Commitment #1

Students First

Anthropology

  • Congratulation letters sent to all high achieving first year students (ANTH 111 and ARCH 112)
  • T. Clark's Community-based archaeology course at shishalh Nation, BC; graduate student research opportunities in Belize (Prof. Waldram) and Siberia (Prof. Lieverse)

Art and Art History

  • Developed exchange program with Hubei Institute of Fine Arts in Wuhan, China

Biology

  • Biology auditorium and classroom renovations
  • Larger 100-level Biology courses; Biol. 90
  • Volunteer work/research; Bioscan/New Biology Club
  • ELAP; participation in PICT

Chemistry

  • Chemistry Learning Centre, a drop-in tutorial centre to assist entry-level undergraduate students with problem-solving
  • Award-winning Teaching Assistants
  • Developed two new “laddering” courses - Chem 90 and Chem 100 - aimed at refining core chemistry concepts for entry-level undergraduate students
  • fostered student-led initiatives, such as the Women in Chemistry program, and the Graduate Student Symposium (featuring student presentations, invited lecturers, and professional development)
  • Faculty-led Indigenous outreach activities, which include bringing high-school students into research laboratories for experiential learning opportunities.
  • Recruited large numbers of international students into its programs, particularly graduate students, who are highly-competitive for CGPS Dean’s scholarships.

Computer Science

Drama

Economics

  • Student internship program: approximately 15 students enroll each year and students speak highly of the program
  • Graduate co-op program: This program provides students with hands-on experience and is used to recruit students from the undergraduate program
  • Study abroad: Currently the department as two international agreements with Chinese Universities. Two additional agreements are being explored in Spain and Bangladesh
  • International recruitment: The department recruits many international students. Approximately 25% are not originally from Canada (countries represented include China, Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Sudan, Bangladesh, among others)

English

  • High enrollments in ENG120 and ENG220 Creative Writing
  • ISAP Student Readings
  • Identifying strong possible English majors through personalized letters
  • ENG496 Career Internship / ENG497 Honours Colloquium
  • ISAP Student Readings
  • Online Library Instruction Program

Geological Sciences

  • Introduced more TA support for students taking Geol. 108 and 109
  • Encouraged students to attend and present at conferences; use alumni donation fund to support students to attend conferences; encouraged graduate students to participate in science outreach in northern communities; pass on employment opportunities to students; sponsor summer internships for students; provide scholarships for students; encourage and support Ore Gangue activities (undergraduate student group); encourage students to connect with alumni network for study and career mentoring

History

  • Student learning opportunities include Study Abroad, research assistantships and internships, and field school

Indigenous Studies

Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies

Mathematics and Statistics

  • Our bimonthly Math Club has fostered student camaraderie and pride in their mathematics and statistics degree programs
  • We encouraged our students to bid to host the Canadian Undergraduate Mathematics Conference; their bid was successful, bringing the CUMC to Saskatchewan for the first time in the conference’s 25-year history (and 100 students from across the country with it)
  • The Math Club and CUMC has spurred our students to create our first ever Math & Stats Student Society (MS^3), which runs social activities, math help sessions, Pi Day festivities, and more
  • Some of undergraduate courses offered at our Department have been accredited by the SSC (Statistical Society of Canada) to be used towards the educational requirements of the Associate Statistician

Music

  • Students receive numerous leadership opportunities, including: participation in ratified student-led organizations (Association of Student Musicians (ASM) and University of Saskatchewan Music Educators’ Society (USMES)); recital activities; and through ensemble executive committees
  • “Mysterious Barricades” concert raised awareness for mental health

Physics and Engineering Physics

  • Online course creation (ASTR 104) adds ~150 students/yr
  • Creation of Phys 90
  • Adopt Skynet labs to ASTR 113, develop FYRE project to use robotic telescope observations. Upper-year student Research Coaching in ASTR FYRE projects  USURJ publications/3 current USURJ editors
  • Celebration of Women in Astronomy featured public lecture by female ASTR students for International Women’s Day
  • Open textbook adoption/adaptation in ASTR 104/ASTR 113/PHYS 155
  • CaNoRock
  • Signed MoU agreements and addenda with CERN that will fund a six month research visit by my MSc student to do experiments at CERN, Switzerland
  • Current Plans: Add Skynet Robotic Telescope at Sleaford to increase observing capacity; create radio observing labs in ASTR; develop new Observatory Adopt-A-Star program to provide more work experience opportunities

Political Studies

  • Established Graduate Research Colloquium
  • Engaged in faculty-student publishing (graduate and undergraduate)
  • Established POLS TEACH series
  • Dramatically increased Global Studies certificate completions
  • Offered Taught Abroad: Brussels, Japan
  • Participating in ISAP programming
  • Increased number of POLS classes available online, increasing accessibility to northern students. Two certificates and POLS 3 year BA degree fully available online as of 2020-21
  • POLS 222 included in Indigenous learning requirements list
  • Actively nominating Indigenous students for achievement awards
  • Expanding distance offerings
  • Expanded academic advising
  • Dramatically increased MA completions
  • Established weekly student newsletter

Psychology and Health Studies

  • Saskatoon Psychology Students Society Mock Exams: We have a dynamic undergraduate student association that works collaboratively with our department and offers several exciting opportunities for students
  • The University of Saskatchewan Psychology Clinic: The newly renovated USPC opened in September 2018. The USPC offers high quality training experiences to graduate students in our CPA-Accredited Clinical Psychology Program
  • Open Textbooks: Dr. Jorden Cummings was awarded $19, 059 from the University of Saskatchewan Open Textbook Adaptation fund to create an open textbook for our two Introductory Psychology courses (PSY 120/121). The open book will be used in all of our sessional courses and the web courses, which is over 2300 students with an estimated savings of $389,000 per year for students
  • Discover Your Career Potential in Psychology: This event focused on helping current psychology undergrads learn about career development strategies, services, and resources. One of the goals was to help students understand the ways in which their undergraduate training in psychology would prepare them for various career paths
  • Clinical Psychology Community Placements: Each student trained in our CPA-Accredited Clinical Psychology program is required to complete clinical training hours with clients and patients. By the time our students apply for their residency in Clinical Psychology, our students have completed approximately 600-1000 hours spent in service delivery.
  • Applied Psychology Community Placements: In the last 10 years (2008 to 2018), 56 technical reports have been produced by applied social psychology graduate students in their community placements (practica and summer internships

Sociology

  • The Sociology Department in one of the few departments across the College and University that allows for students to complete both a three and four year Sociology degree entirely off-campus.
  • The Department has recently developed a number of 300- and 400-level courses to allow for students to complete these degree requirement off-campus. Several 100-level courses are televised to regions across Saskatchewan to allow students to complete this degree requirement off-campus.
  • Courses offered on Reserves
  • Many of our students have been awarded an Indigenous Student Achievement Award
  • Students in the Sociology Department are actively involved in several volunteer-based programs, such as the Student Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health (SWITCH) program
  • International Recruitment: At the graduate level, 60% of students are international students. Every year the department receives over 100 applications from various continents and countries.
  • Confucius Institute: non-credit course opportunities for students in the department. Students can also receive scholarships to go to China.
  • Sociology/Anthropology Course: The Department offers an interdisciplinary, for-credit courses that is funded by the China Scholarship Council. Airfare is funded by the Department of Sociology

Unit

IT Office
  • Support Undergraduate Office in operations of college - tech support, operating systems instrumental for student records. We have a terra byte of student information that before was paper- filed. Workflows continuously improved for student self –serve and staff workflows
  • Lab bookings for teaching - all depts, every discipline, all five college labs
  • Indigenous Achievement Week- IT office creates multimedia time lapse video and soundscape
  • Major videography projects such as the RSAW Thinking Film and dozens of videos on college YouTube channel
  • IT office provides key service for the Admin Services Group, including resources for work sharing, coordinating email, fileshares, webshares, internal communications
  • Provides IT support to student services such Study Abroad and Peer Mentors for creation of webforms
Programs Office Undergraduate Student Office
  • Increased access points for students to get advising feedback through different modalities, such as drop in advising before add/ drop deadlines, templates for group advising, regular degreeworks training for students, major possibilities event, chat function developing with IT, and dynamic advising such as text- based and video- based.
  • Developed training for advisors on intercultural competencies, and creating a new advisor handbook
  • Maintenance and renewal of UGSO-related policies and procedures, including working with Accessibility and Equity Services
  • Directorships of University Transition Program and Trish Monture Centre
  • Dedicated frontline reception to the office - very important for continuity of service to students and staff
  • Staff portfolios include inbound and outbound exchange; off-campus programs and regional college coordination; academic appeals; student retention initiatives

Commitment #2

Diversity and Equity in Faculty and Staff

Anthropology

Art and Art History

Biology

  • Faculty and staff complement: several women recruited for faculty and staff positions

Chemistry

  • Faculty complement includes Métis and women faculty members
  • Women in Chemistry, a group of trainees (undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral) promote visibility and support for women in the department and the discipline. They hosted two federal cabinet ministers (Minister of Science and Sport Duncan and Minister of Status of Women Monsour)
  • Female faculty Canada Research Chair appointed

Computer Science

Drama

  • Faculty complement: includes women and Indigenous faculty

Economics

  • Approximately 50% of undergraduate students are female, approximately 40% of graduate students are female

English

  • Revised departmental standards
  • Woman dept. head; women faculty on college committees
  • Section on equity in language in Teaching Handbook and  Requirements for Essays
  • CRC in Indigenous Storytelling

Geography and Planning

History

Psychology and Health Studies

  • Faculty complement: Many women have served as department head and associate department head. Many departmental committees are chaired by women.
  • Departmental policies to accommodate working parents: The department has policies to ensure parents are accommodated. These include scheduling meetings between 8:30 and 4:30 and paying for childcare expenses for any assigned duties that fall outside of those hours.
  • Faculty member Karen Lawson researched reasons for deferred motherhood
  • Female staff member nominated for Dean’s Distinguished Staff Award

Geological Sciences

Indigenous Studies

  • Women in faculty complement
  • Dept has a provision in their standards for recognition of community engaged work

Mathematics and Statistics

  • Hired an Indigenous role model, Percy Paul, a member of the English River First Nation who has training in mathematical physics, to help formulate Indigenous content for curriculum and is working with Steven Rayan and members of Indigenous Studies on a project to understand and develop mathematical symbolism in Dene and Cree
  • Faculty complement includes women faculty

Music

  • Gender equality among faculty is now nearly equal.
  • Our department is making great strides with respect to Indigenization. This has included:
    • Curricula: discourse associated with Indigenous topics and concerns in select MUS, MUAP, and EMUS course offerings
    • Commissioning and premiering new works by Indigenous musicians, and celebrating Indigenous heritage through other musical compositions
    • Short term campus visits and longer residencies by celebrated Indigenous (First Nations/Métis/Inuit) musicians.

Physics and Engineering Physics

  • New female faculty member hire
  • Joint appointment of female faculty member with SENS
  • Observatory celebrated International Women’s Day

Political Studies

Sociology

  • increase in enrollment of Indigenous students in Sociology courses
  • Students who complete the Indigenous Justice and Criminology program often become mentors and role models for future students in the program. Dr. John Hansen, a member of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, is the faculty advisor
  • Dr. Liz Quinlan won the Canadian Association of University Teachers Equity Award
  • The Department shows commitment to ethnic and gender diversity through recent hiring of assistant professors.

Unit

IT Office
  • Provides tech support for college records database, including a terra byte of previously paper files
  • Create webshares for College Review Committee
  • Faculty relations – dozens of webshares for faculty searches.
Programs Office
  • Female staff members won 2018 and 2019 Dean’s Distinguished Staff Award
  • Female staff member won 2019 University Service Award
Science Outreach
  • Nutrien Kamskénow program celebrated ten-year anniversary
  • Game On Bootcamp- 8 weeks for girls at end of March, grades 6-7.
  • Observatory: Lectures on themes such as international women’s day.
UGSO

Commitment #3

Excellence in Research, Scholarly and Artistic Work

Anthropology

  • Revision of department standards for tenure and promotion, and salary review, to recognize and value community-engaged, Indigenous, and non-traditional forms of scholarship
  • 50th Anniversary Lecture Series on Engagement and Reconciliation
  • Various faculty projects: Prof. Clark's digital art project (Canada Council for the Arts), residential schools project (NCTR); shishalh archaeology project (funded by SSHRC) and residential school project (NCTR); Prof. Downe's Reproductive Psychology (SSHRC) and AIDS Saskatoon work; Prof. Walker's Wanuskewin research; Prof. Waldram's Maya healers project (Belize) and disaster work (northern SK)

Art and Art History

Biology

  • Dr. Morrissey published major finding on neonicotinoids and birds
  • Recent developments are Biol. 390; Biol. 480/481; BUGS and department awards and scholarships
  • Faculty awarded CFI funding
  • Dr. Ferrari awarded a Steacie Memorial Fellowship
  • Dr. Gray featured in RSAW Thinking Film and published on neonicotinoid pesticides and insects
  • Dr. Chilton won College Distinguished Research Award
  • Existing partnerships with Toxicology, SENS and Plant Sciences; faculty community- partnerships in conjunction with toxicology, water security, and SENS; developing partnerships with Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS)

Chemistry

  • research output: success in research funding (all research faculty are externally funded with the majority holding NSERC Discovery Grants and Department members have been awarded several CFI grants); and awards, including three College of Arts & Science or University of Saskatchewan new researcher awards
  • Cross-disciplinary research fostered within the department has resulted in emerging strength in radiochemistry, taking advantage of the new Saskatchewan Centre for Cyclotron Sciences. This has resulted in research grants from health research agencies including CIHR, and SHRF. Assistant professor Dr. Chris Phenix has led grants from the National Centres of Excellence in Glycobiology and the Global Institute for Food Security in excess of $500,000. Assistant Professor Dr. Eric Price has been named to the Top 30 under 35 by the Society for Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging, recognizing the top young researchers in the field worldwide. He also received the 2018 award for the top Biomedical Establishment Grant by SHRF
  • Dr. Kachan awarded a CRC Tier 2
  • Cross-disciplinary work connecting with our local industry is highlighted by researchers working with the mining sector, including Dr. Ian Burgess and Dr. Andrew Grosvenor, who have garnered over $700,000 in support through combined NSERC/IMII/Mitacs funding

Computer Science

  • Research groups and opportunities include the Plant Phenotyping and Imaging Research Centre
  • Dr. Roy won the USask New Researcher Award and the 2018 CS-Can/Info-Can Outstanding Young Computer Scientist Researcher Award. He was recipient of the College New Scientist Research Award
  • Dr. Gutwin on research team that was awarded Canada Council for the Arts funding for digital service for provincial arts
  • Dr. Spiteri featured in RSAW Thinking Film

Drama

Economics

  • Multidisciplinary applied Ph.D. program: the only Ph.D. program in Canada to span four academic units
  • Industry cooperation: Through the MITACS program, graduate students are engaged in RSAW with industry
  • Health economics: Dr. Nazmi Sari is a CIHR-funded health economist. He conducts research in collaboration with the College of Medicine

English

  • Research includes grants, publications and awards
  • Dr. Nelson and Dr. Roy received SSHRC grants
  • MFA in Writing and English faculty and alumni won Sask Book Awards
  • RSAW series include: Literature Matters / Writing North / Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan / Word on the Street / River Volta Reading Series / Fieldstone Review/ World Class Day
  • Undergraduate Awards Reception / Annual Teaching Research Celebration / Departmental Newsletter
  • Prof. Liu featured in RSAW Thinking Film

Geography and Planning

Geological Sciences

  • Dr. Pickering received SHRF Achievement Award; was appointed chair of the CFI Board of Directors; was named a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
  • Dr. Lindsay received CFI grant
  • Established industry partnerships supporting both student and faculty research
  • Increased collaboration with science and engineering departments across campus
  • Dr. Hendry received award from International Association of Hydrogeologists
  • Dr. Buatois and Dr. Mangano publish on major fossil finding

History

  • Dr. Korinek was awarded a SSHRC grant; won award from Canadian Historical Association; won a Saskatchewan Book Award
  • Dr. Clifford won College New Scholar/ Artist Research Award
  • Major research grants were received, including Dr. Androsoff SSHRC grant
  • Recent faculty publications
  • Department has a CRC
  • Prof. Dyck featured in RSAW Thinking Film

Indigenous Studies

  • Dept has a provision in their standards for recognition of community engaged work
  • Strong internationalization focus to RSAW: invited talks in Hawaii and New Zealand
  • Several professors had books published recently
  • Prof. Damien Lee awarded SSHRC grant
  • Prof. Settee named a David Suzuki Fellow

Mathematical Physics

Mathematics and Statistics

  • Interdisciplinarity is a core value and we collaborate frequently with other faculty members outside of the Department, e.g. with Health Sciences, the Global Institute for Water Security
  • Have recently interdisciplinary colloquia with Physics and Computer Science
  • Thriving graduate program includes an interdisciplinary stream (Biostatistics)
  • Host a number of undergraduate summer research students each year; in Summer 2018, we hosted 4 students who won NSERC USRA awards, as well as over a dozen students from India with SURI awards; many of these students go on to have jointly-authored publications in prestigious journals
  • 2/3 of our faculty hold NSERC Discovery Grants, as well as grants from MITACS, PIMS, CFI, CIHR, as well as grants held jointly with external faculty
  • Dr. Rayan received Tri-Agency New Frontiers grant valued at 250K over 2 years for exploratory research in “Topology and the Next Generation of Quantum Materials.” Dr. Rayan was featured in the RSAW Thinking Film
  • Dr. Srinivasan won the USask George Ivany Award for Internationalization

Music

  • A number of faculty hold Tri-Council (SSHRC and SHRF) and other external funding (e.g. Sask Arts Board, Saskatchewan Band Association, Saskatchewan Music Educators’ Association, and Saskatchewan Choral Federation).
  • Faculty regularly present at traditional research and performance-related national and international conferences
  • Prof. McNeill featured in RSAW Thinking Film
  • RSAW involving community partnerships (e.g. SSO)
  • Student involvement in faculty RSAW

Physics and Engineering Physics

  • Dr. Kathryn McWilliams appointed international SuperDARN chair
  • Intensified research profile in interdisciplinary field of atmospheric and climate physics
  • Added 24" Tarasoff telescope to Physics Rooftop Observatory and added robotic telescope operation at Sleaford observatory

Political Studies

  • Dr. Berdahl received SSHRC grant and published new book
  • Established POLS Speaker series
  • Establishing internal peer review practices to increase research grant and journal article success
  • POLS and IS classes part of the First Year Research Experience (FYRE)
  • Student funding to present at conferences for declared majors
  • Plan to expand undergraduate research experience throughout all levels in our programs

Psychology and Health Studies

  • Dr. Gordon Sarty has received funding from the Canadian Space Agency to develop Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for use in space; on the International Space Station, on the Moon and even on the way to Mars. His graduate students and collaborators from Physics and the quanTA Centre are designing and building small futuristic MRI prototypes in his Space MRI Laboratory.
  • Undergraduate Research Conference: annual basis
  • To date, Applied Social Psychology faculty have supervise graduate students in a large variety of community research and development projects and have produced 218 technical reports. 
  • Brain Awareness Week Brainblast: The Borowsky lab has done model fMRI simulators at past Brain Awareness Week events and will be doing these again this year. They also present conference posters to discuss with attendees.
  • A new video called Thinking highlights the diverse interdisciplinary research underway at the College and involved the department of Psychology (specifically Dr. Ron Borowsky and Dr. Janeen Loehr).
  • Collaboration with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra: Dr. Janeen Loehr’s research has involved collaboration with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra and she is working on future projects with other music organizations in the community
  • Dr. Megan O’Connell’s program of research has a strong community focus. Her research agenda is shaped by the needs of stakeholders in rural dementia care across the province
  • Dr. Adam Stacey and Dr. Karen Lawson, along with OutSaskatoon, were awarded a grant through the Public Health Agency of Canada. The grant is entitled Preventing Gender-Based Violence: the Health Perspective. The primary goal of the project is to improve the quality of care for LGBTQ2S people in Saskatoon and throughout the Prairies

Sociology

  • Dr. Colleen Dell conducts research in the area of One Health
  • Dr. Michael Gertler’s research collaborations with the College of Agriculture and Bioresources align with the agriculture signature area
  • Dr. Scott Thompson is a collaborator on the Big Data Surveillance project
  • Dr. Julie Kaye focusses on settler-colonialism and Indigenous-led responses to varying forms of colonial gender violence and criminalization
  • Synchrotron Sciences: Dr. Jennifer Poudrier was the social scientist in residence at the Canadian Light Source
  • Advance community-engaged RSAW: Faculty involvement with Community-University Institute for Social Research; Coalition against Sexual Assault: Dr. Liz Quinlan has been actively involved; Research Person-Centred Health-Care: Dr. Liz Quinlan and Dr. Susan Robertson have received funding from the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation and the Community Health Association to conduct community-engaged research to improve person-centred interdisciplinary health care.

Unit

Galleries Indigenous Student Achievement Pathways
  • supported ISAP alumni in creating a USASK student chapter of .caISES, the Canadian Indigenous Science and Engineering Society
  • hosted a celebration of student work with an inaugural ISAP ‘Sharing Our Voices’ evening event, well attended by parents and families of our students at the Gordon Oakes Red Bear Student Centre
  • introduced students to interdisciplinary dialogue through panel discussions and guest speakers including: a conversation with A&S Book Club author Katherena Vermette, discussion of traditional medicines and environmental change
IT Office
  • Support for research groups across campus, including quality assurance, tech support, IT infrastructure, data storage work, accesses and permissions, cyber security, backups
  • Webmaster was videographer for the of RSAW Thinking film
  • IT Office supports the SSRL, runs server for labs

Commitment #4

New Curricula

Anthropology

  • New Practicing Anthropology MA stream
  • New merged BA program in Archaeology and Anthropology (effective Fall 2019)
  • Prof. Downe's community to classroom initiative
  • T. Clark's Community-based archaeology course at shishalh Nation, BC
  • Prof. Walker's and Prof. Stuart's field school at Wanuskewin

Art and Art History

  • New hire in Digital and Extended Media
  • Development of new digital technologies courses
  • INTS 111 Design and Society, led by Art History, is team taught with RUP, Comp Sci, Engineering, and community members
  • Development of online ART 110 course
  • Include Indigenous Art History course in the Indigenous requirement. Include some Art History courses in the Writing requirement
  • Incorporating courses from History and STM into the Art History program
  • Developing online versions of ART 235 Digital Imagery and Indigenous Art History courses

Biology

Chemistry

  • Dr. Adrian Clark won USSU Teaching Award
  • Collaboration on the creation of a course "Using Big Science for the Study of Material Culture" jointly with Classical, Mediaeval and Renaissance Studies (using the Canadian Light Source to study historical artifacts)
  • Revision of our first-year chemistry courses
  • Creation of the new Chemistry 100.3 (Problem Solving Foundations for University Chemistry)
  • Beginning in the 2019-2020 academic year, the department will embark on a comprehensive re-examination of the undergraduate program, in order to modernize the content and delivery of our courses for the scientist of the 2020s. We envision large-scale programmatic reform, with the Department re-organizing its undergraduate and graduate programs around general themes (for example, medicinal, environmental and materials chemistry), with the goal of more closely-aligning with industrial, economic and societal needs of the province and country.

Computer Science

Drama

Economics

  • Recently redesigned undergraduate program to build more flexibility in statistical learning: new Econ 304 course, and the splitting of the 400-level statistics into two 3-credit courses, rather than one 6 credit course. These changes have have helped differentiate the training received by economics students from that received by commerce students
  • Courses are offered in collaboration with St. Peter’s College and St. Thomas More College

English

Geography and Planning

Geological Sciences

  • Dr. McBeth won College Teaching Award
  • Incorporated new technology in field school courses; instituted a new senior geological data analysis course
  • Provincially mandated APEGS certified program that is nationally transferrable
  • Four field courses held in Zortman Montanna, Flin Flon Manitoba, Asturias Spain and Bergheim Saskatchewan; other classes have labs held off campus
  • International field school course is available to upper-year students
  • Met with museum design consultants
  • Provide students with the tools that they need to succeed regardless of their future career goals (e.g. experience in the use of statistical tools, emerging digital and imaging technology)
  • Create new environmental geosciences field course and analytical geochemistry courses for the new environmental geosciences program

History

  • Dr. Androsoff won the College New Teacher Award

Indigenous Studies

Mathematics and Statistics

  • Dr. Srinivasan won Provost’s College Award for Outstanding Teaching
  • We have been an active partner in developing the new Quantitative Reasoning Course (MATH 101) that an estimated 700 students in the College will take each year; the course is designed to equip students with the skills necessary to thrive in an increasingly quantitative and data-driven world
  • Many of our non-service course offerings are in demand outside the Department, in particular by computer science and physics students
  • Outstanding faculty: three current faculty members have received College awards for teaching excellence, and one has also received a USSU Teaching Excellence Award
  • We are committed to exploring new curricular directions, such as quantum computing, computational design, and other themes

Music

  • MMus
    1. Overhaul of performance stream;
    2. overhaul of music theory/musicology stream;
    3. preliminary work on instituting MMus in conducting
  • Our student base extends beyond the Department of Music majors in many ways:
    1. university and community involvement in ensembles;
    2. online offerings (12000-15000 3 c/u annually);
    3. Certificate of Proficiency in Jazz;
    4. faculty involvement with CCDE non-credit offerings; e) provide learning opportunities for in excess of 1500 high school students annually (e.g. uSing uSask, Unifest, High School Select)

Physics and Engineering Physics

  • CREATE International Space Mission Training grad program
  • FYRE group projects in ASTR 104/ASTR 113; senior course-based research (ASTR 213/312)
  • Physics 115 was chosen as one of the classes satisfying the Quantitative Reasoning requirement
  • Delivered a new course (PHYS 472/895) on accelerator physics with laboratory classes at the CLS using the high energy particle accelerator
  • The department is involved in on-campus activities for inner-city school children through the twice-yearly campus visits sponsored by the Nutrien Kamskenow program
  • The department hosts various sessions of the May/June Museum of Natural Sciences Outreach activities for elementary and high school classes
  • The department independently offers outreach sessions and tours for elementary and high school classes.
  • CaNoRock

Political Studies

  • Dr. Berdahl won national teaching award
  • Dr. Gaal won USSU teaching award
  • Reinvigorated 990 series
  • Completed curriculum renewal, with increased emphasis on research methodology training
  • Expanded Global Studies degree electives
  • Added two new international classes
  • Established new Politics and Law certificate, which includes strong emphasis on international law
  • Developing new Global Studies graduate certificate program
  • Developing new course on Canadian politics aimed at international students and non-majors
  • Created new Indigenous Governance and Politics certificate
  • Added new global Indigenous politics class
  • Established clear program learning outcome goals for our BA and MA programs
  • Fully revised our BA and MA curricula
  • Added MRP stream to graduate program

Psychology and Health Studies

  • Department has 12 laboratories, 7 of which are new or renovated in the past 10 years
  • The vast majority of third-year courses in the Department of Psychology are research-intensive in nature, and enable students to develop their research skills by gaining experience generating novel research ideas, developing ethics proposals, collecting, entering, and analysing data, writing up research findings in a laboratory report, and presenting research in a variety of forums (e.g., in-class, at the Annual Psychology Undergraduate Conference, and/or the USSU's Annual Research Conference)
  • The Applied Social Psychology graduate program equips students with 21st Century skills and competencies through our rigorous program of studies, our practicum and internship placements, and through involvement of the students in the national case competition organized by the Canadian Evaluation Society
  • The Case Competition: Teams of three to five Applied Social Psychology graduate students enter an annual national case competition organized by the Canadian Evaluation Society
  • The new Health Studies Program is an interdisciplinary program that prepares students for a number of career paths in the field of health. This program is growing. Students learn about issues of health ranging from biological, psychological, cultural and environmental and how factors such as genetics, personality, attitudes and abilities influence healthy social and emotional development throughout the life span. Students study the role of cultural and community processes in health and healing and examine how groups interact with their environment in healthy and unhealthy ways. This program crosses departmental and disciplinary lines and plans to grow in upcoming years
  • PSY 298 Cognitive Neuroscience: Dr. Ron Borwosky is mentoring a Ph.D. student (Chelsea Eskstrand) in the development of this course. This curricular revision will help students have more course alternatives as they make their way through the program
  • PSY 233 Statistical Methods in Behavioural Sciences : Now offered in Prince Albert. Additional and reworked online courses: PSY 120 (Biological and Cognitive Bases of Psychology), 121 (Social Clinical Cultural and Developmental Bases of Psychology), 233 (Statistical Methods in Behavioural Sciences), 223 (Abnormal Psychology)

Sociology

  • Strong relationship with St. Thomas More College and Community Service Learning Programs
  • The department along with the SSRL will be proposing a new research-based undergraduate course that is focused on mixed-methods, an important step toward increase opportunities for undergraduate research (i.e., it is a research based course), and is also a unique example of collaboration between a department and an academic support unit
  • Dr. Scott Thompson is in the process of developing new course offerings in the area of surveillance. This includes a 200- level surveillance studies course and 400/800-level surveillance and power course.
  • The 200-level statistics course has been approved to meet the College’s Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
  • Certificate in Criminology and Addictions (CCAP): designed to offer students an innovative program that will allow them to explore greater opportunities in corrections, public safety, policing, court services, advocacy, addictions services, and other areas in the criminal or social justice system, as well as a foundation for further academic study or research
  • Indigenous Justice and Criminology Program (IJC): the only program of its kind in North America. What makes the program unique are the two 12-week practicum courses (SOC 313.6 & SOC 314.6). The organizations in which the students may work range from Indigenous community programs to non-profit advocacy groups to penal institutions
  • High number of international visiting scholars to the Department (5 within the past few years). Additionally, there are many international adjunct members within the Department, particularly from China. In the past few years, several faculty members have been invited to go teach courses in English in China
  • Two plus Two (Dual Degree) Undergraduate Program: a chance for undergraduate students enrolled in Sociology to split their time between the University of Saskatchewan and Xi'an Jiaotong University in China
  • Dual Degree Master’s Program: The dual degree option provides an excellent opportunity for students who are interested in internationalization, and particularly those who are interested in exploring connections between Canadian and Chinese contexts. The program offers students the capacity to receive graduate degrees from both the University of Saskatchewan and Xi’an Jiaotong University
  • currently developing a Post-graduate Certificate Program in Applied Sociology and Criminology that will offer internship placements and program and policy evaluation training
  • undergraduate dual degree program was introduced in 2018 with Huazhong Agricultural University
  • Dr. Colleen Dell is in the process of developing a new course offering in animals and society to be offered at the 300 level, online
  • Dr. Julie Kaye is in the process of developing a new 400-level course offering in Colonialism, Gender and Violence

Unit

Galleries
  • Flexible academic education programming: new director will create frameworks; promote educational tours; exhibition-based tours; develop summer camps
  • Community on and off campus increasingly familiar and appreciative of Indigenous artists and art; greater inclusion in Collection; selective placement and extended labels; exhibitions; recognition activities; dedicated website
  • Indigenous Artist in Residence Program – 3 artists engaged
Programs Office Science Outreach
  • Observatory -weekly open house; private tours; open for important astronomical events. Hosts lectures on themes such as International Women’s Day; Anniversary of Apollo 11. Hosted the Governor General’s visit. Site for Nuit Blanche. Celebrated 90th anniversary.
  • Geological Sciences outreach included Ore Gangue Reunion 85th Reunion
  • Museum of Natural Sciences activity included: Sask Culture days (joined with Museum of Antiquities; Engineering Spectrum; attending a homeschooler convention; Science on Saturdays program; display and social media updates. Partnerships with Meewasin Valley Authority and Galleries, Sask Archaeology Society; joined Association of Science Centers and the Canadian Museum Association
  • Science Ambassadors Program: 22 ambassadors worked in 12 communities in Northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Activities included colour changing worms, kinetic sands, dissection, investigations
  • Nutrien Kamskénow received NSERC funding and celebrated 10 years
  • Computer Science offers a dozen community programs, including this year’s popular Game On Bootcamp and Cyber Day for Girls
  • Math and Stats outreach officer coordinated recent initiatives: math lesson plans for K-8 teachers; ISAP sections; Grade 6 hands on activities; Math placement test prep; Speakers bureau talks for K-8; Extreme math camp at Walter Murray Collegiate
  • The Psychology Department leads community activities for Brain Awareness Week, auch as the Brain Blast at City Hospital which includes a mock MRI