During the past three years, RMC has focused on adapting operations to address restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic and the significant network incident that occurred on July 3rd, 2020, which required a long recovery process. The Division of Continuing Studies was disbanded on June 30th 2020 and the responsibility for program administration of the Bachelor of Military Arts and Science (BMASc) was transferred to the Dean of Social Sciences and Humanities. Although most of the recommendations listed in the BMASc FAR have been implemented, some recommendations have been tabled due to lack of resources or other factors.These are indicated in the following table. Note that the essential items, listed as 1-9 in the table, denote “areas requiring improvement.” They have been addressed, either through completed or ongoing processes. Items 10-18 list “areas identified as holding promise for enhancement,” most of which were completed.
Implementation Update Plan
| Recommendation | Proposed Follow-up and Resource Implications |
Responsibility for Leading Follow-up | Timeline for Addressing Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
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1. Make both PO205 Canadian Politics and Society and PO116 Introduction to International Relations mandatory in the core of the BMASc degrees so that all students meet the applicable DLEs. |
Chair of BMASc | Completed | |
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2. Augment BAE268 Introduction to Defence Resource Management/AAF268 Introduction à la gestion des ressources de la défense to meet the DLEs related to the ability to communicate orally and the ability to work effectively with others (group work). This course is currently in the BMASc core, but is not meeting any specific DLE. |
Chair of BMASc | Completed | |
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3. Add a definition of “Military Arts & Science” in the RMC calendar drawing from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Profession of Arms manual and material to ensure the definition remains current. |
Chair of BMASc | Completed | |
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4. Add programme-specific DLEs to the RMC calendar, as listed below, with any enhancements that may have been made based on the new definition of “Military Arts & Science”:
|
Chair of BMASc |
Completed | |
| 5. Add pertinent DLEs to new core courses and core courses undergoing major modifications. For current core courses, not undergoing major modifications, add the pertinent DLE’s being met by each course. | Was CDDM, in collaboration with Chair of BMASc, department heads and instructional designers. | Completed | |
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6. Improve access to RMC library online resources. |
RMC VP-Academic needs to ensure that the library is properly resourced to improve online resource access. The July 2020 network incident took this objective a step backwards as priorities shifted to recovery. |
Head librarian | Requires annual review. Access has significantly improved since the 2020 network incident. |
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7. Develop a new online tutorial on library literacy. |
Head librarian | Completed | |
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8. At least one of the two required science courses should have a substantial quantitative content. |
Was CDDM | Completed | |
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9. More options should be offered to students to satisfy the DLE on knowledge of technology, in addition to HI275 Survey of Technology, Society and Warfare and HI475 Technology, Society and Warfare. |
Ongoing discussions for several years regarding offering AAF220 DL and revamping BAE220. | Was CDDM – OPI can only ask for updates from Department Heads. | Requires annual review. This depends on departments who could offer additional courses and on demand from DL students. |
| 10. Professors developing courses should be encouraged to consider adding verbal communication as a learning objective to their course. | Was CDDM & Instructional designers |
Completed |
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11. DCS should continue to encourage departments to have permanent faculty teach online courses. |
Was DCS Dean – transferred to Dean of SSH |
Completed Although DCS no longer exists, encouragement was Given by the Chair of the BMASc. However, the decision to assign faculty to DL courses rests with department heads, in discussion with the line dean. |
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12. An exit survey should be provided to all students in an effort to get details about the reason for their departure (graduation, transfer elsewhere, made historical due to lengthy period of inactivity, etc.). |
Last report indicates QA director had to verify status to ensure no conflict with class climate surveys. Since network incident and disbanding of DCS, this survey appears to have been tabled. | Was under Mario Archambault’s responsibility. | Tabled |
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13. Course evaluation forms should be adapted for online courses and distance students’ experiences. |
A course evaluation committee was formed, then re-formed with a new chair, but there was never any traction on this objective as there is no appetite to have two different surveys (online and onsite). |
Tabled This recommendation cannot be addressed if it is not possible to have a separate class climate survey for online courses. |
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14. Create a yearly award for the BMASc and BMASc Honours student with the highest academic standing. |
BMASc Chair | Completed | |
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15. Students in the BMASc degrees should have the option of completing a Minor such as those available in BA degrees. |
BMASc Chair | Completed | |
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16. RMC should provide statistical data regarding CAF members under the Continuing Education Officer Training Plan (CEOTP) to the CAF as appropriate. |
The RMC Registrar needs to ensure that the undergraduate admissions form for Distance Learning students includes a section for self-identification as an Officer in the CEOTP plan starting in 2017 - This will allow RMC to provide statistical data on CEOTP numbers to the CAF as appropriate | Registrar | Tabled – no support from Associate Registrar. |
| 17. Offering an online tutorial such as “Introduction to University” should be investigated. | This is available on Moodle. |
BMASc Chair, Assisted by DCS Instructional Designer |
Completed |
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18. RMC Writing Centre should provide tutoring to online students, with appropriate personnel and online tools. |
Dean of SSH needs to ensure that the Writing Centre is properly resourced to offer tutoring to online students | Was DCS Dean – transferred to Dean of SSH | Completed |