Nipissing University. Board of Governors

The Board of Governors of Nipissing College is one of the two governing bodies of Nipissing University, the other being the Academic Senate. The Board was established in 1966 by the Executive Council of Northeastern University. When the College was granted a university charter in 1992, the <i>Nipissing University Act</i> established the Board of Governors as one of the two legislative branches of Nipissing University’s bicameral governance system.

North Bay, Ont. (1967-)

The Board of Governors is responsible for the government of Nipissing University, the control of its property and revenue, and the conduct of its business affairs except for those matters assigned by the Nipissing University Act to the Senate.

The Board has the power to: appoint and remove the President; appoint, promote, suspend, grant leave, and remove teaching staff, deans, officers, and employees of the University; grant and terminate tenure of faculty; fix duties, salaries, and benefits of officers and employees; appoint and discharge committees; plan and implement the physical development of the University; establish and collect academic tuition and service fees; regulate the conduct of faculty, students, officers, and employees; establish and enforce rules and regulations regarding the use and occupancy of buildings, grounds, and facilities; and make bylaws and regulations for the conduct of Board affairs.

The mandate of the Board of Governors is to govern the University, its property, revenues, and business and affairs, with the exception of those matters assigned to Senate. The Board is responsible for the review and approval of strategic plans, as well as operating and capital budgets. The daily Management of the university is the responsibility of the President and other senior management.

The Board of Governors' authority derives from the Nipissing University Act (1992). The board is governed by the General By-Laws of the Board of Governors of Nipissing University.

In 1967, the Board of Governors was originally composed of the Principal of Nipissing College and 20 members appointed from the general public, including a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The original composition and structure of the Board were based on recommendations made in 1966 by the Executive Council’s Committee on Establishing a Board of Governors for Nipissing College.

The Board currently consists of a maximum of 26 members, including: the President and Chancellor of the University; the Mayor of North Bay or their designate, 6 persons appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor-in-Council; 7 persons elected by the Board to represent the public; 2 persons elected by the Senate from among faculty members; 2 students elected by the students, 2 non-teaching employees elected by non-teaching employees; 1 person appointed by the University Alumni Association from among its members; and 1 person appointed by the University’s Aboriginal Council on Education from among its members. Appointed Board members serve a three-year term, while elected members serve for one year. The Board elects from its membership a Chair, Vice-Chair, and Vice-Chair Pro Tem, and appoints a Secretary of the Board who is responsible for maintaining its minutes and records.

General meetings of the Board are held five times per year, with the May meeting designated the annual meeting, at which elections are held and committee reports are received. Each general meeting is divided into an open and a closed session; open session minutes are available for inspection, closed session minutes are restricted. Confidential matters including the following are dealt with in the closed session: human resources, litigation, and negotiations relating to property matters, and financial campaigns and strategy.

The Board has an Executive Committee that is empowered to act on its behalf between general meetings, and which is also responsible for setting general meeting agendas and approving committee work plans. The Board maintains five standing committee which review issues and report back to the Board with recommendations. The original standing committees in 1967 were: the Finance Committee; Sites Committee; Building and Property Committee; Student Recruitment, Public Relations, and Scholarship Committee; and Education Committee. In 2014, the five standing committees were the Advancement Committee, Audit and Finance Committee, Human Resources Committee, Plant and Property Committee, and University Governance Committee. The Board can appoint other standing or special committees (for specific, non-recurring tasks) as required.

Representatives of the Board also sit on the Academic Senate and its committees, as well as university and Alumni Advisory Board committees.

Created November 21, 2014 by Peter Houston

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Nipissing University. "Board of Governors." Accessed November 21, 2014. http://www.nipissingu.ca/about-us/governance/board-of-governors/Pages/default.aspx

Nipissing University. "Board of Governors committees." Accessed November 21, 2014. http://www.nipissingu.ca/about-us/governance/board-of-governors/committees/Pages/default.aspx

Nipissing University. "By-Laws - Board of Governors." Accessed November 21, 2014. http://www.nipissingu.ca/about-us/governance/board-of-governors/Pages/By-Laws.aspx

Nipissing University. "Governance." Accessed March 19, 2015. http://www.nipissingu.ca/about-us/governance/Pages/default.aspx