Report: Executive Committee - March 24, 2020

REPORT  NUMBER  512 OF THE  EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE

To the Governing Council,
University of Toronto.

Your Committee reports that it held a virtual meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. with the following members present:

Claire M. C. Kennedy, Chair; N. Jane Pepino, Vice-Chair; Meric S. Gertler, President; Janet Ecker; Avrum I. Gotlieb; Sarosh Jamal; Ernest Lam; Mark Lautens; Mark H. Rowswell; W. Keith Thomas; Laurent-Philippe Veilleux; Bruce Winter

Regrets:
Apefa Adjivon, Catherine Bragg

Non-Voting Member:
Sheree Drummond, Secretary of the Governing Council

Secretariat:
Anwar Kazimi, Secretary, Executive Committee

In Attendance:
Preet Banerjee, Chair, UTSC Campus Council and Member of the Governing Council; Paul Kingston, Chair, UTM Campus Council and Member of the Governing Council; Brian D. Lawson, Chair, Business Board and Member of the Governing Council; Andrew Szende, Chair, University Affairs Board and Member of the Governing Council; Nicholas Terpstra, Chair, Academic Board and Member of the Governing Council; Cheryl Regehr, Vice-President and Provost and Member of the Governing Council; Scott Mabury, Vice-President, Operations and Real Estate Partnerships; Nadina Jamison, Chief Strategy Officer, Office of the President; Bryn MacPherson, Assistant Vice-President, Office of the President and Chief of Protocol; Anthony Gray, Director, Strategic Research, Office of the President

Pursuant to section 28 (e) and 38 of By-Law Number 2, consideration of
items 15-18 took place in camera.

The meeting was held in closed Session.

1. Chair’s Remarks 
   
   The Chairs welcomed the attendees to the meeting.
   
   In a motion moved, seconded, and approved, the following two items were added to the agenda of the meeting:
   
   14(b.)    Establishment of COVID-19 Special Committee
   
   15(a.)    Senior Appointment
    
2. Report of the President
   
   The President began his address expressing his gratitude to the Executive Committee for its support and dedication to University governance in these extraordinary and, possibly, unprecedented times.
   
   Response to COVID-19
   The President said that the University was committed to delivering its core mission during this period, emphasizing three fundamental elements:

• ensuring that its students could complete their term.
• providing a place to live for those students in residence who were unable to return home.
• supporting the critical COVID-19 and time-sensitive research endeavors of its world-class scholars.

The President stressed that the decisions the University had taken in response to the COVID-19 crisis had been guided by public health officials, in consultation with its own experts and Deans.

The University would continue to offer courses through alternative means without in-person meetings or class sessions, and all Faculties had notified students of plans for the final examination period. Details about the offering of summer courses would be available in the coming days. The President thanked all members of the University community for their dedication and creativity. The President acknowledged the remarkable efforts of the Incident Leadership Team led by the Provost and Professor Vivek Goel, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives. 

Provincial Matters
The University had reached out to its government partners to offer its assistance and was mobilizing its resources to support Provincial efforts to respond to the crisis. The Provincial government had announced that it would delay the 2020 Budget until the fall. Instead, it was expected that the government would deliver a Fiscal Update in the Budget’s place that would include details of the Province’s ongoing response along with a realistic, one-year outlook for the Province’s finances.

Federal Matters
The Federal government was expected to outline Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan soon. The University would continue its advocacy efforts with the U15 and Universities Canada to ensure support for the needs of international students. 

Municipal Matters
The University was also working with the City of Toronto’s Task Force on Economic Recovery both to assess the impact of the pandemic on the post secondary education sector, and to consider the role the postsecondary education sector would play in longer-term recovery.

At the invitation of the President, the Provost provided an update on the academic continuity and other initiatives for student support.

In response to members’ comments and questions, the President and Provost, as well as the Vice-President, Operations and Real Estate Partnerships, stated the following:

• whenever possible tenure committees would continue to convene remotely; and academic searches at advanced stages would continue;
• detailed work continued to be undertaken regarding enrolment modeling and impact on University revenues in the event that international student enrolment was affected; 
• 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; 
• urgent priority was being given to address any impact the crisis might have on summer internship programs and graduate entry into the labour market – the University was awaiting further details of the support program for post-secondary students from the Federal and Provincial governments; 
• the University was reviewing delivery of summer programs (including adding additional courses) and the Fall academic term; 
• 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; and 
• the University had detailed models regarding enrolment, revenues, and expenditure plans across the University that would assist in scenario planning, monitoring, and forecasting throughout the year, and would make adjustments as needed. 

Items for Endorsement and Forwarding to the Governing Council
 

3. Tuition Fees and Budget
   
   The Committee received an overview from the Vice-Chair of the Business Board (Bruce Winter) and the Chair of the Academic Board (Nick Terpstra) on the discussion that took place for the Tuition Fees and Budget at the meetings of those two governance bodies.
   
   In response to a question, the Provost said that there was no current increase in the demand for mental health services. Student Wellness continued to provide services remotely to those in need, including the multi-lingual MySSP counselling services. 
   
    
   1. Annual Report on Student Financial Support, 2018-19: Vice-Provost, Students
      
      The Annual Report on Student Financial Support was provided to members for information. 
      
      
       
   2. Tuition Fee Schedule for Publicly Funded Programs, 2020-21
      
      On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
      
      THAT the following recommendation be endorsed and forwarded to the Governing Council:
      
      THAT the 2020-21 tuition fees as described in the Tuition Fee Schedule for Publicly-Funded 
      
      Programs 2020-21 (March 5, 2020) be approved.
      
      
       
   3. Tuition Fee Schedule for Self-Funded Programs, 2020-21
      
      On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried,
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
      
      THAT the following recommendation be endorsed and forwarded to the Governing Council:
      
      THAT the Tuition Fee Schedule for Self-Funded Programs for 2020-21 be approved.
      
      
       
   4. Budget Report 2020-21 and Long Range Budget Guidelines 2020-21 to 2024-25
      
      On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried,
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
      
      THAT the following recommendations be endorsed and forwarded to the Governing Council:
      
      THAT the Budget Report, 2019-2020 be approved, and
      
      THAT the Long Range Budget Guidelines 2019-2020 to 2023-2024 be approved in principle.
      
       

4. Amendments to the Policy with Respect to Workplace Harassment dated May 13, 2010 (amended October 26, 2017)
   
   The Chair stated that the main amendment brought forward by the Vice-President, Human Resources and Equity was a clarification that conduct occurring online could also constitute as workplace harassment. There were also a few additional amendments – use of gender neutral and updated names and links to other policies and related documents.  
   
   Mr. Winter reported that there were no questions from the members of the Business Board regarding the amendments to this Policy. 
   
   On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried,
   
   YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
   
   THAT the following recommendation be endorsed and forwarded to the Governing Council:
   
   THAT the amendments to the Policy with Respect to Workplace Harassment be approved, effective April 3, 2020.
    
5. Amendments to the Policy with Respect to Workplace Violence dated May 13, 2010 (amended October 26, 2017)
   
   The Chair stated that the amendments for this Policy were the same as for Policy with Respect to Workplace Harassment.
   
   Mr. Winter reported that there were no questions from the members of the Business Board regarding the amendments to this Policy. 
   
   On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried,
   
   YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
   
   THAT the following recommendation be endorsed and forwarded to the Governing Council:
   
   THAT the amendments to the Policy with Respect to Workplace Violence be approved, effective April 3, 2020.
    

CONSENT AGENDA

On a motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED

THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that the items be approved.

6. Items for Confirmation
   1. Operating Plans and Fees:  UTM Ancillary Services
      
      On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE CONFIRMED THE DECISION OF THE UTM CAMPUS COUNCIL
      
      THAT, the proposed 2020-21 Operating Plans and Budgets for the UTM Service Ancillaries, as summarized in Schedule 1, the service ancillary capital budgets as summarized in Schedule 5, and the rates and fees in Schedule 6, as recommended by Saher Fazilat, Chief Administrative Officer, in the proposal dated December 2, 2019, be approved, effective May 1, 2020. 
      
       
   2. Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees - Student Society Fees: UTM Student Society Proposals for Fee Increases (UTMAGS & UTMSU)
      
      On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE CONFIRMED THE DECISION OF THE UTM CAMPUS COUNCIL
      
      THAT beginning in the Fall 2020 session, the University of Toronto Mississauga Association of Graduate Students (UTMAGS) fee be increased as follows: (a) an increase of $6.36 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time only) in the Mississauga Transit U-Pass portion of the fee; and (b) an increase of $3.88 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time only) in the Mississauga Transit Summer U-Pass portion of the fee. 
      
      If approved, the total Fall/Winter UTMAGS fee will be $215.32 per session, charged to all full-time UTM-affiliated graduate students. 
      
      THAT beginning in the Summer 2020 session, the University of Toronto Mississauga Student Union (UTMSU; legally, the Erindale College Student Union) fee be increased as follows: (a) an increase of $9.87 per Summer session (full-time and part-time) in the Mississauga Transit U-Pass portion of the fee; 
      
      THAT beginning in the Fall 2020 session, the UTMSU fee be increased as follows: (a) an increase of $0.73 per session ($0.02 part-time) in the society portion of the fee; (b) an increase of $0.02 per session (full-time and part-time) in the Academic Societies portion of the fee; (c) an increase of $0.18 per session (full-time only) in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) portion of the fee; (d) an increase of $0.02 per session (full-time only) in the Downtown Legal Services portion of the fee; (e) an increase of $0.01 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time and part-time) in the Food Bank portion of the fee; (f) an increase of $0.01 per session (full-time and part-time) in the On Campus First Aid Emergency Response/Erindale College Special Response Team (ECSPERT) portion of the fee; (g) an increase of $0.04 per Fall and Winter sessions ($0.02 part-time) and $0.02 per Summer session (full-time only) in the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Levy portion of the fee; (h) an increase of $6.26 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time and part-time) in the Mississauga Transit U-Pass portion of the fee; and
      
      THAT beginning in the Fall 2020 session, the UTMSU fee charged to Mississauga Academy of Medicine (MAM) students in the Fall and Winter sessions be increased as follows: (a) an increase of $6.80 per Fall and Winter sessions in the Mississauga Transit Summer U-Pass portion of the fee.
      
      If approved, the total Fall/Winter UTMSU fee will be $390.61 per session ($144.32 part-time), charged to all UTM undergraduate students. The total Fall/Winter UTMSU fee for MAM students will be $472.96 per session.  
      
      
       
   3. Operating Plans and Fees: UTM Student Services
      
      On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE CONFIRMED THE DECISION OF THE UTM CAMPUS COUNCIL
      
      THAT the 2020-21 operating plans and budgets for the UTM Health & Counselling Centre; the UTM Department of Recreation, Athletics & Wellness; and the UTM Student Services under the Student Services Fee, recommended by the Dean of Student Affairs, Mark Overton, and described in the attached proposals, be approved; and
      
      THAT the sessional Health Services Fee for a UTM-registered or UTM-affiliated full-time student be increased to $60.15 per session ($12.03 for a part-time student), which represents a year-over-year increase of $8.45 per session ($1.69 for a part-time student) or 16%; and
      
      THAT the sessional Athletics & Recreation Fee for a UTM-registered or UTM-affiliated full-time student be increased to $205.88 ($41.18 for a part-time student), which represents an increase of $2.04 ($0.41 for a part-time student) per session or 1%; and
      
      THAT the sessional Student Services Fee for a UTM-registered or UTM-affiliated full-time student be increased to $201.25 ($40.25 for a part-time student), which represents an increase of $9.10 ($1.82 for a part-time student) per session or 4.7%.
      
      
       
   4. Operating Plans and Fees:  UTSC Ancillary Services
      
      On motion duly moved, seconded and carried
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE CONFIRMED THE DECISION OF THE UTSC CAMPUS COUNCIL
      
      THAT the 2020-21 operating plans and budgets for the UTSC Service Ancillary, as summarized in Schedule 1; the Service Ancillary capital budgets as summarized in Schedule 5; and the rates and fees in Schedule 6, as presented in the Service Ancillary Report on Operating Plans dated December 20, 2019, be approved effective May 1, 2020. 
      
      
       
   5. Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees – Student Society Fees: UTSC Student Society Proposals for Fee Increases
      
      On motion duly moved, seconded and carried
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE CONFIRMED THE DECISION OF THE UTSC CAMPUS COUNCIL
      
      THAT beginning in the Summer 2020 session, the SCSU fee be increased as follows: (a) an increase of $6.81 per session ($1.36 part-time) in the UTSC Sports & Recreation Complex Levy portion of the fee; and 
      
      THAT subject to confirmation of approval of the following fee increase proposals by the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) Board of Directors at its February 29 2020 meeting, 
      
      THAT beginning in the Fall 2020 session, the SCSU fee be increased as follows: (a) an increase of up to $0.58 per session in the society portion of the fee (up to $0.03 part-time); (b) an increase of up to $0.86 per session in the Student Centre portion of the fee (up to $0.26 part-time), (c) an increase of up to $0.18 per session (full-time only) in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) portion of the fee, (d) an increase of up to $8.23 (full-time only) per session in the Health Plan portion of the fee, and (e) an increase of up to $10.40 (full-time only) per session in the Dental Plan portion of the fee, and (f) continuation of the WUSC Program portion of the fee through the 2020-21 academic period.
      
      If approved, the total Fall/Winter SCSU fee will be up to $466.33 per session (up to $49.98 part-time), charged to all UTSC undergraduate students.  
      
      
       
   6. Operating Plans and Fees: UTSC Services
      
      On motion duly moved, seconded and carried
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE CONFIRMED THE DECISION OF THE UTSC CAMPUS COUNCIL
      
      THAT, the 2020-21 operating plans and budgets for the UTSC Student Affairs and Services (including the Health & Wellness Centre, Athletics & Recreation, Career Services, Academic Support, Student Buildings and Other Student Services), as presented in the documentation from Mr. Desmond Pouyat, Dean of Student Affairs, be approved; and
      
      THAT the sessional Health & Wellness Service Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $77.04 per full-time student per session ($15.41 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 2.01 % ($1.52 for full-time student; $0.30 for part-time student); 
      
      THAT the sessional Athletics and Recreation Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $147.29 per full-time student per session ($29.46 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 0.93 % ($1.36 for full-time student; $0.27 for part-time student); 
      
      THAT the sessional Career Services Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $88.64 per full-time student per session ($17.73 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 3.25 % ($2.79 for full-time student; $0.56 for part-time student); 
      
      THAT the sessional Academic Support Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $42.09 per full-time student per session ($8.42 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 5.50 % ($2.19 for full-time student; $0.44 for part-time student); (resulting from a permanent increase of 2.0% and three year temporary increase of 3.5% on the eligible portion) 
      
      THAT the sessional Student Buildings Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $33.45 ($6.69 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 0.03 % ($0.01 for full-time student; $0.00 for part-time student); 
      
      THAT the sessional Other Student Services Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be decreased to $19.78 ($3.96 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year decrease of -4.17 % (($0.86) for full-time student; ($0.17) for part-time student). 
       
   7. Name Change of Academic Units - Change in the Name of the Department of Geography to the Department of Geography, Geomatics and Environment at the University of Toronto Mississauga
      
      On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE CONFIRMED THE DECISION OF ACADEMIC BOARD
      
      THAT the name of the Department of Geography be changed to Department of Geography, Geomatics and Environment at the University of Toronto Mississauga, effective July 1, 2020. 
       
7. Update to the Policy on Information Security and the Protection of Digital Assets
   
   The Committee received documentation with updates to the Policy on Information Security and the Protection of Digital Assets.
    
8. Reports of the Previous Meetings of the Executive Committee
   
   Report Number 509 (December 12, 2020) (Special Meeting), Report Number 510 (February 12, 2020) and Report Number 511 (February 27, 2020) (Special Meeting), were approved.
    
9. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
   
   There was no business arising from the minutes of the previous meetings.
    
10. Minutes of the Governing Council Meeting – February 27, 2020
    
    Members received the Report of the February 27, 2020 Governing Council Meeting for information.
     
11. Business Arising from the Minutes of the Governing Council Meeting
    
    There was no business arising from the minutes of the Governing Council meeting.
     
12. Reports for Information:
    
    Members received the following Reports for information:
    1. Report Number 40 of the University of Toronto Mississauga Campus Council (March 9, 2020)
    2. Report Number 40 of the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Council (March 10, 2020
    3. Report Number 216 of the University Affairs Board (March 11, 2020)
    4. Report Number 226 of the Academic Board (March 12, 2020)
    5. Report Number 251 of the Business Board (March 18, 2020)

END OF CONSENT AGENDA

13. Date of Next Meeting
    
    The Chair advised members that the next meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, 2020 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
     
14. Other Business
    1. Governing Council Meeting – April 2, 2020
       
       The Committee reviewed the agenda for the meeting of the Governing Council on April 2, 2020.
       
       
        
    2. Establishment of COVID-19 Special Committee
       
       The Chair noted that the Governing Council needed to be able to respond in an agile way to the evolution of the impacts presented daily by the COVID-19 virus. Some Governance processes might be well-suited to the exigencies of the COVID-19 response. For this reason, they were proposing the establishment of COVID-19 Special Committee. 
       
       The COVID-19 Special Committee would convene to consider time-sensitive matters when it had been determined that such matters could not be reasonably considered by a standing committee, campus council, or board. The Committee would be composed of the following members of Governing Council: the Chair; the Vice-Chair; the President; and the Vice-President and Provost (such positions being understood to include any person duly elected or appointed to such position in an interim capacity). Any actions/decisions of this Committee – were they to be required - would be reported to the next Governing Council meeting. 
       
       The proposal was to have this in place until the September 2020 meeting of the Governing Council.  Should circumstances require that it go beyond that, the appropriate approval form the Governing Council would be sought at that time. 
       
       On motion duly moved, seconded and carried
       
       YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
       
       THAT the following recommendations be endorsed and forwarded to the Governing Council

1.    THAT a Special Committee of Governing Council be created, to be called the “COVID-19 Special Committee of Governing Council”; 
 
2.    THAT this Special Committee shall exist up to and including the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Governing Council for the 2020-2021 academic year, at which time it can be discontinued, or, if the Governing Council so approves, be continued with or without modifications for such further specific term as the Governing Council determines necessary to respond to any ongoing impacts of COVID-19 on the University; 
 
3.    THAT this Special Committee be composed of the following members of Governing Council: the Chair; the Vice-Chair; the President; and the Vice-President and Provost (such positions being understood to include any person duly elected or appointed to such position in an interim capacity); 

4.    THAT this Special Committee have the power to make decisions and take actions on matters the urgency of which does not permit their deferral until the next regular meeting of Governing Council or its appropriate standing committee, campus council or board;  
 
5.    THAT prior to making decisions or taking actions on such matters the Special Committee will use its best efforts to advise or consult with the Chairs of any such standing committee, campus council or board; and 
 
6.    THAT at the next meeting of the Governing Council all actions and decisions taken by the Special Committee, where they would otherwise have required approval of or other action by or in respect of Governing Council or any of its standing committees, campus councils, or boards, shall be reported to the Governing Council for its information. 

The Committee Moved In Camera.

15. Item for Approval by the Executive Committee 
    1. Senior Appointment
       
       On a motion duly moved, seconded and carried the Committee approved a proposal dated March 24, 2020 for a senior appointment by Professor Gertler.
        
16. Items for Endorsement and Forwarding to the Governing Council
    1. Non-Governing Council Member to the Pension Committee
       
       On motion duly moved, seconded and carried
       
       YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
       
       THAT the following motion be endorsed and forwarded to the Governing Council:
       
       THAT the recommendation by Claire Kennedy, Chair of the Governing Council, in the memorandum dated March 6, 2020, regarding the appointment of Non-Governing Council Member of the Pension Committee, be approved.
17. Committee Members with the President
    
    Members of the Executive Committee, with the Board Chairs, met with the President.
     
18. Committee Members Alone
    
    Members of the Executive Committee, with the Board Chairs, met privately.

 
The meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.

March 27, 2020