REPORT NUMBER 243 OF THE UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS BOARD
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2024
To the Governing Council,
University of Toronto,
Your Board reports that it held a meeting on Thursday, November 21, 2024 with the following members present:
PRESENT: Geeta Yadav (Chair), K. Sonu Gaind (Vice-Chair), Sandy Welsh (Vice-Provost, Students), Amanda Bartley, Luca Calabretta, Spencer Craddock, Ramy Elitzur, Fatima Formuli*, Avi Hyman, Sarosh Jamal, Audrey Karlinsky, Jihan Khatib*, David Kim, Rachel Leggett, Cameron Miranda-Radbord, William Verreault*, Payam Zahedi*
REGRETS: David Newman (Executive Director, Student Experience), Robert Gerlai, Ankita Goyat, Brian Harrington, Gretchen Kerr, Somtochukwu Nnakenyi, Daneille Skipp, Arjun Yanglem
NON-VOTING ASSESSORS:
Robyn Parr (Executive Director, Office of the Vice-Provost, Students)
Desmond Pouyat* (Interim Dean, Student Experience & Wellbeing, UTSC)
SECRETARIAT: Timothy Harlick, Megann Davidson
IN ATTENDANCE:
Cheryl Gibbs, Manager, Student Policy Initiatives
*Attended remotely
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
The Chair welcomed members and guests to the meeting. She also advised members of the upcoming 2025 elections. -
Report of the Senior Assessor
At the invitation of the Chair, Professor Sandy Welsh, Vice-Provost, Students, offered updates on the following matter:
Student Mental Health
Professor Welsh provided an update which included a presentation, on the University's response to a new Ministry of Colleges and Universities directive regarding Student Mental Health under Bill 166.
The requirements of Bill 166 and the directive included the following core requirements by January 31, 2025:
- publish the student mental health information and resources on the University’s website;
- make a copy of the policy available to anyone who requests it;
- review the student mental health policy at least once every five years and amend it as appropriate; and
- provide an annual report on the policy to Governing Council and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (the “Ministry”), and to publish it on the University’s website.
While the directive used the term "policy," the Ministry indicated flexibility in format as long as students could easily access centralized information. The University viewed this as validation of their existing work, particularly referencing their 2019 Presidential and Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health recommendations.
Implementation plans included ongoing student consultation through established advisory committees, developing a framework for the annual report due January 2026, and redesigning the student mental health resources website.
Professor Welsh concluded her report with a discussion of exam preparation support, highlighting the distribution of 3,500 exam care kits across campus to help students manage end-of-term stress.
Discussion:
A significant discussion with the Board centered around data collection and demographics. The university has implemented a unified electronic medical record system across three campuses, enabling better tracking of service usage patterns. There was particular interest in understanding who is accessing services compared to the overall university demographics, to identify potential gaps in access.
Service accessibility and wait times were also addressed. Professor Welsh noted that the university now offers same-day counseling appointments with no session caps, marking a significant improvement from past years and that high-acuity cases may experience varying wait times.
The university has also expanded its diverse service offerings, including hiring Black mental health counselors, establishing partnerships for Indigenous mental health services, and creating trans health interdisciplinary teams.
The nature of support seeking was also discussed, with suggestions to track the reasons students seek help. There was also interest in monitoring referrals to community services to identify potential gaps in care continuity.
Peer support programs were highlighted as an effective entry point for students who might be hesitant to see counselors directly. There was additional discussion about upstream care and preventive measures, including programs like safe talk and enhancing baseline mental health understanding among incoming students.
- Annual Report: Non-Academic Discipline
The Chair invited Professor Welsh, to provide an overview of the Annual Report: Non-Academic Discipline
The Report provided an overview of non-academic discipline cases at the University, noting that while the Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment report had moved to Cycle 1, this report covered Code of Student Conduct cases from 2019-20 to 2023-24. The data focused on concluded cases within each academic year from July 1 to June 30.
The Code of Student Conduct, overseen by the Vice-Provost Students and administered by division heads, serves as a complementary tool to existing laws for addressing behavioral concerns within the university community. The report detailed formal cases, including statistics on offense types, divisions involved, interim measures, and resolution timelines. Notably, informal resolutions achieved prior to investigations were not included in the statistics, with six such cases resolved in 2023-24 in addition to the 11 formal cases.
Two cases in 2023-24 concluded with hearings, with potential sanctions ranging from mandated training to expulsion. The report emphasized the University's preference for informal resolution and mediation when appropriate, as evidenced by historical data showing most cases being resolved without formal proceedings.
Discussion
The Board enquired about an apparent increase in code violations during 2023-24, particularly offenses against persons, following lower numbers during COVID-19 years. Professor Welsh commented that while the raw numbers showed an increase, two important statistical points were raised: first, that a single case can include multiple offenses, potentially inflating the numbers; and second, that with such small numbers relative to a student population of nearly 100,000, the differences were not statistically significant.
The timeline from offense to case conclusion was also discussed. Longer processing times were often attributed to cases involving parallel criminal charges, where code proceedings are typically paused pending criminal case resolution. This approach, while extending timelines, can benefit complainants by potentially avoiding duplicate hearing processes. The administration focuses on controlling elements within their purview, such as investigation speed and response timeliness, while acknowledging that external factors like criminal proceedings can significantly impact overall resolution times.
Professor Welsh maintained that the total number of code violations remains remarkably low given the size of the student population, though they continue monitoring patterns for any concerning trends that might require proactive addressing. - Annual Report: Supportive Leaves Policy
The Chair invited Professor Welsh, to provide an overview of the Annual Report: Supportive Leaves Policy.
The Report provided an update on the University's Supportive Leave Policy, which took effect in March 2023. Despite the University's large enrollment of nearly 100,000 students and over 47,000 mental health appointments annually, only approximately five students per year are placed on supportive leave. The Policy serves as a compassionate, non-punitive alternative to disciplinary measures for students exhibiting serious concerning behaviors, used only after exhausting all other accommodative options.
In 2023-24, nine cases were processed under the Policy, with five involving urgent situations. As of August 2024, there were 13 open cases, including nine active and four dormant. Historical data showed positive outcomes: of 29 total leaves since 2018, fourteen students returned to their studies, with four graduating and seven maintaining good academic standing.
The process includes robust support mechanisms, with each case assigned a Student Case Manager and Support Team. The Ombudsperson's review of the Policy's first year confirmed its fairness and comprehensiveness, particularly praising the supportive tone of communications and attention to students' accommodations, housing, and financial needs.
Discussion
In response to members’ questions, Professor Welsh clarified the language around voluntary supportive leave extensions and acknowledged that the language in the Report could better reflect that students are actively choosing not to return, rather than simply "not requesting" to return. When students are placed on leaves, many actively communicate their unreadiness to return rather than having no contact with the University. Student case managers maintain contact, ensuring students remain connected.
Professor Welsh also commented on the Policy’s revolution noting the current approach differed from its predecessor (UMLAP) by having more focused scope, specifically limiting its use to community safety issues. While there was some disagreement about the extent of student consultation in the previous policy, the administration emphasized that the new Policy addresses student concerns by having narrower, clearer language. The Policy's relatively infrequent use was seen as a positive indicator of its effectiveness in addressing serious safety concerns while respecting student rights.
CONSENT AGENDA
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR BOARD APPROVED
THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 5, the Report of the Previous Meeting, be approved.
- Report of the Previous Meeting
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.
- Date of Next Meeting: January 15, 2025, at 4:30 p.m.
The Chair confirmed that the next meeting would be held on January 15, 2025, in the Council Chamber. - Other Business
The Board discussed several institutional matters related to equity and campus safety. Topics included a request for adopting a specific definition of anti-Palestinian racism, allocation of resources for processing discrimination cases, and the handling of external groups on campus.
Professor Welsh commented on the University’s approach to addressing various forms of discrimination through working groups, noting past initiatives addressing anti-Asian discrimination, anti-Black racism, Indigenous reconciliation, and antisemitism. She indicated ongoing discussions about addressing multiple distinct forms of discrimination, including anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and Islamophobic discrimination, while emphasizing that these were separate issues requiring individual attention.
Regarding institutional policies, Professor Welsh explained that institutional policies aligned with applicable legislation such as the Human Rights Code, and that they prioritize developing approaches specific to the University's needs and diverse population as opposed to adopting external definitions. She referenced a previous commitment to produce an interim report on discrimination complaints and acknowledged the need to enhance complaint processes.
The discussion also included concerns about campus safety and the handling of external groups on university grounds. Professor Welsh noted that such situations are assessed on a case-by-case basis by campus safety.
The Board concluded its discussion seeking clarification on how specific requests should be submitted to the Secretariat for proper consideration and potential inclusion in future meetings.
Professor Welsh committed to forwarding relevant concerns to appropriate vice-presidential portfolios for consideration and response.
The Board moved In Camera.
IN CAMERA SESSION
- Appointment: Membership of the Service Ancillaries Review Group, 2024-25
On motion duly made and seconded,
IT WAS RESOLVED
THAT the following University Affairs Board members be appointed to the Service Ancillaries Review Group for the 2024-2025 governance year:
- Ms. Amanda Bartley
- Mr. Cameron Miranda-Radbord
- Mr. Payam Zahedi
- Appointment: University Affairs Board Striking Committee, 2024-25
On motion duly made and seconded,
IT WAS RESOLVED
THAT the following individuals be appointed to the University Affairs Board Striking Committee for 2024-25:
- Ms. Amanda Bartley (Alumni Staff)
- Dr. Ramy Elitzur (Teaching Staff)
- Mr. Sarosh Jamal (Administrative Staff)
- Mr. Luke Calabretta (Undergraduate Student)
The Board moved to Open Session.
The meeting adjourned at 6:02 p.m.
November 26, 2024