Call for Nominations: Presidential Search Committee

On Nov. 7, 2024, Dr. Charlotte Yates announced her retirement as president and vice-chancellor. Dr. Rene Van Acker has been appointed interim president and will continue in this interim role until a new president is appointed.

In keeping with the Policy on University Appointments, the Board of Governors will soon begin the presidential search process. The process will be led by a presidential search committee chaired by Nancy Brown Andison, chair of the Board of Governors.

On This Page:

Background

We invite the University community to help identify faculty, staff, and student nominees for the Senate-appointed seats on the Presidential Search Committee. As you consider individuals for nomination, we ask that you keep a number of important considerations in mind:

  • Most importantly, committee members will need to act in the best interests of the University as a whole, while being knowledgeable and taking into account the interests of the different constituencies to which the University is accountable.
  • Members will need to have a strong understanding of the University’s mission, values and goals so that they can work together to establish a position profile that will attract the kind of leader who will continue to position the University for success.
  • Members must maintain a commitment to confidentiality and good governance, as described in the Good Governance Policy for the Board of Governors, to which the search committee is subject. 
  • Members must be able to make a substantial time commitment to the work of the search committee, which will begin in February 2025 and extend to approximately June 2025.
  • Meetings of the committee will take place both in person and virtually and members must be flexible in accommodating the search committee’s complex scheduling requirements.

The presidential search committee’s work will be significant in scope and will include:

  • Conducting a comprehensive presidential search with the assistance of a search firm, including establishing a position profile that will attract a large and diverse pool of well-qualified candidates.
  • Aiding in the community consultation process by identifying areas and issues that require broader reflection and feedback.
  • Reviewing lengthy meeting materials, at times on short notice. Participating in evaluating and interviewing candidates. Engaging in thoughtful deliberation to select those candidates who are best positioned to fulfill the University’s mission and work collaboratively to achieve its goals.
  • Recommending a candidate to the Board of Governors, which has the ultimate authority to select and appoint the University’s president.

Nominations are now being accepted and must be submitted to the University Secretariat by Jan. 9, 2025 at 1 p.m.

Composition of the Presidential Search Committee

The composition of the search committee is outlined in the Policy on University Appointments and related procedure. The search committee is chaired by the Chair of the Board of Governors, and will consist of:

  • Three (3) faculty members appointed by Senate
  • One (1) undergraduate student appointed by Senate
  • One (1) graduate student appointed by Senate
  • One (1) regular full-time staff member appointed by Senate
  • Three (3) external members of the Board of Governors appointed by the Board
  • One (1) Dean or senior leader appointed by the Board
  • One (1) graduate of the University appointed by the Board

Commitment to Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

The University of Guelph recognizes that an inclusive campus and a culture of inclusion are institutional and social imperatives. A culture of inclusion necessitates the involvement of diverse stakeholders on the search committee.

The University is committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and to designing, reviewing and rebuilding structures – including policies, programs and practices – that are inclusive, equitable and accessible to all. In keeping with this commitment, and consistent with its modus operandi, Senate will ensure that the membership of the search committee reflects the diversity that we strive to achieve in our community.

Nominations of individuals who would contribute to the diversity of the search committee are strongly encouraged and will be actively sought.

Composition of the Slate

Upon conclusion of the nomination period, the Senate Governance and Nominating Committee will compose a slate using the Senate-approved modus operandi. In doing so, the Senate Governance and Nominating Committee will give particular attention to the following factors:

  • Expertise/background
  • Diversity of membership consistent with the University’s indigenization, equity, diversity and inclusion policies and objectives.
  • Evidence of commitment to the mandate of the committee in question.
  • Evidence of an ability to work in a consensus-based-decision-making environment.
  • Representation from across the University.

Eligibility

In accordance with the Policy on University Appointments, related procedure and the Senate-approved modus operandi, the following eligibility criteria shall be observed:

  • Nominees do not need to be Senators.
  • Faculty nominees must hold a tenure-track or tenured appointment as a professor, associate professor or assistant professor, or a continuing track or continuing appointment as a librarian, associate librarian or assistant librarian. Nominees may be based at the Guelph campus, Guelph-Humber campus or Ridgetown campus. While multiple nominations may come from a single college, no two faculty members appointed to the committee may come from the same college.
  • Staff nominees must be regular full-time, non-academic employees of the University of Guelph.
  • Student nominees must be currently registered and may be full or part-time students registered at the Guelph campus, Guelph-Humber campus or Ridgetown campus (preference will be given to students who are anticipated to retain their student status until the presidential search committee completes its work).

In accordance with Senate regulations, nominations will also be accepted from the floor of Senate.

Submitting a Nomination

The Nomination Form must be completed and submitted to the University Secretariat by Jan. 9, 2025 at 1 p.m.

Nominations may be submitted by a nominator who must be eligible for nomination themselves, with the nominees’ consent, or by the nominee themselves (self-nomination). Preference will be given to second-party nominations, in keeping with the Senate-approved modus operandi.

Nominations should speak to the qualifications of the nominee, with a particular focus on the attributes identified above.

In order to support the Senate Governance and Nominating Committee in ensuring that the presidential search committee reflects the diversity that we strive to achieve in our community, members of equity-seeking groups are encouraged to self-identify. The University recognizes that self-identification is a personal decision and respects nominees’ right to privacy. Self-identification information will be kept confidential and, subject to the University’s legal obligations, will only be used for the purposes of establishing the Presidential Search Committee.

Have Questions?

Questions may be directed to the University Secretariat at univsec@uoguelph.ca.

A PDF version of the Call for Nominations is available.