Concordia President Lowy provides update of governance review process
With summer in full swing, I thought it would be a good time to provide the Concordia community with an update on the work that will be done in our governance review process over the coming weeks.
On June 28, I hosted an open meeting to discuss the report and recommendations of our External Governance Review Committee. More than 150 people gathered in the J.A. DeSève Cinema as faculty, staff, students, alumni and interested members of the community at large came to share their perspectives on the report. We can all be pleased by the civility and candor of the discussion. A video of the meeting and supporting documentation are available on the Concordia website.
As part of our consultation process, any member of the Concordia community can submit comments on the report by July 31 to Andrea Renaud at andrea.renaud@concordia.ca or by fax at 514-848-4550.
The report, which was provided to the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors and Senate Steering Committee on June 15, is another important step toward our objective of strengthening governance at our university. We believe that our governance structures should support our core mission, vision and values and better reflect the daily university experience of the vast majority of Concordians.
I am pleased that the External Governance Review Committee’s report has been so well received by many of Concordia’s stakeholder groups. The Board of Governors agreed in a unanimous motion on June 23 to receive the committee’s report, “strongly support its content, look forward to receiving comments from the university community and direct the Ad Hoc Governance Review Committee to determine how it would implement the recommendations on a timely basis.”
The Board’s Ad Hoc Governance Committee will meet during the summer as it prepares to make concrete recommendations to the September meeting of the Board with respect to those items that can be dealt with immediately. As a result of this timeline, and to allow the committee’s recommendations to be put to the full Board, the terms of the Board’s external governors have been extended until September 30.
At its June 27 meeting, the Steering Committee of Senate adopted a resolution positively receiving the External Governance Review Committee’s report and agreed to meet during the summer to prepare for discussion of the report at the September meeting of Senate.
The university’s appropriate governing bodies will begin to make decisions in the early fall on changes that will help us improve our governance and sustain our culture of excellence and achievement.
I am greatly encouraged by our progress over these past months in bringing Concordians together around these important issues. The measured steps we have taken and the work to be done ahead will ensure that our university continues to support the aspirations of our students, faculty, governors, alumni, staff, and community.
I wish all of you a lovely summer and look forward to forging ahead with renewed spirit in the fall.
Frederick Lowy
President and Vice-Chancellor
Related link:
• External Governance Review Committee
• "Opinions and collegiality mark open meeting" - NOW, June 29, 2011