Regulations Governing the Election of the Chancellor of the University of Guelph

Regulations Governing Election of the Chancellor of the University of Guelph

Approved: Senate – December 5, 2012

 

According the University of Guelph Act, Senate is responsible for the election of the Chancellor:

15. There shall be a Chancellor elected by the Senate, who shall be the titular head of the University, who shall confer all degrees and who shall, subject to the will of the Senate, hold office for three years and until his successor is elected.

According to Senate’s own bylaws, the Chancellor is an ex-officio member of Senate.

Call for Nominations and Approval of the Membership of the Chancellor Selection Committee

A Chancellor Selection Committee shall be established to conduct a search and to recommend to Senate a candidate for election as Chancellor.  The composition of the Chancellor Selection Committee shall be as follows:

  • President (Chair)
  • 3 tenured faculty members (Professional Librarians are also eligible)
  • 2 undergraduate students
  • 1 graduate student
  • 1 member of the Board of Governors (chosen by and from the Board of Governors)
  • 1 University of Guelph Alumnus/ Alumna (chosen by and from the UGAA)
  • 1 regular full-time staff members
  • University Secretary or designate (non-voting)

Faculty, staff, and student members of a Chancellor Selection Committee shall be identified as follows:

  1. There will be a call for nominations issued by the University Secretariat to faculty, staff, and students across the University
  2. Nominations received will be reviewed by the Senate Bylaws & Membership Committee which shall compose a membership slate according to the Senate-approved Modus Operandi, and following applicable Senate bylaws and regulations, will recommend a slate of Committee candidates to Senate for approval.
  3. Committee candidates need not be Senators.
  4. Committee candidates who are faculty must hold tenure; Professional Librarians are also eligible.
  5. Committee candidates who are staff members must be regular full-time employees of the University.
  6. Committee candidates who are students who are anticipated to retain their student status until the Chancellor Selection Committee completes its function will be given preference in preparing a slate of Committee candidates for recommendation to Senate.

The membership slate shall be presented for approval to Senate by the Bylaws & Membership Committee, in accordance with Senate procedures and regulations.

Call for Suggested Candidates for the Office of Chancellor and Committee Process

The Selection Committee will develop its own procedures for the conduct of the search, but will:

  • consult widely within the university community as to the desirable characteristics of a chancellor
  • encourage and solicit suggestions from the university community for possible candidates
  • receive and review information on suggested candidates

To facilitate participation by the community, this consultation and solicitation shall be timed to be undertaken over at least one Fall or Winter semester.

It is extremely important that the Committee’s work be carried out with the highest level of confidentiality. Therefore, the Committee meets in closed session and all of its discussions and deliberations are considered confidential. Normally, only members of the Committee may attend meetings of the Committee.

Election of the Chancellor

The report, including the name of the recommended candidate, shall be presented to Senate in Closed Session by the Senate Priorities and Planning Committee. The name of the recommended candidate shall be presented in the form of a ballot for election, accompanied by a one page biographical summary. The election of the Chancellor shall be timed so that it occurs in either the Fall or Winter semester.

To be accepted for election as Chancellor, the candidate must receive support from no fewer than three-fourths of the members of Senate voting.

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