Report: UTM Campus Council - March 03, 2025

OPEN SESSION

1. Chair’s Remarks
   
   The Chair welcomed members to the Cycle four meeting of Campus Council.  She also welcomed members of the Campus Affairs Committee, who had been invited to listen to the budget presentation, item #3 on the agenda.  The Chair then announced that the governance elections had been concluded and congratulated Professor Sheliza Ibrahim for being elected to the Council in the teaching staff constituency.  She noted that governance election results for the Standing Committees were available on the elections website.  Results in the student elections would be announced on April 7, 2025.  She noted that there was a call for applications for three community/alumni positions on the Campus Council and that the deadline for applications was March 7, 2025. 
2. Report of the Vice-President & Principal
   
   Continuous Improvement Presentation
   
   Professor Gillespie introduced Jennifer Reid Burrell, Director, Business Improvement and Strategic Initiatives, who provided a presentation on UTM’s continuous improvement program.
   
   Ms Reid-Burrell began her presentation by highlighting the role of UTM’s Project Management Office (PMO) in coordinating high-impact projects across campus since its establishment in 2022. The PMO offered a tiered service model, including self-service tools, consulting, and full project management support, ensuring accessibility to all campus portfolios.  Ms Reid-Burrell explained that UTM’s approach integrated administrative and academic teams for campus-wide services. In 2023, the PMO launched the UTM Project Management Community of Practice, fostering knowledge-sharing through hybrid events and an online network. She noted that the Continuous Improvement Program was introduced, leveraging Lean Six Sigma methodology to enhance process efficiency. Training partnerships with the University of California San Diego led to 45 staff members earning White Belt and 66 Yellow Belt certifications. An online toolkit with templates and resources was also developed. 
   
   Ms Reid-Burrell highlighted two key projects: the Advancing Academic Advising Project (3AP), aimed at optimizing academic advising services, and a data management improvement initiative in partnership with the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre. Both projects aligned with UTM’s strategic priorities to enhance student success and operational efficiency.  She concluded by inviting engagement with the PMO through events, resources, and collaborative opportunities.
   
   During the question-and-answer session, a member inquired about the most significant outcome of the PMO office. Ms Reid Burrell highlighted the efficacy of the continuous improvement initiative, noting that 66 staff members had been trained and were demonstrating initial shifts in mindset. Another member sought clarification on the acronym "PASS," and it was noted that it stood for "Promoting Academic Skills for Success," a non-credit program administered by the Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Centre. A subsequent suggestion to award academic credit was acknowledged, but it was noted that there were existing regulatory constraints.  Professor Gillespie added that potential recognition via the co-curricular record was available. A member then requested an instance of cultural impact and Ms Reid Burrell described the program’s success in empowering employees to challenge antiquated processes. Professor Gillespie reported a practical outcome from their yellow belt training, having streamlined an expense reimbursement process from 11 to 5 steps.
   
   Report of the Vice-President & Principal
   
   Professor Gillespie provided a brief report, covering seven major successes that had occurred since the Council’s last meeting, aligning with the priorities of UTM’s Strategic Framework. She noted that over the past few weeks, UTM had hosted its first event in the UofT Civil Discourse Series, featuring Judge Marion Buller, who shared insights from her role as Chief Commissioner of Canada’s National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. She emphasized the importance of listening to challenging perspectives as a path to Truth and Reconciliation.
   
   Professor Gillespie then reported that in support of student success, UTM had published its 2025 summer course schedule, offering a data-informed mix of 70% in-person and 30% online courses. This built on the previous year’s success, when summer enrollment reached its highest level ever. To advance research, UTM had completed a proposal to establish forensic science as an extra-departmental unit, which was set to be presented for governance consideration soon. This move highlighted UTM’s strength in interdisciplinary collaboration, exemplified by programs like forensic science, game studies, and biomedical communications.
   
   To foster collaboration and belonging, UTM had released its Black Flourishing Framework, outlining a campus-specific plan to surpass the University’s 58 commitments against anti-Black racism. This built on the efforts of the Black at UTM team, who had recently won UofT’s Exemplary Ambassador Award. For sustainability, UTM had formed a project planning committee for the second phase of its Central Utilities Plan (CUP 2), essential for meeting energy needs, including those of a new residence under construction. CUP 2 aligned with UTM’s goals of becoming carbon neutral by 2043 and climate positive by 2050. The facilities management, planning, and research teams had also won a sustainability award from the Canada Pharmaceutical Sciences Group for their work on the new science building.
   
   To embrace its local identity, UTM had celebrated a gift to endow a new Chair in Sikh Studies, the first of its kind at an Ontario university, aligning with the Defy Gravity Campaign. Over the past four years, UTM had secured its first two endowed chairs in humanities and the largest gift in its history for the Novo Nordisk Network. The broader Defy Gravity Campaign had exceeded 75% of its alumni engagement goal and 50% of its fundraising goal across UofT.
   
   Finally, Professor Gillespie highlighted Entrepreneurship Week, including the Pitch with a Twist competition hosted by I-Cube, UTM’s accelerator, aimed at supporting underrepresented groups, particularly women, in pitching their companies for investment.
   
   Members had no questions.
3. Budget Report 2025-26 and Long-Range Budget Guidelines 2025-26 to 2029-30
   
   Trevor Young (Vice President & Provost), and Jeff Lennon (Assistant Vice-President, Planning and Budget), gave a comprehensive presentation addressing the Budget Report. Their presentation provided a detailed overview of the following topics:
   
   Financial Overview

• Strong Financial Position: The university maintained a balanced budget of $3.62 billion for 2025-26, an increase of $98 million from the previous year. It had significant operating reserves and a strong credit rating, projecting a balanced budget for the next five years.
• Revenue Sources: Approximately two-thirds of the operating budget ($2.37 billion) came from student tuition and fees, with 20% from provincial government grants, totaling 86% of revenue. Other sources, including investment income and research funding, contributed 14%, up from 12% two years ago.
• Revenue Growth Slowing: Annual revenue growth dropped to 2.8% from a decade-long average of 6%, tightening margins amid rising costs and a frozen domestic tuition framework.
   

Key Budget Components

• Expenses: Two-thirds of the budget (66%) was allocated to compensation, including faculty, staff, and pension contingencies. Student financial aid accounted for 11% of revenue, a significant priority.
• Revenue Breakdown: The $98 million increase included $27 million from operating grants (including enrollment expansion), $22 million from domestic tuition (primarily from enrolment increases and aided by out-of-province fee flexibility), $16 million from investment income, and $7 million from continuing education and ancillary fees. International tuition revenue remained flat.

Enrollment Trends

• International Students: A 6% decline in international intake was noted since last year, though the university fared better than peers (some facing 40% drops). Plans targeted 5,855 international students for 2025, supported by diversified recruitment from 134 countries.
• Domestic Demand: Strong domestic enrollment, up 8%, exceeded planned targets.
• Overall, undergraduate enrolment increased by 2,200 across all years of study (901 beyond plan) because of improved retention rates.
• Graduate Programs: Enrollment stood at 20,811, with growth in professional master’s programs and a new $40,000 base funding commitment for PhD students for 2025-26.

Student Financial Support

• OSAP and UTAPS: About 53% of undergraduates qualified for OSAP, down from a peak in 2018-19 due to stricter eligibility. The redesigned UTAPS program provided $40 million to 10,000 students last year.
• Debt Trends: Student OSAP debt has declined 11% since 2018-19 in real terms, with 63% graduating debt-free and a low loan default rate of 0.8% (vs. 1.9% sector average).
• The budget allocated $405 million in funding for financial support for undergraduate and graduate students.
• International Scholarships: The budget included $90 million for international scholarships, including $77 million for the International Scholars Program and $13 million for Pearson Scholarships.

Tuition and Funding Challenges

• Tuition Freeze: Domestic tuition remained frozen since a 10% cut in 2019-20, lagging inflation. Limited increases (e.g., 5% for out-of-province students, up to 7.5% for specific programs) provided some relief.
• International Tuition: A modest increase of 3% for Arts and Science and 4% for Engineering was planned, competitive with peers. A weak Canadian dollar aided competitiveness globally.
• Government Support: The Financial Sustainability Grant rose from $20 million to $48 million, and SMA4 (Strategic Mandate Agreement) was expected to continue strong performance metrics.
   

Strategic Initiatives and Risks

• Efficiency Measures: Shared services, new administrative systems (e.g., Concur for travel), and an Operational Excellence Fund aimed to stretch resources without cutting academic programs.
• Capital Investments: $4.6 billion in projects included new buildings at UTM, housing developments, and a $350 million deferred maintenance plan funded through borrowing.
• Risks: International recruitment remained a key risk, mitigated by diversification and high conversion rates (90%). Other risks included housing shortages, market volatility, and a falling Canadian dollar impacting library acquisitions.

The Provost concluded the presentation by noting that the university was financially robust but faced a cautious outlook with slowing revenue, rising expenses, and global uncertainties (e.g., tariffs, immigration policies). Emphasis remained on maintaining academic excellence, supporting students, and leveraging strategic investments to navigate challenges effectively.

Following the presentation, a member sought further insight into international student enrollment figures, observing a potential modest increase. The Provost affirmed that the plan aligned with last year’s target of 5,900 students, projecting 5,800 international students for the upcoming year, and highlighted optimism in maintaining or slightly expanding this number, buoyed by robust applications and strong recruitment efforts —including an encouraging 23% rise from the U.S. A member then asked about PhD stipends, which the Provost noted were raised to a national high of $44,000, influencing tri-agency rates, but still fell short in the costly market of Toronto, with plans to enhance postdoctoral support amid mixed student feedback on affordability.

A member posed several inquiries about student housing and international student funding. In response to how many housing units would be needed in the next decade based on the projected growth of the student population and current housing projections, Mr. Lennon estimated a shortage of about 3,000 to 5,000 units. He further elaborated that the university guaranteed housing for full-time first-year students, which currently accounted for up to 80% of available spaces. With 1,300 beds under construction and plans for 5,000 more over the next ten years, the total would be adequate to ease pressure on first-year housing and provide more spaces for upper-year and graduate students.  Shifting to international students, the member asked if additional funds, such as government grants from other countries, accompanied them. The response confirmed the existence of scholarships, including the University’s $90 million pool (not fully allocated) and country-specific programs like Indonesia’s Bim Scholars, which covered tuition and housing fully. However, no extra funds beyond scholarships to students were provided by countries.

A member probed the $40,000 PhD stipend’s funding, which the Provost described as a shared effort—$10 million from the university, plus departmental and Principal Investigator contributions—supplemented by fundraising.  The member noted that clearer communication about details related to this topic would be welcomed by the academic community.

A member questioned the disparity between the optimistic $100 million revenue growth presented and the austerity measures she had been hearing about at UTM. In response, the Provost acknowledged the constrained growth but explained that the university’s overall budget was $3.62 billion, with an annual cost increase across various areas, including salaries for faculty and staff, as well as rising expenses. He emphasized that there was no additional $100 million of unallocated funds to be used and that the growth being discussed was already being offset by these rising costs. The Vice-President & Principal added that UTM had missed international and summer enrolment targets, resulting in an approximately $35M shortfall over five years, and in response, growth had been restrained rather than cut. UTM planned modest hiring and scaled back large infrastructure projects, focusing on smaller, more affordable ones with alternative funding. They both emphasized that despite challenges, the university was still in a stronger position than many others.

4. Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees: UTM Student Societies (UTMAGS) - Proposals for Fee Increases for 2025-26
   
   The Chair noted that student society fees were subject to the terms and conditions of the Policy on Ancillary Fees and the Policy for Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees.
   
   At the invitation of the Chair, Mr. Overton advised members that the fee increases requested by student societies adhered to their internal approval processes which met University standards. He further explained that the primary element of UTMAGS fees was the annual increase in the cost of the U-Pass, which was the universal transit pass provided through a multi-year contract with the City of Mississauga that allowed for fare-free use of Mississauga Transit by UTM students. This item came forward off-cycle from other anticipated student society fee increase requests to meet the deadline for graduate fee determination that graduate programs start in the summer, rather than the fall which is more common.
   
   The Chair noted that Rama Edaibis, graduate student representative, was present to answer questions about the internal processes relate to their proposed fees. 
   
   IT WAS RESOLVED
   
   That subject to Confirmation by the Executive Committee,
   
   THAT, beginning in the Summer 2025 session, the University of Toronto Mississauga Association of Graduate Students (UTMAGS) fee be modified as follows: 
   1. an increase of $2.44 per fall session and $2.43 per winter session (full-time and part-time) in the Mississauga Transit Summer U-Pass portion of the fee.
5. Operating Plans and Fees: UTM Student Affairs and Services for 2025-26
   
   At the invitation of the Chair, Mr. Overton and Mr. Nuttall provided a presentation of the proposed operating plans and fees. Mr. Overton discussed the development process of campus fees related to student services and UTM student societies' fees. He highlighted the consultation process with students and student government representatives through the QSS or Quality Service to Students committee.
   
   Mr. Overton explained that QSS endorsed the proposed fee increases for health services and the student services bundle but did not endorse the proposed increase for recreation and athletics. He then summarized the feedback provided by QSS to the Campus Affairs Committee.
   
   Chad Nuttall then provided details on the proposed fee increases. The HCC’s increase was attributed to expanded clinic space, while recreation fees would support facility improvements and programming expansion. Other services, including the career center and shuttle service, planned to maintain their current fees. A newly introduced shared service line reflected reallocated costs from various student service departments cohabiting in a shared space.
   
   Two key points were then highlighted regarding student service fees across U of T’s campuses. First, UTSC had a lower athletic fee due to its shared facility ownership with the City of Toronto, which reduced costs but also limited student access. Second, while the three campuses had similar student service fee bundles, UTM’s included support for a fare-free shuttle service, which was not available at the other campuses.  It was noted that the proposed fee changes remained below the university’s maximum allowable increase and were considered reasonable based on CPI and internal U of T index calculations.
   
   The presentation then highlighted the utilization of student services. The HCC recorded nearly 13,000 appointments and 1,500 participants in health promotion and wellness events. Recreation, Athletics, and Wellness reported 7,100 student users and approximately 210,000 total participation visits, with notable engagement in drop-in swims, fitness center activities, and intramurals. Further highlights from student service departments reinforced the impact of these services. The Career Centre served 13,600 students, the Centre for Student Engagement (CSE) had 7,600 student participants in its programs, and the International Centre (IC) conducted almost 3,600 advising sessions. Additionally, student employment within Student Affairs departments remained a major focus, offering meaningful work experiences that helped students financially while building valuable skills.
   
   Professor Robert Gerlai, Chair of the Campus Affairs Committee, then provided a detailed account of the discussion that occurred there.  The CAC recommended the item forward for Council’s consideration.
   
   During discussion, in response to a member’s comment on the $0.20 increase in Childcare Support, Mr. Overton clarified that the fee had supported grants for student-families’ childcare costs, not the operating expenses of the UTM Child Care Centre. He further acknowledged the impact of the government’s work toward $10-a-day childcare which had greatly improved UTM’s ability to run the centre without the contributions of all UTM students, benefiting UTM students, faculty, staff, and community users.
   
   In response to a member’s question, Mr. Overton explained that 7,100 students as "unique student users" for recreational facilities referred to 7,100 different students who had used the facilities at least once, recognizing that some returned for further use many times through the year and others not. He noted that their total usage added up to approximately 200,000 visits.
   
   On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
   
   It was Resolved,
   
   That subject to Confirmation by the Executive Committee,
   
   THAT the 2025-26 operating plans and budgets for the UTM Health & Counselling Centre; the UTM Department of Recreation, Athletics & Wellness; and the UTM Student Services under the Student Services Fee, recommended by the Dean of Student Affairs, Mark Overton, and described in the attached proposals, be approved; and
   
   THAT the sessional Health Services Fee for a UTM-registered or UTM-affiliated full-time student be increased from $77.27 ($15.45 for part-time students) to $79.95 ($15.99 for part-time students) or 3.5%.​​​​​​
   
   THAT the sessional Recreation & Athletics Fee for a UTM-registered or UTM-affiliated full-time student be increased from $218.45 ($43.69 for part-time students) to $223.01 ($44.60 for part-time students) or 2.1% ; (resulting from a permanent increase of 2.0% and a temporary increase of 0.1%). and
   
   THAT the sessional Student Services Fee for a UTM-registered or UTM-affiliated full-time student be increased from $283.98 ($56.80 for part-time students) to $307.70 ($61.54 for part-time students) or 8.4%.