SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Key Facts
News
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Institutional Stewardship Initiatives
There are three primary governing bodies at the University of Saskatchewan: Board of Governors, University Council and Senate. The Board of Governors is responsible for overseeing and directing all matters respecting the management, administration and control of the university’s property, revenues and financial affairs. University Council oversees and directs the university’s academic affairs. The Senate is the university’s window on the province of Saskatchewan and the province’s window on the university. There is representation of faculty, staff, and students (undergraduate and graduate) on all three of these in some form, with the specific membership of USask's governing bodies available by selecting the specific 'body' on the provided link, and then selecting the ‘Members’ link on left menu.
The university recognizes an independent student union called the University of Saskatchewan Student's Union or USSU and it provides governance, support services, and social activities for the student body. There is also a Graduate Student Association which provides a similar function for graduate students, as well as a Society of Postdoctoral Scholars.
One of USask's three governing bodies (i.e. the Senate) requires representation from external stakeholders including 14 elected district members from the province, government representatives, and individuals from various professional and cultural organizations within the province (see link). This is all required through the University of Saskatchewan Act, 1995. In addition, the university through the President's Office has numerous Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in place with various stakeholders in the City of Saskatoon and Province of Saskatchewan. These include the City of Saskatoon itself, Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, and Metis-Nation Saskatchewan. The importance of engaging with external stakeholders also remains very evident in our new University Plan 2025, specifically the commitment to inspired communities.
The Senate as a governing body is one example of such a participatory body. The membership (see ‘Members’ menu on lower left) is very broad including the chancellor, former chancellors, president, vice presidents, provincial government, federated and affiliated colleges, elected members from districts within the province, students, and many representatives from professional societies, groups and organizations within the province. A related body that supports the important initiative to provide outreach and engagement is the 'Senate Round Table on Outreach and Engagement'. Another good example of this would be the Alumni Advisory Board, which connects many stakeholders not just locally, but throughout the world.
These areas are addressed via a number of institutional policies and publications, within the university’s public listing of approved university policies. One example is the Conflict of Interest Policy, while another is the Responsible Conduct of Research Policy. The University of Saskatchewan also has confidential reporting lines and policy, and matters are resolved and then reported confidentially to the Board of Governors. Beyond this, individuals in the community and the institution are governed under Canadian Criminal Code, while foreign bribery under Canadian law is governed by the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act.
Yes. The University of Saskatchewan Mission/Vision/Values document includes academic freedom as a fundamental principle upon which it operates and it is a part of the USFA Collective Agreement (Section 6) between University of Saskatchewan and University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association. The statement clearly articulates this freedom applies to teaching, scholarship, and research, and to all employees (faculty), whether they are tenured or not.
The university publishes its financial data annually in a public report.
USask works closely with governments at local, regional, and national levels to provide evidence-based advice on policies, laws, and criminal justice system practices.
The Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan
The Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan includes USask College of Law faculty as two of the commissioners, and Commission Director Leah Howie is an instructor at USask. Law reform projects are initiated by the Commission in response to suggestions from the public and the legal community or at the request of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. After preliminary research, consultation, and completion of a project, the Commission’s recommendations are formally submitted to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General as final proposals/reports. Recommendations are often enacted from these final reports. The Commission is funded by grants from the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Justice.
Research Institutes, Centres, & Projects
The Indigenous Law Centre (formerly the Native Law Centre) at the University of Saskatchewan College of Law aims to facilitate access to legal education for Indigenous peoples, to promote the development of the law and the legal system in Canada in ways which better accommodate the advancement of Indigenous peoples and communities, and to disseminate information concerning Indigenous peoples and the law.
The Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies (CFBSJS) exists as a collaboration between USask, Correctional Service Canada, and the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, and strives to build effective and sustainable working relationships between academic researchers and criminal justice professionals in the non-profit, government, and Indigenous sectors. Faculty at the Centre have regular ongoing research collaborations with Correctional Service Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Federal Ministry of Justice – the reports from these projects are publicly available. The Centre maintains a commitment to fostering positive change in all aspects of the criminal justice system in collaboration with key stakeholders and agencies. Initiatives contribute significantly to improving practices and policies in the criminal justice system, fostering a more informed and effective approach to maintaining public safety and upholding justice.
The Governing Sustainable Municipalities (GSM) project, led by USask’s Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS), produced several advisory publications, reports, a database, and an assessment tool aimed at educating, measuring progress, and guiding policy for local, regional, and national government on the specific issues surrounding the sustainable municipalities. Reporting included lessons learned and recommendations to empower governments to take action to facilitate a sustainable future. All project documents are publicly available. Funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre, the Governing Sustainable Municipalities (GSM) project identified barriers and opportunities that affect the ability of municipalities to move forward and focused attention on local government sustainability efforts. This included the skills training and labour market dimensions of sustainability, attention to issues of equity, diversity and inclusion, and planning to engage underserved groups.
The GSM project explored key questions such as:
- What was the current state of municipal preparedness for sustainability? What policy, resources and governance capacity did municipalities have in place for sustainability?
- What were the key facilitators of sustainability in the municipal sector and the main barriers? To what extent was progress toward sustainability limited by capacity and skills training gaps?
- How could municipal sustainability initiatives engage underserved groups, particularly Indigenous communities, racialized and LGBTQ2S+ individuals, and people with disabilities? How could we use skills training to engage underserved populations in sustainability?
- How could municipalities move forward with skills training and which strategies need to be implemented? How could different sectors work together for success
Research Impact
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Sample Courses
Analyzes governing institutions and the process of modern government within Canada as a means of enhancing a student's understanding of policy formulation and implementation. This course is intended to provide a basis for critically assessing political and administrative decision making and policy outcomes.
A full-year course designed to provide students with practical, real-life legal experience and the tools to reflect critically upon this experience. Students enrolled in the course take on client files at Community Legal Assistance Services for Saskatoon Inner City Inc. CLASSIC is a not-for-profit community legal clinic located at 123 20th Street East. Students provide front-line legal services in many areas of law, including criminal law, social assistance law, immigration and refugee law, residential tenancies law, human rights law, prison law and more. Students will gain skills and understanding in the areas of client interviewing and counseling, legal writing and research, file management, professional responsibility and advocacy before courts and administrative tribunals. Students are exposed to the complexities and demands of real-life legal clinic and engage with the legal system on the level at which it actually operates. Students will also be exposed to issues and critical literature pertaining to poverty law, access to justice and the lawyering process.
An examination of policies and programs impacting Indigenous peoples in Canada, including those developed by Indigenous nations and those established by the federal and provincial governments.
Covers basic concepts and principles of the cycle of health program planning, which includes needs assessment, program development and implementation, process, impact, and outcome evaluation. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection will be addressed. Guest speakers, case studies, and assignments will link conceptual material with concrete applications.
For a full listing of related courses, please visit the Office of Sustainability's sustainablity course inventory.