In compliance with Ontario’s Essential Services Order, the ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Board of Governors met remotely on Sept. 29, 2020.  Minutes from the meeting will be posted on the Board of Governors website once available.  The following are the highlights:

Recommendations for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Institutional Action

In the wake of the tragic killing of George Floyd, ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ has committed to further enhancing its commitment and strategic action towards Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) and anti-racism. Michael Charles, Assistant Vice-President and University Advisor, Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities (EIC), presented the Board with the draft recommendations for EDI Institutional Action as put forward by the EIC Advisory Group. This advisory group is aiming to develop a plan that is innovative, integrated, holistic, flexible and ambitious. To give the broader ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ community the opportunity to contribute to the strategy’s development, . Board members expressed support for both the process and substance of the plan, and reiterated the importance of this work. To further commit to ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s EDI strategic vision, Governors were encouraged to continue attending relevant training, including the upcoming Inclusion Week.

Senate Annual Report

Betina Appel Kuzmarov, Clerk of Senate, provided the Board with the Senate Annual Report, which contains highlights from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. As ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s highest academic body, the Senate’s responsibilities include: awarding degrees, approving new programs, revising curricula and establishing regulations concerning students’ academic work. From March 2020 onwards, Senate quickly adapted to the ongoing pandemic and transferred all of its business to a virtual platform. In addition to completing its core academic functions, Senate supported ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s pivot to online learning, and passed a series of motions that assisted students with the ongoing health crisis. Like the Board, Senate also oversaw the development of both Kinàmàgawin (Learning Together) and .

Student Support and Engagement in a Virtual Environment

Suzanne Blanchard, Vice-President (Students and Enrolment) provided the Board with a presentation outlining the breadth of support services that students can now access virtually. The presentation was broken down into six pillars of success: Academics, Finances, Employability, Campus Life, Wellness and Online. These virtual programs have been created with a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion.  .

Audited Financial Statements and Audit Findings Report Approved

The Board approved the Audited Financial Statements for the year ending April 30, 2020, as well as the Audit Findings Report. The Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared by management and audited by ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s external auditing firm, KPMG, which then prepared the Audit Findings Report. The report explains the audit process, pinpoints risks and results and highlights internal control observations.

President’s Report

President Bacon provided an update on recent activities and accomplishments that have taken place at ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ since the June Board meeting. Please have a look at the full President’s Report. The president also invited Board members to join the entire community for the on Sept. 30, 2020.

Governor Spotlight: Tyler Boswell

The Board of Governors consists of 32 volunteers representing the ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ community, like Tyler Boswell. Elected to the Board in 2020 as an undergraduate student representative, Tyler is a fourth-year student majoring in Law. Learn more about Tyler.

Next Meeting: December 1, 2020

The next meeting of the 2020/2021 Board year is scheduled for Dec. 1.  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,

Dan Fortin
Chair, ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University Board of Governors

To learn more about the ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University Board of Governors, including membership, meeting schedule and official minutes, visit carleton.ca/boardofgovernors

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