Report: UTSC Campus Affairs Committee - June 09, 2023

1. Chair’s Remarks

   The Chair welcomed members and guests to the Special Meeting of the Campus Affairs Committee.
    

2. Establishment of an Extra-Departmental Unit C (EDU:C) - Institutes for Resilient and Inclusive Societies and Ecosystems (iRISE)

   The Chair reminded members that the committee received this item for information at the Cycle 6A meeting. He noted that the item was now coming forward for recommendation to the Campus Council, subject to confirmation by the Executive Committee.
   
   The Chair invited Professor Irena Creed (Vice-Principal, Research & Innovation) to deliver the presentation for this item. Highlights from Professor Creed’s presentation were as follows:  

• The Institutes for Resilient and Inclusive Societies and Ecosystems (iRISE) would be an organizing framework and an administrative home for its three constituent and interrelated institutes and was the product of extensive community consultations and evidence-based review of the campus’ scholarly record during the development of UTSC’s Strategic Plan, Inspiring Inclusive Excellence.
• The vision for iRISE would be to establish the University of Toronto as a leading global centre of scholarship on convergence research in pursuit of goals of sustainable, resilient, inclusive, just, and equitable futures.
• The mission for iRISE would support the pursuit of convergence research and catalyze change by facilitating research discoveries and enabling innovators to move discoveries into action, inspiring communities and building their capacity to act, and training future leaders.
• iRISE would strive toward the following goals:
  • Produce knowledge throughout the disciplinary spectrum.
  • Create spaces enabling convergence dialogues and encouraging the envisioning of alternative futures.
  • Embrace diverse epistemologies and methodologies of different disciplines to generate transformative solutions to problems.
  • Build sustainable collaborations and partnerships that engage diverse stakeholders to co-create knowledge infused with social concerns and values.
  • Train scholars and leaders dedicated to creating inclusive, sustainable, and just and equitable societies.
  • Mobilize and translate knowledge into public policy and practice.
• The three inaugural institutes of iRISE were:
  • Institute for Environment, Conservation & Sustainability
  • Institute for Inclusive Health & Well-Being
  • Institute for Inclusive Economies & Sustainable Livelihoods
• Over 2000 members of the UTSC and broader U of T community were engaged in the strategic planning process for iRISE
  
  In the discussion, members inquired about when iRISE and its institutes would launch, and how they could get involved. Professor Creed noted that iRISE would officially launch in July 2023, and that members could learn more about iRISE via the website and connecting with directly with the inaugural directors.
   

On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,

YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED,

THAT subject to confirmation by the Executive Committee,

THAT, the Establishment of an Extra-Departmental Unit C (EDU:C) - Institutes for Resilient and Inclusive Societies and Ecosystems (iRISE) as described in the proposal, dated June 4, 2023, be approved effective June 28, 2023. 
 

3. Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 52 - May 10, 2023
    

On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,

YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED,

THAT Item 3 - Report of the Previous Meeting, be approved.
 

4. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
   
   There was no Business Arising from the report of the previous meeting.
    
5. Other Business
   
   There was no Other Business.
    

6. Date of the Next Meeting: September 19, 2023, 3:10 p.m.
   
   The Chair reminded members that the date of the next meeting would be held on September 19, 2023 at 3:10p.m.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:26 p.m.

June 13, 2023