VIU Scenery

Provost Council

Terms of Reference

Organizational Context

The Provost and Vice-President Academic, as a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT), provides leadership, strategic direction and overall management to the Academic portfolio and ensures effective internal institutional planning, decision management and assessment occur.

The Provost Council provides leadership and academic guidance to the institution particularly with respect to the ongoing development and implementation of the university’s Academic Plan in response to the Strategic Plan.

The Provost Council functions as a key planning and advisory body to the Provost and Vice-President Academic providing strategic advice and input on matters relating to the administration of the academic mandate of Vancouver Island University.

The Provost Council meets regularly to discuss, review, and recommend action on matters pertaining to faculty, students, programs and other academic matters of importance to the University. During its annual retreat, the Council reviews its objectives from the previous year and establishes priorities for the next academic year.

Provost Council provides:

  1. Identification of and advice to the Provost and to senior management on institutional priorities, directions, and emerging challenges facing the university to ensure its continued stability and success.
  2. Opportunities for information exchange, selective deep conversations, and advice on matters relating to academic leadership and management enabling cross‐institutional collaboration.
  3. Advice on academic and administrative policies and procedures, their underlying principles and assumptions, and issues relating to their implementation.
  4. Identification of opportunities for dialogue and collaboration building on institutional strengths and priorities in the areas of teaching, research, and community engagement.

Operational Guidelines

  1. The Provost Council meets every four weeks, alternating with the Strategy Lab. Alternate weeks may be reserved for smaller task force meetings, to undertake business and attend to matters that come to it from across the institution for advice, discussion and action.
  2. Provost Council meetings are collaborative, respectful and informative, where decisions are guided by the core values set out in the Academic Plan.
  3. The Provost or designate Chairs the meetings.
  4. The agenda for the Provost Council meetings is assembled by the Chair with input from members of the Provost Council.
  5. Members who have items they would like to discuss should send them to the Office of the Provost one week in advance of the meeting.
  6. Items submitted for discussion should be accompanied by a brief discussion paper to bring focus to the issue.
  7. Standing reports (written) occur each meeting from the Provost, AVPs, Director of OAEE, Librarian, Office Manager and Strategy Lab identifying issues for discussion as needed. (Submitted Friday for distribution.)
  8. When guests attend they will be asked to provide a brief background document and to make a brief presentation prior to general discussion.
  9. Discussion and recommendations made by the Provost Council will be recorded in (confidential) minutes.
  10. The Provost or appropriate AVP will forward information from Provost Council to Senior Management Team or Strategy Lab as appropriate.
  11. Provost Council members provide relevant information and announcements to their Faculties, Departments, or Offices.
  12. General information items should be distributed electronically (or loaded on to web pages), as they become available rather than included as agenda items at meetings.
  13. On occasion workshops will be offered to members of the Provost Council (others may also be invited to attend).
  14. An annual retreat will be held to provide an opportunity for Provost Council members to review progress/performance/terms of reference and to set priorities for the upcoming academic year.
  15. Approval in principle from the Council may be sought by the Provost from time to time.