Call for Applications: Members of Boards and Committees of the Governing Council

Memorandum to:  Governing Council

Academic Board

Business Board

University Affairs Board

Alumni Council of Presidents

Alumni Development Officers

College of Electors

President of the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students

President of the Graduate Students’ Union

President of the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union

President of the University of Toronto Students’ Union

President of the University of Toronto Faculty Association

Presidents of the Employee Unions

Principals, Deans, Academic Directors, and Chairs

Professional, Managerial, and Confidential Staff

Senior Development Officers

University of Toronto Alumni Association Board of Directors

                             

From:                     Louis R. Charpentier, Secretary of the Governing Council

Date:                      March 18, 2013

Subject:                 2013 CALL FOR APPLICATIONS - Members of Boards and Committees of the

                                    Governing Council

Introduction

I am writing to ask for your assistance in identifying well-qualified individuals in the University community who would be interested in applying to serve as appointed non-Governing Council members on a Governing Council Board or Committee.  Administrative staff, alumni, and students – full-time undergraduate, part-time undergraduate, and graduate - are invited to apply.  Applications are encouraged from a wide variety of individuals so that the diversity of the University may be reflected in the membership of Governing Council bodies.

Please note that the positions listed below are all unpaid; members of the Governing Council and its Boards and Committees serve as volunteers.

Application for Membership

The 2013 online application form for membership is available on the website listed below.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2013App

Completed application forms must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2013.  Please note that only fully completed applications will be considered.

In general, successful applicants will be invited to serve for one-year terms from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014.  Meetings of Governing Council Boards and Committees are not normally held in July and August.  Please note that a member must resign if, at any time during his or her term, he or she ceases to be a member of the constituency in which he or she was appointed (i.e. administrative staff member, full-time undergraduate student, part-time undergraduate student, or graduate student).  Students currently in their final year who expect to graduate in June, 2013 are not eligible to apply.  Such students may wish to consider applying as alumni representatives in the 2014 application process.  Non-degree students and those registered in the Toronto School of Theology are also ineligible to serve on Governing Council bodies.

Detailed information about Board and Committee membership and the appointment process is provided below.

Membership of the Boards and Committees of Governing Council

Websites containing comprehensive information about the Governing Council and its Boards and Committees are listed below.  Prospective applicants are encouraged to browse through the sites in order to gain an understanding of the scope, responsibilities, and composition of the governance bodies.  With the exception of the Elections Committee and the Executive Committee, all Boards and Committees of the Governing Council include non-members of the Governing Council.

Positions Available

The precise number of appointed seats available for each constituency varies from year to year, depending on the number of seats that are filled by members of the Governing Council.  The numbers below are provided as estimates only.

	Potential Vacancies for 2013-2014
	Administrative Staff	Alumni	Students
Academic Board	1-2	1-3	12
Business Board	0-1	0	0-1*
University Affairs Board	3	0	5

*Please see Item 2 below.

1.   Academic Board:

Members are expected to attend all or almost all of the six meetings held per year.

12 students:
4 full-time undergraduates - Arts and Science
2 full-time undergraduates - professional faculties
3 part-time undergraduates
3 graduate students

1 to 2 administrative staff

1 to 3 alumni (who are not registered as students and who are not members of the administrative or teaching staff)

Further information about the Academic Board and its standing Committees is available from the website below.

http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/bac/ab.htm

Please note that elections for teaching staff and librarian seats on the Academic Board are conducted through a separate process.

2.   Business Board

Members are expected to attend all or almost all of the seven meetings held per year.

Although the Business Board Terms of Reference provides for up to 1 student and  administrative staff co-opted member, those seats are usually filled by members of the Governing Council.  The administrative staff seat does become available from time to time.

Further information about the Business Board is available from the website below.

http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/bac/bb_1.htm

3.   University Affairs Board
Members are expected to attend all or almost all of the six meetings held per year.

5 students

3 administrative staff

Further information about the University Affairs Board is available from the website below.

http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/bac/ua.htm

Selection Process and Criteria
Each of the three Boards has a Striking (Nominating) Committee that reviews the applications received and recommends appointments to the Board.  The Striking Committee normally meets in mid-May and appointments are approved at the final meeting of the Board in June. 

As part of the selection process, Striking Committees consider the knowledge, skills, and experience of each applicant.  The Committees will be guided by the Report of the Task Force on Governance, approved by the Governing Council on October 28, 2010, which is available here.  Efforts are made to achieve an appropriate balance of continuity and renewal on the Boards or Committees, as well as representation from a variety of academic and administrative units, academic programs, the three campuses, and full-time and part-time undergraduate students and graduate students.

The criteria used by the Striking Committee for the selection of members include the following.

• Experience in governance of organizations or groups.
• Demonstrated involvement in and contribution to the University community.
• Demonstrated engagement in co-curricular or community activities.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise informed judgement.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate logically and persuasively at meetings.
• Demonstrated commitment to participate actively, to prepare thoroughly, and to attend regularly most scheduled meetings.

All members of the Boards and Committees of the Governing Council are subject to the same expectations as those of members of the Governing Council.  The Expectations and Attributes of Governors and Key Principles of Ethical Conduct may be viewed here.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Office of the Governing Council,
Room 106 Simcoe Hall, University of Toronto

27 King’s College Circle
(phone) 416-978-6576
(fax) 416-978-8182
email governing.council@utoronto.ca

Thank you for your interest in participating in governance at the University of Toronto.