Call for Nominations for the Position of Chancellor of Trinity College

Posted: November 30, 2022

The Chancellor Search Committee of Trinity College, University of Toronto, invites nominations for the position of Chancellor of Trinity College for a four-year term, ideally commencing on or before July 1, 2023.

The Honourable William C. Graham was the College’s 12th Chancellor and was serving in the role when he died in August 2022. Chancellor Graham’s tireless and exemplary work on behalf of the College over the past 15 years is deeply appreciated by the entire Trinity community—a community he strengthened and supported in innumerable ways throughout his tenure.

Founded in 1851, Trinity College is the smallest college on the St. George Campus at the University of Toronto. Trinity is widely known for the outstanding quality of its graduates and its programs. The College has over 1,800 undergraduate students who are enrolled in the university’s Faculty of Arts & Science, and about 140 students in Trinity’s Faculty of Divinity, Canada’s oldest Anglican theological school. The College seeks to provide students with an outstanding education in an environment that encourages individuality, creativity and robust engagement. Trinity College is a welcoming, inclusive environment that aims to ensure that all students flourish and enjoy a sense of belonging. Trinity’s graduates are known for making a positive impact on the community and the world and they go on to be leaders in all walks of life. Trinity College embraces the future while connecting to its storied past. The beauty of Trinity’s historic buildings speaks to the legacy of the institution and its pride in the College’s heritage.

The Chancellor is the ceremonial head of Trinity College and its highest-ranking volunteer officer. The Chancellor should embody the core values of Trinity College and embrace the accomplishments and aspirations of Trinity and its community. In this role, the Chancellor is an advocate for the vision of the College as it is articulated by the Provost and endorsed by the College’s governing committees. The Chancellor plays an essential ambassadorial role in advancing the College’s interests.

The ideal candidate will be a distinguished person with a record of demonstrated excellence in their chosen field and in service to the community. They will have a strong public presence and profile, and well-developed relationship-building skills (see below for further information about the position).

The Chancellor is elected for a term of four years. Under the Statutes of Trinity College, the Chancellor serves as a volunteer and receives no remuneration.

Trinity College is committed to Employment Equity and Diversity based on merit, transparency, accessibility, and inclusion.

The Chancellor Search Committee will accept nominations until January 9, 2023. Complete nominations should include a letter from the nominator giving reasons for nomination, as well as a CV or biographical information for the nominee.

Nominations and requests for further information may be submitted in confidence to the address below:

College Secretary of Trinity College
Secretary, Chancellor Search Committee
Email: collegesecretary@trinity.utoronto.ca

The Position of Chancellor of Trinity College

Requirements of the Trinity College Chancellor:

The Chancellor will be elected by the Trinity College Corporation on the recommendation of the Chancellor Search Committee and shall serve for a term of four years, commencing on the 1st day of July of the year in which they are elected, and will hold office until their successor is elected. The Chancellor is eligible for reelection for one additional term of four years.

Responsibilities:

The Chancellor serves as chair of the Trinity College Corporation and is the ceremonial head of the College and its highest-ranking volunteer officer. In this role, the Chancellor is an advocate for the vision of the College as it is articulated by the Provost and endorsed by the governance bodies of the College. The Chancellor plays an essential ambassadorial role in advancing the College’s interests within the local, provincial, national and international arenas. In particular, among other things the Chancellor will assist in communicating to internal and external audiences the priorities of the College as identified by the Provost in the Strategic Plan.

Attributes:

The Chancellor will be a distinguished person with a record of demonstrated excellence in their chosen field and in their service to the community. The Chancellor will be an individual whose reputation and experience will assist the Provost in advancing the interests of the College within the larger University of Toronto federation, as well as domestically and internationally. The Statutes of Trinity College establish the role of the Chancellor.

Expectations of the Chancellor include the following:
  • Demonstrated passion for Trinity College
  • Strong public presence and profile
  • Well-developed relationship-building skills
  • Ability to fulfill the ceremonial requirements of the position
  • Integrity and commitment to inclusiveness
Desired attributes are summarized below:

(a) Relationship to the University: Ideally, the Chancellor will have an established relationship with Trinity College and the University of Toronto. The Chancellor will demonstrate a deep commitment to the College and will exemplify and symbolize the College through their conduct and the standards they set. The Chancellor will understand and will be sensitive to the needs and concerns of the College, and will share the Provost’s commitment to equity, excellence and diversity.

(b) Relationship to the University’s Communities: The Chancellor will have experience and contacts which supplement those of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees, the Provost and the Vice-Provost. The Chancellor will be an individual who has a professional and personal profile which will facilitate the administration’s efforts to make the case for support for the College and for public research universities in government and other arenas. The Chancellor will add to the ability of the College’s senior officers to represent and respond to the diverse interests found among the College’s members, alumni and friends.

(c) Community Outreach: The Chancellor will be an articulate and effective communicator, comfortable in a wide variety of public and private settings and across a diverse range of audiences. Working closely with the Provost of Trinity College, the Executive Director of Advancement, and the Vice-President, Advancement, of the University of Toronto, the Chancellor will be active, visible, and credible in fundraising campaigns. The Chancellor will have the respect of the University of Toronto as well as of the many institutions and individuals who support Trinity College and the University of Toronto.

Past Trinity College Chancellors:
  • The Hon. William C. Graham 2007-2022
  • The Hon. Michael H. Wilson 2003-2006
  • Archbishop John C. Bothwell 1991-2003
  • Archbishop Robert L. Seaborn 1983-1990
  • Archbishop Howard H. Clark 1971-1982
  • Mr. Richard C. Berkinshaw 1964-1970
  • Mr. Gerard B. Strathy 1954-1963
  • Mr. John A Worrell 1914-1927
  • Mr. Christopher Robinson 1902-1905
  • The Hon. George W. Allan 1877-1901
  • The Hon. John H. Cameron 1863-1877
  • Sir John B. Robinson 1853-1863

 

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