Board Members present: B. Taylor, Chair; C. Taylor, Chancellor A. Petter, President; L. Brown-Ganzert; B. Cunningham; J. Francis; W. Grant-John; J. Hinchliffe; C. Kwon; Y. Norouzi; D. Poole; F. Robin; P. Ruben; P. Sahota

Regrets:  J. Kim

OPEN SESSION

A.        Finance and Administration

1. The Board approved the location of the Student Union Building at the “Crossroads” site between the Maggie Benston Centre and the Academic Quadrangle.
2. The Board noted for information the Year-to-Date Budget to Actual Variance Report as of November 30, 2013.
3. The Board noted for information SFU’s confirmation to the Ministry of Advanced Education of the University’s third quarter budget forecast and projections for 2013/14 to 2016/17.

B.         University Relations

1. The Board approved the following actions recommended by Senate:

• The dissolution of the Forestry Geoscience Certificate in the Department of Earth Sciences in the Department of Earth Sciences within the Faculty of Science, effective Fall 2014;
• The Full Program Proposal for a Bachelor of Environment within the Faculty of Environment, effective Fall 2014;
• The Full Program Proposal for an Environmental Resource Management Major within the Faculty of Environment, effective Fall 2014;
• The Full Program Proposal for a Global Environmental Systems Major within the Faculty of Environment, effective Fall 2014; and
• The Full Program Proposal for a Bachelor of Business Administration/Bachelor of Environment Joint Major in Sustainable Business within the Beedie School of Business and the Faculty of Environment, effective Fall 2014.

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

c.         The Board approved the Terms of Reference for:

• The Michael Fellman Endowed Graduate Prize;
• The Residence Life Learning Fund;
• Nehdia Sameen Memorial Award;
• Judy Graves Endowed Graduate Award; and,
• Owen Hertzman Endowed Scholarship in Physical Geography.

C.        Governance and Nominating

1. The Board approved revisions to sections 15.1(f) and 15.2 of Policy R20.01 – Ethics Review of Research Involving Human Participants, as approved and recommended by Senate.
2. The Board approved revisions to Policy A21.07 – Mortgage Subsidy Policy, effective January 1, 2014, and rescinded Policy A21.03 – Mortgage Assistance Program.
3. The Board approved new Policy GP41 – Protected Disclosure of Wrongdoing, effective immediately.
4. The Board approved Bill Whitehead as a Trustee of the Administrative/Union Pension Plan Board of Trustees as the Poly Party representative commencing January 1, 2014 through to November 30, 2016.

D.        Other

a.         B. Taylor, Board Chair, reported on the following reappointments and appointments to the Board by Order-in-Council:

• Julia Kim, reappointed from January 15, 2014 to January 15, 2016;
• Bill Cunningham, reappointed from July 31, 2014 to July 31, 2016;
• Patty P. Sahota, appointed from December 18, 2013 to December 31, 2014, to replace Jagmohan Singh, whose term ended on October 31, 2013;
• Fiona K. Robin, appointed from January 15, 2014 to January 15, 2015, to replace Anne Giardini, whose term ended on January 15, 2014.
• Jill Earthy, appointed from February 11, 2014 to February 11, 2015, to replace BrianTaylor.

2. The Chair recognized the contributions to the Board of Anne Giardini, Q.C., whose four year Order-in-Council appointment and term as Deputy Board Chair ended on January 15, 2014. He indicated that the Board will formally express its thanks to her at the Annual Board dinner in May.
3. The Board Chair welcomed Sarah Temple, attending her first Board meeting since being appointed Executive Director, Communications and Marketing, by Philip Steenkamp, Vice-President, External Relations.
4. President Petter reported on his recent trip to India with the Vice-Presidents, Research and External Relations. He noted that its success illustrates how SFU is advancing the Strategic Vision of engaging students, engaging research, and engaging communities. The highlights included:
   • A signed agreement with the Bombay Stock Exchange Institute and Ryerson University to create an international tech business incubator and accelerator program to support young Canadian and Indian entrepreneurs in fast tracking start-ups in the area of digital media;
   • A signed MOU with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to support research partnerships and graduate student exchanges in the areas of fuel cell technology and solar energy, and a signed Statement of Intent with India Oil Corporation to develop a research partnership in hydrogen and fuel cell research;
   • A review of plans with officials from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi regarding the developing collaboration in linguistics between JNU-SFU and discussion of the potential for further collaborations;
   • A reception, facilitated by members of SFU’s India Advisory Committee, for senior business leaders in Mumbai;
   • Attending sessions of the Jaipur Literature Festival and a meeting with key organizers of Vancouver’s Indian Summer Festival, to be held this July for its fourth year at SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts; and,
   • A meeting with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to seek support for an India Chair in 2014.
5. Board member Wendy Grant-John emphasized the importance of engaging with First Nations and thanked President Petter for addressing the Chief and Council of the Musqueam Indian Band on January 13, 2014, at which time he spoke about the University’s various aboriginal initiatives and strengthening relations between the Council and SFU.
6. The Board received a report from Mario Pinto, Vice-President, Research, on research-related matters and notable achievements.
7. 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 January 2014.
8. 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 December 2, 2013 and January 6, 2014.
9. The President thanked outgoing Board Chair and Order-in-Council member, Brian Taylor, for his six years of exemplary service and leadership to the Board ending on February 11, 2014. B.Taylor indicated that it had been privilege to serve Simon Fraser University and the Board during his term.

 CLOSED SESSION 

A.        Finance and Administration

a. The Board approved the award of the general construction contract for the Burnaby Campus Road Upgrade project to BD Hall Constructors Corp.
b. The Board received for information a Capital Projects and Planning Program Status Report as of January 2014.
c. The Board engaged in a preliminary discussion about a potential downtown Vancouver student residence.
d. Other matters were discussed.

B.         University Relations

a. The Board received fundraising progress reports for November and December 2013.
b. The Vice-President, Advancement and Alumni Engagement provided an update on SFU’s 50th Anniversary Campaign.

C.        Human Resources

1. Faculty Appointment

The following academic appointment was approved and has been accepted:
Dr. David Freeman, promotion to Assistant Professor on completion of PhD, Economics, 1 Dec 13 – 31 Aug 17

2. Administrative Appointments

The Board approved:
Dr. Joy Johnson, Vice-President, Research, 1 Sep 14 – 31 Aug 19
Dr. Kris Magnusson, re-appointed Dean, Education, 1 Sep 14 – 31 Aug 19
Dr. Ingrid Stefanovic, Dean, Environment, 1 Jul 14 – 31 Aug 19
Dr. Glen Tibbits, reappointed Chair, Biomedical Physiology & Kinesiology, 1 May 14 – 30 Apr 16

3. Other

The Board approved:
Professor Emerita status for Kim Bartholomew, effective 1 Jan 14
An early retirement in Biological Sciences, effective August 31, 2014

D.        Employee Relations

a. The Board received the annual report of the Employee Relations Committee for information.

E.        Other

a. The Board received the President’s Activities Report for November and December 2013.
b. Mario Pinto, Vice-President, Research, gave a presentation to the Board about the University’s Innovation Strategy.
c. Other matters were discussed.

CONFIDENTIAL SESSION

1. The Board approved the appointment of Dr. Joy Johnson as Vice-President, Research for a five-year term beginning September 1, 2014.
2. The Board elected Ms. Lynda Brown-Ganzert Chair of the Board and Mr. Bill Cunningham Deputy Chair of the Board, for the period January 30, 2014 to the end of the January 2015 Board meeting.
3. The Board approved the Terms of Reappointment for President Andrew Petter, which were also approved by the Public Sector Employers’ Council.

The next Board of Governors meeting will be held at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 27, 2014 in the Halpern Centre, Room 126, SFU Burnaby.