Report Number 66 Of The Utsc Campus Council
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2024
To the Governing Council, University of Toronto,
Your Campus Council reports that it held a meeting in the Council Chamber, Arts and Administration Building, on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 4:10 p.m. with the following members present:
PRESENT: Grace Westcott (Chair), Aarthi Ashok (Vice-Chair), Linda Johnston (Vice-President and Principal), Syed Ahmed, Daniel Bowyer, Jason Glover, Brian Harrington, Irmi Hutfless, Paul Huyer, Mariana Jardim, Mandy Liao, Gillian Mason, Silma Roddau, Dorinda So, Rachel Sturge, Arjun Yanglem, Hoorik Yeghiazarian, Willow James, Arjun Yanglem
NON-VOTING ASSESSORS: Karin Ruhlandt (Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean), Andrew Arifuzzaman (Chief Administrative Officer), Desmond Pouyat (Interim Dean, Student Experience and Wellbeing)
REGRETS: Imran Khan, Elaine Khoo, Sonja Nikkila, Shennell Simpson
SECRETARIAT: Emma Thacker (Secretary, Campus Council), Megann Davidson
IN ATTENDANCE: Alison Mountz (Interim, Vice Principal Research and Innovation), Bruce Kidd (University Ombudsperson), Sean Lockwood (Director, Office of the Vice Principal Research and Innovation)
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
The Chair, Grace Westcott, welcomed members and guests to the meeting. With the Council's approval, the agenda was reordered. The Chair provided some information about the upcoming governance elections, noting two teaching staff and four student vacancies. -
Report of the Vice-President and Principal
The Vice-Chair invited Principal Linda Johnston to give her report.
The Vice-President and Principal delivered several updates, starting with a report on recent campus events. On October 31st, the first Town Hall of the academic year was held, drawing nearly 300 participants. Updates were provided by various colleagues on topics such as budget, enrollment challenges, and campus growth, with many questions focusing on food and parking.
She reminded members about the upcoming farewell reception for Professor Wisdom Tettey, hosted by President Gertler, in celebration of his service to the University of Toronto before his transition to Carleton University. She also noted that the Presidential search nominations were open until November 17th, and that the Vice-Principal Research & Innovation search was underway, with meetings beginning soon and a projected completion by mid-February.
Looking ahead to 2025, the Sam Ibrahim Building was expected to open in January 2025, followed by Professor Johnston’s installation ceremony as Principal. Additionally, Indigenous House was scheduled to open in late spring/summer, supporting Indigenous-focused programming.
She acknowledged the departure of Kelly Crawford, Assistant Director of Indigenous Initiatives, and welcomed Carol Ducharme, who would continue the important work. She emphasized the need for fostering a culture of mutual respect, compassion, and civil discourse, referencing a working group led by Professor Randy Boyagoda.
Lastly, she introduced one of her key priorities, ‘Joy in Work,’ expressing concerns about rising tensions between colleagues and advocating for structures that promoted a supportive work environment. She aimed to empower leadership to create a culture of care, emphasizing the importance of wellness among staff to better support students.
No questions from members. - Status Report on UTSC Campus Strategic Priorities
The Chair invited Mr. Andrew Arifuzzaman (Chief Administrative Officer), to present his report. The strategic priorities for 2025-26, were highlighted in the presentation as follows:
- Enrollment priorities: Focus on both domestic and international students. International enrollment had been challenging due to changes in visa policies and perceptions that Canada was less welcoming. Budget shortfall was being addressed through various measures.
- Operationalizing new buildings: Progress was being made on projects such as the Sam Ibraham building, Indigenous House, and the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health. These projects were nearing completion or moving forward rapidly.
- Leadership transition: A new senior academic leadership team was in place. There was no intention to shift away from the current strategic plan ("Inspiring Inclusive Excellence").
- Capital projects: The Life Sciences campaign had been successful, attracting more students than anticipated. However, some enrollment targets remained unmet. There were challenges with system-wide announcements by provincial and federal governments affecting visa students.
- Budget overview: The University operated three budget types:
- Operating budget: Covers day-to-day costs (tuition, government grants, etc.).
- Student service Fees: Fund services like health, wellness, athletics, and student clubs.
- Ancillary budgets: Funded by users of specific services (e.g., food services, parking, student housing).
- Revenue sources: 68% from tuition and government support, 20% from operational revenues, 12% from other revenues (e.g., grants).
- Expenditures: 58% for compensation, 14% for various expenses, 10% for student aid, 8% for occupancy, 7% for capital and equipment, and 3% for pension contingency.
Overall, the campus focus was on meeting enrollment targets, managing operational and capital projects, and addressing financial challenges, especially concerning international students and government funding.
A student member asked the administration about installing bidets. In response, Mr. Arifuzzaman acknowledged that while there were ablution stations on campus, they did not have bidets, and the cleaning aspect could complicate their installation. Mr. Arifuzzaman and the member agreed to follow up after the meeting.
The remaining discussion addressed international student recruitment and the challenges faced by UTSC in achieving its enrollment goals. Initially, it was explained that a significant portion of international students were already studying in Canadian high schools, and recruitment strategies were in place both domestically and globally, with specific programs targeting certain countries. It was noted that the University had faced difficulties with international student enrolment (e.g., geopolitical factors, new visa restrictions). Special programs like ‘Green Path’, which has long-standing partnerships with high schools in China, were discussed, and efforts were being made to diversify international student sources beyond China. The discussion also touched on domestic enrollment challenges, particularly in fields outside of health sciences. A new entry program for social sciences and humanities was mentioned as part of the strategy to boost enrollment, along with efforts to address reputational issues surrounding the campus and improve marketing. The financial shortfall caused by declining international enrollment was also discussed, revealing that the University had to manage a gap of around $23 million, but strategies to address this were moving forward. Lastly, the session highlighted that the University was continually adjusting its international recruitment efforts in response to global economic and political factors, aiming to meet both domestic and international enrollment goals for the future.
- Annual Report: Office of the Ombudsperson and the Administrative Response, 2023-24
The Chair invited Professor Emeritus Bruce Kidd to present his Report. Professor Kidd, (University Ombudsperson) informed the Council that the Office of the Ombudsperson (the “Office”) saw an overall decrease in the number of complaints received compared to the previous year. He noted that the types of complaints remained similar to those received in past years but with an increase in complaints of incivility.
He indicated that the Office was pleased to observe the progress made by the administration in addressing communications gaps and improving the quality of information provided on University websites and was also pleased to observe that the Office of the Governing Council had continued its development of a Policy Management Framework. In closing, he said that the review of the Office commissioned by the Executive Committee, and presented to the Governing Council in June 2024, had demonstrated a positive affirmation of the Office’s work and that the Office was looking forward to celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2025.
Members had no questions. - Annual Report: Office of the Vice-Principal Research and Innovation
The Chair invited Professor Alison Mountz (Interim Vice-Principal Research and Innovation), to present the Annual Report (2023-24), with the following highlights:
Professor Mountz presented highlights from the past academic year's annual report. She emphasized that questions and discussions could continue beyond the presentation, with team members from the Office of the Vice Principal Research and Innovation (OVPRI) also present to participate.
The report’s theme, ‘Engage,’ was chosen to highlight the importance of engagement in building thriving research communities both within and beyond the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC). She discussed three ways research stories were told in the report: through numbers, stories, and visual elements. She pointed out key statistics, with the total research funding reaching nearly $20 million, a 40% increase over five years. The largest portion of this funding came from Tri-Agency grants, representing around 64% of the total.
UTSC researchers had consistently outperformed national averages in competitive grant programs, with only one minor exception in a particular grant competition. Professor Mountz highlighted the University’s interdisciplinary research centers and institutes, including those focused on sustainability, health, and inclusive economies. She mentioned UTSC’s strategic investments in research, particularly through partnerships with organizations like Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences and the Toronto Zoo.
Professor Mountz also spoke about UTSC's success in securing Canada Research Chairs and the appointment of Professor Patricia Romero-Lankao as the new Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Sustainable Transitions. Graduate students and faculty researchers achieved notable recognition, with four members inducted into the Royal Society of Canada.
The University hosted significant research events to foster collaboration and co-design new research programs. Looking ahead, the OVPRI was focusing on initiatives that embed equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into the research lifecycle. Professor Mountz concluded by thanking the OVPRI staff for their contributions to the report and their efforts to support a thriving research community at UTSC.
In the discussion that followed a member sought clarification on the increase in total research funding and asked whether this growth from the year prior was due to becoming eligible for new sources or more success with existing ones. Professor Mountz attributed the success to the overall growth of the research community at UTSC, more applications, and better results in various funding competitions. She also noted that the integration of smaller grants helped build relationships that led to larger funding opportunities, with particular focus on federal, provincial, and private sector funding.
Another member praised the report and asked about the recruitment of Professor Romero-Lankao from the U.S. to UTSC. The response highlighted efforts to recruit high-caliber scholars with global experience, mentioning Professor Romero-Lankao's exceptional work with governments, private sectors, and communities.
There was also a discussion on highlighting the contributions of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers more in future reports to showcase their work in research. Some members stressed the importance of giving undergraduate students more opportunities and featuring their contributions more prominently, noting the hunger for research engagement among this group. Lastly, one member suggested improving the visibility of the research website to ensure students can find information about opportunities more easily.
CONSENT AGENDA
The Chair noted that of the items listed on the Consent Agenda, one item, Item 6 – Minutes of the Previous Meeting, was for approval. All other items were for information only.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED
THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 6, the Report of the Previous Meeting, be approved.
- Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 65 – October 7, 2024
The report of the previous meeting was approved. - Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
There was no business arising from the report of the previous meeting. - Reports for Information
Members received the following reports for information: - Date of Next Meeting – Thursday, January 23, 2025, 4:10 p.m.
The Chair advised members that the Committee would meet again on January 23, 2025 at 4:10 p.m. - Other Business
The Chair thanked William (Bill) Pollex (AV Specialist) for his many years of supporting governance, and offered a token of appreciation, as he moved to another position in the new year. No other business was raised.
The meeting adjourned at 5:26 p.m.
November 14, 2024