Report: College of Electors - September 21, 2020

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Via Virtual Meeting

COLLEGE OF ELECTORS


Minutes of the College of Electors meeting held on Monday, September 21, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (virtual meeting).


Present:

Corwin Cambray, (UTAA) (Chair); Jennifer Dolman (University College) (Vice-Chair); Jehane Adam (New College); Neville Austin (Faculty of Music); Judy Beamish (Medicine); Manny Bettencourt (UTM); Leslie A. Boehm (DLSPH); Arun Channan (Engineering); Daniel J. Correia (KPE); Ernesto Diaz Lozano Patiño (FASE); Demetra Dimokopoulos (UTM); Cynthia Elson (Victoria College); Imre Gams (UTM); Chris Girard (University College); Dr. Leonard Grbac (Medicine); Paul Haynes (Victoria College); Doris Kalamut (Pharmacy); Sean Kiefte (Woodsworth); Eve Leung (Information); John Paul (JP) Lotesto (UTM); Dr. Sofya Malik (OISE); Victoria McNally (St. Michael's); Judy Newman (Social Work); David Plant (Trinity College); Julia Prato (UTSC); Dr. Joy Richards (Nursing); Dr. Sheila Ritcey (PT/OT); Larissa Rodo (Engineering); Dr. Cindy Sinclair (OISE); Michael Stargiannis (Engineering); Matthew Stodolak (OISE); Dorinda So (UTSC); Mark Surchin (Law); Sitharsana Srithas (UTSC); Lisa Taillefer (Victoria College); Stephen Tardif (St. Michael’s College); Harlan E. Tufford (Woodsworth College); Dr. Gina Valle (OISE); Emily VanBerkum (St. Michael's); Theresa Wright (Innis College)

Secretariat:
Patrick McNeill, Secretary

Regrets:
Vidia Dhanraj (New College); Lesley Pollard (Dentistry)

Guests:
Barbara Dick, Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relation; Sheree Drummond, Secretary of the Governing Council


  1. Chair’s Remarks and Orientation

    The Chair welcomed members and guests to the first College of Electors meeting (held as a virtual meeting) for 2020-2021 and invited introductions for the new and returning members present following Parts I and II of the Orientation. 

    A three-part orientation was provided for members. Sheree Drummond, Secretary of the Governing Council, spoke about governance at the University and the role of the College within University governance; Barbara Dick, Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations, provided an overview of alumni relations at the University, including alumni engagement activities; the Chair and Vice-Chair outlined the specific functions of the College and the milestones for the coming year. 

    The Chair emphasized that each member of the College played an important role in governance throughout the year. The College represented all University alumni, not just constituent alumni, and it was responsible for considering the needs of the entire University.  The Chair also stated that members were responsible for contributing to an increased awareness within the University community of the College, the Governing Council, and the work of alumni members of the Governing Council. Members were encouraged to provide regular updates about the work of the College to their constituent alumni associations.  He stated that members would receive an information package from the Secretary regarding the Divisional University Association (DUA) contacts and other details regarding the promotion of the pending call for nomination.

    The Chair noted that at the next meeting, the Chair of the Governing Council, the President of the University of Toronto, and the President of the University of Toronto Alumni Association would address the College regarding the attributes being sought for the two (2) Alumni Governor seats that the College would elect in 2021.

    On behalf of the College, the Chair thanked Ms Drummond and Ms Dick for their presentations.
     
  2. Reporting of E-Ballot Results re Election of 2020-21 Executive Committee 

    The Chair informed the College of the process by which the Executive Committee was elected by e-ballot because of the cancellation of the last meeting of the College in 2019-20 due to COVID-19. 

    The Chair reported the results as follows:
    1. Vice-Chair 
      Jennifer Dolman (University College) was elected Vice-Chair of the College of Electors for 2020-21; and
       
    2. Executive Committee 
      Demetra Dimokopoulos (UTM), Sean Kiefte (Woodsworth College) and Dorinda So (UTSC) were elected to the Executive Committee of the College of Electors for 2020-21. 

      The Chair congratulated the members of the 2020-2021 Executive Committee and thanked the 2019-2020 Nominating Committee for the Executive Committee (NC-EC Members: Nancy Hill (Engineering), Paul Lindblad (New College) and Nikoletta Papadopoulos (OISE)) for their work. 
       
  3. Nominating Committee for the Executive Committee (NC-EC)

    Following a call for interest, the following three members, all in their fourth year, volunteered to participate on the 2020-2021 Nominating Committee for the Executive Committee (NC-EC): 

    Neville Austin (Faculty of Music)

    Victoria McNally (St. Michael's)

    Emily VanBerkum (St. Michael's College)

    The Chair thanked them for their willingness to serve in that capacity.
     
  4. Call for Nominations for the 2020-2021 Nominating Committee for Alumni Governors

    The Chair explained that one of the College’s standing committees was the Nominating Committee for Alumni Governors (NC-AG), which comprised of the five members of the Executive Committee and three members elected annually by and from among the College.  The functions of the NC-AG included the assessment of potential alumni governors relative to existing or projected needs within governance, in consultation with the College; interviewing the candidates; and providing the College with a list and report of recommended candidates for election under the provisions of the College’s Constitution.

    The Chair stated that nominations from interested members would be accepted until Wednesday, October 7, 2020.  He invited members to nominate themselves or another member for one of the three seats on the Committee. The Executive Committee would review the nominations and prepare a recommended slate for the College, to be considered at the November 3rd meeting.

    Two former members of the NC-AG recounted their positive experience of having served on the Committee.

CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried

YOUR BOARD APPROVED

THAT the consent agenda be adopted and items approved.
 

  1. Minutes of the Previous Meeting – February 20, 2020

    The minutes of the meeting of February 20, 2020 were approved.
     
  2. Business Arising from the Minutes of the Previous Meeting

    There was no business arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.
     
  3. College of Electors – Schedule of Meetings 2020-2021

    Members received the 2020-2021 meeting schedule for information.  The schedule included relevant dates regarding the Chancellor Review Committee.
     
  4. Date of Next Meeting 

    The Chair reminded members that the next meeting would be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
     
  5. Other Business

    Governing Council Calendar of Business

    Members reviewed information regarding the 2020-21 Calendar of Business for the Governing Council and its Boards and Committees, including Campus Councils. The Chair encouraged attendance at the Governing Council (GC) meeting and noted that the entire calendar of business was posted on the GC website and was updated every Friday.  Members could sign up to receive an electronic notice of meeting and related agenda materials for any meeting of the Governing Council or one of its bodies using the online request form or could contact the Secretary. The next Governing Council meeting would be held on Thursday, October 29, 2020 at 4:30 p.m. – the meeting would be live webcast.
     

The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.



September 24, 2020