Chair's report - March Board meeting
This report contains general updates and a summary of the topics discussed at open session of the March 26 Board meeting. Items discussed at this meeting represent matters of importance at the highest level of the institution, and these reports will 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.
I spent some time at our March board meeting reflecting on the environment that 51社区黑料and the Board of Governors are operating in. It is an unstable and unpredictable time, and I know that many students, faculty and staff at 51社区黑料are being affected by current events.
I recently attended the Chancellor and President鈥檚 Awards Dinner in celebration of several distinguished community leaders, and that inspiring event was a reminder of how much the 51社区黑料community can accomplish and how much incredible work is happening each day in our communities, despite the chaos of the world around us.
During these challenging times, I believe the most important thing we can do as a board is to continue making values-based decisions and be steadfast in our efforts to advance SFU鈥檚 vision of building an inclusive and sustainable future.
Board elections
51社区黑料recently held elections for new student and staff representatives on the Board of Governors. I was pleased that we received so much interest in these positions and would like to congratulate the electees:
- Aiden Gough was elected undergraduate student representative for term of office from June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027
- Evan Accettola was elected graduate student representative for term of office from June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027
- Naz Babaeipanah was elected staff representative for term of office from June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2029
We look forward to welcoming our new members in June, and to the diverse perspectives they will bring to the board. We are also grateful for the contributions of outgoing members Carolyn Hanna, Sam Killawee and Colin Gervais.
Committee appointments and future planning
At the January meeting of the Governance, Risk and Compliance Committee, the Committee held a focused discussion on governance priorities for the board over the coming years and drafted a set of governance goals for consideration and approval by the Board.
The priorities identified through this discussion, which will guide the Board鈥檚 work moving forward, are:
- Strengthen strategic governance
- Foster inclusive and engaged Board governance
- Enhance integration across governance bodies
- Support the university鈥檚 ability to adapt and thrive
This self-reflective work is intended to ensure that we continue working together in the best interests of the university and that we work collaboratively with Senate and university administration to fulfill our obligations in alignment with institutional priorities.
Due to changes in Board composition, the Board has also appointed new committee leadership. Raphael Tachie has assumed the role of chair of the Finance, Investment and Property Committee, and Kamal Basra has assumed the role of chair of the Governance, Risk and Compliance Committee. Thank you to Raphael and Kamal for taking on these leadership roles and for your continued service and commitment to the work of the Board.
The next Board meeting will take place on May 21, 2026 and the schedule of upcoming meetings can be found on our website. I highly encourage community members to get involved and attend the open session in person or via Zoom by completing a .
I also want to highlight that all meeting agendas and materials for our open Board sessions are shared publicly, allowing community members to stay informed about our discussions.
Sincerely,
Carol Herbert
Chair, Board of Governors
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