The Board met in person on April 24, 2023. Minutes from the meeting will be posted on the Board of Governors website once available. The following are the highlights from the meeting:
Campus Master Plan
Following a year-long comprehensive, community-wide consultation, with the assistance of consultants Brook McIlroy, on the recommendation of the Building Program Committee, the Board approved the 2022-2027 Carleton Campus Master Plan.
With its emphasis on the natural campus, community connections, inclusion and accessibility, and sustainability, the new plan provides a long-term vision for our physical campus that aligns with and supports the values and aspirations of our Strategic Integrated Plan (SIP) while guiding future campus development accordingly.
Campus Infrastructure
On the recommendation of the Building Program and Finance Committees, the Board approved the Capital Proposal Form for the decommissioning and demolition of the P9 Parking Garage in the spring of 2024. The P9 decommissioning project will allow Carleton to safely demolish the aging structure, which has reached its end of life – avoiding continued investment in maintaining a deteriorated asset.
The Board also approved the Capital Proposal Form for the Loeb Building Envelope Remediation and Replacement Project. Planning will proceed toward renewing the building’s aging cladding, which will provide significant energy efficiency gains.
Operating Budget 2023/24 Approved
The Carleton Board of Governors has approved a balanced operating budget for the 2023/24 year with total revenues and expenses of $525 million. The Board also approved domestic tuition per the Ontario Tuition 2023/24 Framework, student association, and miscellaneous administrative fees. Presenting a balanced operating budget has become increasingly difficult due to several factors, notably the long-term freeze on Ontario operating grants and domestic tuition.
Coordinated Accessibility Project Update
The Board received an annual update on the Coordinated Accessibility Strategy (CAS). Since its launch in 2020, CAS has succeeded in bringing together diverse voices and perspectives to further enhance accessibility as part of Carleton’s culture. Progress moves forward across a wide range of recommendations. Read the Coordinated Accessibility Strategy Annual Report.
International Strategic Plan Annual Update
Despite challenging geopolitics over the last two years, Carleton’s International Strategic Plan continues to see increased growth and expansion in international mobility and experiential learning, internalization at home, international teaching, knowledge, and expertise, international students, as well as international research and funding. Focus for the next two years will be on benchmarking international operations, building geopolitical risk frameworks, using benchmarking to support regional strategies, incorporating community feedback, and preparing for the next iteration of the ISP.
President’s Report
President Bacon provided an update on recent activities and accomplishments that have taken place at Carleton since the December Board meeting. Please have a look at the full President’s Report.
Governor Spotlight: Al Hamdani, Community
Al Hamdani, CFA, is a financial services executive and leader with over 25 years of experience in portfolio management, corporate finance, enterprise risk management, and transformation.
In addition to his role as Executive Vice-President and Chief Business Officer at the Canada Development Investment Corporation (CDEV), Al also serves as Audit Chair on the Board of Directors at the Queensway Carleton Hospital and as Vice Chair for the Board of Directors of Service Coordination Support, an organization empowering persons/family with developmental disabilities to make informed choices about the supports they seek.
Al joined the Board of Governors in 2022 and will serve a three-year term ending on June 30, 2025. Learn more about Al
Next Meeting: June 7, 2023
The next Board of Governors meeting is scheduled for June 7, 2023. Open session meeting materials are posted one week in advance of each meeting. More information on items approved, as well as minutes from previous meetings, can be found on the Board of Governors website.
Sincerely,
Greg Farrell
Chair, Carleton University Board of Governors