May 1, 2018
To all Members of the Carleton Community,
This is an update from yesterday’s Board of Governors meeting.
Board Approves 2018-‘19 Balanced Operating Budget
The $505-million 2018-‘19 balanced operating budget was approved.
Major capital projects underway in 2018-‘19 include:
- The $29.5-million Advanced Research and Innovation in Smart Environments (ARISE) project, jointly financed by Carleton and the federal government’s post-secondary institutions Strategic Investment Fund (SIF). The ARISE Building is expected to be substantially completed in the fall of 2018.
- The $20.7-million Cogeneration Facility, funded in part by a contribution from Ottawa Hydro.
- The Nicol Building – future home of the Sprott School of Business – a $52-million project funded in part by a generous donation from the Nicol family.
President’s Report
The interim president provided the Board with an update on year-end for the capital campaign. In 2017-‘18, Carleton University attracted $41.5 million in donations, which is a record amount. This compares with a high of $22.8 million the previous year. The interim president thanked the campaign leadership by members of the Board of Governors, especially chair of the capital campaign – Dan Fortin – and members of the Advancement leadership team for their outstanding support in ensuring that the campaign to raise $300 million has not faltered in the last year.
The president provided an update on the status of the ongoing negotiations with the Dominion-Chalmers United Church, the recent federal government budget investments in research and tri-council support, and the Council of Ontario University’s advocacy campaign in relation to the upcoming Ontario election.
The report highlighted the appointment of Pauline Rankin and Charles (Chuck) MacDonald as the new designated deans of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and Science respectively. Linda Schweitzer, interim dean of the Sprott School of Business, has agreed to continue for one year and the university will re-start the search process in the 2018-‘19 academic year.
It was noted that a number of significant research grants have been awarded to Carleton faculty, including $500,000 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support projects that improve the lives of Canadians.
Carleton recently hosted a very successful autonomous vehicle demonstration led by Richard Yu, professor in the School of Information Technology.
A number of 2018 award programs recognizing research, teaching and excellence among various employee groups were noted.
The president continues to work with the Indigenous community on ways to enhance representation from Indigenous peoples on campus.
The Director of Equity Services is retiring this summer and an executive search firm has been identified to conduct a search.
Committee Reports
Building Program – Dale Craig reported that the committee will meet on May 3 to discuss the Environmental Health and Safety Annual Report, the Dominion-Chalmers United Church project, project management improvements, transportation and parking planning, the Health Sciences Building, the ARISE Building and the Nicol Building.
Finance – Bob Wener reported that the committee recommended approval of the operating budget to the full Board and received an update on the 2017-‘18 surplus. The committee continues to focus on monitoring expenditures for various capital projects and the need for reserves and contingency funds.
Governance – Ken Evans noted that the committee will be engaging a consultant to conduct a best practices of Board procedures that might be considered in the future, including chairing meetings, frequency of meetings, orientation and training for Board members and recruitment of new members.
Open Question – Tuition for International PhD Students
In response to an open question about funding for international PhD students, the president responded by indicating that a discussion paper is being reviewed internally and a recommendation on fees will be brought forward to the Board for discussion.
Ravens Basketball Engagement Activities
Jennifer Brenning, assistant vice-president Athletics, and Jennifer Conley, chief advancement officer, provided an overview of recent successes in basketball, especially the women’s team, and the importance of alumni and donor engagement in varsity basketball. A focus for the university will be creating an endowment to provide future support to the women’s and men’s basketball teams.
Chair’s Report
I reminded and encouraged members to complete the online Board Assessment that has been distributed. The results will be used to help improve processes for the next Board year.
Upcoming Meeting
The next Board of Governors meeting is scheduled for May 24, 2018.
Dr. Chris Carruthers
Chair, Carleton University Board of Governors
Tuesday, May 1, 2018 in News Releases
Share: Twitter, Facebook
