Board Meeting Synopsis for June 23, 2021
The fourth and final regular meeting of the Board of Governors for the 2020-21 year was held June 23, 2021, via web conference and was chaired by Board Chair Shauneen Bruder.
The meeting began with a welcome to Governors, followed by a territorial acknowledgement offered by the Board Chair. The Board Chair offered thanks and appreciation to Governors with terms concluding, thanking them for their dedication and service to the University. It was noted that the open session meeting of the Board of Governors was accessible to the public via livestream by contacting the University Secretariat.
The President offered oral remarks, noting the devastating discovery at the Kamloops Residential School, the importance of reconciliation, and that the Board would be hearing more about the University’s Indigenous Initiatives Strategy later in the meeting. The President highlighted planning for Fall 2021, a recent ten-million-dollar gift to the G360 Institute by long-time supporter Ted Morwick, and recent faculty awards.
The Board of Governors received the final report and recommendations of the Indigenous Initiatives Strategy, and then turned to an update on 2021-22 enrolment as the topic of strategic discussion for the meeting.
The Board of Governors approved the University of Guelph-Humber Audited Statements and received the Annual Report on Responsible Investing, noting the success of the initial two-year carbon reduction goal. The Board approved changes to the Board Bylaw No. 1, and standing committee terms of reference, following a comprehensive review. With the conversion date for the transition to the University Pension Plan, Ontario on July 1, 2021, the Board received a final update on the transition. The Board approved the Nokom’s House capital project and received an update on planning for an update to the Campus Master Plan. The Board approved an update to the Capital Debt Policy and approved certain updates related to the UPP transition; a restatement of the pension plan texts and an update to the Statement of Investment Policies and Procedures.
The Board also received written reports for information, including reports from standing committees on recent committee activity, a report on the implementation of the recommendations of the Working Group on Board Governance Review, the annual reports on the signing authority register, policy on policies, the expendable fund, and written updates on the activities of the President’s Advisory Committee on Anti-Racism and the Provost’s Steering Committee on Preventing and Addressing Sexual Violence.
The complete open session meeting package is available on the University Secretariat’s Governance Portal. The official record of the meeting is the meeting minutes, which will be available following their approval at the next regularly scheduled Board Meeting, to be held on October 20, 2021.