The Centre's Governance

Below are the standing committees of the Centre for Medieval Studies. See also Student Committees and the Student Course Union Constitution.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee consists of the Director, Associate Director, and PhD Coordinator and has responsibility for the practical daily management of the Centre, its academic program, and personnel. The Director is appointed by the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science and in turn appoints the Associate Director and PhD Coordinator.

Planning Committee

The Planning Committee consists of the Executive Committee, approximately three budgetary and four non-budgetary CMS faculty, and the CMS Manager. In spring the Director determines the committee membership for the following academic year and appoints with the intention of providing the broadest possible representation of research fields covered by CMS. The committee conducts the annual planning of matters concerning CMS, meeting once a semester and as necessary.

Admissions and Fellowships Committee

The Admissions and Fellowships Committee is chaired by the Associate Director and includes the PhD Coordinator, Graduate Administrator, and three to four additionally appointed faculty members with a broad representation of constituent disciplines. The committee reviews and ranks fellowship applications after the major submission deadlines, reviews applications for admission to the MA and PhD programs, extends offers of admission, and allocates admission-related awards within its jurisdiction.

Academic Program Committee

The Academic Program Committee is chaired by the PhD Coordinator and includes the Associate Director, two faculty members, the Manager and Graduate Administrator, and one Student Representative, appointed by the PhD Coordinator in consultation with Chair of the Student Committee.  The committee approves new curriculum proposals and oversees annual course offerings.

Conferences and Lectures Committee

The Conferences and Lectures Committee consists of the Chair, the Manager, and typically two faculty members and two Student Representatives, both appointed by the Chair in consultation with the Chair of the Student Committee.  The committee organizes academic events for the current year while planning others for the subsequent.

Joint Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee

The Joint Graduate Department Academic Appeals Committee consists of one CMS faculty member plus an alternate.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Officer

The EDIA Committee consists of one faculty officer, appointed by the Director, whose responsibilities are to provide confidential guidance and support with regards to steps that may be taken for redress of inequities of any kind.

Medieval Latin Studies Committee

Founded in 1969, the Medieval Latin Studies Committee is one of the collegial bodies of the Centre for Medieval Studies. Its members are annually appointed by the Centre’s Director and are responsible for maintenance of the CMS standards for the Level One and Level Two Latin examinations, as well as regular review of the Medieval Latin program, its policy, and processes. The Committee consists of the Chair, five faculty members (at least two of which serve as the instructors for MST1000Y and MST1001Y during the same year), the PhD Coordinator (ex officio), and two doctoral students, who are recommended to the Director by the Student Executive Committee.  Student representatives contribute to discussions about program policy but only observe the receiving of graded exams. 

Modern Languages Committee

The Modern Languages Committee consists of the Chair plus a minimum of three other voting faculty members (two French and two German examiners in total), and two Student Representatives, both appointed by the Chair in consultation with the Chair of the Student Committee. The committee is responsible for maintenance of the CMS standards for the modern language examinations and determines the number of examinations to be offered annually (minimum of two [fall, spring] for each language) The faculty members set examinations and determine the pass lists.

Publications Committee

The Publications Committee consists of the Chair, editors of CMS publication series (including the Dictionary of Old English), two faculty members, representatives from the presses of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies and University of Toronto, and a Student Representative, appointed by the Chair in consultation with the Chair of the Student Committee.The committee meets annually to oversee current publications and consider new publication initiatives.

Student Committee

See Student Committee for more information.

TA Appointments Committee

The TA Appointments Committee consists of the Executive, Manager, and Graduate Administrator.

Workload Committee

The Workload Committee consists of the Executive Committee and one annually elected faculty member holding a whole or partial budgetary appointment in CMS.