Report: UTM Campus Affairs Committee - January 09, 2025

1. Chair’s Remarks
   
   The Chair welcomed members to the Committee’s cycle three meeting and provided a reminder about the ongoing governance nominations period.  He encouraged everyone to participate in governance by considering submitting a nomination form by the deadline, which was January 16, 2025.  He also welcomed Interim Vice-Principal Academic & Dean, William Gough, to his first committee meeting.
2. City of Mississauga Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
   
   At the invitation of the Chair, Amanda Pautler, Interim Executive Director of Public Affairs, provided a report on UTM’s collaboration with the City of Mississauga through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
   
   Ms Pautler began her presentation by expressing gratitude to the Chair and members for their warm welcome. She introduced special guests from the City of Mississauga, including Rob Trewartha, Karen Gomez, and committee member Christina Kakaflikas, acknowledging their contributions as leaders and city-builders alongside UTM colleagues.
   
   Ms Pautler highlighted the shared growth of UTM and Mississauga, underscored by the signing of their first-ever collaboration MOU in 2023. This agreement, focused on fostering a strong reciprocal relationship between the university and the city, aimed to address key questions about Mississauga's future, including economic growth, climate change, equity, and community well-being. She emphasized the unique opportunity to leverage UTM’s research and talent to advance these goals.
   
   The MOU identified five focus areas: promoting truth and reconciliation, combating racism (especially anti-Black racism), fostering healthy populations, building sustainable communities, and advancing prosperity. These themes combined the university's research strengths with the city's vision for addressing current challenges.
   
   Examples of collaboration were shared, including:

• Bringing policymakers and researchers together to tackle urban issues.
• Joint efforts on economic development priorities like wet lab space and robotics.
• Strategic and operational partnerships.

Notable initiatives included:

• The UTM-Temerty-Dalla Lana Novo Nordisk Network for Healthy Populations addressing diabetes in Peel through community-focused research.
• Expanding learning opportunities for UTM students through internships and capstones with City leaders, notably in the Master of Urban Innovation (MUI) program.
• A co-learning and co-design research initiative developed by the Centre for Urban Environments (CUE) and city partners. One impactful project mapped stormwater management capacity after Mississauga experienced severe flooding in 2024, providing critical insights for the city’s climate action plans.
   

Rob Trewartha (Director of Strategic Communications and Initiatives, City of Mississauga) then shared his observations on the partnership and concluded by expressing enthusiasm for future collaborations, inviting ideas to strengthen the UTM-City partnership for the benefit of Mississauga.

During the question-and-answer period, several topics were discussed.

• Regarding transportation Issues, a question was raised about transportation challenges faced by UTM students, particularly the lack of flexible bus routes and direct GO Transit access. Ms Pautler acknowledged these concerns, emphasizing that transportation was a priority at UTM and discussed regularly at an operational collaboration table with city partners. She highlighted the importance of evidence-based and demand-driven transit solutions and praised the advocacy efforts of student leaders like Ehab James. Collaborative efforts between UTM, the City of Mississauga, and student representatives were underway to address these issues.
• A member shared his background in climate change research and expressed appreciation for Mississauga’s leadership in emissions reduction and impact mitigation. He commended the city's proactive role compared to other levels of government, to which the presenters expressed gratitude for his remarks and support.
• A member commented about the need to increase public awareness and parental engagement regarding the UTM-City partnership’s successes. Ms Pautler welcomed the idea and agreed on the importance of sharing and celebrating these collaborations. Mr. Trewartha added that while the initial MOU signing had fanfare, they had focused on building tangible results before amplifying awareness. He noted that the city had recently launched a website to showcase these successes and planned to share more through city communication channels. He also emphasized the city's goal of encouraging UTM students to build their lives and careers in Mississauga, highlighting the mutual benefits for the university and the city.

3. Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees: Report and Analysis, 2024-25
   
   Robyn Parr, Executive Director, Office of the Vice-Provost, Students, provided a presentation, on non-academic incidental fees.  The report covered fee data for the academic years 2022-23 and 2024-25, listing fees paid by students by division. It also highlighted upcoming considerations for St. George and university-wide student services fees. The presentation clarified distinctions between divisional, cross-divisional, and university-operated student society fees. The fees varied across campuses, reflecting local needs and special programs. Visual overviews illustrated fee differences for both full-time and part-time students.  Members had no questions.

4. Enrolment Update
   
   Ms Renu Kanga Fonseca, Registrar and Assistant Dean Enrolment Management provided a presentation on UTM enrolment.
   
   Ms Kanga Fonseca provided a comprehensive overview of enrolment trends from 2018 to 2024. The total full-time headcount fluctuated, peaking at 15,820 in 2021 and settling at 15,000 in 2024. The proportion of international students increased from 24% in 2018 to 31% in 2021, before declining to 26% in 2024. New intake numbers varied, with a notable increase in 2021 and a subsequent decrease in 2024.  With respect to year over year new student intake, Ms Kanga Fonseca noted that for fall 2024, significant changes to international study permits were announced, impacting Canada's post-secondary sector. In 2024, anticipating a shortfall in international admissions, approval was sought and granted to exceed the domestic admission target. Consequently, 941 new international students and 3,033 domestic students were admitted, totaling 3,974 students, which was nearly on target at 3,942. Demand for domestic admissions remained strong, reflecting positively on UTM's appeal for fall 2024.
   
   The top countries of citizenship for new international students in 2024 included China, India, and Pakistan. Ontario high school admission averages rose from 84.9% in 2018 to 89.0% in 2022, then slightly decreased to 87.0% in 2024.  Entrance award recipients were categorized based on their admission averages, with awards ranging from $2,000 to $45,000.  The most popular admission categories in 2024 were Social Sciences, Computer Science, Mathematics & Statistics, and Commerce.  Additionally, 51.61% of students were enrolled in regulated programs, while 28.95% were not yet registered for a program of study. Graduation rates showed that 73.4% of students from the 2011-2017 entry cohorts graduated within seven years.
   
   During the question-and-answer period, the following issues were discussed:

• A member raised concerns about UTM’s 70% graduation rate within seven years and sought deeper insights into the contributing factors. The response highlighted some examples of possible reasons, including advising challenges, financial barriers, external commitments, and support for learning strategies. Efforts were underway to explore these issues through strategic enrollment management planning and proactive outreach to struggling students. Professor Gough shared that some students in good standing also failed to graduate for various reasons and that recent research showed that this effect was gendered, with male students being affected more negatively. He suggested targeted outreach and advising for this demographic to address non-completion.  It was also noted that UTM's graduation rate was similar to other university comparators.

• Regarding the Advancing Academic Advising initiative, a member expressed concerns, particularly about the idea of centralization of advising services. The response clarified that the advising initiative was still under discussion, with consultations ongoing. While the goal was to enhance information delivery and proactive outreach, the specifics of implementation were still being discussed.
• A member highlighted the delay in understanding the pandemic’s effects on graduation rates due to reliance on earlier cohorts (2011–2017). It was acknowledged that evaluating the impact of current interventions would also take years, emphasizing the need for interim metrics like year-to-year retention rates.
• A member inquired about tracking students’ movement across programs and their eventual outcomes. It was noted that dashboards had been developed to analyze both forward and backward transitions, aiding in planning and understanding program popularity.
• The final question explored perceptions of online versus in-person learning, particularly regarding domestic and international enrollment. While demand data for online courses existed, there were no specific surveys on student attitudes. A notable factor discussed was China's requirement for in-person classes to qualify as international degrees, which impacted enrollment trends post-pandemic. Online course availability was noted as potentially aiding graduation rates by offering flexibility.

5. Operating Plans: UTM Service Ancillaries for 2025-26
   
   The Chair invited Deborah Brown, Chief Administrative Officer, to introduce the item and related presentation. Ms Brown expressed her thanks to students, faculty and staff who participated in the consultations for these ancillary budgets and referred members to details of the consultation process and rate comparisons to UTM’s peer universities in the materials that were made available for these budgets.
   
   Ms Brown then invited Antonia Lo, Director, Student Services and Ancillaries, Brian Cunha, Director, Student Housing & Residence Life, and Megan Evans, Assistant Director, Hospitality & Ancillary Services, to provide details on the proposed ancillary budgets.
   
   Ms Lo provided an overview of the financial performance of UTM’s ancillary services for the current fiscal year and summarized the proposed capital budgets for the upcoming years, as follows:
   
   Net Operating Results:

• Residence Services: Revenue was expected to be lower than budgeted due to reduced demand for summer accommodations caused by online summer courses. Expenditures were also forecasted to be lower due to lower-than-estimated renovation costs for the McGrath Valley townhouses.
• Hospitality Services: Revenue was anticipated to exceed budget because of increased business from conferences, film shoots, and summer catering. However, food service sales were reduced due to lower campus activity during evenings, weekends, and summer. Expenditures were expected to be higher due to upgrades to the Commerce Management System and equipment replacements.
• Parking Services: Revenue was projected to fall below budget due to reduced permit sales for staff, students, and commercial holders. Expenditures were also forecasted to decrease, mainly for non-depreciable assets and annual maintenance costs.

Capital Budgets:

• Residence: The proposed budget included costs for HVAC and MUA units in Roy Iver Hall, a chiller for Arendale Hall, and new furniture for McGrath Valley.
• Hospitality: It included funding for phase two of the Spiegel kitchen expansion and equipment upgrades across various locations.
• Parking: The proposed budget allocated funds for phase one of a waterproofing enhancement project for parking lots P4 and P8.

Mr. Cunha reported that there was strong demand for on-campus housing, driven by limited off-campus availability, enrollment growth, and the appeal of renovated spaces. For the 2024–2025 academic year, 2,366 undergraduate applications were received, slightly below the previous year’s record but still among the highest on record.  Despite high demand, UTM maintained its first-year student residence guarantee, as outlined in the 2017 Student Housing Master Plan.  Mr. Cunha noted that renovations were a top priority, particularly for the older townhouse stock, including the McGrath Valley project. The first phase of McGrath Valley renovations was underway, involving extensive updates like new floors, doors, windows, roofs, kitchens, bathrooms, and furniture. Renovations were phased to manage costs and minimize disruptions. Recently completed projects, such as the renovated Leck Lane townhouses, received positive feedback. Rising construction costs required budget adjustments to ensure timely and on-budget completion of projects.  With respect to proposed rates, he noted that annual price comparisons informed rate increases for 2025–2026. Undergraduate single rooms increased by 7%, double rooms by 4%, and graduate/medical/family spaces by 4%. Higher rate increases for renovated McGrath Valley spaces reflected the improved quality and market value. Rate adjustments were developed in consultation with the Student Housing and Residence Life Advisory Committee and received unanimous endorsement.

Next, Ms Evans presented the budgets for Hospitality Services and Parking Services, highlighting key operational results, financial adjustments, and upcoming initiatives. Hospitality Services 2023–2024 Operating Results reflected a loss due to three key factors:

• Total loss of film revenue from the writer's strike.
• Reduced conference and events business levels.
• Transition year with a new service provider.

Budget and Investments for 2025-26 included upgrades to the Commerce Management System (migration to the cloud, POS upgrades) and Phase 2 renovations of the Spiegel kitchen, with completion anticipated by May 2025. Ms. Evans noted that food inflation remained high, with non-branded food prices proposed to increase by 3.7% in 2025–2026.

Meal plans underwent some adjustments to introduce more streamlined options. Proposed increases were 4.2% overall for first-year plans and 3.8% for upper-year plans (basic portion).

The Capital Improvement Program Enhancement (CIPE) fee increased to align with university sector comparators, and support reinvestments like 24/7 food access and online experience improvements.

With respect to renovations and upgrades it was noted that Spigel kitchen renovations aimed to enhance catering and storage capabilities and that Commerce Management System upgrades supported operational growth and efficiencies.

Addressing the parking services 2026–2027 financial outlook, Ms Evans reported that the ancillary aimed to eliminate its deficit and begin contributing to reserves.  Major projects included the CCT Garage Restoration and P4 and P8 waterproofing repairs. Operational enhancements included the introduction of the AMP Park app in 2024, allowing real-time parking payments.  In addition, 10 motorcycle parking spaces were added in 2024, with plans to implement a motorcycle parking fee in 2025–2026 to align with plated vehicle standards.  A Car Care Center was also opened in 2024, offering services like windshield washer fluid dispensers, tire inflators, and vacuums.

Turning to revenue and proposed rates, Ms Evans noted that parking revenue for 2024–2025 was slightly higher than the previous year but below budget due to decreased sales of certain permits and reduced commercial parking.  The ancillary proposed a 3% increase for all permit types and a 2.9% average increase for pay-and-display rates.  A sessional permit option for the CCT garage would also be introduced, valid September–April, to align with the academic year.

Ms Evans concluded by emphasizing ongoing investments in technology, facilities, and sustainability while maintaining affordability and aligning with user needs.

During the question-and-answer session, the following was discussed:

• Long Lines at Colman Commons: A member noted that residence students experienced frustration over long lines during peak hours (11:00 AM–1:00 PM and 5:00–7:00 PM), exacerbated by increased use from non-resident students.  It was noted that Dana Hospitality’s staffing levels during peak times would be revisited to explore solutions, such as opening additional serving stations.  Plans were also in place to elevate underutilized locations, like Northside Bistro, to provide alternative dining options for residents and other students.
• A member suggested implementing pre-ordering to reduce wait times.  In response, it was noted that pre-ordering facilities were already being considered as part of ongoing improvements, with further updates expected in the future.
• A question arose about why food at UTM was more expensive compared to restaurants in Mississauga.
  In response, it was explained that the operating models were different, and cost differences could be attributed to the following: 
  • UTM's food services operated longer hours (morning through to evening) compared to typical restaurants.
  • Food service providers were unionized, requiring higher wages compared to smaller, non-unionized establishments.
• Contracts for campus food services were publicly tendered, limiting competition to a few large providers capable of meeting operational requirements.

On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED

THAT, the proposed 2025-26 Operating Plans and Budgets for the UTM Service Ancillaries, as summarized in Schedule 1, the service ancillary capital budgets as summarized in Schedule 5, and the rates and fees in Schedule 6, as detailed in the proposal dated December 2, 2024, be approved, effective May 1, 2025.

6. Reports of the Presidential Assessors

   1. Update on the development of Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees, Office of Student Affairs & Services
      
      Mark Overton, Assistant Principal, Student Services and Dean of Student Affairs provided an update on recent work in the development of development of next year’s Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees. He noted that at the Committee’s next meeting, he would be bringing forward the advice of UTM’s Quality Service to Students committee (QSS), which provided student governments with opportunities whether to support proposed increases to non-academic incidental fees that partially or fully funded student services, such as the Health & Counselling Centre, the Recreation, Athletics and Wellness Centre, the intercampus Shuttle Service, the Career Centre, the International Education Centre, the Centre for Student Engagement and others.
      
      Mr. Overton explained that QSS, was a collaborative group of student leaders and department administrators responsible for shaping operating plans and budget proposals for compulsory non-academic incidental fees. The QSS process included consultations held in September, October, and November, where student leaders provided feedback on current services and future directions. In December, service teams presented their operating plans and proposed budgets back to QSS. These consultations culminated in fee proposals that included a small increase in Health Services and Athletics & Recreation fees, as well as a modest increase for a bundled set of other student services.  He noted that the proposed fees for the 2025-26 academic year were well below the maximum limits set by university protocols, which were in place for over two decades to ensure affordability.
      
      The second part of Mr. Overton’s presentation focused on the Alternative Reading Week program, which offered students an opportunity to engage with local community issues and work on impactful social innovation projects. For the upcoming February session, small teams of student volunteers were scheduled to collaborate with community organizations on projects addressing real-world challenges. Examples included working with Credit Valley Conservation on sustainable disposal of invasive species, supporting victim services in improving volunteer recruitment strategies, assisting the Art Gallery of Mississauga in developing workshops for an upcoming exhibition, and contributing to environmental campaigns.
      
      In response to a member’s question, Mr. Overton explained that QSS was primarily composed of student leaders, who hold the majority on the committee. For any proposal to be endorsed, it required the approval of both a majority of student voters and a majority of the total voters. He  noted that a detailed breakdown of the committee's membership would be shared as part of the documentation for the Committee’s next meeting.
       

   2. Introduction: Vice-Principal Academic & Dean
      
      The Chair invited the Interim Vice-Principal Academic & Dean to provide an introduction and a report.  Professor Gough thanked the committee for its essential role in upholding the academic mission, providing checks and balances within U of T, and connecting university activities to societal needs. He shared his background, including nine years as Dean and Vice-Dean at U of T Scarborough (UTSC), extensive involvement in governance, and experience with collective bargaining on behalf of the university.
      
      Professor Gough briefed the committee that negotiations with CUPE 3902 Unit 3, which represented sessional lecturers, would begin shortly.  Looking ahead, he noted that the creation of a new extra-departmental unit for Forensic Sciences, which was a structural change, would be brought to the committee’s consideration during the governance year.​​​​

CONSENT AGENDA
 

On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED

THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 5, report of the previous meeting, be approved.

7. Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 67 – October 15, 2024
8. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
9. Date of the Next Meeting – Thursday, February 6, 2025

10. Other Business

    There was no other business. 

The meeting was adjourned at 4:52 p.m.

January 10, 2025