Request for Ideas and Comments on the 2011 Governing Council Elections Process

Memorandum to: Governing Council
Academic Board
Business Board
University Affairs Board
Alumni Council of Presidents
College of Electors
Principals, Deans, Academic Directors and Chairs
President of UTFA
Presidents of Employee Unions
Presidents of APUS, GSU, SCSU, and UTSU
University of Toronto Alumni Association Executive
Members of the University Community

From: Professor Bill Gough, Chair of the Elections Committee

Date: March 23, 2011

Re: Request for Ideas and Comments on the 2011 Governing Council Elections Process


Please distribute widely.

The Elections Committee of the Governing Council is responsible for developing guidelines for procedures to be used in the election of teaching staff, administrative staff, and students to the Governing Council, and teaching/librarian staff to the Academic Board. Every year, the Committee invites ideas and input from the University community on the Governing Council election process. The Committee welcomes your comments on any element of the election process, but is particularly interested in your responses to the following questions:

• Would you consider being a candidate in a Governing Council election? If not, why not?
• Have you voted in Governing Council elections? If not, why not?
• Governing Council student elections have been held online through the Repository of Student Information (ROSI) for a number of years. More recently, online elections for administrative staff and teaching staff have also been implemented. What was your experience in participating in the online election?
• Do you have any suggestions as to how to increase the participation rate for Governing Council elections?

[Please note that non-degree students and students registered in the Toronto School of Theology are ineligible to participate in Governing Council elections.]

The election of alumni governors follows a special process through the College of Electors, a group of members representing the constituent alumni associations of the University of Toronto Alumni Association. The College elects alumni governors and the Chancellor on behalf of all alumni. The Elections Committee also welcomes input on this process.

Please provide your comments by using the online form available on the website below by Friday, April 15, 2011 at 5:00 p.m.

http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/elections/electionfeedbackform.htm

Suggestions will be considered in the preparation of the Election Guidelines 2012.

Why is Governance Important?

The University of Toronto has assembled one of the strongest research and teaching faculties in North America, presenting top students at all levels with an intellectual environment unmatched in breadth and depth on any other Canadian campus. U of T faculty co-author more research articles than their colleagues at any university in the US or Canada other than Harvard. As a measure of impact, U of T consistently ranks alongside the top five U.S. universities whose discoveries are most often cited by other researchers around the world. The U of T faculty are also widely recognized for their teaching strengths and commitment to graduate supervision. In achieving this record of excellence, the University of Toronto is governed by the Governing Council, which consists of members of the public and alumni, faculty, administrative staff, and students. As trustees, governors make decisions about the University that have both immediate and long-term effects. Trustees are vested with the responsibility of ensuring that future generations inherit a university that continues to be a great centre of learning and scholarship.

All members of the University community are encouraged to become involved in the Governing Council or one of its Boards or Committees. This may be done by encouraging well-qualified individuals to stand as candidates in Governing Council elections, by standing for election yourself, by voting in elections in your constituency, or by applying for a co-opted (non-Governing Council) position on a Board of the Governing Council.

More information is available on the websites below:

http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/elections.htm
http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/bac/ec.htm
http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/bac/ce.htm

Dates to Remember:
December 2011: Nominations open for alumni seats on the Governing Council.
January 2012: Nominations open for administrative staff, teaching staff, and student seats on the Governing Council and teaching/librarian staff seats on the Academic Board.
February - March 2012: Elections.
March - April 2012: Call for Nominations for co-opted seats on the Governing Council Boards and Committees and University Tribunal.

Thank you.

Office of the Governing Council
University of Toronto
27 King's College Circle, Room 106
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1
www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca
Tel: +1 416 978-6576 Fax: +1 416 978-8182