REPORT NUMBER 555 OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2025
To the Governing Council,
University of Toronto,
Your Executive Committee reports that it held a meeting in the Chairs’ Boardroom, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, with the following members present:
PRESENT: Anna Kennedy (Chair), Sandra Hanington (Vice-Chair), Meric Gertler (President), Donald Ainslie, Jovan Bursac, Vikram Chadalawada, Robert Cooper, K. Sonu Gaind, Mark Lautens, Cameron Miranda-Radbord, Grace Westcott
REGRETS: Indi Gopinathan, Douglas McDougall, Joanne McNamara, Mary-Agnes Wilson, Geeta Yadav
NON-VOTING MEMBER: Sheree Drummond (Secretary of the Governing Council)
SECRETARIAT: Miranda Edwards (Secretary)
IN ATTENDANCE: Ann Curran (Chair, UTM Campus Council), Rajiv Mathur (Chair, Business Board), Trevor Young (Vice-President and Provost), Kelly Hannah-Moffat (Vice President, People Strategy, Equity & Culture), Scott Mabury (Vice-President, Operations and Real Estate Partnerships & Vice-Provost, Academic Operations), Heather Boon (Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life), Mayo Moran (Provost, Trinity College), Kristin Taylor (University Counsel & Chief Legal Officer), Karen Bellinger (Associate Director, Appeals, Discipline, and Faculty Grievances), Nadina Jamison (Chief Strategy Officer, Office of the President), Leora Jackson (Legal Counsel), Chris Lang (Director, Appeals, Discipline, and Faculty Grievances), Bryn MacPherson, (Assistant Vice-President, Office of the President & Chief of Protocol), Susan Mazza (Senior Project Manager, Office of the President)
Pursuant to sections 28 (e) and 38 of By-Law Number 2,
consideration of items 12 to 16 took place in camera.
CLOSED SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
The Chair welcomed members, Board Chairs, Vice-Presidents, and members of the Senior Administration to the Committee’s first meeting of 2025. -
Report of the President
Impact of U.S. Government Policies
The President began his report by remarking on the economic instability caused by the new Trump administration, including the recent announcement of a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports and the ongoing threat of 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports. The President stated that the University would continue to assess potential financial risks to the University.
The President referred to recent U.S. executive orders pertaining to higher education and science policies, including funding cuts to National Institute of Health (NIH) grant programs’ indirect costs. He confirmed that the University and its partner hospitals received approximately $40 million per year from U.S. federal research agencies, with the majority of the funding from NIH. The President acknowledged that this funding source could be directly at risk. He noted that Professor Leah Cowen, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives, had issued a statement on January 31st advising the University’s research community to prepare for potential funding challenges. The President informed the Committee that the University was working with the U15 to advocate to the Canadian federal government for possible emergency replacement funding.
The President outlined other potential impacts on the University due to the Trump Administration’s policies, including an increase in applications from U.S. students and an increase in inquiries from U.S.-based academics interested in moving to Canada.
The President also noted that Chancellor Wes Hall had recently been appointed to the Prime Minister’s Council on Canada-U.S. Relations, which would advise the government on navigating the current tariff threats as well as various economic development challenges.
Federal Matters
The President informed the Committee that, given Prime Minister Trudeau’s resignation and the proroguing of Parliament until March 24th, a federal election would likely follow soon after. He noted that these developments introduced greater uncertainty around recent spending commitments by the federal government. However, the University remained hopeful that Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) would soon implement the Recognized Institutions Framework (RIF) to better manage the international student study permit system.
Provincial Matters
The President noted that provincial advocacy initiatives had been paused due to the upcoming Ontario election on February 27th. The Council of Ontario Universities (COU) had also suspended its public advocacy efforts during the campaign period. The President outlined the higher education platforms of the major political parties, and remarked that, unfortunately, higher education and research funding did not appear to be a significant priority.
International Students
The President reported that the University had received its 2025 Provincial Attestation Letters (PAL) allocation, and that it was generally expected to meet the University’s needs. Ongoing discussions between the University and the Ontario government were expected, with the possibility of securing additional PALs through the re-allocation process. The President noted that, for the first time, graduate students had been included in the PALs quota, making up 16.8% of the total number of permits. The President had published an op-ed on this subject in the Globe & Mail in January 2025, outlining his concerns regarding the inclusion of graduate students in these quotas given their importance in driving Canadian research and scholarship.
Installation of New UTSC Vice-President and Principal, Professor Linda Johnston
The President was pleased to inform the Committee that Professor Linda Johnston had been installed as the 12th Principal of University of Toronto Scarborough at a ceremony on January 31st. Many notable figures attended, including Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and the Hon. Gary Anandasangaree, federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs and MP for Scarborough-Rouge Park. The President thanked the Chair and several Governors for attending the celebration, noting it was a warm and joyful event, with a real sense of optimism for UTSC’s future.
Update on the Draft Guide to Law and Policy Regarding Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Discrimination
The President provided an update on the consultation process for the University’s Draft Guide to Law and Policy Regarding Antisemitism and Anti-Israeli Discrimination, which had concluded on January 31, 2025.
The President responded to a member’s submitted question concerning the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. The University’s Antisemitism Working Group had recommended not adopting any pre-existing definitions, given concerns that they were not entirely appropriate for academic environments, where the University had the duty to balance academic freedom and freedom of expression, and ensure all members of our community could work and learn in an environment free from discrimination and harassment. He noted that one of the authors of the IHRA’s definition had raised concerns about it being applied in an academic environment, and its potential to suppress freedom of expression. The University would look closely at Harvard University’s recent commitment to make use of the IHRA definition to determine how it would be applied moving forward. Given the University of Toronto’s specific context, defined by Ministerial directives pertaining to Bill 166, he noted that the University’s goal was to develop a framework that fostered an environment free of discrimination and racism, and that the Guide would rely on the Ontario Human Rights Code and Criminal Code as foundational policy touchstones.
A member responded that, although the IHRA definition was imperfect, it may warrant further consideration for adoption given that other government and academic institutions had adopted it.
The President invited Kelly Hannah-Moffat, Vice-President, People, Strategy, Equity and Culture to provide an update on consultations. Professor Hannah-Moffat began by noting that the Draft Guide was anchored in a human rights perspective and in existing law and policy. Her office had received 281 responses to the online consultation. The majority of responses were from members of the University’s internal community (faculty, staff, students, librarians and others). Two broad themes of the responses included a desire for stronger accountability mechanisms and concerns about safeguarding academic freedom.
Vice-President and Provost, Professor Trevor Young, reported to the Committee that data about complaints related to discrimination and harassment had been collected from Dean’s offices, Human Resources, the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO), EDI offices, Workplace Investigations, and the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students. Preliminary data showed an increase in complaints of antisemitism on campus during the encampment period, however the overall number of complaints was similar to those pertaining to other forms of racism or discrimination. Cases had been addressed through a variety of means including disciplinary action, terminations or resignations, and coaching/training. Professor Young shared some data highlights but noted that not all data had been analyzed and that more information would be shared at the next Governing Council meeting. Both Professor Young and Professor Hannah-Moffat remarked that ensuring the quality and breadth of data would be crucial to this project.
Encampment Retrospective
The President concluded his report by sharing an update on the encampment retrospective being undertaken by external consultants. The consultants had been actively engaged in reviewing documents and conducting interviews with key decision makers and team members. The President advised the Committee that there would be an opportunity for Governors to participate through a confidential form, and that further details would be shared soon.
Questions
In response to a member’s question regarding students who encounter antisemitism but may feel too intimidated to bring forward a complaint or lack the institutional knowledge of complaints procedures, Professor Hannah-Moffat explained that complaints may be brought forward by a “trusted person” – such as a member of faculty or staff who raise an issue on a student’s behalf. Professor Hannah-Moffat also acknowledged a member’s comment that more funding may need to be allocated in future budgets to increase the University’s capacity to administer complaints.
The Provost emphasized that, due in part to the work of Professor Randy Boyagoda, Provostial Advisor on Civil Discourse, the campus had a much more positive culture than it had in the previous year. From comments shared with him by Deans, faculty, and students, he believed that the campus was healing and moving forward together. - Item for Endorsement and Forwarding to the Governing Council
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Debt Financing for Deferred Maintenance Program* (Arising from Report Number 282 of the Business Board (January 29, 2025) and Report Number 254 of the Academic Board (January 30, 2025))
Professor Scott Mabury Vice-President, Operations and Real Estate Partnerships, introduced the item by explaining that the University had a significant backlog of $1.2 billion worth of deferred maintenance building projects that could not be funded under the current model or with current government funding levels. Professor Mabury described the state of disrepair and outdated infrastructure on the University’s campuses that were in dire need of upgrades. The recommendation before the Committee was to allocate $250 million of institutional debt to deferred maintenance over the next two to three years. He explained that his office had moved this proposal forward based on clear calls to action from the University’s Business Board, the CFO, senior members of the administration, and the broader university community. A large-scale investment of this nature would allow the University to undertake projects at a more cost-effective scale. He also noted that this was an opportunity for his office to partner with academic divisions who would bring additional funds to projects, thereby further scaling up infrastructure renewal. Maintenance and upgrades of the University’s buildings would improve the spaces used for teaching, research, and student amenities, thereby promoting and enhancing the University’s academic mission. Upgrades would also facilitate a shift to more energy-efficient building systems which would support the University’s climate positive plan.
The Chair read remarks on behalf of Professor Doug McDougall, Chair of Academic Board, summarizing the Academic Board’s discussions on this matter as recorded in its Report provided to members.
Rajiv Mathur, Chair of Business Board made remarks summarizing the Business Board’s discussion on this matter as recorded in its Report provided to members.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
THAT the following recommendations be endorsed and forwarded to the Governing Council
THAT the scope of the Deferred Maintenance Program be approved in principle; and,
THAT the program be approved in principle to be funded through Debt Financing and the deferred maintenance budget.
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CONSENT AGENDA
The Chair noted that Item 4 on the Consent Agenda was for approval. All other items were for information only.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 4, the Reports of the Previous Meetings, be approved.
- Reports of the Previous Meeting of the Executive Committee
Report Number 553 of the Executive Committee from its meeting on December 3, 2024 and Report Number 554 of the Executive Committee from its meeting on December 19, 2024 were approved. - Business Arising from the Reports of the Previous Meetings
There was no business arising from the reports of the previous meetings. - Minutes of the Governing Council Meeting – December 19, 2024
The Minutes of the Governing Council meeting were received as information. - Reports for Information
Members received the following Reports for information:
END OF CONSENT AGENDA
- Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
There was no business arising from the report of the previous meeting. - Date of Next Meeting – March 25, 2025, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
The Chair advised members that the next meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Chairs’ Boardroom. - Governing Council Meeting: Draft Agenda: February 27, 2025, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.
The Committee finalized the agenda and reviewed a speaking request from the President of the Faculty of Music Undergraduate Association to speak to the Debt Financing for Deferred Maintenance item at the Governing Council meeting. It was agreed that the request would be granted. - Other Business
There were no items of other business brought forward by members.
The Committee moved In Camera.
IN CAMERA SESSION
- Report of an Ad Hoc Committee for a Capital Project
Members received a Report of an Ad Hoc Committee for a Capital Project for information. - Report Number 69 of the Committee for Honorary Degrees
Members received Report Number 69 of the Committee for Honorary Degrees for information. - Items for Approval
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Academic Integrity Matter: Laying of Charges and Establishment of Judicial Board
The Committee approved the President’s recommendation for the laying of charges and establishment of a judicial board, as outlined in the memorandum and supporting documentation provided to Committee members.
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Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters: Recommendations for Expulsions
The Committee approved the President’s recommendations for expulsion, as outlined in the memorandum and supporting documentation provided to Committee members.
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External Appointment: McLaughlin Centre Oversight Committee
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
THAT Dr. Alan Bernstein be re-appointed to the McLaughlin Centre Oversight Committee for a one-year term, to March 31, 2026 or until his successor is appointed.
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Senior Appointment: Extension of the Appointment of the Vice-Provost, Students
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED
THAT Professor Sandy Welsh be reappointed as Vice Provost, Students, from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028.
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- Committee Members with the President
Members of the Executive Committee, with Board and Campus Council Chairs, met with the President. No matters were raised. - Committee Members alone
Members of the Executive Committee, with Board and Campus Council Chairs, met privately. No matters were raised.
The Committee returned to closed session.
The meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.
February 26, 2025