Annual Activities Report -- Metropolis Project CERIS Toronto Fiscal Year 1997-98 Submitted to SSHRC April 30, 1998 Management Structure and Activities Management Board The CERIS Management Board consists of three representatives each from the three founding universities (Ryerson Polytechnic University, University of Toronto and York University) as well as delegates from the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI), the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto (SPC), and the United Way of Greater Toronto. At the beginning of our second year of activities, representatives of CIC and SSHRC joined the CERIS Management Board as ex-officio members. Carl Amrhein of the University of Toronto was elected as Chair of the Management Board, replacing Michael Lanphier of York University who so competently guided us through our first year of activities. From Ryerson Polytechnic University Gloria Roberts-Fiati replaced Marie Truelove, and from York University Paul Anisef replaced Stan Shapson. Later in the year Jenny Ratansi-Rodriques (Senior Manager, Agency Services) was chosen by the United Way of Greater Toronto as their representative to the CERIS Management Board; for the SPC Peter Clutterbuck (Executive Director) replaced Mwarigha M.S. (Program Director); and for OCASI Mirando Pinto replace Sharmini Peries. A complete list of members of the CERIS Management Board during the past year is provided in the Appendices -- Composition of Management Board. The Management Board met approximately every two months during the past year. Among the major issues addressed by the Board were the following: determination and supervision of the research competition (RFP and adjudication) process expansion of the CERIS research domains and appointment of domain leaders formalization of the process of affiliation with CERIS consultations on research priorities and partnerships with community and government representatives adding two PAC representatives (one voting and one non-voting) to the Management Board policy support to the Data Committee in dealing with Metropolis license conditions and negotiating the joint data purchase evaluation of the Metropolis Management Review Sincere thanks must be expressed to all CERIS Management Board members, past and present, for their invaluable contributions. Partnership Advisory Council Support to the Management Board in governing CERIS is provided by the Partnership Advisory Council (PAC), which consolidated its functioning during the past year. The PAC consists of representatives of immigrant service agencies, community agencies, social planning councils, the education sector, municipal and health planning bodies, and Ontario branches of some of the Metropolis federal funding partners. A complete list of members of the CERIS Partnership Advisory Council is provided in the Appendices -- Composition of Partnership Advisory Council. The PAC several times this spring to discuss its role and to formalize it Terms of Reference. Seine Mankovsky from the Access & Equity Centre, Municipality of Metro Toronto, and Wendy Kwong from the Community Development and Multicultural Health Services, Toronto Public Health Department were selected to be the acting co-chairs to guide this process. At the September meeting of the PAC, four people were chosen to act as the PAC Executive. They are Mary Alberti of the Community Service Division of the Family Services Association of Metropolitan Toronto; Wendy Kwong from Community Development and Multicultural Health Services at Toronto Public Health Department; Tim Owen, Associate Executive Director of COSTI; and Khan Rahi, Executive Director of the Access Action Council of Metropolitan Toronto. Khan Rahi was also selected as Chair of the PAC Executive. Along with general liaison with the CERIS directors and staff, these persons represent the PAC on two seats (one voting and one non-voting) on the CERIS Management Board. PAC meetings during the year discussed CERIS research priorities, the development of a training program to build community capacity for full participation in the research process, and research initiatives among its members and other community agencies. PAC members participated actively in the July retreat which shaped our 1998 RFP, helped recruit community representatives for the adjudication process, and made major contributions to CERIS' efforts to secure expanded funding. Khan Rahi, Chair of the PAC Executive, also acts as Chair of the Major Research Initiatives (MRI) Working Group established by the Management Board. The support and active involvement of the members of the PAC and its Executive were vital to the success of CERIS' activities in the past year. Back to Table of Contents