Report: Planning and Budget Committee - January 9, 2020

Regrets:
Stephanie Anagnostou, Adalsteinn (Steini) I. D. Brown, P.C. Choo, Ernest Lam, Joanne J. McNamara

Non-Voting Assessors:
William Gough,Vice-Principal (Academic), and Acting Dean, UTSC, Andrew Arifuzzaman, Chief Administrative Officer, Sheila Brown, Chief Financial Officer, Christine E. Burke, Director, Campus and Facilities Planning,  Saher Fazilat, Chief Administrative Officer, UTM, Vivek Goel, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, David Palmer, Vice-President, Advancement

Secretariat:
Tracey Gameiro, Secretary

In Attendance:
Elizabeth Cragg, Director, Office of the Vice-President University Operations; Adrienne De Francesco, Executive Director, Capital Projects; Paul Handley, Chief Administrative Officer, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education; Tatiana Kosikova, Administrative Director, Office of the Vice-President, Communications; David Lock, Coordinator, Academic Planning & Reviews, Office of the Vice-President and Provost; Daniella Mallinick, Director, Academic Programs, Planning and Quality Assurance, Office of the Vice-President and Provost; Anuar Rodrigues, Director, Strategic Projects and Initiatives in the Office of the Vice-President and Provost; Archana Sridhar, Assistant Provost, Office of the Vice-President and Provost; Ashley Stirling, Vice Dean Academic, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education; Luc Tremblay, Associate Dean, Research, Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education

ITEM 6 WAS APPROVED. IN CAMERA ITEM 10 IS RECOMMENDED TO THE ACADEMIC BOARD FOR APPROVAL. ALL OTHER ITEMS ARE REPORTED FOR INFORMATION.
Pursuant to section 33(i) of By-Law Number 2, Item 10 was considered in camera.

OPEN SESSION

1.  Chair’s Remarks
   The Chair welcomed members and guests to the meeting. He encouraged active and engaged participation in the discussions.
    

2. Assessor’s Reports
   The Provost provided the Committee with a brief update on the Student Choice Initiative.  As had been reported to governance previously, the University suspended access to the opt-out option on the ACORN portal as soon as the Ontario Divisional Court ruling quashing the government directive had been released.  Thereafter, the University was notified by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities that the government had sought leave to appeal.  Professor Regehr noted that the University would continue to monitor the appeal process and was seeking advice on possible outcomes and next steps.  She added that the University would await the result of the appeal before making any final decisions in terms of winter term opt-outs made prior to the court decision.  She stressed that balancing the needs of students and support for student-led organizations with expectations that universities comply with the law was a priority.
   
   In response to a member’s question, the Provost reiterated that, as was the case for all universities during this period of uncertainty, the University would await the result of the appeal before making any final decisions in terms of opt-outs made prior to the court decision.  Similarly, the University would continue to monitor the process and seek advice on other available options including whether the University would seek intervenor status in the appeal.

3.  Tri-Campus Review
   
   The Provost presented an overview of the Tri-Campus Review which began in Spring 2018 and was nearing its conclusion.  In her remarks, Professor Regehr noted that the working groups that made up the Review had been consulting for over a year in one-on-one and group meetings, as well as through online consultations.
   
   The Provost reported that the Tri-Campus Review was the latest phase in the University’s thinking about the relationships among the three campuses, following on other reviews that had happened over the years. She explained that the structure of the review mirrored the multi-pillar approach of the Budget Model Review, and looked at tri-campus structures and tri-campus relationships across five pillars: Academic Planning and Academic Change; Graduate Units; Student Services; Administrative Structure; and Budget Relationships (the latter to be undertaken as part of the Budget Model Review). The Provost remarked that the review has been ambitious and touched on almost every area of University life.
   
   As of December 2019, the working groups had submitted their recommendations to the Tri-Campus Steering Committee, which was tasked with coordinating issues arising from the working groups, reviewing working group outcomes, and making overall recommendations for changes to policy, procedures and practices. Recommendations would be synthesized into a final report and submitted to governance for information by the end of the academic year. A copy of the report would also be published on the Provost’s website.
   
   A member raised the issue of access to health and wellness services and work study positions by students who lived closer to one campus but who were registered at another.  The Provost assured members that this was an issue that the administration was committed to addressing and one that was currently being explored by the Student Services pillar.
    

4. Academic Plan (Extension) Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education’s Creating Capacity, Cultivating Change: 2018-2022
   
   The Academic Plan Extension for the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education was received for information. Professor Ira Jacobs, Dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education presented the plan extension highlighting the following:
   
   • The Academic Plan had been unanimously endorsed by Faculty Council;
   
   • The Faculty had developed an extension to their previous academic plan Creating Capacity, Cultivating Change 2013-2018 which has been the strategic framework for its significant achievements going forward;
   
   •  Four high-level strategic goals were identified in the academic plan extension

   1. Educate and graduate a diverse student body who become productive contributors and leaders in their fields
   2. Strengthen recognition and productivity in research, scholarship, innovation and creative activity
   3. Improve participation rates and performance outcomes across the continuum of co-curricular physical activity and sport programs
   4. Build new capacity through investments in infrastructure, people and partnerships.

•  The plan identified detailed priorities for achieving each of the four strategic goals in the extension, and listed the indicators by which progress towards each would be measured;

•  The resource implications of the Divisional Academic Plan were detailed in the plan.

In response to members’ comments regarding the support for the Plan, Dean Jacobs noted the importance of consultation with students, student-athletes, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, funders and partners within and outside the University. 

In response to a question about the Faculty being the University’s largest employer of students, Dean Jacobs provided a few examples that demonstrated the range of jobs in which students were employed, which included part-time work as facility staff, sports and/or physical activity program staff, event staff, lifeguarding, camp counsellors, assisting in the Faculty’s sports medicine clinic.

OPEN SESSION CONSENT AGENDA

On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED THAT

the consent agenda be adopted.

5. Annual Report: Approved Endowed and Limited Term Chairs, Professorships, Distinguished Scholars and Program Initiatives, 2018-2019
   
   The Committee received the Annual Report: Approved Endowed and Limited Term Chairs, Professorships, Distinguished Scholars and Program Initiatives, 2018-2019 for information.
   
   There were no questions from members.
6. Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 189 – October 31, 2019
   
   Report Number 189 of October 31, 2019 was approved.
    

7. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
   
   There was no business arising from the report of the previous meeting.

8. Date of the Next Meeting – Tuesday, February 25, 2020, 4:10 – 6:10 p.m.
   
   The Chair reminded members that the next meeting would be held on Thursday, February 25, 2020 at 4:10 p.m.

END OF CONSENT AGENDA

9. Other Business
   
   There were no items of other business.

THE BOARD MOVED IN CAMERA.

10. Capital Project:  FitzGerald Building Revitalization located at 150 College Street – Revised Total Project Cost and Sources of Funding
    
    On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
    
    YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS
    
    THAT the Vice-President, Operations and Real Estate Partnerships’ recommendation regarding the Total Project Cost Increase and Sources of Funding for the FitzGerald Building Revitalization Project, located at 150 College Street, as outlined in the memorandum dated December 10, 2019, be approved.

The Committee returned to Open Session.

The Chair thanked members for their attendance and participation in the Committee meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 5:36 p.m.

January 10, 2020