Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 71.86
Liaison Isabel Savransky
Submission Date June 19, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Ontario Tech University
PA-3: Participatory Governance

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.25 / 3.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Do the institution’s students have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a student council)? :
Yes

Do the institution’s students have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
Yes

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which students are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

https://uoitsu.ca/ Ontario Tech U Student Union exists to enhance our student experience. The union is governed by student representatives elected by their peers each year. These students work together to lead the union’s initiatives.

Highest governing body: Board of Goveners https://usgc.ontariotechu.ca/governance/board-of-governors/governors/composition-of-the-board.php
Section 8(1) of the UOIT Act provides that there shall be a Board of Governors of the University, consisting of not more than 25 members, as follows:
(a) the President, by virtue of office;
(b) the Chancellor, by virtue of office;
(c) three members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council;
(d) at least 12 and not more than 16 members, as determined by the Board from time to time, appointed by the Board, at least six of whom shall be members of the Board of Governors of the College but who are not employees or students of the College; and
(e) four members who are students or employees of the university and who are elected by the relevant constituencies of the university.


Do the institution’s staff members have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a staff council)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s non-supervisory staff members have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body?:
Yes

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which staff are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

The Ontario Tech U Act sets out the role and responsibilities of the Board of Governors. Every Board member is required to exercise the powers and carry out the duties of his or her office diligently, honestly, in good faith, in the best interests of the university, and in accordance with any other criteria set out in the by-laws of the university.
https://usgc.uoit.ca/governance/index.php

Highest governing body: Board of Goveners https://usgc.ontariotechu.ca/governance/board-of-governors/governors/composition-of-the-board.php
The Board of Governors includes four members who are elected from the following constituency groups within the university:
Teaching Staff (two positions)
Administrative Staff (one position)

In accordance with Articles 7 and 8 of the university's By-law No. 1, the Board currently has the following standing committees (staff sit on committees):

Executive Committee
Audit and Finance Committee
Governance, Nominations and Human Resources Committee
Investment Committee
Strategy and Planning Committee


Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have a representative body through which they can participate in governance (e.g. a faculty senate)?:
Yes

Do the institution’s teaching and research faculty have an elected representative on the institution’s highest governing body? :
Yes

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which teaching and research faculty are engaged in governance, including information to support each affirmative response above:

Ontario Tech University’s Academic Council is the governing body that represents the academic community of faculty, students, staff and administrators. Academic Council serves as a principal advisory body to the Board of Governors and exercises authority delegated by the Board with respect to certain matters. In accordance with Article 1.1 of By-law No. 2, Academic Council has the authority to establish the academic standards and curricular policies and procedures of the University, and to regulate such standards, policies and procedures.
https://usgc.uoit.ca/governance/academic-council/index.php

The standing committees of Academic Council are:
Executive Committee
Academic Appeals Committee
Admissions & Scholarship Committee
Curriculum & Program Review Committee
Governance & Nominations Committee
Graduate Studies Committee
Honorary Degrees Committee
Research Board

As mentioned above, The Board of Governors includes four members who are elected from the following constituency groups within the university:
Teaching Staff (two positions)
Administrative Staff (one position)


Does the institution have written policies and procedures to identify and engage external stakeholders (i.e. local residents) in land use planning, capital investment projects, and other institutional decisions that affect the community?:
No

A copy of the written policies and procedures:
---

The policies and procedures:
---

Does the institution have formal participatory or shared governance bodies through which community members representing the interests of the following stakeholder groups can regularly participate in institutional governance?:
Yes or No
Local government and/or educational organizations Yes
Private sector organizations Yes
Civil society (e.g. NGOs, NPOs) Yes

A brief description of the bodies and mechanisms through which external stakeholders are engaged in institutional governance (including information about each stakeholder group selected above):

The university regularly meets with local government officials (quarterly meeting between university senior leadership and City of Oshawa leadership)
The university is in periodic contact with bureaucrat and elected officials across the region (municipal and regional)
The university sits on local boards of trade and chambers of commerce – as directors, members of advocacy committees, etc.
The university, along with the college and Trent University Durham GTA host a Town and Gown Committee to facilitate connections between the community (City and select community organizations) and the three post-secondary institutions in the City. Town and Gown Committee: https://www.oshawa.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx?newsId=ffd6b3d9-4ac6-445d-8410-965d1e6d9414
The university has a formal position on the Oshawa Downtown Business Improvement Association


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.