According to the Queen’s Gazette, student clubs can begin moving without requiring protective safety gear following this date. New areas of the building, including the Agora and retail spaces, are expected to receive an occupancy permit “on or around Dec. 23.” “The project team has tentatively scheduled mid-January for the revitalized JDUC to be open to the public. Updates are being provided to stakeholders on a weekly basis,” the Gazette wrote. Built in 1949 and owned by Queen’s, the JDUC has been managed by the AMS, excluding the student residences. The revitalization, which began in 2015, was officially launched in 2018 in collaboration with the Society of Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS). Delayed twice from May 2021 to May 2022, the project is now $23 million over budget, with student fees covering most of the cost increase. In 2019, a redevelopment plan for the JDUC was approved following a campus-wide referendum. The fee passed by a narrow margin of 210 votes, with 52.3 per cent of eligible AMS voters casting ballots. Both AMS and SGPS students agreed to fund the project through student fees, which would be repaid after the University covered the initial costs from a cash reserve. In a Nov. 27 communications update, the AMS clarified occupancy means a building is complete enough for stakeholders and staff to enter without construction gear. Readiness, on the other hand, refers to the point when the building is prepared for services, stores, and groups to move in and begin operating.
the way for planned changes that are waiting,” Stephenson said. Faculty Board members expressed concerns about how Joint Honours degrees would work in conjunction with departments adopting the Modular Degree Framework versus those that aren’t. She described this as “the interesting challenge” of the entire process. Stephenson explained the true potential of modularity can only be realized when all departments move forward together, noting this alignment creates real synergies for both departments and students. The motion was approved with 67 votes in favour and 38 against. The FAS Board will meet next on Dec. 13 at the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies building.
After weeks of ongoing discussions surrounding the Academic Program Regulation proposal, the decision on whether to implement the changes would ultimately rest within each department. According to the meeting agenda, the regulation change would modify the minimum number of units required for the Major, Minor, and Specialization for the Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Bachelor of Computing (Honours), Bachelor of Science (Honours), and the Specialization for the Bachelor of Music. The Modular Degree Framework requires departments within the FAS to reduce the required amount of units for Major, Minor, and Specialization programs. However, departments cannot achieve this level of modularization under the
previous academic regulations, which mandated a specific number of units per degree. Associate Dean Jenn Stephenson moved the motion for the Faculty Board to approve the revisions to the Academic Program Regulation, which allows for curriculum changes in the FAS. According to Stephenson, the proposed updates intend to reshape the academic structure of FAS to be more “equitable” and in line with the standards of neighbouring universities. “This is about equity for students, so making sure that the hard work that our students are doing, that the credits that are being earned match—so when all of you go out into the workforce and you graduate and that your diplomas and your resumes are accurate representation of the work that you’ve done,” Stephenson said to the Board. Stephenson shared that 27 departments confirmed their participation in the Modular Degree Framework. These departments include art history, biology, economics, and political studies, all of which have completed internal discussions and submitted their plans for approval. The framework aims to offer students more flexible and interdisciplinary academic pathways. While most departments are ready to proceed, others, such as computing, film and media, and geography, are still finalizing their plans. “Today’s not a vote on the Modular Degree Framework, because that work is being done by the departments. […] Today, it’s only about the regulation. Regulation is a technical step that sort of paved
Stephenson presented the annual Academic Integrity report for the 2023-24 year, detailing trends, findings, and sanctions over the past academic year. Addressing the Faculty Board, Stephenson offered a comprehensive overview of departures from academic integrity and their implications. “This is a report that every faculty puts together, then the statistics are aggregated across Queen’s, and then the aggregate data is reported to the Senate,” Stephenson said to the Board. “Although we make up in terms of undergraduate students, we make up more than 60 per cent of the undergraduate student population. Only 53 per cent of departures from academic integrity come from our faculty.” Stephenson noted the data provides a blurry picture of
whether the statistics represent actual departures from academic integrity or merely a snapshot of incidents that are caught. “There’s a necessary gap in the statistics from what’s actually happening to our documented, reported experience,” she said. A significant proportion—99 per cent—of academic integrity findings are made by instructors, emphasizing the importance of addressing these cases at the course level. Stephenson noted the rare instances, accounting for just one per cent, where cases are handled by the Associate Dean’s office, such as forgery of medical notes for academic considerations. The report also highlighted the influence of technological changes, particularly the introduction of tools like Turnitin in 2015. “When Turnitin became common, we saw a sharp rise in departures from academic integrity,” Stephenson said. COVID-19 further amplified these trends, as relaxed protocols during remote learning led to increased cases of academic integrity departures. According to Stephenson, these numbers are now returning to pre-pandemic levels. SStephenson detailed the types of departures observed, ranging from plagiarism to unauthorized use of AI tools like ChatGPT, the latter accounting for 30 cases last year. Plagiarism, once the most prevalent type of departure, has declined significantly, potentially due to increased familiarity with Turnitin among students. See FAS BOARD on page 3
NEWS — PAGE 2
OPINIONS — PAGE 6
BST — PAGE 7
SPORTS — PAGE 8
ARTS & CULTURE — PAGE 10
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