Board of Governors and Senate highlights: September 2023

Concordia President Graham Carr addressed the university’s Board of Governors at its meeting of September 28. In addition to the information in his written report, Carr disclosed:

• The term began with great energy, and orientation went very well.
• The 20th annual Concordia Golf Classic on September 5 raised a record $600,000, bringing the total to more than $7.5 million since its inception.
• Shuffle 34 on September 22 raised $201,000 and counting.
• Homecoming 2023, September 21 – 24, included a panel discussion on applied AI, a football game against Université Laval and the Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
• This is the first academic year with a fall reading week and a 12-week teaching term.
• The previous evening, Carr was present as Concordia’s chancellor Jonathan Wener, BComm 71, was honoured as Person of the Year by the Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal.
• Anne Whitelaw, provost and vice-president, academic, and her two co-authors were presented with the Horowitz Book Prize by Bard Graduate Center, part of Bard College in New York City, for Object Lives and Global Histories in Northern North America.
• Recent university rankings highlights included:
  • Concordia placed number 387, a jump of 164 spots and the first time the university landed in the top 400, in the QS World University Rankings 2024.
  • Concordia moved into the top 500-600 globally, up from 600-800, in the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
  • The Gina Cody School’s software engineering researchers placed first in Canada, third in North America and fifth in the world in the global 2023 Computer Science Rankings.
• Concordia recently submitted two mémoires to the Government of Quebec:
  • To the Ministère d’Enseignement Supérieur, regarding a review of the funding formula for universities.
  • A response to a public consultation related to changes to the Programme de l’expérience Québécoise (PEQ), which now provides a fast track to permanent residency to francophone students or students graduating from francophone institutions, rather than all Quebec university graduates.
• University leaders met with Government of Quebec ministers to discuss Concordia’s efforts at francisation and integration and concerns related to the PEQ program.
• The university is supporting its large cohort of faculty, staff and students of Indian origin, who are affected by the diplomatic strains between Canada and India.
• Concordia is finalizing its fall registration information, which is critical to determining revenues and therefore assessing how the university is progressing to meet its deficit target of $19.4 million.
• 2023 marks the fifth anniversary of the landmark donation made to the university by former Board member and current deputy chancellor Gina Cody, MEng 81, PhD 89, who continues to be a great advocate for the university.

Amy Fish, Concordia’s ombudsperson, presented highlights of the 2022-23 Annual Report of the Ombuds Office:

• No major problems during the year, which underlines the university’s commitment to openness and fairness.
• The number and complexity of files had changed since the COVID-19 pandemic started, and there were signs that complaints would fall back to pre-pandemic levels.
• 416 active files, mostly from students, 64 per cent, and faculty, 14 per cent.

At the September 29 Senate meeting, Amy Fish also summarized the 2022-23 Annual Report of the Ombuds Office. Graham Carr reiterated the news he delivered to the Board of Governors the day before, and added further highlights:

• Recent student accomplishments:
  • Creative arts therapies MA student Madeline K. Montgomery earned a Mackenzie King Open Scholarship, a Concordia first.
  • Space Concordia students won the student design challenge hosted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics/Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers at the Electrified Aircraft Technologies Symposium.
  • A Concordia team earned a podium finish at the New Housing Division of the United States Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon.
• Studio arts faculty member Deanna Bowen’s large-scale installation “The Black Canadians (After Cooke)” was displayed on the south wall of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.
• For National Day of Truth and Reconciliation on September 30, Concordia will light the AD and EV buildings in orange.
• The evening before, Carr attended an awareness event in Kahnawà:ke for the upcoming groundbreaking of a new cultural arts centre and museum, hosted by Chief Sky Deer and with several proud Concordia graduates in attendance.

Find out more about Concordia’s Board of Governors and Senate.