Terms of Reference

SPECIAL RESOLUTION III.2
Presidential Absence, Review and Search Policy

Review of the Presidency

Initiating a review of the Presidency.  The Executive Committee of the Board of Governors is responsible for initiating a review of the presidency prior to the end of the President's term of office. Reviews of the presidency will generate for the Board a recommended mandate for the next presidential term, including advice concerning whether the incumbent should be invited to serve another term. This will follow consultation with the University community and examination of internal and external environmental considerations and having regard to the Board of Governors’  approved Strategic Direction for the University. 

Advisory Committee to Review the Presidency. The Executive Committee will establish an advisory  committee to conduct the review of the presidency approximately 18 months prior to the end of the  incumbent President’s term of office. 

Advisory Committee Role. The advisory committee will be charged with providing advice to the Executive Committee about a presidential mandate for the next term of a presidency, including  whether the incumbent should be invited to accept an additional term.

Advisory Committee Membership. 

The advisory committee shall comprise:

6 external members of the Board, one of whom will act as chair and at least one of whom shall be an alumnus/alumna
1 faculty member of the Board
1 staff member of the Board
1 student member of the Board
2 faculty Senators named by Senate, each chosen from academic departments/programs not already represented by the faculty member of the Board
1 student Senator named by Senate

Senators will be selected by Senate; Board members will be selected by the Executive Committee of the Board.

Where the student member of the Board is an undergraduate student, the student Senator shall be a graduate student and vice versa such that there is always an undergraduate and a graduate student on the committee.  The student member of the Board shall be selected first.

Confidentiality. During and following the review, members of the advisory committee will maintain absolute confidentiality with respect to the committee’s deliberations and the names of contributors to the review process.  Committee members will evidence this requirement by execution of a confidentiality agreement in a form acceptable to the University.

Process. The advisory committee will consult the University community to help define the challenges that the University will face in the next presidential term. The committee will determine its own procedures and will tender its advice to the Board in writing.

Normally it is expected that the advisory committee will complete its work in not more than 3 months and not later than March of the penultimate year of the current presidential term.

In the event that the advisory committee is unable to complete its work, for whatever reason, the  Executive Committee may disband it and retains the authority to complete the review using such mechanism or process as it shall determine.

Communication. The Chair of the advisory committee will be its official and only spokesperson and will provide the Executive Committee with the final report of the advisory committee respecting the recommended mandate for the next presidential term, including advice concerning whether the incumbent should be invited to serve another term.

Presidential Search

Initiating a Presidential Search. The Trent Act assigns to the Board of Governors the “power…to appoint and remove the President and Vice‐Chancellor”. A presidential search will be initiated by the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors acting on behalf of the Board.

Where it will be necessary to appoint a President at the end of the incumbent President’s term of office, the Executive Committee will establish a search committee at least 12, but not more than 18, months prior to the end of the incumbent’s term. 

Search Committee Role. The search committee will be charged with recommending to the Board of  Governors one individual to serve as the President and Vice‐Chancellor of the University. The search,  and the committee, will be guided by the mandate for the next presidential term established by the Board of Governors and any additional directives the Board may provide concerning the search.

Search Committee Composition and Membership. The search committee shall be comprised of each member of the most recently constituted advisory committee to review the presidency, subject to individuals maintaining their then existing roles within the University.  Where establishment of a search committee is required before an Advisory Committee to Review the Presidency has been established, a Presidential Search Committee may be established with the membership provided for the advisory committee as set out above.

The search committee will be chaired by the former chair of the advisory committee, if available; otherwise, the chair shall be selected by the Executive Committee from amongst the external Board members. 

Where one or more members of the former advisory committee are unable to sit on the search committee, the Executive Committee shall appoint alternative members while respecting the balance of roles as provided for in this Policy.

If a vacancy occurs once the search committee has begun its work, another member may be appointed if in the judgment of the search committee’s chair, a new appointment at that time would not be disruptive to the search process.

The search committee will be assisted by the Secretary of the Board of Governors and by external search consultants chosen by the committee.

Confidentiality. During and following the search, members of the search committee will maintain absolute confidentiality with respect to the committee’s deliberations and the names of candidates. 

Process. The search committee will consult the University community about the challenges that will face the next President and the attributes and expertise to be sought in candidates. The committee will determine its own procedures and will tender its advice to the Board in writing.

Normally it is expected that the search committee will complete its work in nine months.

In the event that the search committee is unable to complete its work, for whatever reason, the Board may disband it and retains the authority to complete the search using such mechanism or process as it shall determine.

Communication. The Chair of the search committee will be its official, and only, spokesperson and will provide the Board of Governors and the University community with regular updates on the progress of the search.

Presidential Absence

Where a vacancy arises or is forecasted to arise during the term of a sitting President, the Executive Committee shall immediately determine a time frame for establishing the next presidential search committee.  Depending on the circumstances, the Executive Committee may recommend the appointment of an Acting President, an Interim President, or one followed by the other. The Board may select either an internal or external candidate to serve as Acting or Interim President. For any appointment longer than 12 months, the Executive Committee will normally initiate a full search committee process as set out in this policy. 

Supersedes Special Resolution III.2, December 2, 2005

Approved by the Board of Governors, June 25, 2009

Revised by the Board of Governors:  December 6, 2013