Report: UTM Campus Council - April 24, 2023

1. Chair’s Remarks
   
   The Chair advised members that there would be a call for nominations for a member of each estate to serve on the Agenda Committee for 2023-24, and encouraged continuing members to put their names forward for consideration. The Chair also informed Council that the results of the elections for the UTM Campus Council in the student estate had been announced on April 3, 2023. He congratulated the successful candidates and thanked all who participated in the elections.
    
2. Report of the Vice-President and Principal
   
   Professor Gillespie began her report by referring to UTM’s first-ever All Nations Powwow in March, which was co-organized at UTM with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. The celebration showed the vitality of Indigenous cultures, bringing together more than 2,000 participants, including 80 dancers, six drum groups, 15 elected officials, and many alumni. It advanced U of T’s commitment to truth and reconciliation, strengthened UTM’s friendship with our host Nation, and opened a path for more reciprocal collaborations in the future.
   
   Addressing the progress of UTM’s New Science Building, she noted that it was getting closer to completion and was scheduled to open in fall 2023 as one of the most energy efficient wet lab facilities in North America and as the home for internationally significant research and teaching programs in forensics, drug discovery, and life science.   
   
   Speaking about priorities tied to UTM’s Strategic Framework, Professor Gillespie reported that  U of T’s Provost had recently invested almost $8 million in new projects at UTM, which would support work in sustainability, anti-racism, and student advising, access, and mental health.
   
   Professor Gillespie announced that Professor Nicholas Rule, Chair of Psychology in FAS, who brings to UTM his experience in research leadership, collaborative planning, and student-centered support, had just been appointed as UTM’s Vice-Principal Academic and Dean for a four-year term. 
   
   Referring to UTM’s Provostial Review, she reported that UTM would be welcoming three external experts to campus to conduct the review.  They were especially eager to learn more about UTM’s academic progress over the past seven years and about opportunities for improvement.  They would be consulting UTM’s 125-page Self-Study, which brought together submissions from all eighteen academic departments and institutes and from many administrative teams. The Self-Study described successes shaped by our Academic Plan as part of UTM’s remarkable transformation since its last Provostial Review in 2014-15.
   
   Some highlights of these successes included:

• UTM hired around seventy faculty into new growth positions and more than tripled our number of Canada Research Chairs;
• Launched new programs, including two new majors, seven new minors, five certificates, a new professional master’s degree at IMI, and a first-in-Canada institute at ISUP.
• Expanded students’ opportunities for experiential education by more than 50% and opened two new sustainable, award-winning buildings for teaching, research, and connection—with another on the way.
  
  Professor Gillespie acknowledged the list of achievements under the leadership of Amrita Daniere, UTM’s Vice-Principal Academic and Dean for almost the entire period under review—from 2015 to 2021 and then again from 2022 to 2023.  She thanked Professor Daniere for her exceptional leadership and contributions to UTM.
  
  Professor Gillespie commented on UTM’s intentional focus on the power of place, which was reflected in UTM’s place in the community as the only research university in the City of Mississauga and Region of Peel and as the second largest division of one of the world’s great and most accessible public universities. UTM was also a reciprocal partner on the traditional lands of the Wendat, Seneca, and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. UTM continued to thrive as a global campus, attracting students to Mississauga from across Canada and more than 130 countries around the world. UTM also continued to expand its global reach, increasing learning abroad opportunities by more than 64% over the five years of the Academic Plan.  Professor Gillespie was pleased to introduce a presentation that brought some of that statistic to life.  She introduced two UTM students, Pilar Allier Ortiz and Justin-Carl Eide, to share their experience of studying in Iceland; they were joined by Veronica Vasquez, Director of the International Education Centre.
  
  Ms Vasquez began the presentation by noting that the UTM Abroad program provided short-term immersive international travel opportunities for students and administrative support for the faculty who planned the experiences, which could be curricular and embedded into UTM courses or co-curricular, each led by UTM faculty.  Significant need-based grant support was available to help make these experiences affordable.
  
  The presenters provided an overview of the various program elements and how they connected  students’ classroom learning about international management theory and practice.  Two student participants, Ms Ortiz and Mr. Eide, shared highlights of the Study Abroad Iceland learning experience.
  
  During discussion, it was noted that the program was 9 to 10 days in length and offered 7 to 8 courses per year with the participation of approximately 100-120 students.  Each course had its own academic requirements, but at the end of the experience, an assignment was normally tied to the program.  On average, the cost per student was $3500, with funding available to students in need though an application process. 
   

3. Overview of the UTM Campus Operating Budget for 2023-24
   
   The Chair reminded members that members received an overview of campus strategic priorities by the Vice-President & Principal, and the Vice-Principal, Academic & Dean in the fall and in Cycle 4, a presentation on the University’s Budget Report 2023-24 and Long-Range Budget Guidelines 2023-24 to 2027-28 was also provided. He noted that these earlier items culminated in the campus operating budget presentation today. He invited from the Budget, Planning & Finance Office, Christine Esteban, Executive Director, and Rabeeya Amjad, Director, Planning & Analysis to provide the presentation.
   
   During their presentation, Ms Esteban and Ms Amjad highlighted the following points:

• UTM was committed to a balanced budget, so that the net amount it received from UofT was allocated in the full amount of the gross expense budget to the individual UTM budgets, but no more.
• Among the budget challenges, UTM specifically experienced enrollment fluctuations, so the five-year financial plan included streamlining the operating budget and implementing some cost containment measures.
• UTM's pursuit of a growth strategy, which was initiated in 2016 to meet essential needs for physical space and for faculty and staff, needed to slow down.
• In the past year, UTM established a budget planning committee with both academic and administrative representation in order to find solutions and develop integrated budget management strategies.
• Budget strategies addressed the five-year total projected deficit of $150 million at UTM and included:
  • Increase international recruitment by 100 students annually from 2023-2024;
  • Increase future summer enrolment;
  • Reduce non-compensation budgets across the board, starting 2023-24;
  • Reduce academic carry-forward allowances;
  • Retain balances over allowance - limits from academic carry-forwards;
  • Continue to cap professional managerial and unionized staff numbers;
  • Hire fewer net new faculty positions (from >30 to <20 over 5 years);
  • Defer hires for select vacant staff positions;
  • Reduce/defer future capital development budgets; and
  • Decrease OTO annual budget for new strategic initiatives.
• UTM’s enrolment targets for 2023-24 represented no change to domestic intake targets (2662) and an additional 100 (1280) in international students.
• Total targeted headcount for 2023-24 for undergraduate students was 14,757 (10,586 domestic and 4171 international) and for graduate students at 517 (357 domestic and 160 international).
• Key revenue assumptions with respect to the operating budget showed the ongoing negative impact of flat revenues over the next five years, including domestic tuition increases remaining frozen instead of the planned 3% increase, which meant an additional $2 million reduction in 23-24.  International student tuition in 2023-24 would see a 2% increase.
• The UTM 2023-24 balanced budget consisted of revenues in the amount of $425 million and expenditures of $344 million, with $52 million put aside for University Wide Costs (library, pension) and $29 million for Student Aid, which included international scholarships.
• Faculty and staff compensation represented the largest part of expenditures at 65%.
• The 2022-23 search schedule included a total of 27 FTEs for faculty, consisting of 11 replacements and 16 growth hires.  For staff, planned hires included several attached to the academic plan, increased facilities staff for the New Science Building and limited administrative staff.
• Key spending priorities for 2023-24 were aligned with UTM’s Strategic Framework and its six areas of focus, with some highlights as follows:
  • International diversification efforts via an international scholarship, with UTM contributing 6% for 2023-24.
  • New scholarships for entering class and renewing those in their second year who qualified.
  • Continued supports for the Health & Counselling Centre, Accessibility Services and the Recreation, Athletics & Wellness Centre.
  • Increased student support to include 1.5 continuing staff in base funding and 3.5 in one time only (OTO) positions with a two-year term commitment funneled towards student crisis support, student conduct, immigration advising and the Student Services Hub.
  • Contributions towards research discovery included modernization of 8 growth chamber facilities in the Davis building, increased funding for the Postdoctoral Fellowship Award and the Teaching Research Activity Fund, among others.
  • To support Collaboration and Belonging, support would be set aside for student financial aid for students from equity-deserving groups and for one staff in an OTO position to increase Indigenous community services and inclusive community wellness.
  • To support Efficient and Sustainable Operations, three OTO staff were planned to support both the Human Resources and Project Management Office portfolios.
  • Additionally, the budget included equipment, software, hardware, and service upgrades.
  • A portion of the budget was also set aside for buildings renovations and maintenance and capital projects. 
• Although UTM was in a tighter budget situation, it was in good standing.
  
  Discussion on the presentation, included the following:
• Regarding a reduction in capital projects, which was significant, it was noted that UTM was able to meet its obligations for projects planned for the next five years.  The scope of some capital projects was also reduced, keeping to the essential components related to teaching and research and finding efficiencies as a result of hybrid work arrangements and a less need for office space.
• Regarding the budget cap on hiring, while at the same time increasing summer course offerings, it was noted that the majority of summer courses were taught by sessional instructors, who were senior level PhD students or early career academics.
• Regarding recruitment of international students, while the past year represented challenges, UTM had recently made some major organizational changes, and was committed to building a rigorous strategic enrolment management model; UofT was in a good position comparatively to other institutions in Canada with respect to attracting international students.
• There were contingencies in place in case of a shortfall in enrolment targets, including cuts to non-salary budgets and complement hiring.
• There was additional complexity as a result of a change in the number of applications per student: instead of five universities, most students were applying to 10 or more.
• There was no disclosure of how applicants ranked Universities compared to UofT; ranking within UofT divisions was known. The goal was to have students rank UTM as a division as their first choice.
• Regarding sector wide challenges and tuition cuts, the province’s tuition fee framework was among the areas that would be examined by a recently launched blue-ribbon panel of experts tasked with providing recommendations on securing the financial future of the wider post-secondary sector.

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.
 

4. Report on UTM Capital Projects – as at March 31, 2023
    

5. Reports for Information

   1. Report 58 of the Agenda Committee (April 11, 2023)

   2. Report 57 of the Campus Affairs Committee (March 22, 2023)
       

6. Report of the Previous Meeting: Report 58 – March 7, 2023
   
   Report number 58 dated March 7, 2023 was approved.
    

7. Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
    

8. Date of Next Meeting – May 23, 2023 at 4:10 p.m
   
   The Chair reminded members that the next meeting of the UTM Campus Council was scheduled for May 23, 2023 at  4:10 p.m. 
    

9. Question Period
   
   There were no questions for the administration.
    

10. Other Business
    
    There was no other business.
    
    The Council moved In Camera.
     

11. Appointments: 2023-24 Community Members of the University of Toronto Mississauga Campus Council
    
    On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
    
    YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED,
    
    THAT the recommended appointments in the alumni/community estate to the UTM Campus Council, as recommended by the Nominating Committee, and as specified in the Memorandum dated April 17, 2023, be approved, for terms of three years, effective July 1, 2023. 

The meeting was adjourned at 5:33 p.m.

April 26, 2023