A Commitment to Professionalism

The Executive Committee conducts the ongoing business of the College between meetings of the Council. The committee makes independent decisions and recommendations within its mandate and reports to Council on its activities. It is responsible for reviewing reports from committees of Council, ad hoc committees and subcommittees.

The Executive Committee is composed of the Chair and Vice-Chair of Council, the chairs of the Accreditation, Discipline, Finance, Fitness to Practise, Investigation, Registration Appeals, Standards of Practice and Education committees, with a minimum of two publicly appointed members of Council.

In 2008, committee members brought to their decision-making many years of experience in education as teachers and administrators, and from other professional fields such as business, management consulting and civil service.

In 2008, the Executive Committee provided support to various College initiatives, including: the development of a professional advisory concerning additional qualifications, support for a professional designation for teachers who are members in good standing of the College, a review and recommendations to the Ministry of Education for a revamped Accreditation Regulation, and approving the policy intent for the development of a Fair Registration and Standards Regulation.

These initiatives highlight the professionalism of teachers teaching in Ontario by ensuring they are appropriately assessed, trained, qualified and recognized as a profession. This helps to ensure that our members and the public continue to see the self-regulation of teachers in Ontario as fair, professional and accountable.

This Executive Committee has also supported professionalism for itself as a committee and for the Council as a whole through training and/or information-sharing opportunities. For example, the Executive Committee participated in a training session designed to enhance the abilities of committee chairs to conduct effective meetings.

Council members participated in training on Council meeting procedures and in-depth information sessions including several briefings about a possible facility purchase to house the College, a review of regulatory amendments, a review of College outreach to faculty of education students and a discussion about the priorities for the fourth Council facilitated by the Council Chair.

With respect to its mandate to review committee reports, the Executive Committee supported several committee recommendations to Council to further the professionalism of teachers in Ontario, including:

• a report to the Minister on a review of the College’s accreditation processes and procedures
• proposed amendments to provide clarity to types of misconduct outlined in Regulation 437/97 – Professional Misconduct Regulation
• a process for the recruitment of a new Registrar for the College.

The Executive Committee also took the lead on certain issues, including reviewing changes to the types of certificates issued by the College and regarding a future review of the full-time Council Chair position. The committee made several appointments to fill statutory, standing, regulatory and special committee vacancies as they occurred. It made recommendations to Council regarding elected member Council vacancies as they became available.

In addition, the committee reviewed reports of the Public Interest Committee, the Ad Hoc Committee on the Stabilization of Facility Costs, and the Ad Hoc Committee on Strategies to Enhance the Quality of Relationships with College Members and College Partners.

The Executive Committee provided advice to Council regarding various policy initiatives and responses to the Minister of Education during 2008:

• the development of an open and standardized process for the appointment of Council members to ad hoc committees
• the College’s response to the Minister concerning the government’s Fair Registration Practices Review
• the College’s response to issues raised by the Minister of Education around Teacher Supply and Demand
• recommendations to Council regarding amendments to Regulation 184/97 – Teachers’ Qualifications relating to Technological Education, and entry requirements to Principals Qualifications Programs

The Executive Committee has the authority to make an interim order directing the Registrar to suspend a Certificate of Qualification if it is of the opinion that the actions or conduct of the member exposes or is likely to expose students to harm or injury. During 2008, the Executive Committee referred one case to the Discipline Committee and one case to the Fitness to Practise Committee where it requested that the matters be dealt with expeditiously.

During the year, the Chair of Council and the Registrar continued to work with education stakeholders as part of the Ontario Minister of Education’s Education Partnership Table.