Senate

The Senate was established through the University of Waterloo Act, 1972 and is responsible for academic programs, educational policies, faculty appointments and tenure, qualifications for degrees and diplomas, conferring honorary degrees and appointing the Chancellor. The Senate also has the power, subject to the approval of the Board insofar as the expenditures of funds is concerned, to create, modify or remove schools, institutes, departments or chairs. 
 
The composition of Senate is representative of the University community, with both elected and ex-officio membership.  Senators include faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, governors and administrative staff. The Act requires that the Senate have a majority of elected faculty members.
 
The Senate conducts its business through committees that bring recommendations to the Senate at regularly scheduled meetings through the governance year.  Meetings include open session, which guests are welcome to attend, and closed sessions reserved for Senators.
 

  • The President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Vivek Goel, is the Chair of Senate.
  • The Vice-President, Academic and Provost, Dr. James Rush, is the Vice-Chair of Senate.
  • The Secretary of Senate is Genevieve Gauthier-Chalifour, with Mike Grivicic designated as the Associate University Secretary for Senate.

Senate - Membership

Members 2023-2024

Last Updated: 1 May 2023

Constituency

Position

Name

Ex-Officio

[26]

Chancellor

Dominic Barton

Chair, Board of Governors

Murray Gamble  

President and Vice-Chancellor

Vivek Goel [Chair]

Vice-President, Academic & Provost

James Rush [Vice-Chair]

Vice-President, Administration & Finance

Jacinda Reitsma

Vice-President, Research & International

Charmaine Dean

Associate Vice-President, Indigenous
Relations

Jean Becker

Associate Vice-President, Equity,
Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism

Anita Taylor (acting)

Associate Vice-President, Academic

David DeVidi

Associate Vice-President, Graduate
Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs

Jeff Casello

Associate Vice-President, Academic
Operations

Paul Fieguth

Dean, Faculty of Health

Lili Liu

Dean, Faculty of Arts

Sheila Ager

Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Mary Wells

Dean, Faculty of Environment

Bruce Frayne

Dean, Faculty of Mathematics

Mark Giesbrecht

Dean, Faculty of Science

Chris Houser

University Librarian

Beth Sandore Namachchivaya

Registrar

Cathy Newell Kelly

President, Conrad Grebel
University College

Marcus Shantz

President, Renison
University College

Wendy Fletcher

President, St. Jerome’s University

Peter Meehan

Principal, United College

Richard Myers

President, Faculty Association of
the University of Waterloo

David Porreca

President, Waterloo Undergraduate
Student Association

Rory Norris

President, Graduate Student
Association

Neela Hassan

Board
of Governors

[4]

Aubrey Basdeo (26)

John Saabas (24)

Dan Weber (24)

 

Vacancy

Faculty
Representatives 

(Three from
each Faculty)

Faculty of Arts

James Skidmore (24)

Faculty of Arts

Veronica Kitchen (25)

Faculty of Arts

Shana MacDonald (26)

Faculty of Engineering

Lisa Aultman-Hall (24)

Faculty of Engineering

Mary Robinson (25)

Faculty of Engineering

Christopher Nielsen (26)

Faculty of Environment

Erin O’Connell (24)

Faculty of Environment

Jennifer Lynes Murray (25)

Faculty of Environment

Clarence Woudsma (26)

Faculty of Health

Luke Potwarka (24)

Faculty of Health

Narveen Jandu (25)

Faculty of Health

Ellen MacEachen (25)

Faculty of Mathematics

Martin Karsten (24)

Faculty of Mathematics

Sivabal Sivaloganathan (25)

Faculty of Mathematics

Achim Kempf (26)

Faculty of Science

Cynthia Richard (24)

Faculty of Science

Laura Deakin (25)

Faculty of Science

Colleen Maxwell (26)

Faculty
Representatives

[AFIW]

 

Conrad Grebel University
College

Troy Osborne (25)

Renison University College

Kristiina Montero (25)

United College

Scott Kline (25)

St. Jerome’s University

Carol Ann MacGregor (26)

St. Jerome’s University

Alysia Kolentsis (24)

St. Jerome’s University

John Abraham (24)

Faculty-at-Large
Representatives

[29]

Faculty of Arts

Joan Coutu (24)

Faculty of Arts

David Ha (25)

Faculty of Engineering

Nasser Abukhdeir (24)

Faculty of Engineering

Xianguo Li (24)

Faculty of Engineering

Marc Aucoin (25)

Faculty of Engineering

Siva Sivoththaman (25)

Faculty of Engineering

Nadine Ibrahim (26)

Faculty of Environment

Rob Gorbet (25)

Faculty of Environment

James Nugent (26)

Faculty of Health

Mark Ferro (26)

Faculty of Health

Peter Hall (26)

Faculty of Mathematics

Kevin Hare (24)

Faculty of Mathematics

Graeme Turner (24)

Faculty of Mathematics

Brad Lushman (25)

Faculty of Mathematics

Changbao Wu (25)

Faculty of Mathematics

Christiane Lemieux (26)

Faculty of Mathematics

Blake Madill (26)

Faculty of Science

Trevor Charles (24)

Faculty of Science

Kristine Dalton (24)

Faculty of Science

Kelly Grinrod (24)

Faculty of Science

Kim Cuddington (25)

Faculty of Science

Stan Woo (26)

Faculty of Science

Natalie Hutchings (25)

Undergraduate Students

[8]

Faculty of Arts

Sonia Ismail (24)

Faculty of Engineering

Asher Scaini (25)

Faculty of Environment

Vacancy (24)

Faculty of Health

Vacancy (24)

Faculty of Mathematics

Catherine Dong (25)

Faculty of Science

Annie Yang (24)

Student-at-Large

Labibah Salim J Ali (24)

Student-at-Large

Rida Sayed (25)

Graduate
Students

[4]

Jack DeGooyer (24)

Aiman Fatima (24)

Judy Castaneda (25)

Stephanie Maaz (25)

Alumni

[4]

Vikas Gupta (24)

Acey Kaspar (25)

Sharon Tucker (25)

Diana Vangelisti (24)

(24) = to 30 April 2024

(25) = to 30 April 2025

(26) = to 30 April 2026

Senate - Meeting Dates

2023-2024 Meeting Dates

Date Start Time Place
15 May 2023 3:30 p.m. Needles Hall 3407 & Zoom
19 June 2023 3:30 p.m. Needles Hall 3407 & Zoom
18 September 2023 3:30 p.m. Needles Hall 3407 & Zoom
23 October 2023 3:30 p.m. Needles Hall 3407 & Zoom
27 November 2023 3:30 p.m. Needles Hall 3407 & Zoom
29 January 2024 3:30 p.m. Needles Hall 3407 & Zoom
4 March 2024 3:30 p.m. Needles Hall 3407 & Zoom
8 April 2024 3:30 p.m. Needles Hall 3407 & Zoom

Senate Meeting date

Submission deadline for all items in Senate agenda

Monday, January 29, 2024

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Monday, March 4, 2024

Monday, February 5, 2024

Monday, April 8, 2024

Monday, March 11, 2024

Senate - Agendas & Minutes

NOTE: minutes of meetings are not official until approved at the next Senate meeting.

2023-2024

Agenda Minutes
8 April 2024 8 April 2024
4 March 2024 4 March 2024
29 January 2024 29 January 2024
27 November 2023 27 November 2023
23 October 2023 23 October 2023
18 September 2023 18 September 2023
19 June 2023 19 June 2023
15 May 2023 15 May 2023

2022-23

Agenda Minutes
17 April 2023 17 April 2023
27 March 2023 27 March 2023
27 February 2023 27 February 2023
16 January 2023 16 January 2023
19 December 2022 Cancelled 19 December 2022 Cancelled
21 November 2022 21 November 2022
17 October 2022 17 October 2022
19 September 2022 19 September 2022
20 June 2022 20 June 2022
16 May 2022 16 May 2022

 2021-22

Agenda Reports from Faculties Minutes
18 April 2022 18 April 2022 18 April 2022
28 March 2022 28 March 2022 28 March 2022
28 February 2022  28 February 2022 28 February 2022
17 January 2022  17 January 2022 17_January 2022
20 December 2021 20 December 2021 20 December 2021
15 November 2021 15 November 2021 15 November 2021
18 October 2021  18 October 2021 18 October 2021
20 September 2021 20 September 2021 20 September 2021
21 June 2021 21 June 2021 21 June 2021
17 May 2021 17 May 2021 17 May 2021

2020-21

Agenda Minutes
19 April 2021 19 April 2021
22 March 2021 22 March 2021
22 February 2021 22 February 2021
18 January 2021 18 January 2021
21 December 2020 - cancelled 21 December 2020 - cancelled
16 November 2020 16 November 2020
19 October 2020 19 October 2020
21 September 2020 21 September 2020
15 June 2020 15 June 2020
19 May 2020 19 May 2020

2019-20

Agenda Minutes
20 April 2020 20 April 2020
30 March 2020 - revised 30 March 2020
24 February 2020 cancelled 24 February 2020 cancelled
20 January 2020 20 January 2020
18 November 2019 18 November 2019
21 October 2019 21 October 2019
16 September 2019 16 September 2019
17 June 2019 17 June 2019
21 May 2019 21 May 2019