This Memorandum is a compilation of the discussions that took place at the first open session of the AY 2019 Plenary Council of the University on Wednesday, October 2, and other matters discussed during AY 2019 before and after that session. Is comprises three chapters: Chapter I, Significance and of the AY 2019 Plenary Council of the University and Progress of Discussions; Chapter II, Major Discussion Points tabled by the Parties; and Chapter III, University Initiatives in AY 2020 and Beyond (Confirmed Matters).

• Access the website below to view the results of the Ritsumeikan University Student Union’s 2019 university-wide questionnaire survey of students.
• Access the website below (learning support site) for more details of the Learning and Growth Survey referred to in this Memorandum.
• Access the website below for more information on Ritsumeikan’s approach to financial management.

Overview of the Plenary Council

The Plenary Council of the University (hereafter, simply the “Plenary Council”) is an organ established in order for all members of the Ritsumeikan University (“RU”) learning community—undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, administrative staff, and the university authorities—to discuss and engage actively in improvements and reforms to various conditions of education, research, and campus life. Sessions of the Plenary Council are conducted in line with the principle of self-government by all constituents of the university, and are attended by representatives of the four primary components of the university: the Student Union as the self-governing body for undergraduate students, the Graduate Student Council as the self-governing body for graduate students, the Faculty/Staff Union, and the university authorities (the Executive Board of Trustees, of which College Deans are members). The Ritsumeikan Co-operative, which provides support for campus life, participates as an observer.

Significance of the AY 2019 Plenary Council and Progress of Discussions

1) Significance of the AY 2019 Plenary Council

The discussions that took place in the AY 2018 Plenary Council provided the basis for holding another Plenary Council in AY 2019. At the AY 2018 Plenary Council, proposals for tuition fees were made only for AY 2019 entrants in the case of undergraduate students, and only up to AY 2020 in the case of graduate students. The AY 2018 Plenary Council therefore confirmed that a further Plenary Council would be held in AY 2019 to determine undergraduate fees for AY 2020 and beyond, and to consider the question of whether or not to unify the graduate tuition fee policy cycle with that of undergraduate students, together with related policies on graduate tuition fees.

2) Progress of discussions

At the AY 2019 Plenary Council, the university authorities (hereafter simply “the university”) provided the other parties with a report on the status of initiatives in education and student support pursuant to the R2020 latter phase plan, and tabled a draft Learning Innovation plan for education and student support in AY 2019 and thereafter, formulated with a view to the next ten years (AY 2021 to 2030).

In March 2019 the university and Student Union began holding discussion meetings in preparation for the AY 2019 Plenary Council. The university released a special issue of Ritsumeikan Style titled “Toward the AY 2019 Plenary Council” in June 2019 (hereafter the “RS 2019 Special Issue”), which reported on progress toward enhancement of curricular and extracurricular learning, improvement of campus environments, and enrichment of graduate school education for the first half of the Learning Innovation policy period (AY 2019-2020) and pursuant to the AY 2018 Memorandum of the Plenary Council. Along with reporting on the status of discussions on demonstrating learning outcomes, supporting learning and campus life, study abroad and international exchange, and other themes for the first half of the Learning Innovation policy period (AY 2019-2020), the university also proposed to undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty and staff members a policy for tuition and fees in AY 2020 and 2021. For undergraduate students in particular, materials were distributed and explanations conducted in small-group classes in all undergraduate colleges, and feedback was gathered from these classes.

Through June 2019 and thereafter, representatives of the university, the Student Union, the Graduate Student Council, and the Faculty/Staff Union held two Plenary Council Representatives’ Meetings. There were also three administrative consultations, nine discussion forums on various topics with the Student Union, and five with the Graduate Student Council, before the first full Plenary Council open session was held on Wednesday, October 1, 2019. Discussions continued subsequently, with one Representatives’ Meeting, three administrative consultations, seven discussion forums with the Student Union, and one discussion forum with the Graduate Student Council.

In addition to this progress in discussions, AY 2019 is situated as the year in which the R2020 latter phase plan is moved to the implementation phase, while discussions are also advanced on the plan for the academy and university from AY 2021 onward, toward realization of the R2030 academy vision for 2030: Challenge Your Mind, Change Our Future.