REPORT NUMBER 67 OF THE
UTSC CAMPUS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2026
To the UTSC Campus Council,
University of Toronto,
Your Committee reports that it held a meeting in the UTSC Council Chamber, Arts & Administration Building, UTSC Campus on March 11, 2026 with the following members present:
PRESENT: Brian Harrington (Chair), Dorinda So (Vice-Chair), Karin Ruhlandt (Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean)*, Alison Mountz (Acting Principal, UTSC), Andrew Arifuzzaman (Chief Administrative Officer), Iaroslav Abramov, Syed Ahmed, Kyle Danielson, Mark Fitzpatrick, Jason Glover*, Elaine Khoo, Annie Kostadinova, Sylvia Mittler, Pravina Robert Prince*, Hoorik Yeghiazarian
*remote attendance
REGRETS: Tim Tang (Dean, Student Experience and Wellbeing), Sukaina Abbas, Aarthi Ashok, Folakunmi Awofisayo, Tiffany Castell, Jirociny Consalas, Sandra Daga, Maria de Chavez, Inaaya Imran, Sylvia Mittler, Tanzina Mohsin, Stephanie Perpick, Shennel Simpson
NON-VOTING ASSESSORS: Ramona Gonsalves, Sheila John, Jeff Miller
SECRETARIAT: Miranda Edwards (Secretary), Amanda Grant (Governance Coordinator)
IN ATTENDANCE: Sarah Abdillahi, Patricia Escobar, Mauricio Terebiznak
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
The Chair welcomed members and guests to the Cycle 4 meeting. - Compulsory Non-Academic Incidental Fees - UTSC Student Society Fees, Proposal for Increases
Sheila John, Assistant Dean, Wellness, Recreation & Sport, presented the proposal for fee increases. She provided an overview of the local governance approvals process and related University policies.
Members had no questions.
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried
YOUR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED,
THAT, beginning in the Fall 2026 session, the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) fee be modified as follows:- an increase of $0.69 per session in the society portion of the fee ($0.04 for part-time students);
- an increase of $1.03 per session in the Student Centre portion of the fee ($0.31 for part-time students); and
- an increase of $0.23 per session in the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) portion of the fee (full-time only).
THAT, subject to confirmation of approval of the following fee change proposals by the SCSU Board of Directors, beginning in the Fall 2026 session, the SCSU fee be modified as follows:
- an increase of up to $10.98 per fall and winter session in the Health Plan portion of the fee (full-time only); and
- an increase of up to $13.88 per fall and winter session in the Dental Plan portion of the fee (full-time only).
- UTSC Campus Operating Budget
Andrew Arifuzzaman, CAO, reviewed the campus budget priorities for fiscal year 2026-27.
Key highlights included this year’s implementation of the academic activity-based budget model, addressing the international student shift, building SAMIH programming, operationalizing new facilities, and implementing the Culture of Care.
With regards to the new activity-based budget model, Mr. Arifuzzaman informed members that the first phase of the roll-out was now complete and Phase 2 had begun. Phase 2 would include the testing of assumptions in advance of full implementation in the next fiscal year. He noted that the model provided greater control and predictability for department chairs, vested more controls directly with budget holders, and incentivized innovation and budget optimization.
Mr. Arifuzzaman reported that the UTSC yield rate of new students had increased every year since 2022 and increased 15.7% in 2025. As a result of government student visa policies, international student applications dropped by about 50%, which had a significant impact on UTSC‘s operating budget. UTSC had now reset its international student intake targets to better accommodate this shift. Despite an increasing number of domestic student applications and surpassed targets, largely due to the popularity of health sciences programs, the overall operating budget had decreased for 2026-27 as a result of the lost revenue from international student fees. The recent provincial government announcement this month regarding domestic tuition fees increases might positively change this going forward; however, there were too many unknowns for a revised modelling at the current time.
As mitigators to financial challenges, UTSC had actioned and would continue to focus on the following: an expansion of students enrolled in SAMIH programs, expanded summer enrolment, improved retention rates, the introduction of new technologies to create cost savings and efficiencies, and increasing income from non-academic sources such as retail services and venue rentals.
Mr. Arifuzzaman provided updates on the Administration's work to operationalize new facilities: the Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, the Retail and Parking Commons, Indigenous House, and the Toronto Zoo Conservation Campus. He concluded his report by providing an overview of the various ways in which the Culture of Care had been integrated into budget models and administrative initiatives.
In response to a member’s question, Mr. Arifuzzaman stated that the proposed LAMP project (Literature, Arts, Media and Performance Centre) was a large project that would be brought through governance in 2026-27. He also confirmed that the Field House project would be brought forward to governance in Spring of this year, with construction expected to begin in the Fall.
Members expressed concerns about parking and transportation for students and faculty at the new Toronto Zoo Conservation campus. Mr. Arifuzzaman confirmed that students and faculty would pay for their own parking at the Zoo and noted that the Administration was looking into various potential transportation options.
In response to a request for clarification, Mr. Arifuzzaman provided details of some of the technological innovations that were being implemented across campus, including digital classrooms and the use of AI to optimize administrative work.
In response to a member’s question about the effect of the provincial government’s recent changes to the student aid model, Mr. Arifuzzaman affirmed the University’s strong commitment to upholding its access guaranteed and noted that the University’s student financial aid budget continued to grow. -
Report on Sustainability
Jeff Miller, Director of Facilities Management & Capital Projects and Patricia Escobar, Manager of Sustainability, provided this report for information. They provided an overview of UTSC’s commitment to a climate positive campus, whereby the University produces more energy than it consumes. The UTSC Climate Positive Plan was published in December 2025 and publicly available online. Mr. Miller and Ms Escobar noted that the climate performance goals contained within the report were consistent across the tri-campus. Emissions needed to be lowered by at least 80% by 2050. UTSC continued to work on energy efficiency improvements to its buildings, particularly for the older buildings on South Campus, which would contribute to operational cost savings.
Mr. Miller and Ms Escobar also provided an overview of recent program highlights which included organic waste diversion, the Bikeshare program, and enhanced cycling infrastructure. They informed members that UTSC’s sustainability goals extended beyond emissions targets to include broader sustainability goals such as reduced usage of single-use plastics. The campus’ Repair Cafe was noted as an important example of an initiative where campus community members were encouraged to repair and reuse existing items, rather than add to landfill waste.
The Office of Sustainability aimed to leverage the expertise of the campus community in addition to running a student volunteer program for 15-20 students annually and a work placement program for students in the Master’s of Environmental Science program.
Members discussed learning integration with environmental science programs.
Members also discussed efforts and discussions taking place within their divisions to move away from the use of single-use plastics and towards more sustainable alternatives. Ms Escobar noted that campus food services now offered reusable dishes and containers, including returnable take-out containers. -
Reports of the Presidential Assessors
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Karin Ruhlandt, Vice-Principal Academic & Dean
Professor Ruhlandt provided members with an overview of the sixteen faculty searches currently in progress. She remarked that UTSC was fortunate to have been awarded an excellency grant that enabled the campus to proceed with hiring new faculty members. She further noted that the campus was currently undertaking a search for the Ibrahim Chair in Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Management.
Members had no questions.
- Sheila John, Assistant Dean, Wellness, Recreation & Sport (On behalf of Tim Tang, Dean, Student Experience & Wellbeing)
Sheila John, Assistant Dean, Wellness, Recreation & Sport delivered a report on behalf of Tim Tang, Dean, Student Experience & Wellbeing. Ms John noted that demand for student housing remained strong, with occupancy rates at 96% for first-year spaces, just under 100% for upper-year spaces, and 82% for graduate student spaces. More than 1,000 students were currently living in residence.
Ms John further reported that Academic Advising and Career Centres continued to experience strong demand with a 27% increase from the previous year. The Office recently introduced a new express service for the most basic and straightforward advising cases, such as course selection and degree progress checks. Follow-up surveys indicated strong student satisfaction with this new service.
Ms John provided members with an overview of recent campus events, including Winter Welcome Day, Lunar New Year celebration, a Black student engagement “mix and mingle” event, and wellness events such as “Knit & Chill” as well as outdoor recreation trips.
Members had no questions.
- Andrew Arifuzzaman, Chief Administrative and Strategy Officer
Mr. Arifuzzaman reported that UTSC had recently renewed its agreements with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority. These agreements would allow the TRCA to continue with riverbed flood erosion prevention improvements in Highland Creek Village, located on the UTSC campus, as well as continue its work on the Meadowway Trail.
He further reported that the temporary parking lots on campus would soon be closing as construction began on Field House, a project which would be presented to governance this Spring.
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- Report of the Previous Meeting – Report Number 66 (January 27, 2026)
The Committee voted to approve the report of the previous meeting. - 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 – Tuesday, April 28, 2026
The Chair confirmed that the next meeting would take place on April 28, 2026. -
Other Business
Members had no items of other business.
The meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.
March 12, 2026