Note: This article was originally published in our Autumn 2020 edition of our On Call newsletter, and has not been updated.
The Executive Committee made the recommendation to use the terms Chair and Vice-Chair in lieu of President and Vice-President.
Using the term Chair and Vice-Chair in lieu of President and Vice-President at College, Council, and Committee levels is beneficial in creating a governance culture where the language used is reflective of what the role entails and is useful in terms of changing the image and perception of the work Council does.
The term ‘President’ can be perceived and often connotes a role that has representative authority. The role of the Chair, however, is not to represent any sort of constituency other than the public interest nor do they have any independent authority in decision-making processes of the Council.
The Chair is elected by the Council with the specific role of facilitating effective governance procedures in acting as Chair of the Council. They are responsible for ensuring the integrity of Council processes and making sure that the College’s strategy is formulated clearly and is well understood both within the organization and from the public perspective. Where appropriate, the Chair represents Council to outside parties.
These changes were approved by Council at the June meeting.