REPORT NUMBER 192 OF THE PLANNING AND BUDGET COMMITTEE
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
To the Academic Board,
University of Toronto
Your Committee reports that it held a virtual meeting met on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, at 4:10 p.m. with the following members present:
Claire Kennedy (Chair of Governing Council), Jan Mahrt-Smith (Chair), Mark Lautens (Vice-Chair), Cheryl Regehr (Vice-President and Provost), Scott Mabury (Vice-President, Operations and Real Estate Partnerships), Trevor Rodgers (Assistant Vice-President, Planning & Budget), Stephanie Anagnostou , Shauna Brail, Nicole Breakey, Markus Bussmann, P.C. Choo, Ettore V. Damiano, David Dubins, Susan Froom, Gary D. Goldberg, Ira Jacobs, Anil Kishen, Ernest Lam, Maureen MacDonald, Joanne J. McNamara
REGRETS:
Adalsteinn (Steini) I. D. Brown, Nicholas Rule, Melanie Woodin
NON-VOTING ASSESSORS:
Christine E. Burke (Director, Campus and Facilities Planning), Saher Fazilat (Chief Administrative Officer, UTM)
SECRETARIAT:
Sheree Drummond (Secretary, Governing Council), Tracey Gameiro (Secretary, Planning & Budget), Anwar Kazmi (Deputy Secretary, Governing Council), Emma Thacker (Assistant Secretary, Office of the Governing Council)
IN ATTENDANCE:
Ernie Avilla (Project Development Lead, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy), Lisa Dolovich (Dean, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy), Tim Harrison (Faculty of Arts & Science), Ed Iacobucci (Dean, Faculty of Law), Don McLean (Dean, Faculty of Music), Jay Pratt (Vice-Dean Research and Infrastructure, Faculty of Arts & Science), Matti Siemiatycki (School of Cities), Andrea Russell (Director, Academic Affairs, Office of the Vice-President and Provost), Archana Sridhar (Assistant Provost, Office of the Vice-President and Provost)
ITEMS 3 AND 4 ARE RECOMMENDED TO THE ACADEMIC BOARD FOR APPROVAL. ITEM 5 WAS APPROVED. ALL OTHER ITEMS ARE REPORTED FOR INFORMATION.
Pursuant to section 33(i) of By-Law Number 2, item 9 was considered in camera.
OPEN SESSION
1. Chair’s Remarks
The Chair welcomed members and guests to the meeting, and encouraged member participation in all discussions. He noted there was one item for approval and three for recommendation.
2. Assessors’ Reports
The Committee received a report from the Vice-President & Provost, Professor Regehr.
Professor Regehr provided an update as of April 1, 2020 on the impact of COVID-19 and its many implications for the University. In the course of her remarks, the Provost addressed the following:
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Academic Continuity
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Student Residences and Services
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Research Activities
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Maintaining University Operations
In response to members’ comments and questions, the Provost stated the following:
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plans were underway to develop expanded course offerings to meet the demand for summer course enrolment which was anticipated to increase;
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the University was looking to remove policy limitations to enrolment (such as restrictions around online learning for international students located abroad) and would consider approaching the province to change policy with respect to funding rules;
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regarding fall enrolment, most offers had been made for the coming academic year prior to the State of Emergency being declared in Ontario with some acceptances also having been received;
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the University continued to be engaged in high level discussions at the Federal level – this also included conversations with Universities Canada and the U15 group of universities;
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urgent priority was being given to address the impact on summer internship programs and graduate entry into the labour market – the University was awaiting further details of the expenditure support program for post-secondary students from the Federal government;
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a working group had been established to review issues related to fee refund requests;
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the University was committed to having safe housing for students who might need to remain in residence;
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the University was in discussions with UHN about utilizing Chestnut Residence as housing for health care workers if needed; separately, protocols had been developed for residences to ensure student and staff safety;
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the University had transitioned all in-person courses to alternative means of delivery, making innovative use of online technologies and other strategies to carry on with teaching and learning activities; critical research operations were also being reviewed;
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the vast majority of employees would be kept whole up to April 30, or the end date of their contract, whichever was earlier – no decisions had been made in respect of the period after April 30;
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with Spring 2020 Convocation ceremonies cancelled, alternative means of recognizing graduating students were being explored;
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detailed modelling continued to be undertaken regarding enrolment, revenues, and expenditure plans across the University that would assist in scenario planning, monitoring, and forecasting throughout the year, and would be adjusted as needed.
3. Proposal to establish an Academic Pharmacy at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy (“Pharmacy”)
The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy proposed to develop a fully-accredited Academic Pharmacy. Professor Regehr was invited to introduce this item. She was joined by Professor Lisa Dolovich, Dean of Pharmacy, who also assisted in the presentation.
Highlights of the presentation included the following:
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the primary goals of the Academic Pharmacy would be furthering:
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student experiential learning; and
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innovative and impactful research
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the core elements and structure of the Academic Pharmacy had been established following substantial consultation across the University;
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while some final operational details remained to be determined, it was important that the proposal was brought forward at this time in order to enable the incorporation of the Academic Pharmacy, which would in turn enable its accreditation and licensing;
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the launch period for the Academic Pharmacy was projected to occur from May through August 2021;
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following incorporation, the Academic Pharmacy would meet all of the Ontario College Pharmacists accreditation requirements;
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the Academic Pharmacy would serve as a needs-based dispensary and offer an array of professional pharmacy services to faculty, staff, and students at the University.
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the clinic’s services would not be available to members of the public;
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the Academic Pharmacy would be structured as a for-profit corporation solely-owned by the University.
As part of the ensuing discussion, the following was addressed:
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offering the clinic’s services to dependants could be considered, although the current position is that the Pharmacy’s services would only be available to U of T faculty, staff, and students;
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consultations with the Ontario Pharmacists Association and other pharmacy stakeholders had been positive, with all recognizing that the research component could support the broader health care system, and the options for experiential education were well received.
On motion duly moved, seconded and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED
THAT the proposal, The Development of an Academic Pharmacy at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, dated March 9, 2020, be approved in principle.
4. Capital Project: Report of the Project Planning Committee for the Centre for Civilizations, Cultures, and Cities (“CCC”)
The Committee received a presentation from Professor Scott Mabury, Vice-President, University Operations & Real Estate Partnerships.
There were no questions from members.
On motion duly moved, seconded and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED
THAT the Report of the Project Planning Committee for the Centre for Civilizations, Cultures and Cities, dated March 10, 2020, be approved in principle; and,
THAT the project totaling 7,139 net assignable square metres (nasm) 17,790 gross square metres (gsm), be approved in principle, to be funded by Future Major Capital Project Reserves, Divisional Operating Reserves, Fundraising (Divisional), Divisional Borrowing, Fundraising (Institutional), Institutional Borrowing (ROM) and Institutional Borrowing (University).
5. Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 191 – February 25, 2020
Report Number 191, from the meeting of February 25, 2020 was approved.
6. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
There was no business arising from the report of the previous meeting.
7. Date of the Next Meeting – Thursday, May 7, 2020, 4:10 – 6:10 p.m.
The Chair reminded members that the next meeting would be held on Thursday, May 7, 2020 at 4:10 p.m.
8. Other Business
There were no items of other business.
The Committee moved IN CAMERA.
9. Capital Project: Centre for Civilizations, Cultures and Cities—Total Project Cost Increase and Sources of Funding
On motion duly moved, seconded and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED
THAT the recommendation of Professor Scott Mabury, Vice-President, Operations and Real Estate Partnerships, as outlined in the memorandum dated March 18, 2020, regarding the total project cost increase sources of funding for the Centre for Civilizations, Cultures and Cities, be approved
The Committee returned to Open Session.
The Chair thanked members for their attendance and participation.
The meeting adjourned at 5:32 p.m.