REPORT NUMBER 95 OF THE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 24, 2022
To the Executive Committee,
University of Toronto.
Your Committee reports that it held a virtual meeting on November 24, 2022 at 5:00 p.m., with the following members present:
Present:
Mark Lautens (Chair), David Bowden, Robert Cooper, Summer Hart
Regrets:
David Bowden, Vikram Chadalawada,
Secretariat:
Tracey Gameiro, Secretary, Anwar Kazimi, Deputy Secretary of the Governing Council and Chief Returning Officer (CRO), Timothy Harlick, Secretary and Deputy Returning Officer (DRO), St. George, Cindy Ferencz-Hammond, Assistant Secretary of the Governing Council and Deputy Returning Officer, UTM, Lydia Gill, Assistant Secretary of the Governing Council and Deputy Returning Officer, UTSC
- Election Guidelines 2023
Mr. Kazimi provided a brief overview of the Election Guidelines 2023, and noted that the proposed revisions were of an editorial nature only. He then provided an overview of the upcoming elections for seats on the Governing Council and reported that apart from the eight student seats that came up annually, elections would be held for three of the twelve teaching staff seats. Mr. Kazimi explained that no election was required for the administrative staff seat as elections for the two seats are staggered over two years with no election required in the third (2022-2023) year. He added that in any given year between fifteen to seventeen teaching staff seats also came up for election on the Academic Board. Mr. Kazimi also addressed elections for seats on the UTM and UTSC Campus Councils and their respective Committees and advised that teaching staff, librarian and administrative staff terms were staggered, while elections for student seats were held on an annual basis.
The CRO also stated that changes to the Guidelines were also made on the advice of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Office to Section 6.
Finally, Mr. Kazimi provided an update on enhanced and targeted outreach efforts aimed at raising awareness in the University community of the opportunities available to participate in governance.On motion duly made, seconded and carried
It was Resolved
THAT the proposed Election Guidelines 2023 be approved, effective January 1, 2023. - Report of the Previous Meeting - Report Number 94, October 13, 2022
The report of the previous meeting was approved.
- Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
There was no business arising from the report of the previous meeting.
- Date of Next Meeting: June 1, 2023, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
The Chair confirmed that the next meeting would be held on June 1, 2023 at 5:00 p.m.
- Other Business
No matters of other business were raised by members.
The CRO shared with the Committee that a new elections platform had been implemented. Feedback from recent testing for elections in the Student Societies indicated that the platform was easy to use and was able to manage to manage the large volume of elections, (anywhere from fourteen to seventeen), held simultaneously each year.
The meeting adjourned at 5:15 p.m.
November 24, 2022