Board of Governors

1. Welcome New Member - Mr. Andy Crooks

Mr. Campbell welcomed Mr. Andy Crooks to the meeting.

2. Approval of Agenda

Moved by Mr. Robson, seconded by Mr. Dudtschak that the Agenda be approved with the following additions: item #17 - Report on Campus Security and item #18 - In Camera Meeting.

Carried unanimously.

3.Declaration of Conflict of Interest

Dr. McPherson declared a conflict of interest with item #16.1.

4. Chair's Report

Mr. Campbell began by thanking Ms. Poniatowski, Lakehead University Student Union (LUSU) President, for her dedication to LUSU, adding that this would be Ms. Poniatowski's last meeting.

Mr. Campbell informed the Board that the Secretary, Patti Merriman, and he had attended last weekend the National Association of University Board Chairs' and Secretaries' (NAUBCS) Conference in Waterloo, Ontario. Mr. Campbell reported that group discussion took place among the Board Chairs from across the country, resulting with a number of common threads. The topics discussed were improving the quality of governance, confidentiality, attracting and retaining quality governors, full participation by governors, security and emergency preparedness on the campus, strategic direction, and academic planning.

5. Approval of Minutes of the Board of Governors' Meeting of March 2, 2007

The Minutes were circulated with the Agenda.

Moved by Mr. Davies, seconded by Mr. Cardwell that the Minutes of the Board of Governors' Meeting of March 2, 2007 be approved as circulated.

6. Receipt of Minutes of the Board Executive Committee Meeting of February 1, 2007

The Minutes were circulated with the Agenda.

Moved by Ms. Kempton, seconded by Mr. Labine that the Minutes of the Board of Governors' Executive Committee Meeting of February 1, 2007 be received as circulated.

7. Business Arising from the Minutes (not on the Agenda elsewhere)

7.1 Ms. Dumyn reminded members of the discussion that took place at the March 2, 2007 Board Meeting regarding exiting interviews. She stated that the Nominating Committee had advised the Board that no formal exiting interview process was in place, but retiring Board members had the opportunity to comment on the annual Governance Survey distributed by the Governance Committee. Ms. Dumyn expressed a need for the implementation of a formal exiting interview process. She stated that this formal process would provide departing Governors a chance to express their perspective on the strengths and challenges of the Board of Governors' performance.

Mr. Campbell advised members that there is no formal process in place, but informed Governors that he had spoken to retiring Board members in 2006.

Ms. Dumyn suggested that an outside facilitator be utilized for the exiting interview process.

Moved by Ms. Dumyn, seconded by Mr. Wallace that the Governance Committee formulate a process to interview departing Governors to solicit a frank assessment of their tenure experiences and seek their perspective on the strengths and challenges of the Board of Governors' performance.

8. President's Report

The President addressed his report, which had been distributed at the beginning of the meeting and responded to questions.

Dr. Dang voiced his concern regarding the consultation process for the Fieldhouse pool. Dr. Gilbert assured the Board that since any plan would affect students, Administration will provide an opportunity for students to comment; therefore, a consultation process will take place in September.

9. Standing Committee Reports

9.1 Audit Committee

Mr. Heroux, Chair of the Audit Committee, reported that the Committee had not met since the March 2, 2007 Board Meeting. He informed Board members that prior to the Board meeting, the Audit Committee met and toured the Office of Financial Services. He concluded by thanking Ms Rita, Blais, Controller, for the informative tour.

9.2 Finance & Investment Committee

Ms. Dumyn, Chair of the Finance & Investment Committee, reviewed the report which had been circulated with the Agenda. She reminded members that at December 31, 2005, there was a solvency deficiency in the Retirement Account of $6,740,000. Due to investment returns, there is now a solvency surplus of $670,000; therefore, Lakehead can now stop making monthly payments of $51,000 to the Solvency Account and start reducing the contributions to the Pension Plan.

9.2.1 Approval of Proposed Tuition Fees for 2007/08

Ms. Dumyn spoke to the Schedule of Proposed Tuition Fees for 2007/08, noting that the rate increases include 3.9% for most undergraduate and graduate programs.

Moved by Ms. Dumyn, seconded by Mr. Cardwell that the Board of Governors approve the proposed tuition fees for 2007/08 as recommended by the Finance and Investment Committee.

Mr. Moore was pleased to see the undergraduate and graduate tuition fees only increased by 3.9%, but questioned the 20% increase for visa students. Dr. Gilbert advised members that the primary reason for the large increase is that the University does not receive any government money for visa students.

Mr. Campbell inquired if the Finance & Investment Committee had received data comparing tuition fees at other institutions. Ms. Dumyn reported that Administration had provided the Committee with extensive comparative documentation.

Moved by Ms. Dumyn, seconded by Mr. Davies that the Report of the Finance and Investment Committee be accepted.

9.3 Governance Committee

Mr. Cardwell, Chair of the Governance Committee, presented the Report of the Committee, which had been circulated with the Agenda. He reported that the Committee had met once to consider revisions to Articles 29 and 32 of the Board By-Laws, to consider a recommendation from the Student Liaison Committee regarding student representation on the Board of Governors, and to review the results of the Board Self Assessment Survey and Governance Survey.

9.3.1 Proposed Amendments to Article 32. Committees - General Regulations

Moved by Mr. Cardwell, seconded by Ms. Dumyn that the proposed amendments to Article 32. Committees - General Regulations be approved.

Moved by Mr. Cardwell, seconded by Dr. McPherson that the Report of the Governance Committee be accepted.

9.4 Nominating Committee

Mrs. Dojack, Chair of the Nominating Committee, indicated that the Committee had met once since the March 2, 2007 Board Meeting, noting that the Committee has been reviewing applications for potential Board members. She reported that the Committee will be meeting next week to determine interview schedules.

9.5 Operations Committee

Mr. Cleghorn, Chair of the Operations Committee, mentioned that the Report of the Committee had been circulated with the Agenda.

Mr. Moore reported that there is a traffic safety issue near the Bora Laskin Building, noting that a stop sign is missing. Mr. Cleghorn informed Mr. Moore that in his previous traffic safety tour, there was a stop sign at the T junction. Mr. Pawlowski assured Mr. Moore that another sign would be erected.

Moved by Mr. Cleghorn, seconded by Mr. Robson that the Report of the Operations Committee be accepted.

9.6 Senate Liaison Committee

Dr. Brown, Chair of the Senate Liaison Committee, reported that the Committee had not met since the last Board Meeting. Dr. Brown advised the Board that Mr. David Heroux, Chair of the Audit Committee, had addressed Senate on April 23, 2007.

9.7 Student Liaison Committee

Mr. Moore, Chair of the Student Liaison Committee, noted that the Report of the Committee had been circulated with the Agenda. Mr. Moore reported that the Student Liaison Committee had requested that the Governance Committee examine the possibility of creating additional student seats on the Board including one for an Aboriginal student. He noted that the Governance Committee responded that the addition of student seats would require the elimination of other seats and therefore recommended keeping the number of student representatives at three, with one designated for Aboriginal students. Mr. Moore informed the Board that at this time, the Committee would prefer that if no new seats are to be designated for students that the existing three seats be left as is with two for undergraduate students and one for a graduate student.

Moved by Mr. Moore, seconded by Mr. Wallace that the Report of the Student Liaison Committee be accepted.

9.8 University Advancement Committee

Mr. Wallace, Chair of the University Advancement Committee, addressed the Committee's Report, which had been circulated with the Agenda.

Moved by Mr. Wallace, seconded by Mr. McKinnon that the Report of the University Advancement Committee be accepted.

10. Report of the Alumni Association

Mr. Heroux, Alumni Representative, spoke to the Report of the Alumni Association which had been circulated with the Agenda. Mr. Heroux invited Board members to attend the Alumni Awards Dinner, noting that the dinner will be held on May 25, 2007 in the Faculty Lounge. In closing, Mr. Heroux was pleased to announce that Mr. James Dennison will be honoured at the 2007 Alumni Awards Dinner as the 2007 Young Alumni Award Recipient.

Moved by Mr. Heroux, seconded by Ms. Kempton that the Report of the Alumni Association be accepted.

11. Ratification of Adjunct Professors

Moved by Dr. Gilbert, seconded by Mr. Cleghorn that Dr. John Rowlands, Department of Physics, and Dr. Murray Rudd, School of Outdoor Recreation, be ratified as Adjunct Professors, effective July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2011.

Moved by Dr. Gilbert, seconded by Ms. Kempton that Drs. Mary Ann Mountain and Ron Wall, Master of Public Health Program, be ratified as Adjunct Professors retroactive to July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2010.

Moved by Dr. Gilbert, seconded by Mr. Labine that Drs. Michel Bedard and Jim McAuliffe be ratified as Internal Adjunct Professors in the Department of Psychology, effective July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2011.

12. Approval of Chair Appointments

Dr. Gilbert reviewed the Career & Education Summaries which had been circulated with the Agenda, noting that three additional Career & Education Summaries had been distributed at the beginning of the meeting.

Moved by Dr. Gilbert, seconded by Dr. McPherson that the following be appointed as Chairs for a three-year period from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010:

Dr. Marie-Noelle Rinn, Department of Languages;

Dr. Brian Lorch, Department of Geography; and

Dr. Glenn Colton, Department of Music.

Moved by Dr. Gilbert, seconded by Mr. Cardwell that Dr. Bakhtiar Moazzami be appointed as Chair in the Department of Economics for a one-year period from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008.

Carried unanimously.

Moved by Dr. Gilbert, seconded by Dr. McPherson that the following be reappointed as Chairs for a three-year period from July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2010:

Dr. Scott Hamilton, Department of Anthropology; and

Dr. Juanita Epp, Department of Undergraduate Studies in Education.

13. Report of the Lakehead University Student Union

Ms. Poniatowski, President of LUSU, presented the Lakehead University Student Union Report, which had been circulated with the Agenda.

14. Report of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Mr. Campbell noted that the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) Report to the Board had been circulated with the Agenda.

15. Reports from the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Board

Mr. Labine spoke to the Reports, which had been circulated with the Agenda.

16. Item approved (on April 4, 2007) by the Board Executive Committee, on behalf of the Board of Governors

The Chair noted the following item (16.1) which had been approved by the Executive Committee of the Board at its meeting of April 4, 2007:

16.1 Approval of Chair and Director Appointments;

16.2 Financial Update (Information only); and

16.3 Thunder Bay and Orillia Campus First Choice Applications (Information only).

17. Report on Campus Security

Mr. Pawlowski reviewed the Report on Campus Security which had been circulated with the Agenda. He advised members that Lakehead University has in place strong measures to act as deterrents, as well as policies and procedures to ensure swift communication and safe evacuation of students, faculty, and staff in the case of an emergency.

18. In Camera Meeting

Moved by Dr. Brown, seconded by Mr. Heroux that Mr. Michael Pawlowski remain for the In Camera Meeting.

The meeting, which began at 4:05 p.m., was adjourned at 5:55 p.m., on a motion by Mr. Wallace, and seconded by Mr. Kempton.