AC-TOR-027
Department:	Academic
Creation Date:	May 14, 2013
Approval Date:	July 20, 2020
Effective Date:	September 8, 2020

I. MANDATE

The Michener Institute of Education at UHN (Michener) is committed to the use of Advisory Councils as a means of ensuring that its programs remain relevant to the needs of the specific professions as well as the greater health care sector.  Each program (or related cluster of programs) is advised by a Program Advisory Council (PAC).  Michener will regularly review the mandate of the Advisory Councils to ensure that this need is being met.

The members of the PAC have the mandate to support Michener’s Education Strategy and its Strategic Intent.

II. PURPOSE

The Program Advisory Council is established with the approval of the Executive Vice-President Education of the Michener Institute of Education at UHN and is responsible for providing advice to the Senior Director, , Academic Programs, on the creation and maintenance of effective educational programs that integrate academic and clinical studies.  The PAC shall have no formal management and/or governance responsibilities at Michener.

The PAC shall:

• Advise Michener on such matters as program relevance, new approaches to health care delivery and their inclusion in the curriculum, suitability of new approaches to program delivery and clinical education, research opportunities, employment opportunities for and marketability of graduates, the needs of the labour market, and certification and accreditation standards.
• Based on these needs, provide input on the existing program(s) and/or the need to consider new programs.
• Make recommendations, identifying possible alternate sources of funding and opportunities for collaborations and partnerships for the enhancement of programming and clinical education.
• Identify and strongly recommend curriculum change to encompass current realities and emerging trends changing organizations hiring/resources, skill sets, etc.
• Advise the program regarding emerging and new professional regulations & legislation, which impact graduate capabilities.
• Strongly recommend critical insights related to outlook for the next 5-10 years to inform formal strategic program reviews.
• Strongly recommend program and/or course outcomes to enhance graduate capabilities required in the workforce. Identify opportunities for work placement, strengthen and broaden community linkages for the program. Identify equipment and other resources, which enhance the learning experience. Contribute to strategies and opportunities for innovation for work-integrated learning to meet program needs.
• Initiate and support ways to recognize student achievement.
• Strengthen program enrollment and the awareness of student and graduate success stories.
• Identify opportunities for new continuing education offerings, including post-graduate programs.

The PAC shall also have the power to form sub-committees as required to carry out its responsibilities.  When a sub-committee becomes a standing committee of the PAC such as the Faculty Liaison Committee, Terms of Reference shall be established and incorporated into the specific Terms of Reference of the PAC as an appendix.

III. MEMBERSHIP

The membership of the committee is designed to ensure that Michener receives the benefit of diverse and relevant perspectives related to its specific programming.  It is Michener’s responsibility to ensure that broad stakeholder representation is present on its Advisory Councils.  As such, the Academic Chairs have the responsibility for monitoring committee membership and recruitment of new members.

The PAC shall consist of a minimum of eight (8) non ex-officio members and a recommended maximum of 16 members.  Membership is subject to approval by the Academic Chair and shall include a representative(s) from the following:

• Academic Chair(s) – Ex-Officio
• Program Manager – Continuing Education – Ex-Officio
• Program Communication Liaison – Ex-Officio
• Chair of the Faculty Liaison Committee*
• Minimum four (4) employers* – 2 year term; appointed by Michener
• Student Representation* (Senior student preferred; more than one student, if possible; at least one per program if more than one program represented by the PAC) – 1 year term; identified by Student Council
• Alumni (preferably a recent graduate from each program represented by the PAC)* – 2 year term; appointed by Michener
• Affiliated university representation, where applicable – Ex-Officio
• Program Administrative Assistant – Ex-Officio
• Invited guests as required – non-voting

* denotes the members eligible to be nominated for office

Members may be reappointed for a second term, for a total term of four consecutive years on the PAC. The term may continue longer when mutually agreed upon by both parties.

Michener assumes responsibility for the recruitment and appointment of members to its Program Advisory Council.  Recommendations for new representation may be proposed by PAC members and forwarded to the Academic Chair.  On an annual basis, Michener will update the PAC membership lists and will communicate this information to the Committees.

The PAC will review membership annually and elect officers as required. The newly elected officer shall take office immediately upon the conclusion of the current meeting.

IV. ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The elected Officers of the PAC shall be:

• PAC Chair
• PAC Vice-Chair

The PAC Chair and the Vice-Chair will each serve a two-year term and will be elected on alternate years. Succession through the offices will be from Vice-Chair to Chair.  Members who are eligible to hold office are denoted with an asterisk (*) in the Membership list above.

DUTIES OF THE ELECTED OFFICERS

The PAC Chair shall:

• Set the agenda for all meetings, in consultation with the Academic Chair
• Preside at meetings
• Represent the PAC and report on PAC activities, as necessary
• Review meeting minutes with the Academic Chair
• Be a voting member

The Academic Chair is by default the PAC Chair should no one be available

The PAC Vice-Chair shall:

• Assume all the responsibilities of the Chair, in the absence of the PAC Chair
• Be a voting member

DUTIES OF THE NON-ELECTED OFFICERS

The Academic Chair shall:

• Set the agenda for all meetings, in consultation with the PAC Chair
• Participate in meetings
• Review meeting minutes with the PAC Chair
• Recruit new members, in consultation with the PAC,
• Ensure the membership list is updated annually and distributed to members
• Update PAC on current program

The Program Manager – Continuing Education shall:

• Update PAC on current continuing education activities
• Liaise with PAC about new opportunities for continuing education, including post-graduate programs to meet emerging and anticipated needs
• Participate in meetings

The Program Communication Liaison shall:

• Participate in meetings

Representative from the Faculty Liaison Committee shall:

• Report on the activities of the Liaison Committee
• Participate in meetings
• Be a voting member

Employer and Alumni Representatives shall:

• Participate in meetings
• Be voting members
• Strongly recommend program and/or course outcomes to enhance graduate capabilities required in the workforce.
• Strongly recommend opportunities for work placement, strengthen and broaden community linkages for the program.
• Recommend equipment and other resources, which enhance the learning experience.
• Recommend strategies and opportunities for innovation for practicum learning to meet program needs.
• Provide input on the existing program(s) and/or the need to consider new programs.
• Identify possible alternate sources of funding or opportunities for collaboration and partnership to enhance programming and clinical education.

Student Representative shall:

• Participate in meetings
• Be a voting member
• Represent students’ perspective on items arising during meetings
• Gather information as requested by PAC

Affiliated University Representative:

• Participate in meetings
• Update PAC on information relevant to the program/ partnership

Program Administrative Assistant shall:

• Record and send minutes of meetings to the PAC Chair and Academic Chair for review.
• After consultation with the PAC Chair and Academic Chair, circulate minutes, notices and meeting agendas.

V. DECISION MAKING PROCESS/VOTING

☒ Quorum/voting

Each member in attendance at the meeting, except the program advisory council chair and the ex-officio members will have one vote (see under “membership”).  No proxy votes shall be accepted.  The program advisory council chair will vote only in the event of a tie. Fifty percent (50%) of the voting members must be in attendance for a meeting to be official.

☐ Discussion/consensus

VI. MEETING FREQUENCY

☐ Weekly

☐ Monthly

☐ Annually

☒ Other, please describe

The Program Advisory Council will meet at least bi-annually. When necessary, additional meetings will be called by the Program Advisory Council Chair.  Where a member is absent, he/she may appoint an alternate.  In such cases, the Program Administrative Assistant must be notified in advance.

VII. ACCESS TO MEETINGS

☐ Open (add to Michener calendar)

☐ Closed

☒ Partially open, e.g. dependent upon topic

VIII. AGENDAS, MINUTES AND RECORDS

Prior to distribution, meeting minutes will be reviewed by the Program Advisory Council Chair and Academic Chair. Meeting minutes will then be distributed by the Program’s Administrative Assistant to all committee members and invited guests.

IX. DESIRED OUTCOMES

The purpose of the PAC is to provide input on the changing needs in the health care profession(s) and also provide comment on the effectiveness of Michener’s educational programs.

X.PROCESS

List any processes, in detail

Associated Documents

None

Revision History

Date	Reviewer	Change(s) made
May 14, 2003 November 18, 2004 March 7, 2006		Document edited
February 23, 2010	Pinar Peacock	Template updated
May 2011	Pinar Peacock Sydney Redpath Christina Tsui	Document revised
June 2017	Catharine Gray	Minor changes to reflect current practice and organizational structure
June 25, 2020	Fiona Cherryman	Changes to align with PEQAB requirements