TERMS OF REFERENCE

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Purpose and Authority

The purpose of this advisory council is to:

• Advise and provide recommendations to the Vice Dean, Education on new program, new degrees, new certificates, and significant course proposals submitted by UBC Faculty of Medicine departments and schools.
• Advise and provide recommendations to the proponents on their curriculum proposals and support them in developing the best proposal possible to put forward for Faculty consideration.

Composition

• This advisory council is made up of ex-officio and appointed members.
• The Faculty of Medicine’s commitment to equitable and diverse membership on its committees and advisory councils guides its nomination and selection process.

Ex-officio

• Head, Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences (1) (co-chair)
• Administrative Director, Office of the Vice Dean, Education (1) (co-chair)
• Associate Dean, Health Professions (1)
• Associate Dean, Graduate and Postdoctoral Education (1)
• Head, Department of Medicine, or delegate (1)
• Director, Centre for Health Education Scholarship, or delegate (1)
• Director, School of Population and Public Health, or delegate (1)
• Senior Manager, Education Technology, Digital Solutions (1)

Appointed

• One Faculty of Education representative, or delegate (1)
• Guests may be invited to join specific meetings or portions of specific meetings at the chair’s discretion.

Appointment Process

• Ex officio members are members by virtue of their administrative appointment.
• Appointed members are selected by the Vice Dean, Education.

Term

• Ex officio members are members as long as they hold their administrative appointment.
• Appointed members are members for a two-year term and are eligible for renewal by mutual agreement

Chair

• The advisory group is co-chaired by the Head, Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences and the Administrative Director, Office of the Vice Dean, Education.

Meeting Schedule and Administration

• Scheduled to meet every 3 months and at the call of the co-chairs. This Curriculum Pathways Advisory Council (CPAC) will need to be responsive to proposals that are submitted and as such at certain periods of the calendar year there may be a need for more frequent meetings. Meetings will be cancelled if there are no curriculum proposals in queue for the advisory council to review.
• All members are expected to attend all meetings in person or via videoconference or phone.
• The Curriculum Coordinator from the Office of the Vice Dean, Education will capture meeting minutes. Minutes will be circulated to all members.
• Records will be maintained in accordance with UBC and Faculty of Medicine records retention procedures.

Quorum and Decision Making Process

• Meetings will normally be cancelled if fewer than half of members can attend.
• This advisory council provides advice based on the input of all members. Members typically reach consensus, but may convey multiple perspectives if consensus does not emerge.

Lines of Accountability and Communication

This advisory council provides advice to the Vice Dean, Education who will refer his/her recommendations and findings to the Dean, UBC Faculty of Medicine regarding new courses/degrees/certificates/program offerings. Additionally, the CPAC provides advice and recommendations to the proponents to ensure they put the best proposal forward for Faculty consideration. Representatives of this advisory council liaise with other academic and administrative committees and advisory councils, as needed.

Members must declare conflicts of interest prior to the discussion of issues or at any time a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest arises. A conflict of interest refers to situations in which personal, occupational or financial considerations may affect or appear to affect the objectivity or fairness of decisions related to the council’s activities. A conflict of interest may be real, potential or perceived in nature. Individuals must declare potential conflicts to the co-chairs of the CPAC and must either recuse themselves from the discussion and voting, or put the decision to the council on whether they should recuse themselves.

Responsibilities

This advisory council reviews proposals for new programs, degrees, certificates, and significant new courses, ensuring that they have the following attributes for consideration:

• Possibly designed using a cross-disciplinary approach to create modules that leverage expertise between departments/schools/institutes
• Deliver sustainable benefits to students directly (e.g. enhancement of content; experiential learning opportunities, career trajectory) and/or indirectly (e.g. training of faculty and staff in new learning technologies)
• Repurposed or rejuvenated to ensure enhancement and long-term viability of course/program
• Possibly or has the potential to achieve higher enrolment and net revenues over a multi-year horizon
• Be deliverable within the constraints of UBC facilities and infrastructure
• Align with the goals and objectives of the UBC FoM 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, “Building the Future”  in particular, the Education Pillar and UBC’s strategic plan 2018-2028 in “Shaping UBC ‘s Next Century”.

Approval

This version of these terms of reference has been approved by the Vice Dean, Education on November 16, 2020.

Version History

• Approved by Vice Dean, Education on November 04, 2020.
• Updated March 23, 2022
• Approved by Executive Associate Dean, Education on October 5, 2019
  

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