Board approves recommendations to improve HR policies for senior management
Recommendations of external process review approved
Last March, the board unanimously adopted a resolution mandating an external audit of human resources processes for settlements with senior management of the university. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) undertook the review under the auspices of the board’s Audit Committee. The audit focused on the departures of six senior management personnel, from September 2009 to December 2010.
The Board of Governors approved all 17 recommendations of the PwC report, titled the External Process Review of Settlements with Senior Management Personnel.
The report includes seven recommendations on the process for reaching a decision on the departure of senior administrators; six recommendations on the process for reaching a settlement; and four recommendations on the control of information, confidentiality and communication.
The board referred the recommendations to its Human Resources Committee for implementation.
“I firmly believe that this is an important part of our goal to make continuous improvements in our human resources policies and practices for senior management,” said Board Chair Norman Hébert Jr. “It reflects the substantial progress our university has made on key issues of governance, transparency and accountability.”
Read Concordia’s public statement and the report.
The President’s Report
Concordia’s new president Alan Shepard began his address to the Board of Governors by saying he has appreciated the support of the Concordia community during his first few weeks on the job.
Shepard took the opportunity to congratulate the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, which successfully underwent an accreditation review this past year by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board.
Each of Concordia’s seven engineering programs received the maximum of six years of accreditation. “This is very unusual, to have accreditors do a very deep review and find that each of your programs is in such great standing that they don’t have to come back for six years!” he said.
The president also addressed a recent article that appeared in The Link, one of Concordia’s student newspapers, which described the plight of one Chinese student who came to the university to study English. The student, who had applied to Concordia through a recruitment firm, ended up living in a crowded homestay where he says he was served inadequate meals.
The president assured the Board that Concordia’s administration would be looking into recruitment processes, as well as communicating with the recruiter, with whom the university has an existing relationship.
Shepard said that Concordia’s current agreement with the Chinese recruitment agency is solely for the recruitment of students, and that additional services are agreed to between the recruitment agency and the student, or his or her parents. However, the president did insist that the university is committed to doing whatever possible to ensure the well-being of its students.
New board appointments
The Board of Governors approved the appointment of three new members at its September meeting. Jeff Bicher is an external member nominated by the Concordia University Alumni Association and is the director of Hillel Montreal, a campus-based student organization for the Montreal Jewish Community. Antoinette Bozac is an external member nominated by the Governance and Ethics Committee, and is the former chief legal officer and vice-president, corporate affairs, at Canada Lands Company. Bicher and Bozac are both Concordia graduates.
The Board of Governors also approved the nomination of Lex Gill, former president of the Concordia Student Union as an undergraduate representative.
Search committees for senior management approved
The Board approved the membership of the Advisory Search Committee for the Provost and Vice-President, Academic Affairs, and the Advisory Search Committee for the Dean of the School of Extended Learning.
Evaluation Committee for dean, Faculty of Arts and Science, approved
Concordia’s Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences has confirmed to the provost that he is seeking a second term. The board approved the establishment of an Evaluation Committee.
Standing committee membership approved
The Board approved memberships of its standing committees, which had been reviewed by the chair of the board and the president. Read the full list of standing committee members.
Related Links:
• Concordia to improve HR practices for senior management
• Board of Governors