Your guide to UTSC government

Have you ever wondered how UTSC works? I mean, like, how is it structured or laid out? Is it like a corporation? Do we have a CEO? A president? How much input does the government have in our institutions? I found myself wondering, so I made an outline of UTSC and brief explanations for the various councils, and bodies with links for your further studies. These are especially poignant with the current governing council and campus council elections going on right now. I hope you enjoy and tune in next week as we explore the various student associations that the students of UTSC are part of, and that represent us on our behalf.

General Layout of the UTSC Governing Bodies

Governing Council

The Governing Council is the Governing Body of the University of Toronto. It’s been responsible for all the top level academic, business, and student affairs decisions of University of Toronto since it was established in the University of Toronto Act, 1971 by the Commission on University Government. (Former Ontario Premiers William Davis and Bob Rae  helped, btw). 

It consists of 50 members, 25 from within the community and 25 from outside.The two heads of the University, The President, and the Chancellor, serve by virtue of their positions, Ex Officio. Eighteen positions are appointed, 16 by the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council (it is a public University after all), and two senior administrators are appointed by the President of the University. The Council elects a Chairman from the officials appointed by the lieutenant-governor-in-council.

Thirty positions are elected. They consist of 18 teaching staff, eight alumni, eight students (four full-time undergrads, four part-time undergrads, two grad students), and two administrative staff.

Students and the senior administrators appointed by the president serve one-year terms, everyone else serves three-year terms. Elected members may serve for up to nine consecutive years.

The Governing Council meets around six times a year, anyone can attend a meeting and it is live-streamed for your convenience. Check their website, for details.

The Governing Council has three Boards, The Academic Board, Business Board, and University Affairs Board, and several standing committees, some of which specifically serve each board.

There is an executive committee, made up of members of the Governing Council, which sets the agendas for the Governing Council, among other functions, which might be considered to be the actual inner circle of top governance at the University.

The Chancellor

The Honourable Michael Wilson serves as our Chancellor. He is the titular head of the University (like the Queen is the titular head of Canada). He represents the University of Toronto to an external committee, and “plays an essential ambassadorial role inadvancing the University’s interests within the local, provincial, national andinternational arenas.” He is also the head of Convocation and is responsible for conferring your future degree.

He is elected for three years by University alumni, and since he is at the head of the University, he has a seat on most councils and committees by Ex Officio.

The President

President David Naylor serves as the University of Toronto’s CEO. He is expected to have “general supervision over and direction of the academic work of the University and the teaching and administrative staffs thereof.” He has several vice presidents that serve directly under him, including our own Vice-President and Principal of the University of Toronto Scarborough, Franco J. Vaccarino.

He also has a seat on most councils and committees, as per his Ex Officio status as the president.

Vice-President and Provost

Cheryl Misak serves as our Vice-President and Provost. She is responsible for “academic and budgetary matters at the University of Toronto.” As such she has several Vice Provosts under her. Her office’s organisational structure is very clearly laidout and there's even a cool chart! 

Council of the University of Toronto Scarborough

The Campus Council is similar to the Governing Council, but primarily concerned with campus wide affairs. It has three very distinct committees (Agenda committee, Academic Affairs Committee, Campus Affairs Committee), which provide separate roles from the Campus Council per se, and hold separate elections from Campus Council. Members of the Governing Council are also present in the Campus Council, and half the members are again from outside of the University of Community. Until recently it was called the College Council and operated under different rules, in fact it is going through a transition right now, with new rules going into effect in July. This article will reflect the upcoming rules.

Campus Council changes and amends bylaws by which the council and the university act, creates committees as needed, and broadly influences policy in its early stages. 

Members of Campus Council, chart taken from
University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Council Terms of Reference

 Please note: “Other members of the community” are defined as “individuals in the broader community who have an interest in, commitment to or affiliation with the campus.”
LGIC stands for Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council, and is the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

Agenda Committee

The Agenda Committee is the overseer of the Campus Council, it directs the council’s decisions, motions, proposals, and acts on them. It also oversees constitutional changes, certain scholarship awards, and the electoral process for the councils. Members are representatives of other school councils and committees. Only one student representative, the current SCSU President sits on the agenda committee. Think of it as the Campus Council's equivalent to the Government Council's Executive Committee.

Members of the Agenda Committee, chart taken from
University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Council Terms of Reference

Academic Affairs Committee

Oversees and approves curricular and academic matters, such as programs, courses, academic regulations, and academic policy. Largest Committee, almost half of it consists of teaching staff.

Members of the Academic Affairs Committee, chart taken from
University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Council Terms of Reference

Campus Affairs Committee

Responsible for matters that directly concern the quality of student and campus life, as well as directing and planning uses of campus resources. 

Members of the Campus Affairs Committee, chart taken from
University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Council Terms of Reference

Vice-President, Principal of University Toronto Scarborough

Franco J. Vaccarino is the University of Toronto President. He leads the executive group of Vice-Principals and the Office of Business, Operations and Strategic Affairs, and sits on the campus council as well as its committees.

Vice-Principal Research

Professor Malcolm Campbell serves as the Vice Principal of Research, he works with the U of T Vice-President of Research to direct research at the University, so that they are in alignment with each other. He is the chair of the UTSC Research Advisory Board.

Dean and Vice-Principal Academic

Dr. Rick Halpern serves as the Vice Principal of University of Toronto. His office is responsible for oversight of faculty appointments and career progression, development and administration of academic policies, and development and review of academic departments and programs, as well as management of the academic budget.

Dean and Vice-Principal Student Affairs

Desmond Pouyat is the Dean of Student Affairs, his office is responsible for most of the campuses student services, including student clubs.  It is also responsible for maintaining a healthy relationship with student leaders on campus.

The Office of Business, Operations and Strategic Affairs

Headed by CAO Andrew Anifuzzaman. This office is responsible for operating the complicated school institution. Functions include, communications and public affairs, government and external relations, financial services, information technology, facilities management, business and space planning and planning, capital construction, campus safety and security services, health and safety, emergency planning and business continuity, hospitality, retail, and conference services.