Membership

All University Tribunal Chairs and members serve the University on a voluntary basis. The University Tribunal Chairs are selected from outside of the University of Toronto.

Currently, there are 28 Chairs on the University Tribunal (1 Senior Chair, 3 Associate Chairs and 24 Co-Chairs).  There are usually approximately 50 members on the University Tribunal (24 faculty and 26 students). 

CHAIRS

University Tribunal Chairs are formally appointed by the following process:

Policy:

“The Academic Board appoints […] the Senior Chair, Associate Chairs and co-chairs of the University Tribunal, […] on the recommendation of the Nominating Committee for the University Tribunal and Academic Appeals Committee” (Section 5.2.6.C.iii of the Academic Board Terms of Reference).

Explanation:

Current Co-Chairs

• Upon invitation by the Director, Office of ADFG, and in consultation with the Chair of the Nominating Committee and the Senior Chair of the Tribunal, current Tribunal Co-Chairs whose memberships are expiring are usually asked if they wish to continue as Tribunal Co-Chairs for an additional term. The membership term for Tribunal Co-Chairs is three years.
• The Director, Office of ADFG, sends the list of candidates for reappointment to the Nominating Committee, who considers the candidates for reappointment.
• During the Academic Board's last meeting of the governance year (May or June), the approved candidates are reappointed to the University Tribunal.
• The Co-Chairs are then added to the University Tribunal membership list.

New Chairs

• If there is a need for new Tribunal Chairs, the Chair of the Nominating Committee, in consultation with various parties, presents a list of nominees and their biographies to the members of the Nominating Committee. Each nominee is legally qualified (a lawyer) and is not a student, faculty nor administrative staff member of the University. The nominees are often senior lawyers who are prominent in the Toronto community.
• The Nominating Committee recommends their list of candidates to the Academic Board.
• Academic Board considers the list of candidates.
• During the Academic Board's last meeting of the governance year (May or June), the approved candidates are appointed to the University Tribunal.
• The individuals are then added to the University Tribunal membership list.

MEMBERS 

University Tribunal faculty and student members are formally appointed by the following process:

Policy:

“The members of each panel (other than the chair) shall be drawn from a pool consisting of at least 15 students who are not also faculty members and at least 15 faculty members who are not also students. The members of such pool shall be appointed by the Secretary, drawn from the various academic divisions and units of the University, and shall serve for a period of up to three years. The appointments shall be renewable upon invitation by the Senior Chair of the Tribunal” (Section C.ii.(a).19 of the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters).

Explanation:

Continuing Members

• Upon invitation by the Senior Chair of the University Tribunal, some current faculty and student members of the Tribunal whose memberships are expiring are asked if they wish to continue as a Tribunal member for an additional term. The membership term for faculty and student Tribunal members is up to three years. To be reappointed, students have to be able to sit on the Tribunal for another term. Therefore, if they are going to graduate before that term is over, they cannot be reappointed.
• Near the end of the governance year, the Tribunal members who are willing to continue for another term are re-appointed.
• The individuals are then added to the University Tribunal membership list.

New Members

• If there is a need for new faculty members, a call for nominations is sent to principals and deans. Only active faculty members may be nominated and they may not be enrolled in any courses at the University.  To be considered for appointment, faculty members cannot be involved academic decisions for their faculty, unless in the context of teaching a specific course.
• Near the end of the governance year, Governing Council posts an online form from which students can select from a variety of University boards and committees they wish to join during the following governance year.
• If there is a need for new student members, the University Tribunal is listed as an option on the online form. Student members may put themselves on the candidate list by selecting University Tribunal from the form.
• The Director of the ADFG Office reviews the list of applicants to determine who to invite to join the Tribunal.
• Some of the criteria for faculty members are their volunteer work, experience on other boards and committees, the department within which they teach and how many other boards and committees they will be members of during the coming year (in order to avoid over-loading the faculty member). The ADFG Office selects applicants with the goal of selecting members from a variety of departments throughout the three campuses, diverse backgrounds and also ensuring that an even gender representation is maintained.  A crucial qualification is that the appointee is neutral and objective.
• Some of the criteria for student members are academic standing, volunteer work, experience on other boards and committees, program of study and year of study (in order to determine how many years the individual could serve the Tribunal). The ADFG Office selects applicants with the goal of selecting graduates, undergraduates and part-time undergraduates from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds, while maintaining an even representation of gender. An overriding qualification is demonstrated ability to maintain neutrality and objectivity.
• Once the ADFG Office has determined the final list of potential members, it sends each of the individuals an invitation to join and a University Tribunal Membership Form. The invitation explains the Office’s expectations, the purpose of the Tribunal and the terms of the membership.
• As individuals reply to confirm their acceptance of the terms of the membership, the individuals are added to the University Tribunal membership list.
• No member is allowed to sit on a panel until they have attended mandatory training.

Section C.II.(a) 20 of the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters states the following:

Panel members for each case shall be selected by the Secretary who shall exercise due discretion in excluding members who may know either the accused or the circumstances of the alleged offence. Generally, student members will not be drawn from the same program of study as the accused. Faculty members from the department in which an offence is alleged to have occurred will be excluded from the panel.