Report: UTM Campus Council - May 22, 2024

1. Appointments: Members of the University of Toronto Mississauga Campus Council to the Standing Committees for 2024-25
   
   On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
   
   YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED,
   
   That the recommended appointments of members of the UTM Campus Council to the Standing Committees and related leadership roles, as recommended by the Nominating Committee, and as specified in the documentation dated May 13, 2024, be approved for one-year terms, effective July 1, 2024.

OPEN SESSION

2. Chair’s Remarks
   
   The Chair welcomed members to the Cycle 6 meeting of Campus Council.
3. Report of the Vice-President & Principal
   
   At the final council meeting, the Vice-President and Principal reflected on UTM's exceptional year, highlighting key accomplishments across various domains.
   
   Strategic Research and Innovation:

• Published UTM's first strategic research plan.
• Launched SpinUp, U of T’s first wet lab accelerator for life sciences and innovation.
• Seeded $1.1 million in new research initiatives through strengthened internal funding programs.
• Faculty achieved notable recognition with two new distinguished University professorships, two Royal Society of Canada appointments, and a New Horizons in Mathematics Breakthrough Prize.
• Achieved a 91% success rate in the NSERC Discovery Grant competition, well above U of T's 67% average.
• Succeeded in both applications for the Canada Foundation for Innovation program.
   

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:

• Developed a position dedicated to equity in science and expanded the Equity Network.
• Delivered goals of the Student Mental Health Task Force and hosted 65 equity workshops for 2800 participants.
• Resourced the Black at UTM team, opening a new campus space for Black students, running the inaugural Black Opportunities Fund, and creating over 11,000 community connections.
• Made significant progress on UTM’s first strategic plan for Black flourishing.
   

Sustainability and Operations:

• Built a balanced budget through 2028-2029.
• Achieved 35 goals in the 10-year sustainability strategic plan and launched a strategy to go climate positive by 2050.
• Decreased campus greenhouse gas emissions by 4.5% from the previous year and 29% since 2005, despite doubling the community size and adding several new buildings.
• Opened the new science building, one of the most energy-efficient lab facilities in North America.
   

Community and Student Engagement:

• Expanded Peel-based research for diabetes care through the Novo Nordisk Network.
• Launched U of T's first program in game studies with an industry-partnered lecture series.
• Advanced priorities shared with the City of Mississauga through a new MOU, leading to new public research opportunities and expanded placements for experiential education.
• Enrolled nearly 1500 students in experiential education courses, providing over 740 hands-on research opportunities and internships.
• Welcomed 17 more Black high school students from the Peel District through the SEE at UTM access pathway.
• Approved a new 400-bed student residence and designed the first co-op internship program, enrolling the first cohort of 240 students in the fall.
• Celebrated the achievements of UTM’s eight Lester B. Pearson Scholars from seven different countries.
   

Truth and Reconciliation:

• Advanced commitments grounded in the 34 calls to action. Notably, MJ Singleton, a UTM student in criminology, law, and society, designed the winning artwork for U of T’s Orange Shirt Day ceremony and a new art installation set to open next month.
  
  The Vice-President and Principal concluded by thanking Council members for their support and welcoming him back over the past six months.
  
  At the invitation of Principal Orchard, Tee Duke, Director of the Office of Indigenous Initiatives (OII), presented an update on the progress and future plans of Indigenous initiatives on campus. She began by expressing gratitude to the leaders and organizers and provided an overview of her background and the importance of the land acknowledgment.
  
  The OII was officially launched in October 2022. Its mandate was to expand the university’s appeal to Indigenous communities and foster strong relationships with them. The office focused on mobilizing Truth and Reconciliation through various projects and collaborations. Ms Duke highlighted the support from university leaders and the establishment of a dedicated Indigenous Centre.
   

She then detailed several key accomplishments, which included:

• Establishing the UTM Indigenous Center and creating dedicated Indigenous spaces like the teaching lodge and tipi.
• Hosting the first-ever All Nations Pow Wow in March 2023.
• Launching Indigenous art installations and planning future events to increase visibility and engagement.
• Enhancing support for Indigenous students through roles like the Indigenous Student Support Specialist.
   

She reported that looking ahead, the office aimed to:

• Continue increasing Indigenous visibility and placemaking on campus.
• Expand Indigenous faculty and staff presence.
• Promote Indigenous language revitalization and land-based learning.
• Strengthen relationships with the Peel region and the City of Mississauga through strategic partnerships.

In closing Ms Duke emphasized the importance of community involvement in achieving these goals. She invited everyone to connect with her and the office for further collaboration and support.

4. Capital Project Update
   
   At the invitation of the Chair, Luke Barber, Acting CAO and Muhanad Sidek, Managing Director, Planning, Design & Construction provided a presentation updating members on UTM's capital projects for the fiscal year 2023-24. The projects undertaken aimed to enhance the campus's infrastructure and facilities to support learning, research, and community engagement.
   
   A detailed overview of the project portfolio was presented, categorizing projects into renovations, infrastructure, and capital projects. Key renovations included the Pre-Engineered Building, the Indigenous Creation Studio in the Communication, Culture, and Technology building, Davis Building Spiegel Hall and Commissary Kitchen Renovation, and Wet Lab in Room DV 5017. Infrastructure projects like the Northwest Campus Fiber Infrastructure and Davis Research Uninterrupted Power Supply or UPS were highlighted for their impact on network connectivity and power supply.
   
   Updates on major capital projects, including the new science building, Student Services Hub, and proposed new Residence Building, were provided. The new science building, targeting LEED Gold certification, was highlighted for its state-of-the-art facilities supporting research and sustainable design principles. The Student Services Hub aimed to be a collaborative home for student-facing services, and a first stop for students with complex challenges.  The proposed new Residence Building, housing 400 additional students, was designed with a focus on natural beauty and minimal site impact, with unique living spaces.
   
   Milestones and timelines for each project were detailed, emphasizing progress made and anticipated completion dates. Building permit applications, and upcoming construction activities were highlighted for ongoing and upcoming projects.
   
   During the question-and-answer period, a member asked about the upgrades to the electrical utility plant, specifically the switching mechanisms and backup power for labs requiring constant electricity.  Mr. Barber explained that the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system was designed to provide clean electricity to research labs, allowing a few seconds for the backup emergency generator to activate in case of power failure. The backup generator was intended to maintain power consistency for lab equipment.
   
   The member then inquired about the duration the generator could operate during a serious power failure. It was noted that the generator served a significant area, and with continuous refueling, it could maintain power for an extended period.

5. Campaign report, Office of Advancement
   
   At the invitation of the Chair, Andrew Stelmacovich, Executive Director of Advancement provided a campaign report.
   
   Mr. Stelmacovich reported that UTM’s portion of the tri-campus Defy Gravity campaign, planned since 2020 and launched publicly in 2021, aimed to raise $75 million. As of the presentation, $47.3 million had already been secured, representing 63% of the goal. The campaign's planning began with a strategy paper in November 2020, outlining UTM's unique strengths and potential investment areas. A campus-wide consultative process launched in the summer of 2021, involving a large working group meeting and seven focus group sessions with academics, senior staff, and alumni. This process culminated in the final campaign brief and the articulation of marquee initiatives.
   
   Mr. Stelmacovich described key initiatives of the Defy Gravity campaign, which included drug discovery, robotics, child and youth mental health, social determinants of health, urban environments and biodiversity, Indigenous initiatives, arts and culture, and student financial aid.
   
   Drug discovery focused on advancing therapeutics for rare cancers and other debilitating diseases. The robotics initiative aimed to build a talent network to support Canada's first national robotics strategy. The child and youth mental health initiative sought to expand a community network for mental health research, training, and care. The social determinants of health initiative aimed to drive systemwide change to address health inequalities. Urban environments and biodiversity focused on orienting urban development around human and ecological well-being. Indigenous initiatives included projects to revive and protect Indigenous languages and promote restorative justice. The arts and culture initiative aimed to promote creativity and cultural exploration, including the Hidden Stories project supported by a $2.6 million gift from the Mellon Foundation. Student financial aid remained a high priority, with a focus on expanding access programs for Black, Indigenous, and racialized students.
   
   The advancement team worked closely with lead academics to develop detailed cases for support that included specific investment opportunities across the marquee initiatives. Unlike the Boundless campaign, which was largely defined by bricks and mortar projects, the Defy Gravity campaign focused on people and programs. The campaign’s quiet phase began on January 1, 2019, and the campaign launched publicly on December 13, 2021.
   
   Mr. Stelmacovich reported that the advancement team recruited senior-level volunteers who were not only principal or major gift donors but also individuals and corporate representatives who would actively engage their networks in service to the campaign effort. This volunteer structure aimed to be permanent, with volunteers serving terms of one to three years. The campaign also sought to enhance alumni engagement. Since 2019, UTM engaged more than 15,200 new alumni, surpassing its annual targets year-over-year.
   
   Future plans included organizing high-profile events to capitalize on points of excitement and help generate momentum, such as donor recognition events or program launches. The team also focused on expanding donor pipelines, fine-tuning predictive modeling for donor expansion, and increasing in-person outreach as pandemic restrictions eased. They aimed to bolster staff resources within the advancement office to provide greater support in prospect research and data management.
   
   Mr. Stelmacovich emphasized that to be successful, the campaign needed academic champions who could engage prospective donors. The advancement team planned to create professional development opportunities for academic leaders interested in fundraising and to conduct a stewardship audit to review and evaluate current practices.

6. Reports of the Presidential Assessors
   
   Mark Overton provided a presentation on the newly completed Student Services Hub. The Hub was positioned as a first point of contact for students, prospective students, families, faculty, and staff seeking support or information on various campus services.
   
   The project had been recommended by the UTM Campus Affairs Committee on September 13, 2021, while still in meeting in a virtual environment.
   
   Mr. Overton expressed excitement about the progress of the project and its recent opening on campus about a month prior. The Student Services Hub was highlighted as a space designed to provide enhanced services to students in various areas, including accessibility, student engagement, international education, wellness, and career counseling. It offered assignable workspaces for full-time employees and student staff, along with collaboration rooms for informal interactions.
   
   During his presentation, Mr. Overton emphasized the importance of involving student staff in service delivery, acknowledging their valuable insights and peer-to-peer support. The Hub aimed to bring together dispersed offices and coworkers into a centralized space, facilitating collaboration and interaction.  Key features of the Hub included the "hello desk," which served as a central point of contact for students seeking assistance. Mr. Overton described the desk's role in connecting students with resources and facilitating meaningful conversations to address their concerns. Additionally, he outlined the various types of spaces within the Hub, such as meeting rooms, active learning spaces, and casual conversation areas. The design aimed to accommodate different modes of engagement based on students' preferences and needs.  Mr. Overton encouraged members to visit the Hub and utilize its resources, both for themselves and for directing students with inquiries.
   
   During the question-and-answer period, several Council members sought clarification on different aspects of the Hub's operations. A member praised the Wellness Den and inquired about the relationship between health services and the health promotion team, which was clarified as being part of the Health and Counseling Center located one floor below. A member asked about the availability of a centralized website for the Hub's services, and it was explained that while information was currently online, efforts were underway to improve the hub-like model for better service delivery. A member raised concerns about handling private or personal issues at the Hello Desk and the interdisciplinary needs of students. Mr. Overton pointed to the availability of private spaces and the staff's expertise in managing complex issues. A member commented on managing the anticipated high demand and the use of digital resources, and Mr. Overton assured members that student peers would handle less complex issues to free up professional staff, and plans to use electronic boards, social media, and QR codes to effectively communicate and manage student inquiries.