Report: UTM Campus Affairs Committee - April 28, 2020

In Attendance:
Sandy Welsh (Vice-Provost, Students), Heather Miller (Vice-Dean, Teaching & Learning), Luke Barber (Director, Information and Instructional Technology Services), Sako Khederlarian (Student Engagement Coordinator, Student Organizations & Outreach), Robert Messacar (Director, Campus Police Services), Meredith Strong (Director, Office of the Vice-Provost, Students & Student Policy Advisor)

Secretariat:
Cindy Ferencz Hammond (Assistant Secretary of the Governing Council), Alexandra Waters (Governance Coordinator)
 

1. Chair’s Remarks
   The Chair welcomed members to the virtual meeting.

2. Working Remotely: Support from Information & Instructional Technology Services (I&ITS)
   The Chair invited Mr. Luke Barber, Director, I&ITS, to present. Mr. Barber provided an overview of how I&ITS provided support to the UTM Community amid the transition to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific elements of support included virtual private network (VPN) access for faculty and staff, remote access to local and departmental files, remote web editing, and continuity of research and departmental-specific services. Zoom continued to be the primary platform from which the UTM Community conducted virtual meetings. The recent risk assessment of the application demonstrated it was beneficial to continue use of the application as the company had been responsive in addressing security matters, and the campus was able to customize security settings through its software license. Support continued for the remote delivery of courses in the summer term through licensed software and courseware, and alternatives were sought to continue education that would traditionally take place in wet labs. Links to resources were provided in the presentation.
   
   In response to a member’s question, Mr. Barber stated that, in order to be prepared for any scenario, the I&ITS Department would prepare infrastructure to support continued remote operations in the fall term.
   
   Professor Ian Orchard, Acting Vice-President & Principal, expressed gratitude for the support offered by I&ITS amid the quick transition to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and thanked the Department for their continued efforts to ensure the academic and business continuity of the University.
    
3. Major Capital Projects Update
   The Chair reminded members that level 2 capital projects cost $5 million to $20 million, and level 3 capital projects cost above $20 million. He invited Ms Saher Fazilat, Chief Administrative Officer, to present. Ms Fazilat provided a summary of one level 2 capital project, the Student Services Commons, which would be located where the Temporary Food Court had operated and would house 60-65 staff members. It was estimated that the project would receive governance consideration in spring of 2021 and full occupancy was targeted for December 2022. In terms of level 3 capital projects, Ms Fazilat stated that the Meeting Place had some final deficiencies that would be resolved once the Province allowed for construction to resume. The Science Building received governance approval in February and the site opened shortly before construction was provincially shut down. The occupancy target was 2023. In terms of the Arts, Culture and Technology (ACT) Building, a team of local and European architects had been contracted. It was estimated that the project would pass through governance in fall of 2020, and occupancy was targeted for summer 2024. Lastly, she stated that a project planning report was being undertaken for a new residence building.

4. Establishment of an Extra-Departmental Unit A (EDU:A): Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP)
   The Chair invited Professor Heather Miller, Vice-Dean, Teaching & Learning, to present. Professor Miller stated that teaching and learning in higher education had become a distinct form of scholarship and research at UTM, and there was no centre for research that existed as a home for these practitioners. The proposed ISUP would become the intellectual and administrative home for existing faculty at the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre (RGASC) who worked in cross-disciplinary research and scholarship focused on teaching in higher education, and new writing and numeracy scholars. Professor Miller stated that since faculty at the RGASC were able to hold 100% appointments, the ISUP was proposed as an EDU:A in order to support these appointments. The budget for creation of the EDU had been allocated through funds from the Academic Plan. Extensive consultations has occurred and across the University and stakeholders were in favour of creation of the Unit.
   
   A member inquired if graduate students and post-doctoral students would work with tenured faculty, tenure-track faculty or the affiliated faculty who would be part of the Institute. Professor Miller noted one idea was that, in time, a collaborative diploma in graduate studies would be proposed that would allow for graduate and post-doctoral associations. The proposal also notes that the Department of Leadership, Adult and Human Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) had signalled a willingness to serve as graduate home for tenure-track faculty in this unit, as appropriate.
   
   On motion duly made, seconded and carried,
   
   YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED,
   
   THAT the proposal to establish the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP) at the University of Toronto Mississauga, as an EDU: A, as described in the Proposal for the Establishment of an EDU:A, Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP), University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), dated April 16, 2020, be approved, effective July 1, 2020.
    
5. Proposal to Close the Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development (FMIHD) as an Extra-Departmental Unit C (EDU:C)
   The Chair invited Professor Heather Miller, Vice-Dean, Teaching & Learning, to present. Professor Miller stated that the closure of the FMIHD was initiated by the Faculty of Medicine and would pass through governance processes for the three units involved: the Faculty of Medicine, UTM and OISE. Funding and activities for the unit had ceased in 2016 and admissions in the specialization were suspended in 2018 due to low enrolment.
   
   A member noted that the closure would be felt in the UTM community;  Professor Miller responded that the closure information had been provided to Professor Tina Malti, Department of Psychology, to see if faculty members of the FMIHD would be interested in continuing their scholarship in the existing Centre for Child Development, Mental Health and Policy.
   
   On motion duly made, seconded and carried,
   
   YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED,
   
   THAT the proposal to disestablish the Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development as an EDU: C, as described in the Proposal to Close the Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development (FMIHD), dated March 27, 2020, be approved, effective January 1, 2021.
6. Amendments to the Policy on Recognition of Campus Groups
   The Chair invited Professor Sandy Welsh, Vice-Provost, Students, to present. Professor Welsh provided a summary of the proposed revisions to the Policy on Recognition of Campus Groups (Policy). These included changing the name of the Policy to Policy on Recognition of Student Groups, and amend references of “campus groups” to “student groups” therein; the introduction of a minimum of five students to form a group; inclusion of “Student Group” in the name of each student group; and involvement of alumni in a non-voting capacity for continuity and transition help for student groups. Consultations had taken place from February 11 and April 5 via an online form, in-person sessions, and via email. Positive feedback had been received from students and staff. The revised Policy would be shared with student clubs prior to governance consideration. Feedback could be provided at uoft.me/policyconsultations or by email to vp.students@utoronto.ca until May 4.
    
7. Reports of the Presidential Assessors
   i) Update on the Campus Master Plan
   The Chair invited Ms Saher Fazilat, Chief Administrative Officer, to provide her report on the Campus Master Plan. Ms Fazilat stated that consulting firm Brook MacIlroy Inc. had been hired and community engagement started prior to the University closure. Remote feedback would be sought through a community consultation tool. She stated that a draft plan was targeted for the end of 2020.

CONSENT AGENDA

On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED

THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 11 - Report of the Previous Meeting, be approved.

8. Annual Report (2019): UTM Campus Police
    
9. Annual Report (2019-20): Recognized Campus Groups
    
10. Report on Capital Projects – as at February 29, 2020
     
11. Report of the Previous Meeting: Report 40 – March 25, 2020
    Report number 40, dated March 25, 2020 was approved.
12. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
     
13. Date of Next Meeting – Monday, September 14, 2020 at 3:10 p.m.
     
14. Other Business
    The Chair thanked members for their meaningful contributions throughout the year, as well as the Vice-Chair, Professor Robert Gerlai. He also thanked the assessors, Professor Amrita Daniere, Vice-Principal, Academic & Dean, Ms Saher Fazilat, Chief Administrative Officer, and Mr. Mark Overton, Dean of Student Affairs. The Chair wished everyone a safe and happy summer.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:09 p.m.

April 30, 2020