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Board of Governors / Meeting Agendas, Minutes + Reports / Archive / 2008 / March 27, 2008 Meeting Summary

March 27, 2008 Meeting Summary

OPEN SESSION

A. Finance and Administration

  1. Fundraising Progress Reports: The Board noted year-to-date progress reports as follows:

    Month

    Fundraising Progress Report
    For Information
    2007/2008 Year to Date

    To December 31, 2007

    $20,108.384

    To January 31, 2008

    $21,076,081

    To February 29, 2008

    $24,057,081

  2. The Board approved the Terms of Reference for:

  • The Craig Roberts Award in Wrestling
  • The April Allen Undergraduate Scholarship in Actuarial Science
  • The Douglas Gregg Bursary in Computing Science
  • The Clifford Ian Dyck Visiting Lectureship Endowment Fund
  • SFU Lacrosse Endowment Fund
  • Laurine Harrison Graduate Endowment Fund and Laurine Harrison Undergraduate Endowment Fund 

  1. The Board noted for information the Financial Year-to-Date Position to January 31, 2008.

  2. The Board approved tuition fees, Student Services, and Athletics and Recreation Fees for 2008/09. (click here to access the pdf documents).  A motion to approve the University's 2008/2009 Operating Budget was withdrawn as a result of recent budget changes by the provincial government.  A revised budget will be developed by the University's administration for recommendation to the Board at a later date.

  3. The Board approved a revised graduate tuition fee refund policy.
  4. The Board approved annual increases of up to 3.7% for all residence properties, except Hamilton Hall, for 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12.
  5. The Board received for information a supplement to the 2007 Due Diligence Report.
  6. The Chair of the Board's Finance and Administration Committee reported that the Committee declined to take the suggested motion forward to the Board meeting, but strongly encouraged the Student Society to continue pressing the provincial government to increase funding levels sufficient to maintain and enhance the quality of post-secondary education in British Columbia.
  7. The Chair of the Board's Finance and Administration Committee reported that the Committee discussed the implications for SFU of the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between British Columbia and Alberta.  The Committee declined to take the suggested motion forward to the Board meeting, but noted that the University will continue to adhere to all policies, procedures and agreements that are in place.

B. Academic Operations

  1. The Board approved the following actions recommended by Senate:
  • Joint Major in Interactive Arts & Technology and Business Administration in the Faculties of Applied Sciences and Business Administration 
  • Honors Component to the Joint Major between Computing Science and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
  • Bachelor of Science in Behavioural Neuroscience, Major and Honors Program in the Faculties of Applied Sciences and Arts & Social Sciences
  • Undergraduate Enrollment Plan for 2008/09, dated February 13, 2008
  • 2008/2009 domestic undergraduate admission targets to each Faculty, by semester and basis of admission category
  • 2008/2009 international admission targets to each Faculty and each semester
  1. The Board received the following for information from Senate's meetings of February 4, 2008 and March 3, 2008:
  • 2006/2007 Annual Report on Student Discipline
  • 2007 Annual Report of the Senate Graduate Studies Committee
  1. The Board approved the 2008/2009 Faculty Renewal Plan with a minor adjustment to permit the University to further expand the faculty complement by up to 6 full-time equivalent positions during the fiscal year should strategic opportuniites arise.
  2. The Board reviewed the summary of the final report of the Phase 2 Task Force on Academic Structure, dated February 11, 2008.

 C. Other

  1. The Board approved revisions to the Executive Compensation Policy B10.08, dated January 2008, effective immediately.
  2. The Board Chair congratulated Chancellor Brandt Louie on his re-election by acclamation to a further three-year term ending June 2011.
  3. The Board heard a brief report from Bob Elton, Chair of the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Media, Communications, Government and Community Relations (MCGC), regarding the ongoing work of its members at the most recent meeting on March 26, 2008.

  4. Student Board member, C.A. Apaak, reported that in the recent referendum conducted by the Simon Fraser Student Society, a majority voted in favour of separating from the Canadian Federation of Students.
     
  5. The Board received a report from the Vice-President, Research, on a number of recent research awards, funding announcements, and researchers who have been profiled in the media.

CLOSED SESSION

A. Finance and Administration

  1. The Board received for information the Fundraising Progress Reports for December 2007, January 2008, and February 2008.
  2.  The Board received an update on Burnaby Mountain Sports and Medical.
  3. The Board approved a contract with Golden Globe Construction Ltd. for the refurbishment of the Hamilton Hall graduate student residence.
  4. The Board received for information a Capital Design and Construction Program Status Report as of March 2008.
  5. The draft minutes and reports of the Investment Advisory Committee meeting of February 5, 2008 were received by the Board for information.
  6. Other matters were discussed.

B. Academic Operations

  1. Faculty Appointments

The following academic appointments were approved and have been accepted:

  1.  
    1. Dr. Daniel Shapiro, Lohn Foundation Chair in Business Administration, 1 Jan 08 - 31 Aug 09
    2. Dr. Bruce Lanphear, Prof. with tenure, Health Sciences, 1 Jul 08
    3. Dr. Sami Muhaidat, Assistant Prof., Engineering Science, 17 Mar 08 - 31 Aug 12 
  1. Administrative Appointments

The folloiwng administrative appointment was approved and has been accepted:

  1.  
    1. Dr. Wade Parkhouse, Dean, Graduate Studies, 1 Sep 08 - 31 Aug 13
  1. Other

The Board approved:

  1.  
    1. An early retirement, Archaeology, effective 31 Aug 08
    2. An early retirement, Computing Science, effective 31 Aug 08

C. Other

  1. The Board received the President's Activity Report for January and February 2008.
  2. Audit Committee Chair, Jeanette McPhee, reported that the University's Internal Audit Plan for 2008/09 was approved by the Committee on March 11, 2008.
  3. Other matters were discussed.

CONFIDENTIAL SESSION

  1. The Board approved the appointment of Dr. Jonathan Driver as Vice-President, Academic and Provost for a five-year term beginning September 1, 2008.

The next Board of Governors Meeting will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 29, 2008 in Room 126 of the Halpern Centre, SFU Burnaby.

In the place where innovative education, cutting-edge research and community outreach intersect, you'll find Simon Fraser University. Our vision? To be Canada's leading engaged university.

Born in 1965, SFU has become Canada's leading comprehensive university with vibrant campuses in British Columbia's largest municipalities — Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey — and deep roots in partner communities throughout the province and around the world.