Report Number 77 Of The Utm Campus Council
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
To the Governing Council,
University of Toronto,
Your UTM Campus Council reports that it held a meeting in the Council Chamber, Room 3130, W. G. Davis building on May 26, 2026 with the following members present:
PRESENT: Ann Curran (Chair), Andrew Petersen (Vice-Chair), Alexandra Gillespie (Vice-President & Principal), Charleson Cao, Robert Gerlai (Chair, CAC), Rosa Hong (Chair, AAC), Heather Anderson, Charleson Cao, Sheliza Ibrahim, David Jacobs, John Paul Lotesto, Latonya Ludford, Asif Mohammed, Eha Naylor, Haze Schepmyer, Joanna Szurmak, Anil Wasif, Ron Wener, Daniel Wright, Jack Zhang
NON-VOTING ASSESSORS: Christine Esteban (Interim Executive Director, Budget, Finance and Business Services), Tim Fricker (Interim Dean of Student Experience and Wellbeing), William Gough (Vice-Principal, Academic & Dean).
REGRETS: Aryaman Chopra, Claudiu Gradinaru, Farhan Majumder, Hana Tariq, Christopher Thompson
SECRETARIAT: Cindy Ferencz Hammond, Samantha Frost
IN ATTENDANCE: Rabeeya Amjad (Director, Planning and Analysis), Vesela Angelova (Assistant Director FIPS), Dan Bowyer (Member, UTSC Campus Council, College of Electors), Megan Evans (Assistant Director, Hospitality & Ancillary Services), Alysha Ferguson (Assistant Director, Campus and Community Engagement), Adam Fraser (Assistant Dean, Office of the Vice-Principal, Academic & Dean), Melissa Gallo (Assistant Dean, Student Wellness, Support and Success), Winnie Hui (Assistant Director, BPF), Vicky Jezierski (Executive Director. Hospitality & Ancillary Services), Peili Liu (Director, Finance Administrative Units (Interim), BPF), Antonia Lo (Director, Student Services and Ancillaries), Chris Meledes (Director, Academic Finance), Chad Nuttall (Assistant Dean, Students & International Initiatives), Dany Savard (Chief Librarian, presenter), Amanda Pautler (Interim Executive Director, Public Affairs), Farzana Reburiano (Assistant Director, BPF), Adam El Falou (President, UTMSU).
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
The Chair welcomed members to the Cycle 5 meeting and shared the news that the Agenda Committee of Academic Board had approved the appointment of William Gough as the Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean, UTM, for a five-year term beginning July 1, 2026. The Chair highlighted Professor Gough’s steady leadership over the past 20 months in the interim role, as well as previous senior academic leadership experience at the Scarborough campus. - Report of the Vice-President & Principal
The Vice-President and Principal delivered a year-end progress report structured around the goals identified in UTM’s strategic framework. The report emphasized the campus’ progress across research, student success, enrolment management, infrastructure, sustainability, operational effectiveness, and Indigenous initiatives.
Research Growth and Faculty Recruitment
Council heard that UTM earned a record $29.4 million in external research funding in 2025–26, marking the third consecutive year of record-setting performance. Research funding had increased by approximately 130 percent since 2019-20. Members were also advised that UTM’s success rates in Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight competitions now exceeded both tri-campus and national averages. The report highlighted continued momentum in faculty recruitment and research capacity building, including:
- 17 faculty searches underway;
- progress toward filling six Canada Research Chairs;
- successful nominations for two Canada Impact+ Research Chair positions under a new federal initiative designed to attract internationally recognized scholars.
She also reported that the faculty-to-student ratio had improved from 1:30 to 1:28 over the past six years as a result of sustained faculty hiring.
Student Success and Academic Innovation
The Principal reported that student graduation rates had increased by four percentage points above historical averages, translating into approximately 100 additional graduates this year. She reported that more than one quarter of all UTM graduates in the campus’ 60-year history have graduated since 2019, reflecting both enrolment growth and student success initiatives. Council also received updates on experiential learning and curricular innovation. Enrolment in experiential education courses had increased by 143 percent. UTM’s co-op programming had expanded significantly, with nine new streams added and enrolment projected to triple over the next eight years.
The report outlined several newly approved or renewed academic offerings, including:
- a new specialist in Accounting and Finance and revised specialist in Theatre and Drama;
- new minors in Logic, Health and Environment, and Criminology, Law and Society;
- new certificates in Economic Data Analytics, Ancient Languages, and in Artificial Intelligence and Society.
Council was also informed that UTM had partnered with the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing to bring the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program to the campus, including 30 newly funded seats and clinical placements within Trillium Health Partners.
Enrolment Management and Accessibility
The Principal reported continued improvements in enrolment management despite broader sector challenges associated with international recruitment and changing immigration conditions. UTM achieved record summer enrolment for the third consecutive year, with summer enrolment now approximately 50 percent higher than in 2019. Efforts to reduce “melt rates” among international students, which represented those students who accepted offers but ultimately did not arrive, had reduced attrition by seven percentage points, resulting in approximately 75 additional students registering in Fall 2025. Although UTM received more than 1,000 fewer international applications than the previous year, the campus ultimately enrolled more international students than in Fall 2024 due to these targeted recruitment and retention strategies.
In addition, Professor Gillespie reported that UTM continued to improve both international diversity and domestic accessibility. Students from 49 countries received international scholarships this year, while 20 countries were now represented by at least 20 students each. Domestically, approximately 42 percent of students receiving OSAP support came from families earning less than $50,000 annually, and roughly one-third of students are first-generation university attendees. Student financial aid has increased by 85 percent since 2019-20.
Student Services and Well-Being
The report highlighted a number of enhancements to student support services. Council heard that the new student residence remained on track to open in August 2026, representing the first new UTM residence in nearly two decades and increasing residence capacity by 25 percent.
Additional student services updates included:
- the launch of a new Skills Accelerator through the Career Centre in partnership with employers such as Bell and Sun Life;
- expanded orientation programming involving approximately 2,500 students across 130 events;
- achievement of a 100 percent same-day or next-day access rate for mental health appointments through the Health and Counselling Centre.
Sustainability and Campus Infrastructure
UTM continued to make significant progress toward its sustainability and climate goals. Natural gas consumption had decreased by 16 percent since the pandemic, while greenhouse gas emissions per square metre had declined by 50 percent from the campus’ 2005 baseline year. UTM was now projected to reach net-zero emissions around 2040, ahead of institutional targets. The Principal also highlighted the upcoming opening of a new pre-engineered research facility that would support climate science research, robotics, and forensic science teaching. Members heard that UTM’s facilities condition index, which was a measure of infrastructure quality and deferred maintenance, and was the strongest among the three University of Toronto campuses.
Operational Improvements and Financial Stewardship
The report also highlighted operational modernization efforts, including UTM’s Lean Six Sigma initiative, which trained approximately 260 staff members in process improvement and operational efficiency. Examples of improvements included:
- a 27 percent reduction in IT response times;
- expense reimbursement turnaround times reduced to four days;
- payroll accuracy improvements of 91 percent.
Council was informed that UTM’s payroll team had been recognized nationally by the National Payroll Institute. Despite broader financial pressures facing the postsecondary sector, UTM delivered another balanced budget in 2025-26 while increasing academic investment by 7 percent year over year. Since 2019-20, direct investment into academic departments and institutes had increased by approximately 50 percent.
Indigenous Initiatives and Community Building
The Principal concluded the report by highlighting progress on Indigenous initiatives and community engagement. Updates included:
- the opening of an Indigenous Creation Studio for multimedia arts students;
- the installation of a 270-foot Indigenous mural at the library entrance;
- expanded land-based learning opportunities and Indigenous-focused programming;
- continued planning for the Indigenous Build project, which was expected to enter governance consideration next year.
Professor Gillespie concluded her report with reflections on future priorities, including continued work on international enrolment strategy, space planning, governance and budget model reviews, and long-term campus planning.
During the discussion, Council members raised questions regarding transit access to campus for students, faculty, and staff. In response, the Principal acknowledged that transit remained a significant regional challenge and outlined ongoing discussions with municipal partners, including Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon, Milton, and Toronto. It was reported that additional MiWay buses were added to several bus routes serving campus earlier this year; further transit infrastructure improvements were planned for the campus transit loop; the University continued to advocate for long-term regional transit solutions, including the Hazel McCallion LRT extension; and discussions were underway regarding potential “microtransit” models that could improve last-mile transportation access.
The Principal also emphasized the important advocacy role played by student leaders, including the UTMSU in securing transit improvements. She also noted that constraints associated with the campus road network and environmental protections related to Credit Valley conservation lands, which limited the possibility of creating additional campus access points.
- UTM Library Strategic Plan Update
Dany Savard, Chief Librarian, presented the UTM Library Strategic Plan, 2026–2030. The presentation outlined the library’s strategic directions, priorities, implementation framework, and alignment with the broader UTM strategic framework.
Mr. Savard reported that the strategic plan had been developed over a ten-month period in 2025 through extensive consultation with librarians, library staff, faculty, and campus partners. The plan also incorporated recommendations from the 2023-24 external review and priorities identified across the tri-campus library system. The presentation emphasized that the UTM Library remained central to campus life and academic experience, with the plan closely aligned with UTM’s strategic framework and institutional priorities.
The presentation reviewed the library’s mission and vision, emphasizing proactive academic guidance, innovative instruction, seamless access to information, student success, research excellence, intellectual freedom, and transformative academic support.
Mr. Savard outlined the six strategic directions that would guide the library between 2026 and 2030:- Inspiring students to flourish through academic support, experiential learning opportunities, wellbeing initiatives, and career readiness programming.
- Accelerating learning, research, and knowledge sharing through digital innovation and ethical AI engagement.
- Expanding access to and preservation of special collections and archives.
- Embedding equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and Indigenization throughout library operations and programming.
- Building an adaptive organizational culture that supports staff development and sustainable ways of working.
- Strengthening partnerships across Peel Region and the tri-campus University of Toronto system.
Mr. Savard highlighted the library’s plans to support AI literacy and ethical engagement with artificial intelligence through collaborations with the Institute for the Study of University Pedagogy (ISUP) and the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre. The presentation also highlighted plans to expand technology-enhanced learning spaces, improve accessibility in physical and digital environments, strengthen Indigenous programming, support community-engaged research, and enhance digital scholarship initiatives.
The implementation framework was described as a living and responsive process that would guide annual workplans through measurable initiatives and ongoing reporting to governance.
- Capital Projects Update
Luke Barber, Executive Director, Digital & Physical Infrastructure, presented an update on UTM capital projects, including Level 1 Capital Projects and Major Capital Projects.
Mr. Barber provided a comprehensive overview of capital activity across the campus, including both Level 1 projects (valued between $100,000 and $10 million) and major Level 2 and 3 projects exceeding $10 million. He began by outlining the scope of capital work, noting that projects included new construction, renovations, infrastructure upgrades, and long-term planning aligned with institutional priorities.
At the Level 1 scale, Mr. Barber reported that nearly 60 projects were underway or recently completed, spanning both newly renovated spaces and deferred maintenance initiatives. Examples of completed or near-complete projects included specialized research facilities such as a bat research laboratory equipped with acoustic monitoring systems and animal care infrastructure, a newly developed Indigenous Creation Studio supporting performance, teaching, and research, and a fully outfitted academic workshop for the Geography, Geomatics and Environment (GGE) department. Additional upgrades included improvements to student housing facilities, such as renovations to the Oscar Peterson Hall administrative and service areas to support expanded residence operations. A new pre-engineered building on Principal’s Road was also highlighted, designed to support robotics, unmanned vehicle research, and forensic science teaching, addressing a gap in flexible, hands-on research space on campus.
Mr. Barber also provided an update on deferred maintenance and infrastructure investments, noting that the campus continued to perform well compared to benchmarks, with a favourable Facilities Condition Index (FCI). He explained that deferred maintenance projects focused on critical building systems beyond their useful life, including air handling systems, roofing, parking structures, and underground servicing. Recent work included restoration of major parking facilities, replacement of large air handling units in the Davis Building to improve air quality and energy efficiency, upgrades to underground water and storm infrastructure to support long-term growth and climate resilience, and installation of building-level uninterrupted power supply systems to support research continuity. Significant progress was also made on the campus fiber network, improving connectivity, bandwidth, and redundancy while supporting future development.
Turning to major capital projects, Mr. Barber provided updates on three key initiatives. The new student residence, a six-storey, 400-bed facility, was reported to be approximately 75% complete, with efforts underway to accelerate construction toward a planned Fall 2026 opening. The Campus Heart and Indigenous build project was described as a multi-phase initiative currently in design, featuring a major public space informed by Indigenous principles and a dedicated Indigenous building, with a projected completion timeline of 2029, pending governance consideration during cycle 5 of the 2026-27 academic year. The Central Utility Plant II (CUP II) project was highlighted as a key component of UTM’s long-term sustainability and infrastructure strategy. The project will introduce a new geo-exchange energy plant and geothermal field to support campus decarbonization goals by transitioning several buildings, including Deerfield Hall, Maanjiwe nendamowinan, and the new residence, away from fossil-fuel-based heating and cooling systems. Mr. Barber explained that the project would also improve the resilience and redundancy of the campus energy network, support future campus growth over the long term, and contribute significantly toward the University’s carbon reduction targets. The project was also designed to support teaching and research opportunities related to green energy and sustainability, with completion currently targeted for 2029.
Discussion following the presentation focused primarily on the Campus Heart and Indigenous Building project, future athletic and recreational space planning, and the broader long-term vision for campus development.
A Council member asked whether the public realm components of the Campus Heart project, including the redevelopment of the North Field and surrounding gathering spaces, could be advanced ahead of the Indigenous Building itself. In response, Mr. Barber explained that the two elements were being designed together so that the public spaces and Indigenous Building would remain closely connected conceptually and functionally. He noted that, while the Indigenous Building itself was funded, the larger Campus Heart redevelopment was not currently funded. The Principal further explained that the Campus Heart component was estimated to cost significantly more than the Indigenous Building, due to the extensive underground infrastructure, servicing, pathways, and landscape work required. She noted that potential future funding opportunities could include donor support, government funding related to Indigenous placemaking, or broader University investment associated with future institutional priorities. Discussion also focused on the future of athletic and recreational spaces currently located on the North Field. A member asked whether there were plans to relocate recreational activities to the South Fields. In response, Mr. Barber confirmed that preliminary planning was underway regarding possible redevelopment of the South Fields and noted that additional consultation and planning work would continue before proposals were brought forward to governance. The Principal added that the University was committed to offering high-quality athletic facilities on campus. She referenced possible future amenities including soccer, volleyball, tennis, pickleball, and cricket facilities, as well as opportunities to create more flexible all-season recreational spaces. Finally, in response to a member’s question, Council was advised that the residence would initially open under a temporary working title while a longer-term naming process involving Indigenous partners and consultation was undertaken.
CONSENT AGENDA
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED
THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 6, report of the previous meeting, be approved.
- Reports for Information
- Report Number 63 of the Academic Affairs Committee – April 28, 2026
- Report Number 76 of the Campus Affairs Committee – April 29, 2026
- Report Number 77 of the Agenda Committee – May 12, 2026
- Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 76 – April 13, 2026
- Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
- Date of the Next Meeting – October 6, 2026
- Other Business
The Chair reminded returning members of the 2026–27 governance meeting schedule and encouraged to note the upcoming Campus Council dates available through the governance portal.
She then extended her thanks to all those who had contributed to governance over the past year, recognizing the important work of the Vice-Chair, standing committee chairs and vice-chairs, and Presidential Assessors. Appreciation was expressed for the significant voluntary commitment involved in these leadership roles, including the additional responsibilities associated with agenda planning and committee leadership.
The Chair also thanked all outgoing members whose terms were ending, acknowledging their service and contributions to Council deliberations over the past year. She concluded her remarks with thanks to all members for their service and best wishes to returning members ahead of the next governance cycle in October 2026.
IN CAMERA SESSION
- Appointments: Members of the University of Toronto Mississauga Campus Council to the Standing Committees for 2026-27
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED,
THAT the appointment 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 12, 2025, be approved for one-year terms, effective July 1, 2026.
Council moved into Open Session and adjourned at 5:25 p.m.
May 26, 2026