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Council Chamber, Arts and Administration Building, Room 160
Report Number 65 Of The Utsc Campus Council
MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2024
To the Governing Council, University of Toronto,
Your Campus Council reports that it held a meeting in the Council Chamber, Arts and Administration Building, on Monday, October 7, 2024 at 4:10 p.m. with the following members present:
PRESENT: Grace Westcott (Chair), Aarthi Ashok (Vice-Chair), Linda Johnston (Vice-President and Principal), Syed Ahmed, Daniel Bowyer, Jason Glover, Irmi Hutfless, Paul Huyer, Mariana Jardim, Imran Khan, Elaine Khoo, Mandy Liao, Gillian Mason, Silma Roddau, Shennell Simpson, Dorinda So, Rachel Sturge, Hoorik Yeghiazarian
REGRETS: Imran Khan, Sonja Nikkila, Brian Harrington, Willow James, Arjun Yanglem
NON-VOTING ASSESSORS: Karin Ruhlandt (Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean), Andrew Arifuzzaman (Chief Administrative Officer), Desmond Pouyat (Interim Dean, Student Experience and Wellbeing)
SECRETARIAT: Sheree Drummond (Secretary of the Governing Council), Emma Thacker (Secretary, Campus Council), Megann Davidson
IN ATTENDANCE: Fran Wdowczyk (Director, Business Development & Special Advisor), Lisa Bevacqua (Coordinator, 60th Anniversary), Ramona Gonsalves (Senior Director, Financial Services)
OPEN SESSION
- Chair’s Remarks
The Chair, Grace Westcott, welcomed members and guests to the first meeting of the 2024-25 year. She introduced the Council’s Presidential Assessors, and members of the administration. She also provided some remarks about the mandate of the Campus Council and its areas of responsibility. - Report of the Vice-President and Principal
The Chair invited Principal Johnston to give her report.
Principal Johnston welcomed members and guests. She noted her return from administrative leave and was pleased to rejoin UTSC in her official capacity as Vice-President and Principal, UTSC.
Principal Johnston acknowledged the difficulties faced by the community over the past few months, particularly for those connected to Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and the broader Middle East. She recognized the pain and anguish felt by many due to the unfolding situation overseas and noted that some community members had shared experiences of discrimination. She emphasized the need for spaces where community members could find support. She highlighted the importance of fostering a culture of productive and respectful dialogue. Professor Randy Boyagoda, the Provostial Advisor on Civil Discourse, had been leading an initiative to promote civil discourse on campus.
Reflecting on recent developments, she noted the announcement of a $25-million gift from Myron and Berna Garron, which would support the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH). The facility, renamed the Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, would enhance education and training opportunities in Scarborough and the Eastern GTA, particularly for underserved areas. She had hosted the annual Awards of Excellence and Distinguished Service event, celebrating the 2024 award recipients, retirees, and those with career milestones, including 25 years of service to UTSC and U of T. She also acknowledged the effort that went into last weekend’s successful Homecoming event. Principal Johnston expressed excitement about the future and looked forward to working together to achieve shared objectives. She invited everyone to the upcoming Vice-President and Principal installation ceremony in the new year (2025).
Lastly, she invited the Assessors to provide a few remarks, starting with Professor Karin Ruhlandt, Vice-Principal Academic & Dean, who joined UTSC from Syracuse University. She introduced Karin as a respected leader, passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration, with a successful track record in enhancing the student experience and implementing academic strategic plans.
Professor Karin Ruhlandt (Vice-Principal, Academic and Dean) expressed her excitement about joining UTSC. She had been meeting with many people and units while building relationships within the community. She highlighted that this year brought both excitement and challenges. She was particularly pleased to report strong interest in the new SAMIH academic programs, which had exceeded enrollment targets, reflecting both student enthusiasm and community support. She acknowledged the challenges faced with international enrollment and emphasized the administration's focus on strategies to address these issues and strengthen relationships with international students. She mentioned the Green Path program, which had been bringing Chinese high school students to UTSC for many years, along with efforts to expand it. She expressed optimism for UTSC's future and reiterated her enthusiasm for being part of the UTSC community.
Andrew Arifuzzaman (Chief Administrative Officer) discussed the challenges faced by the drop in international student enrolment, which had resulted in financial challenges. UTSC had budgeted for growth in the life sciences program expansion, but the displacement of international students had led to a shortfall in projected incoming revenue. This shortfall had affected not only the current fiscal year but also the budget for the next four years. He added that strategies were being worked through to address these challenges; however, similar issues and concerns had been felt across university campuses worldwide. He noted recent engagement with student leadership to ensure their voices were heard while also respecting the broader campus community. He appreciated their collaboration, particularly in adhering to University policy.
He noted that the Sam Ibrahim building had opened four weeks prior and had received positive feedback, with 20% of campus wifi traffic originating from this new facility, indicating its popularity. He expressed gratitude to everyone involved for their hard work in bringing this project to completion. Lastly, cybersecurity and cyber risk remained a focus. The University had actively identified gaps and vulnerabilities while making strong progress in addressing these issues.
Desmond Pouyat (Interim Dean, Student Experience and Wellbeing) began by introducing himself and stating that he had previously served as the Dean of Student Experience & Well-Being from 2010 to 2022 before retiring. He provided an overview of the OSEW portfolio, which encompassed responsibilities for student life, athletics and recreation, residence and resident life, health and wellness services, accessibility services, advising, and career services. Desmond noted that their work often intersected with the Office of the Vice Provost - Students, which handled policy issues affecting students across the University.
Dean Pouyat acknowledged that recent times had been challenging. During that week, the OSEW portfolio, alongside Campus Safety and other colleagues, had organized decompression spaces for students to reflect on the events of October 7 and the subsequent challenges faced by the community. He emphasized the importance of their dialogue with student leaders, particularly with the SCSU, to address student-related issues. He also mentioned the recent move of the OSEW Office to the Sam Ibraham building (fifth floor), which provided a consolidated space for key services that had previously been scattered across campus. Dean Pouyat expressed gratitude to Andrew Arifuzzaman and his team for their support in making the transition to the new building successful.
A member asked about the SAMIH programs and local student applications/enrolment. Professor Ruhlandt responded that the SAMIH programs were only currently available to domestic students. A significant number of students who applied were indeed local, although the exact percentage was not known.
A member asked for further information about the Civil Discourse Advisory Group, and for an update on academic integrity and AI, and cyber security. The Chair noted that the Secretary would get back to the member with additional details, when they were available.
A member asked about the effectiveness of last year's billboard advertising campaign aimed at increasing domestic student enrollment, especially given the current international student enrollment. Dean Ruhlandt responded, indicating that the campaign had exceeded expectations, marking the first time they had marketed their programs in this way. She mentioned that interest in specific programs, especially in the Life Sciences, was strong at recent recruitment events. The University planned to restart its marketing campaigns, focusing on the successful programs while also developing new initiatives. Andrew Arifuzzaman followed up by noting that the marketing materials developed the previous year were still available, allowing them to build on last year's investment while adjusting their messaging for social media. He also addressed the member’s follow up question about resource allocation for domestic versus international students. He explained that the University's SAMIH program was the only one where the province had increased the domestic student enrollment targets which was encouraging. - Presentation – UTSC’s 60th Anniversary
The Chair invited Fran Wdowczyk (Director, Business Development & Special Advisor), who is the 60th Anniversary Strategic Advisory (SAC) Committee Co-Chair, along with Desmond Pouyat (Interim Dean, Student Experience and Wellbeing).
Fran Wdowczyk remarked that the excitement was palpable as they had finally arrived at this significant milestone. She expressed gratitude to the UTSC communications team for producing a captivating video that showcased the diverse history and growth of UTSC, highlighting the vibrant atmosphere on campus.
She acknowledged that this week was emotional for the community, emphasizing the importance of being sensitive. She noted that the celebration dates had been adjusted to reflect this sensitivity. She recapped the key events that had taken place since the soft launch in May, which included a sunrise ceremony. The celebrations continued with various activities, such as community nights, the Highland Creek Heritage Festival, and the welcoming of new students during move-in events. Homecoming was particularly memorable, with connections made with many alumni and prospective students.
Ms Wdowczyk concluded by mentioning upcoming events, such as Soundlife Scarborough, a run/walk, and opportunities to engage with first-year students. She emphasized the importance of community involvement and acknowledged the continuous adaptation of plans to better serve the UTSC community, and she encouraged members to explore the UTSC website for more information.
A member expressed appreciation for the video, noting that its fast-paced content would resonate with millennials and Gen Z. He highlighted the impressive ongoing construction on campus, including the Indigenous House, and remarked on the excitement he sensed while attending a meeting at the PanAm Centre. He also inquired about attendance at the 60th anniversary events so far. Ms Wdowczyk responded positively, stating that Homecoming had a tremendous turnout and successfully attracted a different level of alumni participation due to its co-branding with the 60th anniversary. She noted higher attendance at student events and attributed this success to the enthusiasm generated by the Legacy Awards and the engagement of the first-year class.
A member inquired how the celebrations would be recognized across the tri-campuses. Ms Wdowczyk mentioned efforts to raise awareness through articles and plans to invite faculty and staff from other campuses to visit in May, which would provide a better opportunity for engagement than in the fall. Dean Pouyat added that attendance at events had been strong, citing the sunrise ceremony as an example. He emphasized the importance of integrating their activities into existing events like Homecoming, which had been celebrated for the third year.
Another member commended the theme of diversity and inclusion, suggesting it effectively captured the spirit of the anniversary celebrations. She also inquired about the creation of a playbook to document the planning and execution of the events. The response confirmed that there would be a playbook, drawing on lessons learned from previous anniversaries.
Finally, a member offered a historical perspective as a Scarborough resident, expressing pride in the campus's architectural legacy and appreciation for its ongoing innovation. She shared a personal connection to the campus's development, recalling the excitement of its early days.
CONSENT AGENDA
On motion duly made, seconded and carried,
YOUR COUNCIL APPROVED
THAT the consent agenda be adopted and that Item 4, the Report of the Previous Meeting, be approved.
- Report of the Previous Meeting: Report Number 64 – May 21, 2024
The report of the previous meeting was approved. - Business Arising from the Report of the Previous Meeting
There was no business arising from the report of the previous meeting. - Reports for Information *
END OF CONSENT AGENDA
- Date of Next Meeting – Wednesday, November 12, 2024, 4:10 p.m.
The Chair advised members that the Committee would meet again on November 12, 2024 at 4:10 p.m. - Other Business
No other business was raised.
IN CAMERA SESSION
- Appointments: UTSC Nominating Committee, 2024-25
On motion duly moved, seconded, and carried,
YOUR COUNCIL RESOLVED,
THAT Professor Syed Ahmed and undergraduate student Arjun Yanglem be appointed to serve on the UTSC Agenda Committee when the Committee serves as a Nominating Committee of the UTSC Campus Council for the 2024-25 governance year. - UTSC Capital Projects Report, as of July 31, 2024
The Chair invited Andrew Arifuzzaman (UTSC CAO) to present the item. Andrew provided an update on the following capital projects: Sam Ibrahim Building, Harmony Commons, Indigenous House, SAMIH and the Retail and Parking Commons.
The Council returned to open session.
The meeting adjourned at 5:26 p.m.
October 11, 2024