Academic Innovation Working Goup Terms of Reference

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The Academic Innovation Working Group (AIWG) will act as a steering group and catalyst to foster academic excellence and innovation at the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ.  It will identify, develop and facilitate the adoption of processes and practices that will enhance the quality and viability of academic programming and its delivery at the University of À¶Ý®ÊÓƵ. It is structured to address the most pressing issues facing the University at any time, with specific tasks that change over time and corresponding changes in membership to profit from relevant expertise of the UW community and key stakeholders. 

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  1. Enhance the Universities ability to make timely, evidence-based academic and administrative decisions.  

  1. Determine the sorts of information that support effective academic decision making and investigate mechanisms so that decision-makers have timely access to this information in a digestible form.  

  1. Develop and encourage practices that lead to an optimal balance of quality and efficiency of academic program delivery. 

  1. Facilitate cross-campus collaboration to share best practices, promote unified approaches where beneficial, and reduce duplication and redundancy in academic and student support initiatives.  

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At any time, the AIWG can create subgroups to work on some number of specific tasks, as assigned by the Provost in consultation with the President and Deans Council. The subgroups will: 

  • Maintain active awareness of the nature of collegial governance and academic decision-making at a University, while recognizing that such governance can be made more effective and efficient; 

  • As appropriate to the task, carry out appropriate research, including environmental scans of practices at comparator and competitor institutions; 

  • When appropriate, consult on campus and facilitate the sharing of knowledge and ideas across the University; and 

  • Issue recommendations to appropriate bodies (e.g., Deans Council, Faculty Councils, Senate, depending on the nature of the recommendation). 

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The AIWG at any time will comprise a leadership group and some number of working subgroups.  

The leadership group will include sufficient overlap with key academic leadership tables such as Deans Council. In recognition of the particular role of faculty members in academic governance, all members will be faculty members with tenured or permanent appointments.  

  1. Chair: An academic AVP who reports to the Provost, normally either the AVP Academic or AVP Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs 

  1. Deans from at least two Faculties 

  1. Two additional faculty members with university-wide roles relevant to academic programming (e.g., strategic enrolment management, teaching and learning innovation) 

Membership of the working subgroups will be determined by the leadership team. 

Administrative and logistical support for the groups will be provided by the Provost’s Office or the office of the AIWG Chair. 

Roles and Responsibilities 

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  • Convene and run meetings and appropriate asynchronous consultations with the leadership group 

  • Arrange workplans for the AIWG that ensure that direction from senior leadership is implemented 

  • Report on progress to senior leadership, and convey recommendations to appropriate bodies 

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  • Actively participate in the work of the AIWG leadership/subgroup 

  • Engage stakeholders as appropriate 

  • Act in a communicative role by providing clear information about the role and activity of the group to campus community members, making appropriate use of messaging developed within the AIWG/subgroup 

Administrative and logistical support: 

  • Coordinate meetings and asynchronous communication for the AIWG/subgroups, prepare agendas, record minutes. 

  • Support research, data collection, consultations, and reporting activities.  

Governance and Reporting 

The AIWG will report to the VPAP as part of the normal reporting relationship between the Chair and the Provost. It will update and seek input regularly from Deans Council+, which includes all of the Deans, the President, and other relevant senior leaders. 

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The deliverables will vary over time because they will be determined by the tasks assigned to the subgroups. 

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The University will allocate any additional resources beyond the time and effort of group members as appropriate to complete the tasks determined by senior leadership.Â