Report: UTM Campus Affairs Committee - February 08, 2023

1. Chair’s Remarks
   
   The Chair welcomed members and guests to the meeting and reminded members about the ongoing governance elections in the Undergraduate student, and teaching staff constituencies of the Campus Affairs Committee.  He encouraged those eligible to participate in voting, with a reminder that voting would be open until Friday, February 17, 2023.
    
2. Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees: Report and Analysis for 2022-23
   
   The Chair advised members that this item was presented for information and invited Dr. Melinda Scott, Director, Office of the Vice-Provost, Students and Student Policy Advisor, to provide her report. Dr. Scott offered a presentation that provided a brief overview of the Annual Report. She noted that the Policy for Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees specified the requirements and conditions associated with the fees and the manner in which they were charged.
   
   She noted that the report was an inventory of all of the non-academic incidental fees.  She reminded members that in response to COVID-19, some campus services and student societies were invited to review their programming and services and consider any temporary reductions in fees.  This year, all temporary reductions were discontinued and the report reflected these un-reduced fees.
   
   Moving to the annual report, Dr. Scott explained that it provided divisional fee information for UTM campus service fees (student services, Health Services, Athletics & Recreation), fees for cross divisional student societies, such as for the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students for example and divisional fees, such as those for the University of Toronto Mississauga Student Union and for the UTM Association of Graduate Students (UTMAGS), among others.  She explained that the University collected compulsory non-academic incidental fees on behalf of UTM student societies and noted that membership in these societies was automatic.  In her presentation, Dr. Scott provided examples of these fees for full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students for 2022-23 and a comparison chart of these fees among divisions at the University. 
   
   There were no questions from members.
    
3. Operating Plans and Fees: UTM Student Affairs and Services for 2023-24
   
   The Chair advised members that pursuant to The Memorandum of Agreement Between the University of Toronto, The Students’ Administrative Council, The Graduate Students’ Union and The Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students for a Long-Term Protocol on the Increase of Introduction of Compulsory Non-Tuition Related Fees (The Protocol) approved by the Governing Council on October 24, 1996, the UTM Quality Service to Students committee (QSS) reviewed annual operating plans of fee-funded student services, including current and proposed future budgets and related compulsory non-academic incidental fees and would then offer advice to the Committee on those plans
   1. Advice from the Quality Service to Students Committee (QSS)
      
      As per The Protocol, Mr. Overton noted that student input was provided in relation to compulsory non-academic incidental fees through consultations with QSS.   He explained that the body’s voting membership was composed of current UTM students, who formed the majority of the committee and were appointed by campus student governments, along with administrators involved in the delivery of those services. He explained that QSS held a formal vote on three items under the Protocol:  Health Services, Athletics & Recreation, and then a bundle of the subcomponents of the Student Services fee.   QSS held multiple open meetings on the significant components of the operating plans and budgets of these services, led by the relevant department directors and managers. 
      • On behalf of the Chair of QSS, who could not be in attendance, Mr. Overton summarized QSS feedback as follows:   
      • There was a concern regarding the lack of awareness of the services available to students; departments were encouraged to continue expanding their outreach and promotion, especially about the availability of significant childcare and family supports for students with children. 
      • QSS student leaders also sought simplification of pathways to access timely support, citing examples of immigration advising near the start of each term, and career appointments during times of busy employer activity.
      • Students noted heightened interest in shuttle service improvements, including enhanced safety features like 3-point seatbelts, which were being integrated into the shuttle fleet as new buses entered service, and need to enhance shuttle driver knowledge and comfort around the operation of accessibility features like the wheelchair lift.
      • QSS members were appreciative of the work of the Student Affairs and Services departments and understood that allowable increases could be sought by alternate means.
         
   2. Operating Plans and Fees for 2023-24
      
      Mr. Overton summarized the three fee categories and showed the current 2022-23 fees, the proposed 2023-24 fees, and a reference point, which was the maximum the services could have sought based on the Protocol’s rules.  He referred members to the detailed operating plans and rationales for the proposed fees in Health Services, Athletics & Recreation as well as the Student Services Fee category based on student feedback and consultation.  He thanked the directors of the various Student Services areas and their teams for the work they do to support the student experience and student learning.  He noted that the administration was seeking an increase that was lower than the maximum allowed for Health Services, Athletics & Recreation, and the student services fee bundle.   
      
      Regarding QSS feedback, two members asked about the lack of endorsement by QSS’s student members and whether it was related to service concerns.  Mr. Overton explained that student leaders of QSS were in a difficult position; on one hand, they were pushing for delivery of the highest quality services, and on the other hand, they were advocating for lower fees and greater student affordability. He noted that the student members had been quite supportive of the services offered, and that they understood the challenges of longer-term planning when budgets were considered individually year by year. 
      
      Regarding the operating plans and fees, in response to a member’s question about how the indexes were determined each year, it was explained that the University of Toronto Index (UTI) was calculated each year based on expenditures from the previous year and current year, in addition to plans already underway, and included increases in salaries and benefits.  In addition, the formula and details used to determine the UTI was noted on the worksheet in the package provided to QSS members as well as Committee members.   Regarding how each operation’s services were funded, it was explained that each department had a different blend of contributors toward their income, with some services funded primarily by student services fees, while others had additional sources of income, like health care insurance contributing toward the Health & Counselling Centre’s costs, government grants supporting some initiatives of the Centre for Student Engagement, and UT employee memberships and community rentals helping with Athletics, Recreation & Wellness operating expenses.
       

      On motion duly made, seconded and carried,
      
      YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED,
      
      THAT the 2023-24 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 from $60.15 per session ($12.03 for a part-time student) to $62.16 ($12.43 for a part-time student) or 3.3% (resulting from a permanent increase of 3.2% and a temporary increase of 0.1%), and
      
      THAT the sessional Recreation & Athletics Fee for a UTM-registered or UTM-affiliated full-time student be increased from $205.88 per session ($41.18 for a part-time student) to $211.68 ($42.34 for a part-time student) or 2.8% (permanent increase), and
      
      THAT the sessional Student Services Fee for a UTM-registered or UTM-affiliated full-time student be increased from $214.67 per session ($42.93 for a part-time student) to $245.96 ($49.19 for a part-time) student or 14.6% (resulting from a permanent increase of 3.2% and a temporary increase of 11.4%).

4. Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees: UTM Student Societies - Proposals for Fee Increases for 2023-24
   
   The Chair noted that student society fees were subject to the terms and conditions of the Policy on Ancillary Fees and the Policy for Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees. At the invitation of the Chair, Mr. Overton advised members that the fee increases requested by student societies adhered to the appropriate processes. He further explained that the primary element of both societies’ fees was the annual increase in the cost of the U-Pass, which was the universal transit pass provided in cooperation with the City of Mississauga that allowed for fare-free use of Mississauga Transit by UTM students.
   
   At the invitation of the Chair, Mr. Alistair Kirk, VP External, UTMSU noted that the proposed increases for UTMSU were based on the CPI determined by Statistics Canada and that UTMSU followed the appropriate processes in the recommendations of these fees.
   
   There were no questions from members.
    

   On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
   
   YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED
   
   THAT, subject to confirmation of approval of the following fee change proposals by the University of Toronto Mississauga Association of Graduate Students (UTMAGS) Executive Committee, beginning in the Fall 2023 session, the UTMAGS fee be increased as follows: (a) an increase of up to $14.72 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time and part-time) in the Mississauga Transit U-Pass portion of the fee, and (b) an increase of up to $8.97 per session (full-time and part-time) in the Mississauga Transit Summer U-Pass portion of the fee.
   
   If approved, the total Fall/Winter UTMAGS fee will be up to $260.58 per session, charged to all UTM-affiliated graduate students.
   
   Be it also Recommended,
   
   THAT, subject to confirmation of approval of the following fee change proposals by the UTMSU Board of Directors, beginning in the Fall 2023 session, the UTMSU fee be modified as follows: (a) an increase of $2.25 per session ($0.07 part-time) in the society portion of the fee, (b) an increase of up to $10.21 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time only) in the Health Plan portion of the fee, (c) an increase of up to $8.53 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time only) in the Dental Plan portion of the fee, (d) an increase of $13.03 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time and part-time) in the Mississauga Transit U-Pass portion of the fee, (e) an increase of $0.07 per session (full-time and part-time) in the Academic Societies portion of the fee, (f) an increase of $0.56 per session (full-time only) in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) portion of the fee, (g) an increase of $0.07 per session (full-time only) in the Downtown Legal Services portion of the fee, (h) an increase of $0.04 per session (full-time and part-time) in the Food Bank portion of the fee, (i) an increase of $0.04 per session (full-time and part-time) in the On-Campus First Aid Emergency Response portion of the fee, and (j) an increase of $0.12 per Fall and Winter sessions ($0.08 part-time) and $0.05 per Summer session (full-time only) in the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) Levy portion of the fee; and
   
   THAT, beginning in the Fall 2023 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 $3.88 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 up to $441.76 per session (up to $171.27 part-time), charged to all UTM undergraduate students. The total Fall/Winter UTMSU fee for MAM students will be up to $539.51 per session.

5. Reports of the Presidential Assessors
   
   The Chair called on Felicity Morgan, Director of the Career Centre to provide a brief report on activities from the Career Centre.
   
   In her presentation, Ms Morgan talked about the following:

• The Centre was seeing much growth in in person activities, reaching pre-pandemic levels.
• Three large fairs were offered each year: Graduate and Professional Schools Fair, The Get Hired Fair in September, and the Get Hired Fair in January. There were just over 4000 attendees at the three fairs.
• There was very strong interest from students in attending career panel and networking events.
• Use of pop ups (our on the spot service booths) and in person traffic was increasing, particularly in the winter term.
• New workshops offered included a series that integrated expressive arts therapy with career anxiety work.

CONSENT AGENDA

On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED

THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 7 - Report of the Previous Meeting, be approved.
 

6. Report on Capital Projects – as at January 31, 2023
    
7. Report of the Previous Meeting
   
   Report number 56, dated January 10, 2023, was approved.
    
8. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
    
9. Date of Next Meeting – March 22, 2023 at 3:10 p.m.
   
   The Chair reminded members that the next meeting of the Committee would be held on March 22, 2023 at 3:10 p.m.
    
10. Other Business
    
    There was no other business.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:49 p.m.

February 14, 2023