Chair's report - June Board meeting
This report contains general updates and a summary of the topics discussed during open session of the June 22 Board meeting. These reports help provide context and clarity around the progression of major projects and decisions.
You can read President Johnson鈥檚 report from the meeting here.
Convocation reflections
Every year, Board members are invited to participate in SFU鈥檚 Convocation ceremonies. I was grateful to attend several ceremonies in June and it continues to be one of my favourite parts of being a member of SFU鈥檚 community. It is inspiring to see our graduates鈥�4,700 of them, and each with their own story鈥攃ross the stage supported by their families, friends, and communities. I also attended the annual Indigenous Student Centre Honouring Feast in celebration of nearly 250 Indigenous graduates and the Chancellor鈥檚 Dinner to hear from this year鈥檚 Honourary Degree recipients, and was moved by the support and pride that filled both rooms. Thank you to all the faculty and staff across the university who work so hard every year to make Convocation special for our students, and congratulations to the class of 2025!
Board membership and governance updates
Our June meeting marked both Greg Malpass and Mike McDonald鈥檚 last meetings as Order-in-Council Board members. Greg has been a vital part of the Board, bringing his business and industry expertise to the Audit Committee and formerly to the Governance, Risk, and Compliance Committee (GRCC). Likewise, as Board deputy chair and chair of the GRCC Committee, member of the Executive Committee and former chair of the Audit Committee, Mike supported the continued evolution of our Board governance model while keeping the Board accountable for upholding our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation in our decision-making. Thanks to both for your service.
We also welcomed Susan Erikson and Sam Killawee to the Board for their first meeting as faculty representative and student representative, respectively. You can learn more about Susan and Sam on our website.
The Board Office is working closely with the province鈥檚 Crown Agencies and Board Resourcing Office to appoint new members and we look forward to welcoming them soon.
The Board will reconvene in September to continue supporting the university as we navigate a challenging time (as some say, a polycrisis) for the post-secondary sector. Additionally, over the summer, the Board Office will be undertaking work to continue to improve our Board governance processes and practices at SFU. I wish students, faculty and staff a restful summer break and look forward to connecting with you again in the fall.
The next Board meeting will be on September 25, 2025. Community members are invited to view the open session meeting in person or via Zoom by completing a . A full schedule of upcoming meetings is available on our website.
Sincerely,
Paula Martin
Chair, Board of Governors
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