About the Board of Governors
The University of Victoria Board of Governors is one of two primary governing bodies of the university (the other being the UVic Senate). The board is responsible for the management, administration and control of the property, revenue and business affairs of the university.
The board consists of the chancellor, the president, two elected faculty members, one elected staff member, two students elected from the university’s undergraduate or graduate student societies, and eight members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. A chair and vice-chair are elected annually to one-year terms.
The board approves the strategic direction and policy of the university, as well as the operating budget framework and capital project expenditures. It sets tuition, maintains UVic’s real property and other assets, and approves procedures for appointing senior academic administrators, faculty and staff. It appoints the university president and both supports and holds the president accountable
The board meets six times each year. Each two-day session consists of an initial day of committee meetings followed by separate open and closed sessions of the entire board.
“Serving on the board was an exciting and challenging experience,” says Dr. Eric Sager (history), who has served as an elected faculty member. “It was a privilege to have a role in the management and approval of the university’s property, its finances and its strategic directions.”
More information about the board, including the roster of current members, the meeting schedule and minutes from past meetings: www.uvic.ca/universitysecretary/governors/index.php
New members of the Board of Governors 2011-12
NAV BASSI—Elected staff member
Nav Bassi is the director of Academic and Administrative Services for University Systems at the University of Victoria as well as the chief technology officer for the Gustavson School of Business. Previously, he was responsible for establishing the Project Management Office for University Systems. Bassi holds a BSc in computer science and an MBA (service management) from UVic, as well as a Master’s Certificate in Project Management and the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential. He has taught management information systems for the Gustavson MBA program and economics for the Division of Continuing Studies at UVic.
JENN BOWIE—Elected student member
Jenn Bowie is pursuing an English major and film minor with a deep interest in policy and governance. For the past two years she has been heavily involved in the University of Victoria Students’ Society and currently serves as UVSS director of student affairs, a role that engages with all forms of student group on campus. Having spent the last four years at UVic, Bowie has “learned a lot about the university and gained a lot of useful experience that I am eager to put to good use at the Board of Governors level.”
PETER DRIESSEN—Elected faculty member
Peter Driessen was appointed at UVic in 1985, and is currently a professor in the Faculty of Engineering with cross-appointments in music and computer science. His teaching and research interests include music technology, sound recording, audio signal processing and multimedia. He has over 100 publications and 14 patents and holds research funding from NSERC, SSHRC and the Canada Council for the Arts. Driessen was elected by members of the faculty to serve on the Board of Governors for a three-year term 2005-08. He served on the executive of the Faculty Association for four years, and is currently vice-president of the association. Other contributions to UVic include service on Senate, the Senate Committee on Libraries and as faculty library representative.
LINDSAY LEBLANC—Order-in-council appointee
Lindsay LeBlanc holds a BCom (Hons) from the University of Northern British Columbia and an LLB from the University of Victoria. She was admitted to the British Columbia bar in 2006. As a partner with the law firm of Cox, Taylor, she focuses on property land development, corporate and commercial law, estate planning, foreclosure, and administrative and municipal matters. LeBlanc has served as director-at-large on the Aboriginal Law Student Scholarship Trust Committee of the Canadian Bar Association and as legal director of the Vancouver Island Sexual Health Society, and was treasurer and director of the Victoria section of the Canadian Bar Association, Young Lawyers. Her current one-year term on the Board of Governors began on July 31, 2011.
TARA PATERSON—Elected student member
Tara Paterson is chairperson of the University of Victoria Students’ Society, having served during 2010-11 as a UVSS director-at-large. She is pursuing a double major honours degree in political science and women’s studies. Paterson is an active volunteer and organizer in the community and previously served on several student groups.