Board of Governors Meeting – March 27, 2018
Board Pleased Bargaining Teams Returning to Table with Mediator
The volunteer board members and the university are very pleased that the union has agreed to return to the bargaining table and meet on Wednesday with an external, expert mediator. The board is listening and is aware of the concerns in the university community about the length of the strike. It is our hope that the two teams, who will be meeting with the mediator for the first time on Wednesday, will be able to reach a negotiated settlement as soon as possible.
Update on Negotiations
Rob Thomas, Assistant Vice-President (Human Resources) reported how the university reached out to the union several times in recent days to ask for a meeting with an expert external mediator. Yesterday, the offer was accepted by the union.
The two parties will meet for first time with the mediator on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. The university remains hopeful that that the mediated talks will bring the matter to a resolution.
Approvals
The following policies and measures were approved:
- The university’s Operating and Capital Reserve policy. The policy addresses accounting, and use of operating surpluses and carry-forward balances.
- Appropriation of the 2017-‘18 unallocated funds as follows: $5 million to the Capital Reserve (University Centre), $3.1 million to matching Endowed Student Aid and $1.9 million to Carleton’s Investment Income Equalization Fund.
- Fit-up of the fourth and sixth floors of the Health Sciences Building at a cost not to exceed $9 million, as presented. It was noted that since the building was originally designed, there has been a 52 per cent overall increase in health sciences and neuroscience enrolment; a 6 per cent increase in graduate enrolment and a 40 per cent increase in faculty.
- Ancillary budgets for 2018-‘19 were approved. The budget shows total revenue of $68.4 million, operating expenses of $43.9 million, and $19.7 million allocated for renovations/debt reduction. Major capital projects being considered in future years include the expansion of the Athletics Complex, addition to the north campus parking structure, addition to the University Centre and a new student residence. The university will assess the viability of upgrading the pool and funds will be allocated for mechanical and building improvements.
President’s Report
The president’s report confirmed that Carleton received a $7.55 million interest-free loan as part of the cap-in-trade investments by the province for energy retrofit. The university will generate savings of up to $500,000 annually on completion of these retrofits.
Negotiations for the purchase of the Dominion-Chalmers United Church continue.
Preparation of the 2018-‘19 budget is underway. Each university unit prepared a submission related to strategic directions set by the framework determined by the board at its fall retreat and by senior management at its planning retreat in January 2018. Requests for funding have been reviewed and prioritized by the Financial Planning Group (FPG) and will be included in the preliminary university budget that will be reviewed by the board in April 2018.
The 2018 federal budget provided considerable investment in research, including $925 million in new funding for investigator-led research through Canada’s three federal research councils. This will be brought in over the next five years and represents an increase of $354.7 million each for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and $215.5 million for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). An additional $231.3 million over five years is targeted for the Research Support Fund – a critical program that assists universities with the institutional costs of research, such as facility costs and technology transfer supports.
The federal government will establish a tri-council fund to support research that is international, interdisciplinary, fast-breaking and higher-risk, with $275 million over five years to be administered by SSHRC. This will be critical for Canada and Canadian universities to link with newly identified funds through the European Union for jointly funded international projects. It may also be useful for accessing other international funding sources. The government announced an additional $763 million for cutting-edge research infrastructure through the Canada Foundation for Innovation over the next five years. All of these represent a significant opportunity for universities.
The board was presented with a copy of COU’s advocacy plan leading up to the provincial election. The plan – Partnering for a Better Future for Ontario – was developed to disseminate to election candidates. The fundamental tenet of the strategy is to embed universities as key partners with the government to create jobs and prepare future skills to grow the economy and build stronger communities.
The Institute of African Studies at Carleton held a conference to celebrate Canada’s role in the changes from apartheid to democracy and the struggles of the democratic movements in South Africa. The conference was an occasion to celebrate the work of Linda Freeman, emeritus professor in the Department of Political Science and the Institute of African Studies at Carleton. Linda continues to provide leadership in this field and is a frequent commentator on African affairs in the Canadian media.
Committee Reports:
Building Program Committee
Dale Craig reported that progress on the Health Sciences Building continues, work is being done on rectifying deficiencies identified, the tender for the new Nicol Building for the Sprott School of Business is being issued with pricing expected by mid-April, the ARISE Building is 45 per cent complete, with substantial completion expected in September and equipment is being installed for the new generation facility.
Community Relations and Advancement Committee
Linda Ann Daly indicated that a date for the next Talk Exchange will be announced.
Finance Committee
Bob Wener stated that the 2018-‘19 operating budget will be reviewed at the committee’s meeting on April 18, 2018.
Governance Committee
Ken Evans reported the committee’s next meeting will be in early May 2018.
Chair’s Report
In my report to the board, I congratulated the women’s basketball team for their recent
national championship and undefeated season, and offered congratulations to the men’s team for their bronze medal performance. I stressed how generous fan and donor supports are adding to the teams’ successes.
My report noted that the student government election results are complete. Also, over 166 applications were received in the call-out for nominations for the community-at-large positions on the Board of Governors. The applicants presented a wide array of skill sets can help the board and the university. Applications continue to be reviewed.
Upcoming Meeting
The next Board of Governors meeting is scheduled for April 30, 2018.