Board of Governors Meeting Summary – Thursday, May 24, 2018
To All Members of the Carleton Community,
This is an update from today’s Board of Governors meeting.
Carleton University’s Board of Governors Approves Purchase of Dominion-Chalmers United Church
Ottawa will soon have a new cultural and community hub in the heart of the city, thanks to Carleton University’s purchase of Dominion-Chalmers United Church, which renews an important link with the Ottawa community that had the bold vision to create Carleton in 1942.
The university’s acquisition of the historic church facility east of O’Connor Street between Lisgar and Cooper – which was recently approved by the United Church of Canada – would not have been possible without the support from the province and key donors. The facility will serve as a multi-purpose downtown performance space for students and faculty.
Nicol Building – A New Home for the Sprott School of Business
The Board approved the start of construction for the Nicol Building. The work is expected to commence within 30 days.
President’s Report
President Summerlee updated the Board on:
- Negotiations with the Dominion-Chalmers United Church
- Carleton’s engagement with the Council of Ontario Universities’ provincial advocacy campaign
- Background on the recently announced $5-million David C. Onley Initiative for Employment and Enterprise Development to help more students with disabilities launch careers once they graduate
- The succession plan for senior administrative and managerial positions
- A brief update on contract negotiations with faculty that emphasized the university’s commitment to reaching a negotiated settlement
- Evolving discussions on campuses about the self-identity of Indigenous members of university communities
- The provincial government’s new international graduate student strategy and Carleton’s review of its policy for tuition fees for international doctoral students
- The recipients of honourary degrees at spring Convocation
A copy of Carleton’s Energy Master Plan was also distributed to the Board as part of the president’s report.
Board of Governors Award for Outstanding Community Achievement
The Board approved the nomination of Christian Robillard as the recipient of the 2018 Board of Governors Award for Outstanding Community Achievement.
Christian is graduating with a Master’s in Philanthropy and Non-Profit Leadership and a BA in Public Affairs and Policy Management with a specialization in social policy.
During his studies, Christian served as co-chair of the Carleton Community Campaign that raised more than $300,000, led the Student Philanthropy Council; founded and was president of Carleton’s Association of Fundraising Professionals Collegiate Chapter; served as sponsorship and grants co-ordinator for the Carleton University Students’ Association; and sat on the university’s first two Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign committees. Christian reached out to student groups, giving leadership and philanthropy talks aimed at empowering fellow students who want to do good.
Employability and Experiential Learning Update
Suzanne Blanchard, vice-president (Students and Enrolment) and university registrar, provided the Board with an update on initiatives underway at Carleton to enhance student employability and introducing more experiential learning opportunities including the Career Ready Fund, the David C. Onley Initiative for Employment and Enterprise, and the Ontario Postsecondary Access and Inclusion Program.
Comprehensive Campaign Update
Dan Fortin provided an update on the campaign noting that the $41 million raised in the last fiscal year was a record for the university. In thanking the president and Jennifer Conley, chief advancement officer, he noted that the campaign is at the $271 million mark. It was stressed that the campaign’s success is due to its agility and nimbleness, its focus on engagement and leadership gifts, and the efforts of campaign champions. The Board members were thanked for their generous support of the campaign which continues.
Committee Chair Updates
Building Committee
Dale Craig, chair of the committee updated the board on the May 3rd meeting of the committee which included the Environmental Health and Safety Report, updates on the Dominion Chalmers United Church acquisition, Project Management Improvements, a discussion of transportation and parking on campus, and an update on all major and minor construction projects on campus.
Community Relations and Advancement
Linda Ann Daly, chair of the committee was thanked for her service as she completed her last meeting as Chair on May 14th. At this meeting the recommendation from the Board Award Jury was brought forward for consideration, an update was received from the Director of Communications, the Chief Advancement Officer and the Vice-President (Students and Enrolment).
Governance Committee
Ken Evans, chair of the committee gave an update to the board on the meeting of the committee held earlier today. The main topics of discussion were the results of the Board Self-Assessment, the requests for proposals for the best practices review, and proposed revisions to Academic Governance of the University Policy which will come forward to the Board in June.
Chair’s Remarks
I thanked all of the Board members for their participation in the Board self-assessment survey.
Upcoming Meeting
The next Board of Governors meeting is scheduled for June 28, 2018.
Dr. Chris Carruthers
Chair, Carleton University Board of Governors
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