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Simcoe Hall, 27 King’s College Circle, Council Chamber (second floor)
Report Number 216 Of The Planning & Budget Committee
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2025
To the Academic Board,
University of Toronto,
Your Committee reports that it held a meeting on April 9, 2025 at 3:10 p.m. with the following members present:
PRESENT: Mark Lautens (Chair), Scott Mabury, (Vice President, Operations and Real Estate Partnerships), Jeff Lennon (Assistant Vice President, Planning and Budget),Catherine Amara, Luca Calabretta, Janet Cloud, Lisa Dolovich, Jessica Eylon, Robert Gazzale, Rita Kandel*, John Oesch, Naomi Steenhof, Sali Tagliamonte, Grace Westcott*, Melanie Woodin, David Zingg
REGRETS: Markus Dubber (Vice-Chair), Trevor Young (Vice President & Provost), Albert Cheng, Ryan Cortez, Suresh Sivanandam, Charmaine Williams
NON-VOTING ASSESSORS:
SECRETARIAT: Timothy Harlick, Acting Secretary, Joanne Chou
IN ATTENDANCE: Kelly Hannah-Moffat (Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity & Culture), Archana Sridhar (Assistant Provost), Elizabeth Cragg (Director, Office of the Vice-President, Operations & Real Estate Partnerships), Nick Rule (Vice-Provost, Academic Programs), Lachmi Singh (Director, Academic Programs, Planning, Quality Assurance), Daniel Bowyer
*participated remotely via Zoom
Pursuant to section 38 of By-Law Number 2,
consideration of item 9 took place in camera.
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
The Chair welcomed members and guests to the meeting. The Chair extended congratulations to Professor Melanie Woodin, who was in attendance in her capacity as a member of the Committee and recently announced as the incoming 17th President of the University of Toronto. On behalf of the Committee, he offered sincere commendations on her appointment and noted the pride and confidence the University community holds in her leadership. - Assessors’ Reports
Professor Scott Mabury, Vice-President, Operations & Real Estate Partnerships, provided remarks in the absence of the Vice-President & Provost. He reflected on the successful conclusion of the recent budget cycle, noting that he was pleased that the 2025–26 operating budget was approved unanimously across all governance bodies. He emphasized that this outcome reflected the strength of the University’s ground-up budget model and the transparency it affords.
Professor Mabury provided context on upcoming financial and operational challenges, including increased cost pressures and constraints on revenue growth, particularly in the context of ongoing tuition regulation. He spoke to the University’s strong data infrastructure and its application in guiding operational excellence initiatives, including a renewed focus on administrative efficiency and service delivery.
He concluded his remarks highlighting continued progress on capital projects and sustainability efforts, including major infrastructure investments supported through external partnerships. He also noted emerging complexities related to procurement directives and cross-border acquisitions given the current geopolitical environment, which the University has been monitoring closely.
No questions were raised by members. - Proposal for the Academic Restructuring of the Department of Italian Studies and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese
The Committee considered a proposal from the Faculty of Arts and Science to amalgamate the Department of Italian Studies and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese into a single new department titled the Department of Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies. The proposal also included merging the respective graduate units into a unified graduate unit in Italian and Spanish Studies.
Professor Nick Rule, Vice-Provost, Academic Programs, presented the proposal, which followed the University’s Policy and Procedures for Faculty and Librarians on Academic Restructuring. The proposed restructuring arises from both the academic affinity between the departments and operational challenges related to declining enrolments and small faculty complements, which have affected the ability to sustain internal governance processes such as tenure and promotion committees.
Consultations began in early 2024 and included faculty, staff, students, and Deans of cognate departments. No dissent was reported. Staff, though not included in the scope of the Policy, were engaged throughout the process. The amalgamation is expected to improve curricular offerings, research partnerships, and governance efficiency.
Discussion
In the ensuing discussion members broadly supported the proposal and welcomed the consultative approach undertaken by the two departments. Questions were raised about the anticipated impact on faculty workload, particularly regarding departmental and governance meetings and Professor Rule noted that while efficiencies in governance structures would be realized, the number of meetings for individual faculty members may not materially change.
Members also inquired about the selection of participating units, with particular interest in whether other cognate departments had been considered. It was clarified that exploratory discussions had taken place, but the decision to proceed with the current configuration reflected a shared vision and alignment between the two proposing departments.
Further questions addressed the consultation process, particularly regarding staff involvement. The Committee was assured that while the Policy formally emphasizes faculty and librarians, staff had been included throughout the process and no reduction in staff positions was anticipated.
On motion duly moved, seconded and carried,
YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED
THAT the academic restructuring described in the Proposal for Academic Restructuring of the Department of Italian Studies and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese (March 10, 2025), be approved, effective July 1, 2025.
- Annual Report: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2024-2025
The Committee received for information the 2024–2025 Annual Report under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The Report was introduced by Professor Kelly Hannah-Moffat, Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity and Culture, who acknowledged the wide range of initiatives underway across the University in support of accessibility and inclusion. She noted that while the current report is more concise than in previous years, this reflects an effort to highlight key developments rather than an indication of reduced activity.
Mr. Ben Poynton, AODA Officer, presented an overview of the report’s major themes. He outlined efforts to embed accessibility within local planning and operations, citing examples in inclusive procurement, digital infrastructure, and physical space design. He also highlighted new supports for neurodiverse students, enhanced outreach by Accessibility Services, and the launch of a tri-campus affinity group for employees with disabilities. The development of a new institutional multi-year accessibility plan, grounded in extensive consultation, was noted as a key undertaking for the coming year.
Discussion
In response to a member’s question whether the requirement for students to renew accommodations annually could be streamlined in cases involving permanent disabilities, Mr. Poynton noted that while re-registration is not required, renewal ensures continued appropriateness of accommodations, particularly when students’ programs or circumstances change. The process was acknowledged as an area for potential review.
Questions were also raised about how the University measures accessibility progress. Mr. Poynton indicated that web accessibility lends itself more readily to quantification, and that internal tracking is ongoing. Physical accessibility is more complex to assess due to evolving standards and the constraints of the University’s built heritage.
The Committee recognized the strong cross-divisional collaboration evident in the Report and expressed appreciation for the continued leadership in advancing institutional accessibility.
The Chair thanked Mr. Poynton for his presentation.
CONSENT AGENDA
- Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 215 – February 12, 2025
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.
END OF OPEN SESSION CONSENT AGENDA
- Date of the Next Meeting: May 14, 2025, 3:10 – 5:10 p.m.
The Chair reminded members that the Committee’s next meeting, the final meeting of the governance year, would take place on May 14, 2025, at the regular meeting time from 3:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. - Other Business
No items of other business were raised.
THE BOARD MOVED IN CAMERA.
IN CAMERA SESSION
- Annual Report: Information Security and Protection of Digital Assets
The Chair welcomed Mr. Deyves Fonseca, Acting Chief Information Security Officer, and Dr. Donna Kidwell, Acting Chief Information Officer, to present the Annual Report on Information Security and the Protection of Digital Assets.
The Chair reminded members that the annual report is provided in accordance with the Policy on Information Security and the Protection of Digital Assets and emphasized that a thoughtful review of the report is an essential responsibility of the Committee in discharging its oversight duties.
Members recognized the increasingly complex information security environment and underscored the importance of continued institutional focus on cyber risk mitigation, preparedness, and resilience. The Committee expressed support for the University's ongoing efforts to foster a security-aware culture, advance secure practices across teaching, research, and administration, and meet evolving regulatory and sponsor requirements.
The Committee reiterated the critical role of divisional engagement in achieving a coordinated and effective approach to information security and affirmed the importance of aligning institutional guidance and standards in support of shared accountability and institutional trust.
THE COMMITTEE RETURNED TO OPEN SESSION.
The meeting adjourned at 4:40 p.m.
April 16, 2025