March 27, 2014

Board Members present: L. Brown-Ganzert, Chair; C. Taylor, Chancellor A. Petter, President;
B. Cunningham; J. Earthy; J. Francis; J. Hinchliffe; J. Kim; C. Kwon; P. Ruben; P. Sahota

Regrets: W. Grant-John; Y. Norouzi; D. Poole; F. Robin

OPEN SESSION

1.  Finance and Administration
   1. The Board received for information a summary report of the consultation undertaken to obtain feedback from the SFU Burnaby community on the proposal to build a multi-purpose recreation and athletics facility at no cost to the University in exchange for a long-term lease on a parcel of land at Discovery Park on which the proponent would construct a commercial building with plans to lease space to the BC Chiropractic Association for B.C.’s first school of chiropractic.
   2. The Board approved the University’s 2014-2015 Budget and Financial Plan, including tuition fees for undergraduate and graduate programs, and Student Services and Recreation-Athletics fees. A link to the document is available on the Finance web site: http://www.sfu.ca/finance/publications.html
2. University Relations
   1. The Board approved the following actions recommended by Senate on March 3, 2014:
      • The 2014/2015 Enrollment Plan attached as Appendix A to the document titled For SENATE March 3, 2014, and 2014/2015 domestic and international undergraduate admission targets to each Faculty, by semester and basis of admission category as indicated in Tables C1 and C2 respectively of Appendix C (Senate Paper S.14-37).
   2. Fundraising Progress Reports: The Board noted year-to-date progress reports as follows:

3. The Board approved the Terms of Reference for the:

•  Bill Oliver Family Endowed Graduate Scholarship in Business;
• Costco Canada Endowed Bursary; and,
• Shaughn and Sharon Clements Biological Sciences Field Trip Endowment Fund.

3. Governance and Nominating

1. The Board recommended the appointments of David Poole and Julia Kim to the SFU Community Corporation Board of Directors as representatives of the Board of Governors, effective immediately.
2. The Board recommended the two year appointments to the SFU Community Corporation Board of Directors of external directors Bev Park, retroactive to January 1, 2014, and Brian Taylor effective March 25, 2014.
3. The Board approved the re-appointments of Emily Hamilton and Don Smith to the SFU Foundation Board from June 3, 2014 to June 2, 2017.
4. The Board approved the appointment of Barry Macdonald to the SFU Foundation Board from May 24, 2014 to May 23, 2017.
5. The Board approved revisions to its self-evaluation instrument for the 2014.

4. Human Resources Committee

1. The Board approved the 2014/2015 Faculty Renewal Plan.

5. Other

1. The Board received for information a report titled “The Case for Fossil Fuel Divestment at Simon Fraser University” from campus club SFU350, and heard a presentation by two representatives of SFU350 and Sustainable SFU that are helping to organize the DivestSFU campaign. An open letter of support signed by 108 SFU faculty members was distributed to the Board.
2. Board Chair Lynda Brown-Ganzert welcomed Jill Earthy, attending her first Board meeting since being appointed by Order-in-Council from February 11, 2014 to February 11, 2015 to replace Brian Taylor.
3. Lynda Brown-Ganzert reported that since being elected Board Chair at the January 30, 2014 Board meeting, she has had the opportunity to meet individually with most Board members.
4. Board member Jill Earthy reported that she participated as a judge in the “Most Investable” category of the fourth annual Opportunity Fest hosted by the Beedie School of Business at SFU Surrey on March 31, 2014.
5. President Petter reported that in the 2014 QS World University Rankings of the top 50 universities under 50 years of age, SFU is ranked second in Canada, third in North America and seventeenth in the world, up from thirtieth the previous year. In the 2013-2014 URAP rankings of scholarly publications, SFU has moved from seventeenth to fourteenth place in Canada.
6. The President informed the Board that data published by the Canadian Association of University Business Officers indicate that SFU’s administrative overhead is less than 60% of the Canadian average while revenue received from provincial grants represents about just 50% of the University’s total operating revenue. These data illustrate how efficiently and leanly SFU operates relative to universities in other provinces.
7. President Petter reported on several well attended receptions he hosted for SFU alumni and friends in Montreal and Toronto on March 12 and 13. The Board was informed that an alumni reception in Edmonton will take place early in April together with meetings to discuss SFU initiatives and promote SFU’s interests.
8. The President reported that SFU honoured Krista Guloien, Tim Martin, Howard Sapers and Lance Uggla at the 2013 Outstanding Alumni Awards event in Vancouver on February 26, 2014.
9. President Petter noted several upcoming events: Ronald Cliff Sr., former Chairman of Canfor Corporation and Chairman of Heathcliff Properties Ltd., will receive the President’s Distinguished Community Leadership Award on April 3, and the 5th Annual SFU Athletics Gathering of the Clan Fundraising Breakfast, hosted by honorary degree recipient Brian Williams, will take place on May 30, 2014.
10. The President informed the Board that he will speak to the Surrey Board of Trade on Surrey’s Economy – SFU’s Role in its Transformation at its luncheon on April 1. On April 15 he will be the Vancouver Board of Trade’s guest speaker on the topic Building BC’s Knowledge Economy.
11. President Petter reported on some changes in administrative personnel and responsibilities that will be occurring in the coming months. Judith Osborne, Vice-President, Legal Affairs (VPLA) and University Secretary, will retire in the summer of 2015 and Li-Jeen Broshko, General Counsel and Associate University Secretary, begins a maternity leave in June 2014. In order to allow the VPLA to oversee the responsibilities of the General Counsel during her leave, effective April 1 two departments in J. Osborne’s portfolio, Academic Relations and Human Resources, will become the permanent responsibility of the Vice-Presidents Academic and Finance and Administration, respectively. The President also reported that Mavis MacMillen, Director of the President’s Office, will retire at the end of June 2014, and a search is underway to find her replacement.
12. The Board received a report from Mario Pinto, Vice-President, Research, on research-related matters and notable achievements. Copies of Research Matters, Vol. 11, No. 1 Winter 2014, and information about SFU’s involvement in the Globe 2014 Trade Fair, March 26-28 in Vancouver, were distributed.
13. The Board received a report from Pat Hibbitts, Vice-President, Finance and Administration, summarizing the major activities and initiatives in the departments within her portfolio as of March 2014.
14. The Board received a report from Jon Driver, Vice-President, Academic, on various academic related matters, including highlights of the issues dealt with by Senate on February 3, 2014.

CLOSED SESSION

1. Finance and Administration

1. The Board received for information a backgrounder on SFU’s investments.
2. Other matters were discussed.

2. University Relations

1. The Board received fundraising progress reports for January and February 2014.
2. The Vice-President, Advancement and Alumni Engagement provided an update on SFU’s 50th Anniversary Campaign.

3. Human Resources

1. Faculty Appointments

The following academic appointments were approved and have been accepted:

• Dr. Nicole Marie Myers, Assistant Professor, Criminology, 1 Sep 14 – 31 Aug 18
• Dr. Kathleen Millar, Assistant Professor, Sociology & Anthropology, 1 Sep14 – 31 Aug 18
• Dr. Eundeok Mun, Physics, Assistant Professor, 1 Aug 14 – 31 Aug 18
• Dr. Eric Gedajilovic, Beedie School of Business, Beedie Professorship, retroactive from 1 Sep 12 – 31 Aug 17
• Dr. Majid Bahrami, Mechatronics Systems Engineering, Tier II Canada Research Chair in Alternative Energy Conversion Systems, 1 Oct 13 – 30 Sep 18
• Dr. David Vocadlo, Chemistry & MBB, Tier I Canada Research Chair in Chemical Glycobiology, 1 Oct 13 – 30 Sep 20

2. Administrative Appointments

The Board approved:

• Dr. Steven Holdcroft, Chemistry, Chair, 1 May 14 – 30 Apr. 17

3. Other

The Board approved:

• Prof. Penelope Stella, Professor Emerita, Contemporary Arts, retroactive to 1 Oct 13
• An early retirement in Computing Science, effective 28 Feb 14
• A modified contract to 60% in Beedie School of Business, 1 Sep 14 – 31 Aug 16
• A modified contract to 63.64% in Statistics and Actuarial Science, 1 Feb 14 – 31

4. Other
   1. The Board received the President’s Activities Report for January and February 2014.
   2. As requested by the Board Chair, an SFU event schedule for 2014/15 was distributed to assist Board members in prioritizing upcoming activities and to help L. Brown-Ganzert ensure equitable and appropriate Board representation at these events.
   3. The Board received for information SFU’s Interim Report to the Ministry of Advanced Education on the Core Review process underway within the post-secondary education sector, and heard a presentation by Philip Steenkamp, Vice-President, External Relations.

CONFIDENTIAL SESSION

1. The Board approved the appointment of Ms. Anne E. Giardini, Q.C., as the 11th Chancellor of Simon Fraser University for a three year term, effective June 13, 2014.
2. The Board approved that Brian E. Taylor be awarded the title ‘Board Chair Emeritus,’ in accordance with Policy B10.13.

The next Board of Governors meeting will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 29, 2014 in the Halpern Centre, Room 126, SFU Burnaby.