Operations

‘We all have a responsibility’: Meet six U of T essential staff members keeping our campuses running despite the pandemic

sungjimi — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 03:12:35 +0000

‘We all have a responsibility’: Meet six U of T essential staff members keeping our campuses running despite the pandemic sungjimi Tue, 06/02/2020 - 23:12

When the novel coronavirus forced the university to close non-essential spaces in mid-March, many staff, faculty and librarians had to adapt to remote work – sometimes while homeschooling or caregiving.

Essential staff, such as those who keep our campuses secure, clean and operational, continued to come to campus, ensuring workplaces are safe and ready to welcome everyone back once restrictions lift. In addition, residence staff and researchers have continued to come to campus to support students and conduct time-sensitive research.

“Our many essential workers are working hard to keep our facilities running,” says Ron Saporta, chief operating officer of property services and sustainability. “From responding to emergencies to fixing critical equipment to cleaning and disinfecting our physical spaces, essential staff across the university’s campuses have truly risen to the many challenges of operating during these times and adapting to new circumstances and new realities.”

The facilities and services department alone has more than 400 essential staff who continue to work on-site at the three campuses. These dedicated staff members include caretakers, tradespeople such as plumbers and electricians, building operators and engineers, property managers, fire prevention and hazardous materials specialists, switchboard operators, building patrol and campus police, recycling and waste management, campus movers, shipping and receiving and more.

In addition to maintaining the campus grounds, essential staff support on-campus residences that have remained open to house students, as well as offices and labs conducting time-sensitive or COVID-19-related research.

On any given day, hundreds of staff deliver vital services on-site and they will play a critical role in creating and supporting a safe environment once more people and activities return to campus.

Meet six essential staff members who have continued to work on campus during COVID-19.

Ryan Dow and Anastasia Shimansky: St. George Campus Police

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Ryan Dow is a staff sergeant with Campus Police (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Ryan Dow, staff sergeant of the Campus Police’s Resource Unit, says there was uneasiness among the police force when the lockdown was announced.

“When this started, we were scared. Everybody was. Nobody really understood how dangerous this virus could be,” he said. “But it came down to leadership. We all agreed to be positive instead of dwelling on the what-if scenarios and ensuring that we kept communication open to stop officer burnout.”

As staff sergeant, Dow hadn’t donned a uniform in years, but he and other police managers didn’t hesitate to wear them again in order to cover shifts for officers who had to self-isolate or had to care for their children at home. His responsibilities during the pandemic include ensuring staff have enough personal protective equipment and developing procedures to allow for physical distancing while maintaining security on campus.

Dow notes that there has been a heightened sense of unity since the pandemic began. He emphasizes the dedication of the officers and says this is something that he attributes to the university culture – one which is inclusive, approachable and supportive.

“We have each other’s backs to keep this university safe,” says Dow.

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Anastasia Shimansky is a special constable with Campus Police (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Special Constable Anastasia Shimansky echoed Dow’s initial feelings of uncertainty but adds that she has found that we are all resilient.

“The new lifestyle we’ve had to live for the last couple of months is difficult and unusual. But we’ve learned that it is doable and we can do it,” she says. “But I know it’s not easy for everyone.”

Shimansky says with less activity on campus, people have been more open about approaching the officers with questions or asking for support.

“It’s important now, more than ever, for us to be a physical presence that can provide a sense of security and comfort for the people who are still on campus,” she says.

Tarun Patel: U of T Mississauga Building Operations, lead hand engineer

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Tarun Patel, a lead hand engineer, monitors the building automation system in the Central Utilities Plant at U of T Mississauga (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

The job of a building engineer involves a lot of behind-the-scenes work. For the last 20 years, Tarun Patel, a lead hand engineer, has been helping to maintain the heating, ventilation and cooling systems – among other responsibilities – of the 29 properties on the U of T Mississauga campus.

As the team of 15 engineers manages major changes to their work as a result of the pandemic, such as staggering shifts to accommodate physical distancing, they must also manage regular yearly challenges such as the switch from heating to cooling as warmer weather approaches.

“This changeover season is a busy one,” he says. “Some of our staff members are immunocompromised so they’re in self-isolation. We’re a bit short-staffed but we’re doing our best to keep everyone comfortable, especially in the spaces where researchers are still coming in.”

Patel notes that with a smaller crew, he’s been grateful to see upper management take a hands-on approach.

“They could be working from home, but they come in every day to help us manage the load,” he says. “Everybody was anxious when the lockdown began, but our managers have always supported us from the beginning. They told us to take care of ourselves first and have provided us with extra sanitizing supplies and PPE.”

Patel says he feels less anxious now. With strict distancing and sanitizing protocols in place, plus fewer people on campus in general, he says he feels comfortable going into work.

Kwame Bloomfield: U of T Scarborough Facility Operations, assistant manager

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Kwame Bloomfield, an assistant manager with U of T Scarborough Facility Operations, labels supplies (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

A largely empty campus isn’t new for Kwame Bloomfield. As the night supervisor overseeing trades on the U of T Scarborough campus, he usually doesn’t see much of the typical campus hustle and bustle. But he says things feel different now.

“It feels a bit eerie,” he says. “Not because campus is empty, but the reason behind it.”

Now that he’s working day shifts, Bloomfield says he feels reassured to see an empty campus, knowing that people are adhering to shelter-in-place orders.

Bloomfield and his team of caretakers and tradespeople have increased their disinfecting protocols to go over each area multiple times in a day. They have also increased the number of hand sanitizer stations by 40 per cent and have ensured disinfecting wipes are available to essential staff.
He says keeping these spaces safe for university leaders, students, staff and researchers is important, but the impact goes beyond the campus.

U of T Scarborough has opened up space on campus to the disaster relief organization GlobalMedic, which is organizing food distribution to those in need in the community.

“We’re also cleaning and maintaining the space that GlobalMedic is using, so that they can continue to operate and reach those people,” Bloomfield says.

According to Bloomfield, a large part of why his job is rewarding is because he can see the impact it makes. “There’s a special sense of appreciation at U of T Scarborough – there always was,” he says. “It’s part of what makes it such a nice place to work.”

“Nowadays, everyone is thinking about everyone else’s health, even in the way they sign off on emails. There’s a lot of well-wishing and checking in on health. It’s unusual, but it’s welcome.”

Matthew Malcolm: U of T Mississauga Stores/Shipping & Receiving, supervisor

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Matthew Malcolm, supervisor at U of T Mississauga Stores, hauls in a shipment (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

When Matthew Malcolm first heard news of a potential lockdown, he started to think ahead. As the supervisor of shipping, receiving and stores at U of T Mississauga, he knew he had to stock up on supplies for researchers and other essential staff who needed them.

With many workplaces shutting down, some courier companies assumed that shipping and receiving on campus was closed and diverted supplies back to their warehouse.

“Not only was I finding alternate suppliers for our stock, but I had to contact all our couriers to let them know that we were open and accepting packages,” he says.

Malcolm, a 25-year veteran U of T staff member, knows that undelivered shipments could make a big impact on research.

“We have to ensure that we have enough supplies for researchers to reopen their labs with minimal disruption once it’s safe to do so. Being designated as ‘critical staff’ means it’s my job to make sure all of this is taken care of,” he says.

Like many, Malcolm felt a sense of uncertainty at the start of the pandemic. “It’s only natural,” he says. “But I think I’ve adjusted fairly easily and now, the out-of-the-ordinary has become ordinary.”

Stanley Czerniec: St. George campus, lead hand caretaker

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Stanley Czerniak, a lead hand caretaker, poses with a new sterilizing gun that the caretaking team has recently begun using (photo by Johnny Guatto)

In his 35 years of working at U of T as a caretaker on the St. George campus, Stanley Czerniak says the COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything he’s experienced. But despite some concerns expressed by his family and neighbours, he isn’t worried.

“If you have work to do, then you have to go to work,” he says. “We all have a lot of responsibility to take care of these buildings.”

He says it was a bit of shock when the campus became mostly vacant before the end of the spring semester, but he and his fellow caretakers quickly adjusted by implementing stricter disinfecting processes and using a new sterilizing gun. The caretaking staff have completed 3,400 projects in 75 buildings on the St. George campus, including deep cleanings and making necessary updates to lightbulbs and lamps in every room.

“I like that it’s a little quieter on campus because we’ve been able to be more productive, but I hope that this virus goes away soon and things go back to normal,” he says. “Whatever that may be.”

‘We all have a responsibility’: Meet six U of T essential staff members keeping our campuses running despite the pandemic

Building operations team member Genene Assefa checks on generator room equipment in the Central Utilities Plant at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Jenny Rodrigues

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U of T alumnus back from New York City to lead Four Corners strategy

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 18 Apr 2019 04:00:00 +0000

U of T alumnus back from New York City to lead Four Corners strategy

noreen.rasbach Thu, 04/18/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

Josh Mitchell is U of T's new director of real estate (photo courtesy of Josh Mitchell)

Jenny Rodrigues

Topic

City & Culture

Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre

Alumni

Global

Housing

Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Born and raised in Canada’s largest city, Josh Mitchell was eager to apply his knowledge in a new urban context upon completing his master’s degree in urban planning at the University of Toronto.

But after spending six years at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, most recently as a senior vice-president of real estate transactions, Mitchell is ready to return home after accepting a position as U of T’s director of real estate, where he will take the reins on the ambitious Four Corners real estate strategy.

The new strategy not only addresses the need for more student and faculty housing, innovation space and active retail space, but also sets a goal of generating revenue for the university.

“It was always my intention when leaving U of T to go and look at another city, take those skills and experiences and bring it back home and do something impactful,” Mitchell says. “The Four Corners strategy is incredibly comprehensive and has a thoughtful vision.

“Coming into it with that groundwork already locked in, I’m excited to finally take that vision and excel when the rubber hits the road and negotiate the best deals for the institution.”

Recently approved by Governing Council, the Four Corners strategy focuses on building commercially viable non-academic amenities and services on the edge of U of T’s downtown Toronto campus as well as at U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga. An example of such a project is the new Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre, a 750,000-square-foot innovation complex made possible through a $100-million investment by Onex founder and CEO Gerald Schwartz and Indigo founder and CEO Heather Reisman.

Revenue generated from Four Corners projects will be used to set up a strategic investment fund for the university, with a goal of eventually matching the annual revenue generated by U of T’s endowment.

Mitchell says Four Corners’ “double-bottom line” real estate strategy is what attracted him.

“We’re making sure that this project is financially feasible, but more importantly, the strategy is about enhancing academic and non-academic elements of the U of T student experience,” he says.

“It’s not just about financial returns – there’s a greater purpose there.”

Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president of operations and real estate partnerships, calls Mitchell “the best possible person” to roll out Four Corners.

“This is a bit of a homecoming for Josh after going down to New York City, arguably one of the most competitive real estate markets in the world,” Mabury says. “There, he demonstrated an ability to succeed in creating projects that bring people together even if their interests are disparate or perhaps not aligned.”

One of the New York projects Mitchell recently spearheaded is the forthcoming Union Square Tech Training Center, located in Manhattan’s “Silicon Alley.” The 240,000-square-foot mixed-use building will have 70,000 square feet reserved for a training centre, which has been touted as helping bridge the gap between the tech industry and New Yorkers seeking affordable job training.

“He understands the business from top to bottom, east to west, and we’re extremely fortunate to be getting someone with this track record and experience to the U of T team,” said Mabury.

As for Four Corners, Mabury cites the new 23-storey student residence at the corner of Spadina and Sussex Avenues as an example of how the development strategy aims to meet the university’s – and the city’s – needs. He adds that plans to develop more housing at U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga are also under way.

Finding innovative ways to fulfil the needs of the U of T community is something Mitchell is looking forward to doing through the Four Corners strategy.

“There’s basically a laundry list of amenities that would really enhance the downtown Toronto campus, as well as the Scarborough and Mississauga campuses,” he says. “Those are incredibly opportunistic portfolios. There’s underutilized land to do really interesting things with.”

Another plus: coming back to work at his alma mater after a six-year hiatus from the city means seeing U of T with fresh eyes.

“Being born and raised in Toronto, you grow up with certain biases about the city,” he says.

“But when you leave for five or six years and come back, you see everything with a fresh perspective. I’m really looking forward to doing that.”

U of T responds to expert panel's review of Asbestos Management Program

geoff.vendeville — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 04:00:00 +0000

U of T responds to expert panel's review of Asbestos Management Program

geoff.vendeville Tue, 03/26/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

Geoffrey Vendeville

Topic

Our Community

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Operations

An independent panel led by an outside expert has determined that the University of Toronto follows best practices and exceeds provincial requirements when it comes to managing asbestos.

The three-person panel also found that U of T's Environmental Health and Safety staff were highly trained, qualified and competent.

“Our top priority is the safety of our students, faculty, staff and all those who use U of T’s three campuses,” said Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president of university operations and real estate partnerships and vice-provost of academic operations.

“We share the community’s concern on this issue and we’re committed to be transparent as we make changes, improve awareness and increase education and outreach efforts.”

The panel met with staff involved in the Asbestos Management Program and Environmental Health and Safety, as well as representatives of student and staff and faculty groups. They received written comments and were given time to conduct a thorough review before submitting their report on Feb. 22.

They made 10 recommendations involving oversight, education, exposure limits and communication. In its response, the university said:

It has already increased oversight of contractors who do work across the three campuses that may involve asbestos-containing materials. In future, the university will require contractors to take a standard approach to measuring asbestos levels.
U of T will more clearly articulate the roles, responsibilities and reporting lines of those involved in the Asbestos Management Program and health and safety.
It will improve health and safety training for department leaders, managers and directors, as well as create a tool kit for new leaders so they are aware of their duties and relevant information on the environmental health and safety website.

Regarding the university’s asbestos management policy and related documents on the websites of the Office of Environmental Health & Safety and Facility and Services, the panel wrote: “Taken together, they are consistent with legislated provincial requirements, if not more restrictive in some places, and generally appear to be serving the university well.”

The panel also noted that U of T uses an internal “action limit” that is 50 per cent stricter than the province’s occupational exposure limit.

Read the panel's report and the university's response

The panel was formed in response to concerns about airborne asbestos in the Medical Sciences Building while it was undergoing major renovations. In early 2017, dust containing asbestos was found in lab-related rooms and the labs were temporarily closed, cleaned and tested. Subsequent air samples by an independent consultant showed the building was “safe for general occupancy.”

The panel's three members were chosen for their expertise. It was led by epidemiologist Jack Siemiatycki of the Université de Montréal, who has written over 150 peer-reviewed articles and sat on more than 100 national and international committees, including at Health Canada, the U.S. National Cancer Institute and the World Health Organization.

The other panel members were Andrea Sass-Kortsak, an associate professor in the division of occupational and environmental health at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and Roland Hosein, an adjunct professor in the same division and former vice-president of environment, health and safety at General Electric Canada.

Asebestos was once widely used in construction materials such as sprayed fire-proofing, thermal insulation, ceiling tiles, floor tiles and electrical insulation. Due to the risks it poses to human health when airborne, it was phased out in most industrialized countries starting in the 1970s, and banned in Canada last year.

At the university, it is standard practice to remove asbestos-containing materials in the leadup to major renovations. U of T also keeps a detailed, publicly accessible database of locations where asbestos is known to be present.

Business continuity planning: A risk and responsibility shared by all

sungjimi — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 19:25:27 +0000

Business continuity planning: A risk and responsibility shared by all sungjimi Wed, 03/06/2019 - 14:25

When Toronto was hit with record-breaking rainfall in the summer of 2013, University of Toronto was not spared. Approximately 40 buildings on the downtown Toronto campus experienced significant flooding that resulted in $180,000 of damage.

“That flooding event helped focus us. We really do need to be more forward-looking and formalized in our business continuity planning,” said Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president of operations and real estate partnerships (OREP).

Business continuity is part of the emergency management cycle that connects the emergency response phase to the recovery phase. How do you resume operations in the event of an emergency? What are your division’s priorities when resources are limited? These questions – and more – are what a business continuity plan, or BCP, aims to answer.

In 2018, a BCP Committee was formed and tasked with the establishment and integration of central institutional plans. These plans facilitate the recovery of critical functions like services to provide security, food and shelter in the case of emergency. The committee also focused on ensuring services such as the campus alert system and payroll will continue to function no matter the event. Following the implementation of a central BCP, business units should plan to launch their own plan locally and simultaneously.

In an effort to encourage individual faculties and divisions to draft their own plans, and in collaboration with other institutional portfolios, OREP has set up an online business continuity planning hub. The website details the essential functions the institution is responsible for and includes guidelines and templates to help individual U of T divisions craft a BCP tailored to their needs.

“What we need as an institution in order to continue functioning in a short-term emergency scenario are things like building operations, power, central IT and payroll. Down to the local level, we’re leaving that up to the divisions to decide which piece they need to tap into,” said Mabury.

During an emergency, where the institutional BCP kicks in, business units should plan to launch their own plan locally and simultaneously with institutional operations, as appropriate.

“Where do the divisions intersect with central operations on their business continuity needs and where can we support each other?” said Elizabeth Cragg, director of office of the vice-president of operations and real estate partnerships. “It’s all about looking at the gaps in our existing BCPs and assessing how we can help each other fill those gaps, but the divisions have to be the ones to tell us what their needs and priorities are.”

Also included on the BCP website are examples of real incidents that affected other higher education institutions in Canada and the United States, which illustrate the wide variety of events that can impact a university. The list includes the 2003 SARS outbreak that claimed the lives of 44 people in Canada.

“Staff couldn’t get to work because they were ill, or because they were caring for others. Students in residence were ill and a long way from home and people’s movements were limited across the city” said Cragg. “The human side of things really impacts the university’s ability to do business on a regular basis.”

With that in mind, Mabury stressed the importance of forming a concise and simple BCP for each unit with feasible actions laid out, and with specific roles and responsibilities identified.

“Resilience is the main goal of creating business continuity plans,” he said.

“At the same time, we want everyone to have ownership over their plans so that they recognize that it’s their responsibility in whatever role they’re in. We’re all a part of this. This is everybody’s risk.”

Business continuity planning: A risk and responsibility shared by all

Boon Teak Lee, U of T's former chief engineer at the university's central steam plant, explains its operations on a student tour. Steam is delivered to many buildings across campus for heating spaces and making hot water. (Photo by Jon Horvatin)

Jenny Rodrigues

Off

U of T seeks to clarify recent report about its financial position

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 13:56:15 +0000

U of T seeks to clarify recent report about its financial position

noreen.rasbach Tue, 03/05/2019 - 08:56

Cutline

(photo by Laura Pedersen)

Topic

Our Community

Budget

Operations

The University of Toronto is fortunate to have $5.9 billion in assets – and is a careful steward of the funds entrusted to it by students, their families, government and donors – but that does not mean it’s sitting on a budgetary surplus.

Scott Mabury, the university’s vice-president of operations and real-estate partnerships, said it was important for U of T to clear the air following a recent, erroneous media report about its financial statements.

“The $5.9 billion includes the value of our property on all three campuses and the money entrusted to us in perpetuity by our donors to fund specific needs such as student aid and research,” Mabury said.

“To characterize this as a surplus is a gross misrepresentation.”

Mabury said there were also incorrect reports that U of T is specifically sitting on $465 million in surplus revenue from the prior year. Instead, he said the figure reflects a number of sizable investments that U of T is required by accounting rules to expense over a period of several years.

The investments in question include projects like the Myhal Centre for Engineering, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Highland Hall at the University of Toronto Scarborough and University of Toronto Mississauga’s North Building B.

“We know how hard our students and their families work to get a university education,” Mabury said, adding that U of T takes its obligation to provide that education – both now and in the future – seriously.

“It’s disheartening to see such inaccurate information about our efforts reported in the media, especially when it’s clearly laid out in public documents.”

'Four corners': U of T unveils development strategy for on-campus housing, other key services

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 15:54:58 +0000

'Four corners': U of T unveils development strategy for on-campus housing, other key services

noreen.rasbach Mon, 11/26/2018 - 10:54

Cutline

Left, a rendering of the new highrise residence at Spadina Avenue and Sussex Avenue, the first new residence built at U of T in nearly two decades; right, a rendering of the proposed innovation centre at the corner of College Street and University Avenue

Topic

The University of Toronto will address a critical need for on-campus housing, innovation space and other services with a plan that also creates a future source of revenue to help fund U of T’s academic mission – and contributes to the vitality of the city’s urban fabric.

The approach is laid out in a policy framework dubbed the “four corners strategy” that goes before Governing Council’s business board for approval today.

It’s meant to guide the university’s thinking as it goes about building new non-academic amenities and services on the periphery of U of T’s downtown Toronto campus, as well as at U of T Scarborough and U of T Mississauga.

“Four corners is about building sustainably with quality designs and enhancing the public realm,” says Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice-president of university operations.

Examples of such forward-thinking projects include a new highrise residence at Spadina Avenue and Sussex Avenue, the first new residence built at U of T in nearly two decades, and a proposed 14-storey innovation centre at the corner of College Street and University Avenue – right across from the MaRS Discovery District.

“Because these are commercially viable projects – the innovation centre will house startup companies and corporate research partners – we anticipate being able to generate financial returns for the institution that can be used toward future academic investments,” Mabury says.

“This is all about building non-academic spaces we need today in a way that supports the University of Toronto’s academic and strategic priorities tomorrow.”

U of T has set an “ambitious goal” of generating $50 million per year by 2033 through the development of roughly 3.5 million square feet of new space devoted to campus services and amenities, which also includes office and retail spaces, according to Mabury. The money will be used to create a strategic investment fund to advance U of T’s mission in research and teaching.

Down the road, the plan is to eventually match the annual revenue generated by U of T’s endowment, Mabury says.

The new framework, dubbed “four corners” to reflect its broad application across U of T-owned lands in Greater Toronto, also calls for “thoughtful planning and design” of all projects to encourage a porous campus edge and engagement with local communities and the city more broadly.

The proposed U of T innovation centre, for example, is a striking, sloping tower that sits atop a soaring, glass-walled atrium – an effort to welcome the public into the building and connect those inside with the city beyond. The centre’s interior, meanwhile, is designed to encourage collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs and corporate partners through the inclusion of airy public spaces, including some that stretch vertically between floors.

New report calls for greater awareness, understanding of role of campus police

lanthierj — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 11:17:36 +0000

New report calls for greater awareness, understanding of role of campus police

lanthierj Tue, 02/14/2017 - 06:17

Cutline

The review was prompted by events at a student-organized rally on the steps of Sidney Smith Hall (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Our Community

Students

Operations

Human Resources & Equity

The University of Toronto needs to raise awareness of the role of campus police at events where controversial topics are debated, a new report recommends.

The recommendation is one of seven included in a review of events that took place during a student-organized rally last October. The review was conducted by Alexis Archbold, the assistant dean of the J.D. program at the Faculty of Law.

“This review gives us an important framework for discussions with students about the need to create an environment which allows people to safely express their points of view,” said Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president of Human Resources & Equity.

“Our campuses should be a place where debate happens with respect and civility.”

Hannah-Moffat requested the review, along with Vice-President Operations Scott Mabury.

“We need to make sure people understand the role that campus police play,” Mabury said. “This review highlights that.”

Bill C-16, which seeks to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to add gender identity and gender expression to the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination, extending rights and safety protections to transgender people, had been hotly debated in the weeks leading up to the October rally. The rally drew a crowd to the steps of Sidney Smith Hall that included members of the public as well as the campus community, some of whom came to protest against the event. Some members of the groups clashed and Toronto Police Services were called to assist. Two students were later charged for allegedly committing assaults.

Archbold, who conducted 21 interviews and reviewed videos and social media posts about the event, reached three conclusions in her review.

The review concluded that multiple factors contributed to making the October 11 event “unusually chaotic and challenging.” It also found campus police attempted to maintain the peace in an unbiased manner and performed its duties in keeping with its scope and authority. And it found that the concerns of the students about police conduct at the rally indicate there is a significant misalignment between students’ expectations of campus police and the scope of its authority.

Campus police, the review notes, were given standard instructions for a rally of this kind and positioned themselves around the perimeter, moving in if physical conflict looked like it was going to occur or was occurring and moving back to let the event continue if it was safe to do so. At the same time, the report finds that during the rally several students asked campus police why they weren’t arresting or removing certain people and why certain activities were being permitted to continue.

Other recommendations in the report include discussions between the university administration and students about freedom of speech, campus climate, civility and safety and a review of the complaint-based process used by campus police with a view to identifying obstacles that may discourage students from using the complaint process.

The review also recommends creating a way for people to report the presence of “persons of interest” from outside the university to police so that their activities on campus can be monitored. And it recommends the university educate students about the risks of organizing outdoor events, where crowds and behaviour are harder to control.

The administration also needs to clarify its own role and obligations during such student events, the review says.

See report for a full list of the recommendations

The review was prompted by two letters. One letter, sent by the University of Toronto Students Union to the provost, said police failed to protect transgender and Black students from verbal and physical aggression. Another, open letter complained that the university failed to condemn the actions of protesting students at the rally.

The review finds that factors that made the event challenging included “the outdoor setting, lack of clear organizer, use of white noise through loudspeakers by protesting students to disrupt the rally, the request by protesting students that another student group attend the rally to protect them and the participation of individuals on both sides of the issue who instigated conflict and violence.”

Campus police are governed by a complaints-based process, the review notes. That process requires an individual to give their name and contact information and make a formal statement of complaint against another individual. The review found that “some students do not fully understand campus police’s role and the scope of its powers,” later noting that information on the university’s web site “provides almost no guidance to students about what they can expect from campus police at an event like the October 11th rally” and no information about the complaints-based process and how it works.

“The university should develop publicly available information on this topic and disseminate it broadly to students through a variety of channels including the university web site, student government and student clubs,” it recommends.

Professor Scott Mabury reappointed as U of T's vice-president, university operations and vice-provost, academic operations

lanthierj — Wed, 04 Jan 2017 15:20:10 +0000

Professor Scott Mabury reappointed as U of T's vice-president, university operations and vice-provost, academic operations

lanthierj Wed, 01/04/2017 - 10:20

Cutline

Scott Mabury: “I’m quite proud that we as an institution have adopted the most energy efficiency standards of any universities of which we are aware” (photo by Steve Frost)

Noreen Ahmed-Ullah

Author legacy

Noreen Ahmed-Ullah

Topic

As a professor of environmental chemistry, Scott Mabury is one of the most highly cited scholars in his field.

And, as the University of Toronto’s vice-president of university operations and vice-provost, academic operations, Professor Mabury is also one of U of T’s most highly sought decision-makers.

Mabury was already serving as vice-provost, academic operations when the University created the position of vice-president, university operations and appointed Mabury to the role on Jan. 1, 2012. On Dec. 15, Governing Council reappointed Mabury as vice-president and vice-provost for another five-year term.

“Under Professor Mabury’s leadership, the University Operations portfolio has executed on an impressive number of initiatives across a wide spectrum of activity,” President Meric Gertler said in a statement. “His mantra has been ‘out-of-the-box thinking with off-the-shelf practicality.’”

Mabury’s achievements include:

• Creating the Utilities Reduction Revolving Fund, which has seen many divisions save money by reducing energy use

• Saving $54 million last year – a year ahead of schedule – through retrofits to improve operations and maximize efficiency

• Creating entrepreneurial space in the Banting & Best buildings for U of T-affiliated startups

• Receiving $84 million in federal strategic investment funding for rehabilitation of almost half of our research space including major projects at U of T Mississauga and U of T Scarborough

• Negotiating a 20-per-cent equity stake at MaRS, recruiting JLABS to occupy part of the space and overseeing construction of the new Law building – on schedule and on time.

“Professor Mabury has demonstrated a tremendous capacity to improve the work of the University while at the same time exercising prudent management of our limited resources,” President Gertler said.

Mabury is the only academic in this role at a Canadian university.

And he says it’s the scholarly part of his brain – specifically, chemistry – that helps the administrative side find efficiencies in day-to-day operations at U of T.

“In chemistry, from a scholarship perspective, we think about the architecture of molecules and how the different atoms fitting together will alter their properties,” Mabury said. “To do that, we need to understand how things work, and usually in chemistry, we want to improve the efficiency of a reaction with higher yields.

“So optimizing how things work is a theme that exports out of chemistry into this job. I find it an engaging exercise to optimize how things work with a clear mind to what the overall goal is.”

The overall goal is returning saved dollars to the classroom.

One project that touches every student, and most faculty and administrative staff, is the multi-year Next Generation Student Information Services (NGSIS). For the past six years, Mabury has co-sponsored NGSIS with the Vice-Provost Students.

“This program has dramatically enhanced student experience,” said Robert Cook, the University’s former chief information officer. “Scott drove us to first stabilize the performance of existing services and then introduce dozens of innovations such as the integrated ACORN interface, and tools like Degree Explorer and a Financial Planning Calculator.

“Scott has championed U of T's collaboration with other universities to explore new ways of doing things and to save costs. His commitment to value has driven NGSIS and everything done across his portfolio.”

Those who work under Mabury are amazed at everything he can get done in a given day.

“He has this magical additional 24 hours that none of us have,” said Elizabeth Cragg, who is the director of the office of the vice-president of university operations. “And he trusts us to do our best job, which is empowering. If he wasn’t a professor, he would have made an amazing preacher.

“You just want to follow him. He’s the Pied Piper.”

Mabury’s work schedule now begins at 7 a.m., to cram in meetings that no longer fit into a schedule that once began at 8. His portfolio oversees 1,650 employees across three campuses, departments that range from food services to IT, facilities, capital projects and campus planning.

Supporting the provost, he helps to put together the University’s annual operating budget and multi-year budget plans.

And his academic life includes regular meetings with graduate students, a graduate-level course he partially teaches and PhD dissertations to review.

On a personal note, he and his Riverdale neighbours recently sponsored a Syrian refugee family who lived in his home for a month.

If that wasn’t enough, he also has a farm 1½ hours east of the city where he goes every weekend to plant seeds, practice no-till farming and get his hands dirty.

“It’s part of the work-life balance,” he said in a recent interview with U of T News. “Lots of brain work here, and then lots of physical work there.”

From his office tucked into a loft-like corner in Simcoe Hall, surrounded by his daughter’s paintings, Mabury talked about his vision and what’s ahead for the University.

“I’m quite proud that we as an institution have adopted the most energy efficiency standards of any universities of which we are aware,” he said. “That was something we did in the spring after the presidential response to the divestment report. It will demonstratively make a difference. We will change how we design and build buildings to make them more energy efficient.”

Sally Garner, executive director of planning and budget at U of T, said Mabury brings a “creative and forward-thinking approach” to the budget process.

“He has contributed enormously to the University’s ability to grapple with the many financial challenges currently being faced by all public universities,” Garner said. “He has a particular ability to strategically connect the academic and financial dots and to articulate critical budget messages to the broader University community.

“Rarely a week goes by when Professor Mabury doesn’t bring a new idea to the table.”

For the future, Mabury will be focused on development of the University’s real estate. At Spadina Avenue and Bloor Street, U of T is exploring developing retail, office, residential and academic space. In the Huron Sussex community to the west of Robarts Library, the University is working with its neighbours and planning residences for undergrads, grads and townhouses – hoping to contribute to affordable housing in the city.

“We’re going to build 10 to 12 faculty townhouses there because we hear the challenges of deans and recruiting faculty,” he said. “New faculty would love to be close to where they’re kick-starting their careers.”

Mabury hopes by developing real estate assets, the University can produce annual revenues that match the endowment payout of about $60 million – money that would be channelled back to the classroom.

Perhaps one of the most prominent initiatives Mabury will spearhead – one that will touch many Torontonians – will be the transformation of U of T’s downtown Toronto campus,

“The most important project that we’re involved with is pedestrianizing the historic core and returning it to people as opposed to cars,” Mabury said. “Our heritage assets that you see – Convocation Hall, Hart House, the grand stately University College and Croft Chapter House – the view and connection with those buildings for faculty, staff and students is obstructed by cars and roads.

“We want to remove that obstruction and prioritize pedestrians and bicyclists.”

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Professor Scott Mabury reappointed as U of T's vice-president, university operations and vice-provost, academic operations