Call for Nominations for Membership of the Presidential Search Committee

Memorandum to: Governing Council
Members of the Academic Board
Members of the Business Board
Members of the University Affairs Board
Members of the College of Electors
Principals, Deans, Academic Directors, and Chairs
Professionals, Managers, and Confidential Staff
President, UTFA
Presidents of Employee Unions
Presidents of APUS, GSU, UTSU (SAC), UTMSU and SCSU
President, University of Toronto Alumni Association

From: Richard B. Nunn
Chair of the Governing Council

Date: April 4, 2012

Re: Call for Nominations for Membership of the Presidential Search Committee
______________

Last week, we announced the extension of President Naylor’s term to December 31, 2013, and indicated that we would be issuing a call for nominations for membership of the Presidential Search Committee that will have responsibility for recommending his successor.

Composition

The Policy Respecting the Appointment of a President (1999) specifies the composition of the Committee formed to advise the Governing Council on the appointment. (The Policy can be found at http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca//Page214.aspx) Its composition is to be as follows:

• the Chairman of the Governing Council or a lay member of Council appointed by the Chairman (Chair of the Committee);
• 2 appointees of the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council to the Governing Council;
• 3 alumni of the University, who are neither staff nor students of the University;
• 5 members of the teaching staff of the University, no more than two of whom may be current holders of academic administrative posts;
• 1 member of the administrative staff of the University; and
• 3 students (one full-time undergraduate, one part-time undergraduate and one graduate student).

The Committee need not have a majority of its members from Governing Council. The Secretary of the Governing Council, or a person approved by the Executive Committee, shall be Secretary of the Search Committee.

Selection Guidelines

In keeping with the intent of the Policy, several factors are taken into account in selecting members of the Search Committee. Those factors are key reference points when the Executive Committee develops its recommendation to the Governing Council, and may be helpful to you as you consider nominations you wish to make.

The Search Committee as a whole should:

• reflect the organizational complexity of the University community.
• reflect the diversity of the University community.
• include members of the Governing Council.
• contain a wide range of experiences and skills that will be relevant to the work of the Committee.
• contain both people who bring to the Committee the perspective of excellent working scholars and also those who are involved with University leadership and policy issues.
• bring together specific kinds of expertise that will help the Committee evaluate presidential candidates’ multi-dimensional capabilities in such areas as: overall leadership, fiscal management, and relations with internal and external communities, including staff, students, governors, alumni, public office holders, corporate and community leaders and donors.

The General Guidelines and Principles for Selection of a Presidential Search Committee, approved by the Executive Committee, can be found at http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=8427.

Individual Requirements

Expectations of each member will include:

• investment of the substantial amount of time required for the Committee, including, at times, day-long meetings.
• commitment to the requirement that the Committee will conduct its affairs in camera.
• willingness to adhere to strict standards of confidentiality on matters related to the Committee’s work.

Each member of the Search Committee will be required to adhere to a Charter of Expectations such as the document endorsed by the Executive Committee which can be found at http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=8428.

Communication on Progress

Coupled with its emphasis on confidentiality, the Policy also contemplates the need for communication with the University community and provides for the Chair, or a person designated by the Chair, to issue statements concerning the activities of the Committee. As Chair of the Governing Council, I am fully committed to thorough and appropriate communication and, over the weeks and months ahead, we will continue to keep you apprised of our progress on a periodic basis. We have established a website so that information will be accessible to you and to all members of our community. The url is http://www.governingcouncil.utoronto.ca/Governing_Council/presidential_search2.htm.

Once the Search Committee is established, we will provide the milestones and target dates related to:

• consultation on and development of the position specification,
• the call for nominations for candidates,
• the interview and assessment stage, including due diligence with respect to emerging candidates, and
• consideration of the Search Committee’s recommendation by the Governing Council.

Approval of Committee Membership

Our plan is to have the Executive Committee consider the membership at its meeting of June 11, 2012; the Governing Council would then be asked to approve the membership at its meeting of June 25, 2012. It is expected that the Search Committee will begin its work shortly after the Governing Council’s approval with its first meeting on June 28, 2012.

Continuing Input

I will welcome your continuing input as we proceed and look forward to hearing from you at chair.gc@utoronto.ca .

Deadline for Nominations

Nominations for persons to serve on the Committee should be submitted by Friday, May 4, 2012 and should include:

• the individual’s curriculum vitae and contact information,
• a brief statement outlining the rationale for proposing him / her for membership, and
• confirmation that he / she is willing to serve if appointed by the Governing Council.

Submissions should be sent in confidence to:

Louis R. Charpentier
Secretary of the Governing Council
Room 106, Simcoe Hall
27 King’s College Circle
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A1

Submissions may also be sent by e-mail to l.charpentier@utoronto.ca or fax to 416-978-8182.