University holds 13th annual general meeting

A look back at 2006-07

MAGALLY ZELAYA, STAFF

“It’s been a good year, and 2007 is going to be even better. So stay tuned,” said university president and vice-chancellor Emöke Szathmáry to mark the end of the 13th annual general meeting (AGM) held Sept. 18 in the senate chambers of the Engineering & Information Technology Complex (EITC).

The AGM highlighted the achievements made by the university’s students, staff, faculty, and alumni on campus, in the city, province, country, and overseas during the university’s 130th year. The meeting also served to make the university’s finances for the 2006-07 year public, through the presentation of audited financial statements.

The annual report was once again broadcast over the web extending past the audience of university members that filled the chambers - including the president, vice presidents, provosts, directors, deans, and representatives of the provincial government. “I don’t know how much I like being beamed around the world,” commented Diane McGifford, minister of advanced education and literacy, who provided greetings for the meeting.

Chair of the U of M board of governors, Terry Sargeant, presided over the meeting, which functions as a forum to make the board of governors accountable for their activities over the previous year.

The 23-member board of governors is made up of the university’s president, the chancellor, 12 appointees of the provincial government, three members elected from senate, three elected by alumni, and three members appointed by UMSU.

The board is the corporate governing body of the university. It monitors the performance of the president and vice-chancellor, which it appoints. The board serves to monitor the business and administrative affairs of the university. Its responsibilities further include approving the annual budget in the spring and presenting its annual report in the fall.

Robert Kerr, vice-president (academic) and provost, pointed to the financial consequences of the three per cent drop in credit hours in the 2006-07 year, as well as to the 1.6 per cent decrease in graduate studies enrolment for the same year. However, he pointed to the achievement of a record-high number of graduates at 4,777.

Kerr also celebrated the creation of the bachelors of health science and health studies among other faculty achievements. He also noted that graduating students in 2006 reported a 91 per cent level of satisfaction with the university, according to the Canadian University Consortium, a level higher than the average of all universities across the country.

McGifford called the construction of new faculty buildings, Apotex Centre (pharmacy) and EITC “signs of commitment to faculty, students, and community.” In addition, she called attention to the government’s 6.6 per cent increase of the university’s operating grant to more than $230 million.

Vice-president (administration) Debbie McCallum announced that $11 million was spent on “building envelope upgrades,” part of the $41.6 million spent on building construction, infrastructure repairs, and land improvements. She noted that it is “time to engage a consultant to begin the planning stages for this land,” in reference to the 120 acre golf course purchased by the university. She also called attention to the seven-year renewal of Aramark’s contract and Aramark’s corresponding $3-million investment in the university’s food services.

The university’s research achievements were of prime focus at the AGM, with Joanne Keselman, vice-president (research), noting that our scholars, scientists, and artists “continue to prove themselves among the best in the world.” Keselman reported $101.3 million in research expenditure for 2006-07, with medicine accounting for half of all research activity at $51.5 million. Research projects in Nairobi, the Arctic, and India were lauded as evidence of a world-class level of research.

Szathmáry outlined plans for the future including creating growth in graduate studies, through strength of research, new infrastructure, public awareness, and the number or graduate awards offered. She also pointed to the developments of a new bachelor of jazz studies and a chair in modern history of the Middle East and North Africa.

At her final AGM, Szathmáry affirmed that “we have students to educate and we must provide them with the best that we can provide.”

The AGM is held on the same day as one of the board of governors’ seven yearly meetings. At the open session of the board of governors’ meetings held later that day, members of the board summarized their activities of the previous summer months and introduced newly elected members.

Among several motions, a motion was made to refer the proposed changes to the Student Discipline Bylaw back to senate, a request was made to provide followup and research on the IClickers now in use in select classes, and the possibility of mandatory training for new academic administrators was also discussed.

UMSU summarized their summer activities and drew attention to their plans for 2007-08, including the possibility of walk-up Internet kiosks.