Regulation on Bilingualism
at
University Of Ottawa 1974

Whereas

 
1. pursuant to clause (c) of section 4 of the An Act respecting Université d'Ottawa this institution must “further bilingualism and biculturalism and preserve and develop French culture in Ontario”;
2. the affirmation of the bilingual character of the University is an indispensable condition for the achieving of this double objective;
3. in principle and in fact, French and English are the official languages of the University;
4. the bilingual character of the University will be shown by the bilingualism of its programmes, its central administration, its general services, the internal administration of its faculties and schools, its teaching staff, its support staff and its student population;
5. while encouraging the development of its present programmes which, notwithstanding their varied linguistic requirements, contribute to the affirmation of, and benefit from, the bilingual character of the University, the University must increase the number and quality of its bilingual programmes;
6. the central administration of the University must reflect the bilingual character of the institution, and its general services must be able to communicate in both official languages with the university community and the general public and to serve equally well members of both linguistic groups;
7. the faculties and schools of the University must be able to assure bilingual services to the extent required by the nature of their programmes and courses and the composition of their student population;
8. the University must take steps so that in the near future all the members of its teaching personnel are partially bilingual, that is to say, have mastered all the active functions of one official language and the passive functions in the other;
9. the University must strive to increase gradually the number of members of its teaching personnel who are fully bilingual;
10. the University must encourage and assist its students to gain competence in the two official languages so that they may be able to take full advantage of all the human, educational, cultural and artistic resources available in the University community;
11. the University maintains that bilingualism constitutes in itself a cultural value, and that in some disciplines and programmes it is an indispensable condition of academic excellence;
12. the University maintains as well that bilingualism constitutes an educational value, since it allows for the development of a study and living environment that fosters exchange and the development of mutual respect between the two language groups;
13. in consequence, the University holds that the affirmation of its bilingual character, far from hindering the achievement of the other objectives mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 4 of the Act, will promote the development of the University as an institution of higher learning;
14. the University wishes to respect fully the acquired rights of its teaching personnel, support staff and students who are at the University at the moment of coming into force of the regulation;
15. the Board of Governors, under the terms of clause (j) of section 11 of the Act, and the Senate, under the terms of clause (a) of section 17 of the Act are given the authority to enact regulations governing bilingualism at the University.
 
THEREFORE, the Senate and the Board of Governors of the University of Ottawa adopt the following regulation.
 

Part I

 

Definitions

 
1. (1) In this regulation:
(a) “University” means the University of Ottawa as established by An Act respecting Université d'Ottawa;
(b) “official language” means French and English;
(c) “principal language” means the official language which is the only or predominant working language of the members of the personnel of a faculty or school or service, or a functional division thereof, of the University, or which is the only or predominant language used in a programme of studies;
(d) “second language” means the other official language;
(e) “active functions of a language” means the oral and written expression in that language, and “active knowledge” means the mastery of these functions;
(f) “passive functions of a language” means the comprehension of that language by its oral and written forms, and “passive knowledge” means the mastery of these functions;
(g) “full bilingualism” means the mastery of the active and passive functions of both official languages;
(h) “partial bilingualism” means the mastery of all functions in one of the official languages and of the passive functions in the other;
(i) “central administration” refers collectively to the Board of Governors and the Senate, their committees, the offices of the Rector, the Vice-Rectors, the General Secretary and the Public Relations Service;
(j) “general services” means all the services (with the exception of that of Public Relations) which are under the direct authority of the central administration and not under the authority of a faculty or school;
(k) “programme of studies” means the totality of learning requirements which are imposed upon all candidates to a given degree, diploma or certificate, but which may vary in content depending upon the individual.
2. (2) In terms of bilingualism the existing programmes of studies of the University may be classified as follows:
(a) On the basis of the languages used in teaching:
(i) unilingual programmes: those in which all courses are given in only one of the official languages;
(ii) bilingual programmes through parallelism: those in which all courses are given in both English and French so that a student may, if he wishes, study in one language without restricting his freedom of choice amongst special orientations authorized by his programme;
(iii) bilingual programmes with preponderance of one of the official languages: those in which required courses are given in both official languages, but in which a majority of the optional courses are offered in the predominant language, such that a student may take courses in one language, but at the cost of restricting his freedom of choice of special orientation;
(iv) bilingual programmes: those in which the required courses are given in one or the other of the official languages, such that the student must follow courses in both languages.
(b) On the basis of academic regulations:
(i) programmes in which no linguistic competence is imposed by regulation as a condition for the degree, except the knowledge of the language required for registration in the courses;
(ii) programmes which, by regulations, require as a condition of graduation, a level of knowledge of the second language to be shown by success in a test administered at the beginning of such studies at the University or by success in a second language course or courses specified therein;
(iii) programmes which require one or more courses in the second language, whatever be the level of competence shown by the student at the time he begins his studies at the University.
 

Part II

 

The administration

 
2. (1) In meetings of the Board of Governors, of the Senate and of their committees, everyone may use the official language of his choice and shall obtain, on request, the translation of any motion that is put to vote.
(2) Minutes of these meetings will be bilingual in the sense that interventions and motions will be reported in the language in which they were made.
(3) Regulations and policy statements will be published simultaneously in both official languages.
3. All official communications from the central administration intended for all members of the teaching staff, support staff, or student body, will be made simultaneously in both official languages.
4. The bilingual character of the University will be reflected in all official communications of the Public Relations Service, and at the director's discretion, communications will be in both languages or will make use of both.
 

Part III

 

Support Staff

 
A. Support staff in the general services
5. The University will determine the nature of the relationships which, having regard to their duties, the incumbents of all positions in the General Services will eventually have with members of the university community and of the general public, and will classify them in three categories:
category 1: positions for which the incumbent must be fully bilingual;
category 2: positions for which the incumbent must be partially bilingual;
category 3: positions for which the incumbent may be unilingual.
6. (1) Members of the personnel of the General Services who are on staff when this regulation comes into force, but who have not attained the degree of bilingualism required by their position, will be granted a period of time in which to attain it. This period of time, of no less than two years but of no more than five years as of the day they are officially notified of the classification of their position, will be determined in each case by the University, upon recommendation of the Rector, after consultation with the individual concerned and his immediate superior.
(2) If, within the allotted time, a member of the personnel has not attained the degree of bilingualism required by his position, the Rector, after consulting with the immediate superior of the individual, may recommend to the Board of Governors that a further delay be awarded if it appears that such a delay will permit the person to reach the required degree of bilingualism. Failing this, the University, to the full extent to which this is possible, will transfer the member of personnel to a position for which he is qualified and meets the linguistic requirements.
7. (1) Following the coming into force of this regulation, the University will not engage the services of a candidate for a position in its General Services, unless he satisfies not only the requirements of the job description, but the linguistic requirements established in accordance with section 5 of this regulation or who undertakes to attain the required level of bilingualism within a period of time to be fixed in each case.
(2) A member of personnel whose services have been engaged by the University after the coming into force of this regulation and whose contract has terminated because of failure to satisfy the linguistic requirements therein will be, to the full extent to which this is possible, transferred to a position for which he is qualified.
B. Support staff in faculties and schools
8. The support staff of faculties and schools shall be subject to provisions similar to those set out in section 5 to 7 of this regulation, but formulated by such faculties and schools and approved by the Board of Governors.
C. University assistance
9. For the benefit of support staff having an obligation to increase their linguistic competence, the University shall teach the official languages in a programme offered at its expense. The taking of such courses will be subject to special regulatory provisions to be adopted by the University in due course.
 

Part IV

 

Programmes of studies

 
10. In establishing priorities among requests submitted by Faculties and Schools for additional resources the Senate must take into account the extent to which the use they propose for such resources may contribute “to further bilingualism and biculturalism and to preserve and develop French culture in Ontario”.
11. Consequently, the Senate shall give particular attention to projects which aim at satisfying an identified need of the community that the University serves, either by improving the bilingual character of an existing programme or by rendering bilingual an existing unilingual programme.
12. After the coming into force of this regulation the Senate shall approve no new undergraduate programme leading to a first university or professional degree unless passive knowledge of the second language is a condition for the granting of the degree. In considering new programmes leading to a graduate degree, the Senate shall take into account the contribution of each programme to the development of bilingualism and biculturalism and of French culture in Ontario and the extent to which the bilingualism of the University would contribute to the excellence of the programme.
 

Part V

 

Teaching staff

 
13. The University will make use of incentive measures only to lead members of the teaching personnel who are on staff when this regulation comes into force to improve as may be required their knowledge of one or the other of the official languages.
14. (1) After the coming into force of this regulation, the University will engage as members of the teaching personnel only persons who are at least partially bilingual, or who undertake to attain this level of linguistic competence.
(2) A member of the teaching personnel engaged on the strength of such an undertaking will not be able to obtain tenure until such undertaking has been fulfilled.
15. The University will offer French and English courses for the benefit of members of the teaching personnel who wish to improve their knowledge of either official language; the participation of these members will be voluntary, without cost and subject to such regulatory provisions as the University may adopt.
16. As far as possible, and in accordance with such regulations as may be adopted by the Board of Governors and the Senate, the University will grant summer leaves with full pay to members of the teaching personnel who wish to improve their knowledge in either of the official languages.
 

Part VI

 

The students

 
17. A student shall not be admitted to a programme of studies unless he has a sufficient knowledge of the language or languages of instruction of the courses required by his programme.
18. Each Faculty and School must formulate, have approved by the Senate and implement a set of measures designed to induce its students to acquire at least passive knowledge of the second language.
19. The University will make available to its students such courses as may be needed for them to acquire or increase their knowledge of the official languages, having regard to the particular needs of the student flowing from the programme in which he is registered. The taking of such courses shall be subject to regulations made by the faculties and schools and approved by the Senate and, where necessary, by the Board of Governors.
20. (1) Every student has the right to use French or English in his dealings with the Central Administration and the General Services and with the administration of the faculty or school in which he is registered.
(2) Every student has the right to require that a course in which he is registered shall be given in the language used to describe the course in a current calendar, subject, however, to the regulations of the faculty or school respecting conditions to be satisfied in order for a course to be offered.
(3) Except in language courses, every student has the right to produce his work and to answer examination questions in the official language of his choice.
 

Part VII

 

Implementation

 
21. The Board of Governors shall be responsible for the implementation of the second, third and fifth parts of this regulation.
22. The Senate shall be responsible for the implementation of the fourth and sixth parts of this regulation.
23. The Joint Committee of the Board of Governors and the Senate, in consultation with the Personnel Services, will classify positions in the General Services as set out in section 5 of this regulation.
24. Within six months of the date this regulation comes into force, each faculty or school must:
(a) report to the Senate the linguistic classification of each programme it offers;
(b) submit to the Senate for approval the schedule that it intends to follow in developing the bilingualism of its programmes;
(c) submit to the Senate and, where applicable, to the Board of Governors, its own draft regulation concerning bilingualism; this draft must be compatible with the provisions herein and extend to programmes of studies (including conditions of admission and of graduation), teaching staff, support staff, methods for inducing students to acquire knowledge of the second language, and regulations to be followed in official communications with the whole of its staff or student body.

25. (1) The Centre for Second Language Learning shall prepare, as needed, and offer language courses for members of the teaching personnel, support staff and students, pursuant to sections 9, 15 and 19 of this regulation.
(2) The Centre for Second Language Learning shall also formulate, as needed, and administer linguistic competence tests to which members of the University community must submit in accordance with paragraph (2) of section 6, paragraph (2) of section 7, paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 14 and section 17 of this regulation. The Centre must, however, with respect to tests designed for members of the teaching personnel, consult the faculty or school concerned in order to determine the level of passive knowledge of the second language to be required of the person in question.
(3) Within twelve months following the coming into force of this regulation, the Centre for Second Language Learning must submit a report to the Executive Committees of the Board of Governors and of the Senate respecting the fulfilment of the tasks memtioned in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section. This report shall propose an order of priorities amongst the tasks to be done, an overall plan of action, a timetable and a budget for the undertaking.

26. Within six months following the coming into force of this regulation each of the General Services must submit to the Board of Governors for approval a regulation on the use of the official languages in its internal communications and in its communications with the teaching staff, support staff or student body.
27. This regulation shall come into force upon its adoption by the Senate and the Board of Governors, with the exception of sections 6, 14, 15 and 19 which shall come into force at a date determined by the Board of Governors.
28. No exception to this regulation may be made without the written consent of the Board of Governors or the Senate, as the case may be.
 
This regulation on Bilingualism has been approved by the Senate of the University of Ottawa on October 7th, 1974 and by the Board of Governors on November 18th, 1974.
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Last updated: 2009.07.15