The Carleton University Board of Governors met on September 25, 2018. The following are highlights from the meeting. Minutes from the meeting will be posted on the Board of Governors website once available.
Invest Ottawa Presentation Showcases Collaborations with PSE Partners
Carleton was created from a vision in our community to develop a different university experience in Ottawa. Partnerships are critical to what we do at Carleton. In this spirit, I was pleased to welcome to our meeting, guest speaker Michael Tremblay, president and CEO of Invest Ottawa.
Our discussion focused on Invest Ottawa’s collaborations with colleges and universities in the region in its pursuit of making Ottawa the most innovative city in Canada.
Tremblay highlighted how the four presidents of the local post-secondary education institutions are members of Invest Ottawa’s board. He provided background on how Invest Ottawa is working with Carleton and other partners to promote Ottawa’s Long Term Strategic and Competitive Distinctive Advantage. The presentation also paid tribute to Carleton’s Global Cybersecurity Resources (GCR) centre housed at the Bayview Yards Technology and Innovation facility.
Throughout the Board year, we will be hosting additional guest speakers so that Governors have a chance to listen, learn and discover how the university’s culture is rooted in the community we serve.
Patrice Smith Welcomed to the Board of Governors
Patrice Smith is the newest member to represent the Senate on the Board of Governors. An internationally recognized neuroscientist, Dr. Smith is a full professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Associate Dean (Academic Affairs) in the Faculty of Science. We are thrilled to approve the Senate’s nomination of Dr. Smith for a three-year term. Click here to learn more about the newest board member.
Carleton Continues to Prudently Manage the Budget and Invest in the Future
We approved the Audited Financial Statements for the year ending April 30, 2018.
Our university is financially strong thanks to increased student enrolment. In 2017/2018, earnings were allocated to create a better school experience and environment for all. This included:
- $3.1 million to match future student aid
- $61.6 million invested in capital additions
- $20.4 million contributed to endowments for student bursaries and faculty chair positions
I noted how the excellent financial management at Carleton is allowing the university to invest in students, faculty, research and facilities.
Six Themes to Guide our Year Ahead
President Bacon discussed his goals and strategic directions for his first year. They fall under six themes:
- Students and Community
- Enrolment is Life
- Research is Air we Breath
- Deliver on Infrastructure Projects
- Campaign and Strategic Planning
- Successful Landing
Click here to read the entire President’s report.
Committee Chair Updates
Building Program Committee Welcomes Gary Nower
We are pleased to welcome Gary Nower, Assistant Vice-President (Facilities Management and Planning) to Carleton.
At their next meeting, the committee will be discussing the prioritized list of future major projects, implementation efforts on upgrades to capital project management, and will be reviewing preliminary designs for the parking garage extension project.
The committee’s next meeting is Oct. 15, 2018.
Finance Committee Confirms Enrolment Increase
A budget update and financial report for fiscal year 2017/2018 was provided. Overall enrolment has increased, but first-year confirmations have slightly decreased. Final enrolments will be known in November.
The committee’s next meeting is Nov. 8, 2018.
Governance Committee to Begin Best Practice Review
We are working to ensure good governance always. At our next Governance Committee meeting, we will be discussing governance best practices and starting the routine review of Board committee terms of reference.
The committee’s next meeting is Oct. 4, 2018.
Community Relations & Advancement Committee begin Board Award Planning
It’s the time of year to begin considering an exceptional student you want to nominate for the Board of Governors Award for Outstanding Community Achievement. At our next Community Relations & Advancement Committee meeting, we will be reviewing award criteria and jury membership. The call for nominations will be announced in the new year. Click here for more information regarding the award.
The committee will also begin planning for the upcoming Talk Exchange and be provided updates on the recent efforts of the Department of University Communications, Advancement’s comprehensive campaign and student recruitment initiatives for 2019-2020.
The committee’s next meeting is Oct. 3, 2018.
Board Gearing up to Listen at Upcoming Talk Exchange
Save the Date: We will be hosting the next Talk Exchange on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018. This is an opportunity to engage in meaningful discussion with members of the Board as well as faculty, staff, students and alumni. Stay tuned for details which will be posted on the Board of Governors website in the coming weeks.
Building our Leadership Team
Our main priority as we begin the search for Carleton’s next Provost and Vice President (Academic), is that the position and candidates are reflective of the wants and needs of our community. This is why, we began the process with a consultation phase asking for your feedback on the important attributes you seek in a new provost. The deadline to complete the questionnaire was Sept. 18, 2018, but feedback is welcome throughout the search. A website has been established (www.carleton.ca/provost-search) and updates will be provided here as they become available.
Your Generosity is Helping Us to Help our Students
We are over the 90 per cent mark of the $300-million goal! A total of $7,683,134 has been raised in this fiscal year so far. University Advancement begins the 2018-2019 academic term focused on successful completion of the Collaborate Campaign. The campaign total to date is $280,849,418. But were not done yet, mark your calendars for Giving Tuesday on Nov. 27, 2018.
Report from the Chair
I was pleased to welcome new and returning Governors as well as President Bacon to the first full meeting of the Board year. Benoit has done an excellent job of integrating into and engaging with our community. I want to thank him and his team for their hard work and all of our faculty and staff who have contributed to a successful start to the 2018-2019 school year.
In my report to the Board, I provided an update on the Ontario Government’s current approach to broader Public Sector Executive Compensation. The government will complete a full regulatory review of the program by June 2019. The Compensation Framework Regulation is now in effect and effectively freezes executive compensation for current executives as well as new hires.
In addition, we launched my official Carleton University Twitter account, @CU_BoardChair. I encourage you to follow as I share university news and updates. As Chair, I hope to ensure greater communication with our community to keep you aware of the good work that are volunteers on the Board are leading.
Upcoming Meeting
The next Board of Governors meeting is scheduled for Nov. 29, 2018. The full schedule for the 2018-2019 year can be found here.
Sincerely,
Nik Nanos
Chair, Carleton University Board of Governors
@CU_BoardChair
To learn more about the Carleton University Board of Governors, including the Governors and the official meeting schedule, please visit http://carleton.ca/secretariat/boardofgovernors