2025 Call for Applications - Co-opted Members of Boards of the Governing Council and the University Tribunal

I. what are co-opted positions and who is eligible to apply?

• Co-opted members are non-Governing Council members who are appointed to serve on the Boards of the Governing Council. Please note that these positions are all volunteer positions.

• Students (full-time undergraduate, part-time undergraduate, and graduate), Administrative staff and Alumni are all eligible.
• Students are particularly encouraged to apply for a position on the University Tribunal.

II. what are other Eligibility requirements?

• Students who expect to graduate before June 2026 are not eligible to apply for membership on Governance bodies or the University Tribunal.  If appointed, you need to be able to serve the term between July 1, 2025, and to June 30, 2026.
• Students who are not enrolled in a degree, diploma, or certificate program and those registered in the Toronto School of Theology are not eligible to serve on either Governing Council bodies or the University Tribunal.
• Once appointed, a member must resign from the governance bodies to which they have been appointed if, at any time during the term of appointment, they cease to be a member of the constituency in which they were appointed. 

III. what is the term of office?

• In general, successful applicants to Governance Boards will be invited to serve a one-year term from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

• Successful applicants for membership on the University Tribunal will be invited to serve a term of up to three years, beginning July 1, 2025.
• Members are expected to attend all or almost all the meetings held per year of the respective Board.

IV. what positions are available this year?

The precise number of appointed seats available for each constituency varies from year to year, depending on the number of seats that are filled by members of the Governing Council.  For example, as there are two seats in total on the Business Board for administrative staff, if one administrative staff governor is appointed to the Business Board there will be only one co-opted staff member.

Vacancies for 2025-26

Governance Body	Administrative Staff	Alumni	Students
Academic Board	1	1-2	12
Business Board	0-1	0	0-1
University Affairs Board	3	0	5
University Tribunal	0	0	Up to 15

V. what is the Selection Process?

• Each of the three Boards has a Striking (Nominating) Committee that reviews the applications received and recommends appointments to the respective Board.
• The Striking Committees normally meet in May or early June, and appointments are approved at the final meeting of the Boards in June.
• In May, the Secretary of the University Tribunal will review the applications of students who have indicated an interest in serving on that body. From those submissions, suitable individuals will be selected to assist with Tribunal hearings. 
• Please note that notifications regarding the outcome of applications will not be sent until late June to early July.

VI. what Criteria are used in evaluating the applications?

As part of the selection process, Striking Committees consider the knowledge, skills, and experience of each applicant. Efforts are made to achieve an appropriate balance of continuity and renewal on the Boards, as well as representation from a variety of academic and administrative units, academic programs, the three campuses, full-time and part-time undergraduate students, and graduate students. The Striking Committees will be guided by Section 1.1 of the Election Guidelines.

The criteria used by the Striking Committees for the selection of members will also include the following:

• Experience in governance of organizations or groups.
• Demonstrated involvement in and contribution to the University community.
• Demonstrated engagement in co-curricular or community activities.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise informed judgement.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate logically and persuasively at meetings.
• Demonstrated commitment to participate actively, to prepare thoroughly, and to attend most scheduled meetings.

All members of the Boards of the Governing Council and the University Tribunal are subject to the same expectations as those of members of the Governing Council.  The Expectations and Attributes of Governors and Key Principles of Ethical Conduct may be viewed here.

Applications are encouraged from a wide variety of individuals so that the diversity of the University may be reflected in the membership of Governing Council bodies and on the University Tribunal. We strongly encourage nominations from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. We value candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission. We are committed to fostering a community of belonging and creating inclusive conditions in which everyone can thrive.

vii. what kinds of questions are asked in the application?

• In addition to requesting general contact information, the application will ask for details on relevant volunteer and paid experience that may contribute to governance related work, and the rationale for wanting to serve on a particular Board or the University Tribunal.  In order to be well informed about the Boards and the University Tribunal, it is recommended that you review the below information.
• The application process will take approximately 25-30 minutes and must be completed in a single sitting. We regret that it is not currently possible to save and then return later.

VIII: how can i prepare for my application?

You are encouraged to review Information Regarding Membership of the Boards of Governing Council and the University Tribunal below.

Webpages containing comprehensive information about the Governing Council Boards and the University Tribunal are listed below.  Prospective applicants are encouraged to browse through the sites to gain an understanding of the scope, responsibilities, and composition of the governance bodies.