Report: UTSC Campus Council - March 08, 2023

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UTSC Campus Council Chambers, AA160

Report Number 57 Of The Campus Council

MARCH 8, 2023



To the Governing Council,
University of Toronto Scarborough,


Your Council reports that it met on March 8, 2023, at 4:10 p.m. in the Council Chamber, Arts and Administration Building, Room 160, with the following members present:  

Present: Sotirios Damouras (In the Chair), Wisdom Tettey (Vice-President & Principal), Rana Behzadi, Tarun Dewan, Jason Glover, Edward Henley, Irmi Huftless, Imran Khan, Sameer Lal Gillian Mason, Sonja Nikkila, John Ramdeen, Silma Roddau, Paulina Rousseau, Dorinda So, Rachel Sturge

Regrets: George Cree, Fatima Formuli, Qusai Hassan, Elaine Khoo, Michelle Lone, Danielle Skipp, Grace Westcott 

In Attendance: Cheryl Regehr (Vice-President and Provost), Jeff Lennon (Assistant Vice-President, Planning and Budget), Andrew Arifuzzaman (Chief Administrative Officer), William Gough (Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean), Neel Joshi (Dean, Student Experience and Wellbeing), Mark Fitzpatrick (Member, Campus Affairs Committee), Tanya Poppleton (Senior Director, Campus Safety Operations), Fran Wdowczyk (Director, Business Development and Special Advisor to the CAO Operations and Special Projects), Dorcas Mensah (Manager, Residence Life)  
 
Secretariat: Anwar Kazimi (Acting Secretary), Kata Skoko  


OPEN SESSION

  1. Chair’s Remarks

    Professor Sotirios Damouras, Vice-Chair of the Campus Council, welcomed members and guests to the Council meeting. It was noted that Chair, Ms Grace Westcott, had an unavoidable conflict, and as such Professor Damouras would Chair the meeting.

    Professor Damouras provided an update on 2023 governance positions, noting the recent call for Community Member applications to the Campus Council and its Standing Committees. With the governance elections process now concluded, Professor Damouras announced that Ms Mariana Jardim had been elected to the librarian seat on the Campus Council; Phil Triadafilopoulos (Political Science), Hadiya Roderique (Arts, Culture, and Media). Lianne Tripp (Anthropology), and John Hannigan (Sociology) were elected to the teaching staff seats on the UTSC Academic Affairs Committee. For the UTSC Campus Affairs Committee teaching staff seat, Professor Mark Fitzpatrick (Biological Sciences) was declared elected; and Mr. Tarak Ahmed (Health and Wellness) was declared elected for the administrative staff seat. All these individuals would begin their three-year terms on July 1, 2023. Student election results would be announced in the first week of April.
     
  2. Report of the Vice-President and Principal

    The Chair invited Principal Wisdom Tettey (Vice-President & Principal), to provide his Report. Principal Tettey reported on the following updates:

    60th anniversary celebrations
  • UTSC would be 60 years old in the 2024-25 academic year. The campus would mark the anniversary as a proud and reflective community of past and present students, faculty, and staff, alongside its neighbours, supporters and partners.
  • Two UTSC@60 special advisors, Fran Wdowcyzk (Director, Business Development and Special Advisor to the CAO Operations and Special Projects) and Desmond Pouyat, past Dean, Office of Student Experience and Wellbeing would reach out to the community to solicit ideas, input, and participation in planning, launching, and executing a comprehensive, year-long range of high-quality and meaningful activities in 2024-25.
  • The campus would invite the community to help shape how to honour and reflect on its past and present, showcase and critically engage with inclusive excellence in practice, and galvanize its collective commitment to a future to build on the legacy of the previous 60 years.

    Student Residence
  • The Office of Student Housing & Residence Life was working towards September 2023 move in for students to meet its commitment to first-year students.
  • The secondary space effects would provide opportunity for upper year students and graduate students to secure space in the south residences.

    Collaboration – Federation of Black Canadians & The BRIDGE at UTSC
  • On February 21, 2023, the Provincial government announced investment of over $1.3 million for the Federation of Black Canadians (FBC) to enhance services to support and mentor more Black Youth and young adult entrepreneurs.
  • FBC was to work in collaboration with The Bridge and other partners to research and survey the Black community in Ontario, Alberta and Quebec to determine the needs, obstacles and structural challenges faced by Black youth entrepreneurs and design tailored programming based on findings.

    GTA-RISE Institutes
  • A proposal to establish GTA-RISE (Institutes for Globalization, Transnationalism and the Advancement of Resilient, Inclusive Societies and Ecosystems) as an Extra-Departmental Unit – C (EDU:C) would soon come through governance for approval.
  • There was ongoing consultation with the UTSC community regarding the purpose and character of GTA-RISE and its constituent research institutes, namely
    • Institute for Environment, Conservation, and Sustainability
    • Institute for Inclusive Health and Well-Being
    • Institute for Inclusive Economies and Sustainable Livelihoods
       
  1. Institutional Operating Budget 2024-25 and the Long Range Budget Guidelines to 2027-28

    Professor Damouras invited Provost Cheryl Regehr, and Mr. Jeff Lennon, Assistant Vice-President, Planning & Budget, to address the Council. Highlights were provided as follows:  

    Highlights of the presentation included:
  • the University continued to be in strong financial shape, but was entering a period of slowing revenue growth which would put pressure on expense plans;
  • demand for programs continued to be strong both domestically and internationally;
  • consultations with student groups identified key priorities in areas of student mental health, financial support and student advising;
  • the Long Range Budget Guidelines planned for a balanced budget in each of the five years;
  • the total budgeted operating revenue for 2023-24 of $3.36 billion was an increase of $124 million over the previous year;
  • the continued downward shift in operating grant funding was down to 20% and anticipated to further reduce to 18% of the budget by the end of the five-year plan;
  • the proportion of the budget supported by the Ontario government continued to be significantly less than peer institutions across the country;
  • Continued focus would be on student support (Mental Health Services Transformation and MySSP); teaching and learning (Online by Design); Academic Operations; and Ancillary Operations
  • projected annual revenue growth rate for 2023-24 was estimated at 3.9% for 2023-24 and reducing to 2.7% by 2027-28;
  • an estimated $2.09 billion was projected for faculty and staff compensation in 2023-24
  • non-Ontario resident domestic fees were differentiated starting in 2022-2023 with a 3% increase versus the freeze on resident fees for undergraduate programs, this policy would be continued with a 5% increase for 2023-2024, consistent with the current provincial framework;
  • the province’s performance-based funding framework which had been delayed because of potential COVID-19 impacts would be phased in in 2023-2024, tying 10% of funding to performance metrics;
  • in 2023-2024, 55% of the operating funding would be received through the Differentiated Envelope;
  • total undergraduate enrolment in Fall 2022 increased slightly;
  • combined intake across all direct entry programs was lower than projected, with the majority of the variance being in international intakes, in part due to delays in student permit processing times;
  • domestic enrolment was slightly below planned but still within the enrolment corridor and did not pose a risk to operating grant funding;
  • the University planned to add approximately 3,700 domestic students across undergraduate programs over the next five years;
  • international undergraduate enrolment was projected to increase from 30.9% to 31.5% by the end of the five-year planning period;
  • the UTAPS bursary program was under review to make it more responsive to student financial needs and less connected to the OSAP system;
  • total spending for student aid was projected at $365 million for 2023-24, with the greatest portion being derived from operating funds;
  • budget priorities included additional investments in information security, student advising systems, research staffing to support scholars, faculty recruitment and services, funding to sustain library services and collections, and increased funding to address deferred maintenance and utilities infrastructure renewal; 
  • planned investments in 24 academic capital projects (with a total spend of $4.0 billion) and 4 Four Corners capital projects ($1.2 billion) were projected over the five-year planning period; and
  • budgetary risks included inflationary pressures, potential compensation uncertainties as a result of Bill 124 having been ruled unconstitutional, deferred maintenance, operating reserves, and continued diversification of the student population.

    In the discussion that followed, it was noted:
  • the University would provide information on the impact on local businesses as a result of its procurement practice, in response to a member’s suggestion that the University measure and publicize the impact of the budget on local communities;

  • the Provincial government provided defined financial support to each university for a share of the domestic student intake. The University continued to remain strong as the first choice for applicants applying to Ontario universities;
  • the projected revenue growth rate of 3.9% for 2023-24 increase to 4.2% for 2024-25 was based on an assumption for flexibility on domestic tuition increases; and
  • an alternative revenue stream of 12% included funding from endowment payout, Faculty Chairs, funding for indirect cost of research, and revenue generated from the University’s short term investments.
     
  1. Status Report on Campus Strategic Priorities

    Professor Damouras invited Mr. Arifuzzaman (Chief Administrative Officer) to deliver the presentation for this item. Highlights from the presentation were as follows:

    The UTSC Strategic Priorities for the upcoming year were:
  • Continue to invest in faculty and diversity hiring
    • Continued investments would be made to strategically diversify the faculty complement. Including through the recent launch of the Report of the UTSC Campus Curriculum Review Working Circle 2020-2022 and its calls for continued attention to educational access and decolonizing and anti-racist education.
  • Supporting domestic enrolment
  • Completion of student enhancement projects
    • Investments into modernization projects would continue across campus in laboratory and research spaces, student and public spaces, and library and learning commons.
  • Development of indicator framework
    • UTSC would develop a set of clear indicators that measure progress of the UTSC Inspiring Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan.
  • Building partnerships with other faculties – interdivisional teaching
  • Occupy and operationalize new buildings
  • Developing programs to support life sciences growth
    • The new Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) program had also awarded UTSC with 300 graduating life science students per year.
       
  1. Operating Plans and Fees: Service Ancillaries, UTSC

    The Chair again invited Mr. Arifuzzaman to introduce the item. Mr. Arifuzzaman reminded members of the University’s four financial objectives – to operate without subsidy from the University’s operating budget; to provide for all costs of capital renewal including deferred maintenance;​ to create and maintain an operating reserve; and​ to contribute net revenues to the operating budget. The proposed budgets for the 2022-23 year assumed that on-campus activity returned to pre-pandemic levels.

    Mr. Arifuzzaman provided the rationale – the mission and vision - for the service ancillary proposals for the following areas:
  • Student Housing and Residence Life
  • Retail and Conference Services
  • Food and Beverage Services
  • Parking Services

    Members had no questions. 
     


    On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

    YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED

    THAT SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    THAT the 2023-24 operating plans and budgets for the UTSC 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 presented in the Service Ancillary Report on Operating Plans dated January 04, 2023, be approved effective May 1, 2023.
     

  1. Operating Plans and Fees: UTSC Office of Student Experience and Wellbeing 
    1. Advice from the Council on Student Services (CSS)  

    2. Operating Plans and Fees: Office of Student Experience and Wellbeing   

      The Chair reminded members that while motions for this item were separated out for transparency, the motions were an interconnected plan and would be considered with one vote.

      Mr. Neel Joshi, Dean, Student Experience and Wellbeing, outlined the five pillars for 2023-24 for the Council for Student Services (CSS):

    • Support for Campus and Institutional Strategic Plans

    • Increased opportunities for experiential and international education

    • Increased number of programs and students to engage in Athletics and Sports

    • Actioning of the Mental Health Task Force and Healthy Campus Initiatives

    • Support for all students for Academic and Career Transition

      Mr. Joshi also discussed the robust process to approve the operating plan, which is governed by the Protocol on Non-Tuition Fees. The Office of the Student Experience and Wellbeing operating plan posed no risk to UTSC’s operating budget or to the University budget.

      Members had no questions. 
       

      On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

      YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED

      THAT SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

      THAT, the 2023-24 operating plans and budgets for the UTSC Student Experience and Wellbeing (including the Health & Wellness Centre, Athletics & Recreation, Career Services, Academic Support, Student Buildings and Other Student Services), as presented in the documentation from Mr. Neel Joshi, Dean of Student Experience and Wellbeing, be approved; and

      THAT the sessional Health & Wellness Service Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $84.99 per full-time student per session ($17.00 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 7.11% ($5.64 for full-time student; $1.13 for part-time student);

      THAT the sessional Athletics and Recreation Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $149.23 per full-time student per session ($29.85 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 3.27% ($4.72 for full-time student; $0.94 for part-time student);

      THAT the sessional Career Services Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $91.59 per full-time student per session ($18.32 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 1.05% ($0.95 for full-time student; $0.19 for part-time student);

      THAT the sessional Academic Support Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $54.20 per full-time student per session ($10.84 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 1.40% ($0.75 for full-time student; $0.15 for part-time student)

      THAT the sessional Student Buildings Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be decreased to $31.85 per full-time student per session ($6.37 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year decrease of 1.76% ($0.57 for full-time student; $0.11 for part-time student);

      THAT the sessional Other Student Services Fee for a UTSC-registered or UTSC- affiliated full-time student be increased to $20.39 per full-time student per session ($4.08 per part-time student per session); which represents a year over year increase of 0.21% ($0.04 for full-time student; $0.01 for part-time student)
       

  2. Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees: UTSC Student Societies - Proposals for Fee Increases

    Mr. Joshi outlined the process by which the request from the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) for changes to the fees it charges its membersand is collected on behalf of the SCSU by the University was made.

    The requests had been reviewed by the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students as required by the Policy for Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees and were found to be in compliance. The requests were, therefore, being recommended for approval.

    Members had no questions. 

    On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

    YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED

    THAT SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    THAT, beginning in the Summer 2023 session, the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) fee be modified as follows: an increase of $7.66 per session ($1.53 part-time) in the UTSC Sports & Recreation Complex Levy portion of the fee;

    THAT, beginning in the Fall 2023 session, the SCSU fee be modified as follows: (a) an increase of $1.77 per session ($0.11 part-time) in the society portion of the fee, (b) an increase of $2.63 per session ($0.79 part-time) in the Student Centre portion of the fee, (c) an increase of $0.55 per session (full-time only) in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) portion of the fee, and (d) continuation of the WUSC Program portion of the fee through the 2023-24 academic period; and

    THAT, subject to confirmation of approval of the following fee change proposals by the SCSU Board of Directors, beginning in the Fall 2023 session, the SCSU fee be modified as follows: (a) an increase of up to $9.42 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time only) in the Health Plan portion of the fee and (b) an increase of up to $11.90 per Fall and Winter sessions (full-time only) in the Dental Plan portion of the fee.

    If approved, the total Fall/Winter SCSU fee will be up to $527.00 per session (up to $56.05 part-time), charged to all UTSC undergraduate students.
     

  3. Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 56 – January 25, 2023

    The report of the previous meeting was approved.
     
  4. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting

    There was no business arising from the report of the previous meeting.
     

  5. Reports for Information

    The following reports were received for information:
    1. Report Number 57 of the UTSC Agenda Committee (February 27, 2023)
    2. Report Number 62 of the UTSC Academic Affairs Committee (February 8, 2023)
    3. Report Number 51 of the UTSC Campus Affairs Committee (February 9, 2023)
       
  6. Date of Next Meeting – April 25, 2023 at 4:10 p.m.

    The Chair advised members that the Council would meet again on Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at 4:10 p.m.
     
  7. Question Period

    Members had no questions for the administration.
     
  8. Other Business

    Members had no other business.

The meeting adjourned at 6:06 p.m.

March 9, 2023