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Board of Governors

Members of the Board of Governors 2022-2023

Chair, Vice-Chair & Secretary
Ms Jane Allen Chair of the Board
Mr Brad Merkel Vice-Chair of the Board
Ms Andrea Thyret-Kidd Secretary of the Board
Ms Santee Smith Chancellor (Ex Officio)
Dr. David Farrar President & Vice-Chancellor (Ex Officio)
Dr. Susan Tighe Provost and Vice President, Academic & Chair of the University Planning Committee (Ex Officio)
Ms Jane Allen Elected by the Board of Governors
Ms Sandra Cruickshanks Elected by the Board of Governors
Mr. Stephen Elop Elected by the Board of Governors
Mr. David Horwood Elected by the Board of Governors
Ms Rebecca Jamieson Elected by the Board of Governors
Ms Mary Lou Maher Elected by the Board of Governors
Mr Kevin Nye Elected by the Board of Governors
Ms Fareen Samji Elected by the Board of Governors
Dr. Mamdouh Shoukri Elected by the Board of Governors
Dr. Emőke J.E. Szathmáry Elected by the Board of Governors
Dr. Robert Walker Elected by the Board of Governors
Mr. David Huctwith Appointed by the Board of Trustees of McMaster Divinity College
Ms Lisa Brown Appointed by the Alumni Association
Mr. David Feather Appointed by the Alumni Association
Mr. Justin Boye Appointed by the Alumni Association
Mr. Bradley Merkel Appointed by the Alumni Association
Ms Jennifer Rowe Appointed by the Alumni Association
Dr. Dina Brooks Appointed by the Senate
Dr. Lia Bronsard Appointed by the Senate
Dr. Mehdi Narimani Appointed by the Senate
Dr. Emma Apatu Elected by the Teaching Staff
Dr. Brenda Vrkljan Elected by the Teaching Staff
Ms Sarrah Lal Elected by the Teaching Staff
Dr. Deborah Sloboda Elected by the Teaching Staff
Ms Susan Galloway Elected by the Non-Teaching Staff
Ms Melissa Pool Elected by the Non-Teaching Staff
Ms Skylar (Xinyu) Wang Elected by the Graduate Students
Ms Jasmine Dhaliwal Elected by the Undergraduate Students
Mr. Ryan Clarke Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council
Vacant Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council
Mr. Michael Ferencich Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council
Dr. Natalia Lishchyna Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council
Mr. Joseph Mancinelli Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council
Ms. Silvia Stankovic Appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council
Mr. H Douglas Barber Honorary Governor
Mr. Colum P. Bastable Honorary Governor
Mr. Quentin Broad Honorary Governor
Mr. Richard Buckingham Honorary Governor
Mr. David A Lazzarato Honorary Governor
Mr. Edward A Minich Honorary Governor
Mr. Barry D. Nicol Honorary Governor
Mr. Emechete Onuoha Honorary Governor
Mr. Donald A. Pether Honorary Governor
Ms. Jagoda Pike Honorary Governor
Mr. Edward B. Priestner Honorary Governor
Mr. Edwin A. Taylor Honorary Governor
Mr. Thomas Weisz Honorary Governor
Mr. Paul Douglas Honorary Governor
Associate Secretary of the Board of Governors
Ms. Michelle Zheng

The legal responsibilities of the Board of Governors are set out in Section 9 of The McMaster University Act, 1976.  While the President and senior administrative officers exert the central influence in policy as well as providing the dominant force in management under the authority of the Board, Board members play an important role in the governance of the University, since the Board is the legal owner and the final authority for the institution whose assets and operations the Board holds in trust.  Except for such matters as are assigned by the 1976 Act to the Senate, the government, conduct, management and control of the University and of its property, revenues, business and affairs are vested in the Board. In carrying out its financial responsibilities, the Board must accept full accountability for the finances of the University, including monitoring and authorizing the annual operating budget, prudent investments, and comprehensive fund-raising activities, as well as the obligation to ensure that financial assets are appropriately managed.  The Board receives nominations from the Senate with respect to the hiring, promoting and suspending of senior administrative and teaching personnel, and delegates the appointment, promotion, suspension or removal of all other officers, agents and employees of the University to officers of the University. The Board conducts its affairs by making by-laws, resolutions and regulations to supplement the Act. The composition of the Board of Governors is described in Section 8 of the University Act.