Report: UTM Campus Affairs Committee - May 07, 2025

To the UTM Campus Council,
University of Toronto Mississauga,

Your UTM Campus Affairs Committee reports that it held a meeting in the Council Chamber, Room 3130, W. G. Davis building on May 7, 2025, with the following members present:

PRESENT: Claudiu Gradinaru (in the Chair), Alexandra Gillespie (Vice-President & Principal), Deborah Brown (Chief Administrative Officer), Mark Overton (Dean of Student Affairs and Assistant Principal, Student Services), Chad Nuttall (Assistant Dean of Students and International Initiatives), Heather Anderson, Emily Atkinson, Melissa Gniadek, Laura Ferlito, Ehab James, Christina Kakaflikas, Mai Lu, Albert Pan, Thanh Phung, Haze Schepmyer, Kathleen Yu

REGRETS: Robert Gerlai, Nagham Abdalahad, Jerry Flores, Bill Gough, Rosa Fragomeni, Marc Laflamme, Peter Landry, Savithru Kannuri, Giulia Nuvoloni, Michael Rengifo, Joanna Szurmak, Laura Taylor, Jada Thomas

NON-VOTING ASSESSORS: Luke Barber (Executive Director, Digital and Physical Infrastructure), Christine Esteban (Executive Director, Budget, Planning & Finance), Tim Fricker (Acting Assistant Dean, Student Wellness, Support & Success)

SECRETARIAT: Cindy Ferencz-Hammond

IN ATTENDANCE: Vesela Angelova (Assistant Director, FIPS and Special Projects, Budget, Planning & Finance), Ahmed Azhari (Managing Director - Operations, Sustainability and Asset Management), Jeff Espie (Director, Strategy and Brand Integration), Megan Evans (Assistant Director, Hospitality & Ancillary Services), Alysha Ferguson (Asst. Director, Centre for Student Engagement), Benji Jacob (UTM student and president of student organization Studio X), Renu Kanga Fonseca (Registrar), Antonia Lo (Director, Student Services and Ancillaries, BP&F), Amanda Pautler (Interim Executive Director, Public Affairs), Anuar Rodrigues (Executive Director, Strategy), Tiffany Da Silva (UTM student and co-president of student organization Caribbean Connections)

OPEN SESSION
 

1. Chair’s Remarks
   
   
   The Chair welcomed members and guests to the last meeting of the committee for the 2024-25 governance year. He noted that the meeting would feature annual reports from the Campus Affairs Committee's presidential assessors, covering various matters within the committee's responsibilities.

2. Student-led Organizations: Impact on Campus and Community
   
   
   At the invitation of the Chair, Mark Overton, Dean of Student Affairs introduced Alysha Ferguson, Assistant Director, Campus and community engagement, to present.
   
   Alysha Ferguson provided a report on student-led organizations, or student groups, at UTM, highlighting their role in fostering vibrant campus life. She explained that student groups operated under a tri-campus initiative, overseen by the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students, with the UTM Center for Student Engagement managing their processes and providing support. These groups provided volunteer opportunities, enabling students to develop leadership, civic engagement, and organizational skills through event planning, peer recruitment and engagement, and co-curricular recognition.
   
   Ms Ferguson detailed three funding streams for student groups: the BIPOC Student Engagement Fund, the Ian Orchard Student Initiatives Fund, and the Student Initiatives Fund.  She noted a significant increase in approved funding applications, from 15 in 2022–2023 to 80 in 2023–2024, and 174 in 2024–2025, following the adoption of the ServiceNow portal for streamlined processing. She also highlighted student group participation in orientation, with 88 groups at a two-day fair in 2024, engaging incoming students, and 106 students receiving recognition for pre-orientation efforts.
   
   She reported that for the 2024–2025 academic year, 214 student groups were recognized, a sharp rise from 107 in 2022–2023 and 140 in 2023–2024, reflecting post-pandemic engagement growth. She also discussed process improvements, including a new ServiceNow-based room booking request system launched that week, consolidating funding, table bookings, and room reservations for easier event planning. Additional resources supported executive transitions, risk assessment, partnerships, and inclusive event planning, with plans for more asynchronous content in the upcoming year.
   
   Tiffany Da Silva, co-president of Caribbean Connections, shared her experience, noting the group’s three leadership awards and the successful Caribbean Heritage Expo, which drew over 200 attendees. The group hosted 19 events with 100–300 attendees each, leveraging BIPOC funding. Benji Jacob, a fourth-year student and President of Studio X, discussed how the group hosted 12 events with over 450 attendees, including a vinyl installation, “Walks with Reclamation,” supporting U of T’s Truth and Reconciliation efforts. Funding from the Ian Orchard Student Initiatives Fund and BIPOC funds enabled workshops with local Black and Indigenous artists.
   
   Ms Ferguson concluded by thanking the presenters and encouraging the audience to connect with the Center for Student Engagement to learn more about UTM’s student groups.
3. Annual Report Recognized Student Groups, 2024-25
   
   
   As required by the Committee’s terms of reference, Mark Overton provided the annual report of the student organizations recognized at UTM, under the purview of the Center for Student Engagement. He gave a brief overview, emphasizing significant growth in student organizations over the past year.
   
   Members had no questions.
4. Annual Report: UTM Campus Safety, 2024
   
   
   At the invitation of the Chair, Nicholas Poirier, Special Constable, UTM Campus Safety presented the annual report as required in the committee’s terms of reference. In his presentation, Mr. Poirier emphasized the team's core objective of maintaining a safe and secure campus environment for all stakeholders. The report covered safety statistics from the past three years, as well as updates on the team's training initiatives and community engagement.
   
   The presentation included highlights from the annual report, statistics, community partnerships, and upcoming initiatives.
   
   Key highlights from the report included:

• Community Engagement & Committee Involvement: Campus Safety actively participated in several campus committees focused on safety, mental health, accessibility, and support for marginalized communities. Notable examples include the Well-Being and Belonging Committee, the Comprehensive Student Support and Intake Committee, and ongoing collaboration with Health & Counselling Services.
• Campus Safety Initiatives (2024):
  • Expanded training efforts with internal and external partners, including Peel Regional Police.
  • Notable engagement efforts: Empower self-defence workshops, residence move-out donation drives, active attacker and de-escalation training.
  • Support for events such as the Black Flourishing and Inclusive Excellence Summit.
• Statistical Overview:
  • Increases in reportable occurrences, such as theft (notably in athletic facilities), harassment, assaults, and mental health-related incidents—largely attributed to rising student populations and post-pandemic adjustment challenges.
  • New initiatives to combat theft include the “Lock It, Don’t Lose It” campaign in collaboration with Athletics.
  • Medical assistance calls rose by 25%, and mental health-related calls increased, particularly around exam periods.
• Campus Safety Services:
  • The Campus Safety App continues to offer real-time safety tools including Code Blue, emergency contacts, maps, and reporting.
  • Programs such as WalkSafe, Lone Worker, EXPERT student team, and battery boost support remain key support services.
  • Campus Safety supports both proactive patrols and response-based interventions.
• Workplace Violence Risk Assessments: Campus Safety participated in joint assessments with HR and Environmental Health and Safety, using crime prevention through environmental design principles.

5. Update on UTM Capital Projects
   
   
   At the invitation of the Chair, Luke Barber, Executive Director, Digital & Physical Infrastructure, and Ahmed Azhari, Managing Director, Operations, Sustainability & Asset Management, provided a presentation updating members on UTM's capital projects for the fiscal year 2024-25.
   
   The presentation was divided into two sections: Level One projects, which were under $10 million and managed divisionally at UTM, and Major Capital Projects, which exceed $10 million and are managed by University Planning, Design, and Construction at the St. George campus.
   
   Mr. Barber first discussed, Spigel Hall Phase 2, a level one project, scheduled to open in May 2025. Spigel Hall had been under a multi-phase renovation over the past two years. The first phase focused on updating the kitchen, which had not seen significant upgrades since the Davis Building was completed in 1972. The second phase aimed to complete the kitchen and introduce a new multi-use student space. This 200-square-meter (2,000-square-foot) area was designed as a flexible, configurable environment that could be used for religious gatherings, lectures, breakout sessions, or socializing. It featured bookable and drop-in capabilities, movable partitions, soft and event seating, and upgraded ablution stations nearby. The furniture was user-movable to reduce operational overhead.
   
   The next project discussed was the Pre-Engineered Building located on Principal’s Road, within a cluster of structures including the grounds building, the crime scene house, and the paleomagnetism building. Mr. Barber noted that this was believed to be the first building at U of T to use a pre-engineered construction approach, utilizing custom-fabricated components assembled on-site. The structure, spanning over 10,000 square feet, was designed to support teaching, research, and experiential learning. Initially, it would accommodate interdisciplinary robotics research, including drone work between the biology and geography areas, as well as forensic science teaching spaces. Construction had recently begun, and the building was expected to open in May 2026.
   
   UTM had also continued investments in heavily serviced research areas, including the decommissioning and reallocation of spaces in the Davis Building and the deployment of new spaces in the recently completed science building. Principal investigators had moved into the new science building, and updates were made to improve services and infrastructure. For example, a new inorganic chemistry lab in the Davis A block had come online within the past year.
   
   Next, the presentation covered progress in the student housing master plan, specifically the townhouse block renewal. In year four of this fifteen-year plan, UTM was undertaking major renovations in the MaGrath Valley block. This followed similar upgrades to Leacock Lane, which included interior and exterior renovations along with sustainability improvements. MaGrath Valley Phase 1 was under construction with completion expected in summer 2025, while Phase 2 was in design for the 2025–26 fiscal year.
   
   Mr. Barber then paused to invite questions. One member inquired whether the new Spigel Hall space would be available to graduate students. While final operational plans were still in discussion, the plan was that it would be accessible to the broad student body. Another member expressed strong support for the robotics work being integrated into campus infrastructure and noted the importance of university-industry-city collaboration.
   
   The presentation then transitioned to sustainability, with Ahmed Azhari, Managing Director of Operations, Sustainability, &  Asset Management, delivering an update. He emphasized UTM's continued commitment to sustainability, aligning with the university’s Climate Positive Plan released in 2024. UTM aimed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2043 and become climate positive by 2050. Project Shift was central to this effort, involving deep energy retrofits at the central utilities plant and a transition away from fossil fuels.  Phase One of Project Shift included electrifying hot water heating boilers, converting the Hazel McCallion Academic Learning Centre from steam to hot water heating, installing a 45 kW solar photovoltaic system, retrofitting LED lighting, and commissioning systems in 12 major buildings. These upgrades were projected to reduce carbon emissions by over 2,000 tons while enhancing energy efficiency and occupant comfort.   Mr. Azhari reported that UTM's science building had recently won the Pharmaceutical Sciences Group Sustainability Award, highlighting its green building design. The campus also achieved a STARS Gold Rating for sustainability performance in higher education. Four of thirteen targeted energy conservation measures had been completed, with the remaining nine underway. Notably, the CCT building envelope retrofit was expected to cut emissions by 600 tons, and five Davis building air handling units were upgraded. These projects collectively contributed to a 4% year-over-year reduction in greenhouse gas emissions despite campus growth.
   
   The presentation was then continued by Mr. Barber, on the topic of major capital projects. The Residence Phase 9 project—a six-story, 400-bed dormitory—had broken ground in July 2023. Construction had progressed to the second-floor slab, and the building was on track for completion in September 2026. The project was managed using a construction management approach, which had proven effective in current market conditions. The second major project was the Campus Heart and Indigenous Build. Phase One included designing a public gathering space informed by Indigenous teachings and constructing a 500-square-meter Indigenous structure. This space was to be built where the volleyball and tennis courts currently stood with the goal of completing construction by 2027.  The third major project was the Central Utilities Plant 2 (CUP2), intended to support the district energy master plan. Mr. Barber noted that this geothermal energy plant was designed to support west campus growth and provide energy redundancy. It would eventually supply Deerfield Hall, Maanjiwe nendamowinan, and the new residence building with clean energy, enabling them to transition off fossil fuels. The project team also aimed to incorporate teaching and research opportunities into the plant’s design. CUP2 was targeting design-build approval in early 2025–26, with completion expected by the 2028–29 academic year.

CONSENT AGENDA

On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried

YOUR COMMITTEE APPROVED

THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 6, report of the previous meeting, be approved.

6. Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 70 – March 26, 2025
7. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
8. Date of the Next Meeting – September 11, 2025.

9. Other Business
   
   
   The Chair thanked all outgoing members for their service on the committee. There was no other business.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:12 p.m.

May 13, 2025