SSHRC transformatin issue -- some general information for the list

[Kathy Chung]

Hi All,

(Please feel free to scroll down to the useful informational weblinks below 
if you wish to by pass my preamble.  The links give general background info 
[dates, processes, and documents] related to this discussion issue.)

PREAMBLE:
I know some CANDRAMA members (esp. those actively involved in 
administration) are more immediately involved or "plugged in" to what is 
happening with this SSHRC "transformation" issue than others.  For those 
who are more connected, my apologies for dealing with what you already know.
For others who are less connected (like me!), I thought I'd check out what 
is available in terms of basic background information on the web . . . in 
the hope of making it easier for people to join the discussion if they 
wish.  I'm particularly interested in dates (how much time do we have to 
respond?), processes (how do we respond most effectively [Glen's 
question]?), documents (what is this SSHRC transformation thing, in the 
first place?!).  To that end, here are some preliminary sources of 
information:

USEFUL LINKS:
1.  On the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada website:
http://www.fedcan.ca/english/policyandadvocacy/briefsandstatements/SSHRCtransformation.cfm
Note: the 
<http://www.fedcan.ca/english/policyandadvocacy/briefsandstatements/consultationprocess.cfm>Process 
link takes you to a page of *time lines* for HSSFC association 
consultations with their stated stages:

         to mid-March -- inter-association consultation
         26-27 March -- meeting of association presidents
         1 May -- Federation response paper
         2 June -- Final consultation meeting

2.  Link to SSHRC web site:
http://www.sshrc.ca/web/whatsnew/initiatives/transformation/index_e.asp
this page includes links to:

a) the 
<http://www.sshrc.ca/web/whatsnew/initiatives/transformation/consultation_framework_e.pdf>Consultation 
Framework Document, a PDF document you can download and read at your 
leisure (ha...)
b) 
"<http://www.sshrc.ca/web/whatsnew/initiatives/transformation/calendar_e.asp>Calendar 
of Events" (note date additional to ones listed on HSSFC webpage: 20 
October -- Final Report to SSHRC Council)

3.  Institution specific consultation meetings:
I did received a notice from the U of T Office of the VP, Research & Assoc. 
Provost, forwarded by a U of T discussion list, which includes consultation 
dates to "institutional forums" and states that "Each of 79 Canadian 
universities has named an institutional liaison, to facilitate discussion 
of SSHRC's proposals." Marc Renaud, President of SSHRC, is to visit one of 
the forums.    So . . . I guess people who've read the proposal and can 
comment effectively should attend these "institutional forums"?  (for what 
it's worth? trying to make a dent in the wall?)

4.  Disciplinary responses:
I've read a response on a U of T discussion list where the concern is that 
SSHRC's proposal is based on a sciences/social sciences model which is not 
very useful to the humanities (and that, in fact, the term "humanities" is 
not mentioned much at all).  Can anyone who has read the document comment 
on this?  Is this where our disciplinary associations and HSSFC come 
in?    . . . do we need a sub-committee in ACTR/ARTC to solicite members' 
feedback and to come up with an association response?

Well, more questions and no answers (haven't even had time to read the 
original documents), but hope the links help those who want more information.

--- Kathy.



At 3/12/04 09:14 AM, Glen Nichols wrote:

>Hi Ric
>Thanks for that wonderfully concise take on the SSHRC proposals. I read 
>the suggestions in the same way, indeed your "fears" are, from what I 
>read, more or less exactly what they ARE saying. Bravo for putting that 
>out there in language less coded than the SSHRC papers.
>
>How do you suggest pressure be applied most effectively?
>
>Glen
>
>Département d'anglais
>Université de Moncton
>Moncton, N.-B.   E1A 3E9
>Tél: (506) 858-4244; Fax: (506) 858-4166
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