Guardian of process, but not a barrier: Governing Council Secretary Sheree Drummond reflects on her role

On February 25, Sheree Drummond's appointment as Secretary of the University of Toronto Governing Council was officially approved. Drummond, who had served as deputy secretary of the Governing Council since 2012, took over from long-time Secretary Louis Charpentier, who retired at the end of 2015. 

Charpentier told U of T News he was very happy that Drummond was named his successor. “Over the many years that I have worked with Sheree (I've known her since she joined the Provost's Office), I have admired and respected her profound commitment to our University and the community she serves. She brings to any conversation an enviable combination of professionalism, a focus on facts and their analysis, an ability to frame respectful questions, a ready sense of humour and, very importantly, her innate humanity and genuine concern for people. She is a remarkable U of T citizen."

U of T News sat down with Drummond recently to discuss her new position.

How do you enjoy being Secretary of Governing Council?
It’s really too early to say! While I’ve been acting as of January 1, the appointment was approved at the governing council meeting at the end of February. So far I am enjoying all the new challenges!

Did Louis Charpentier provide you with any parting words of advice?
No parting words, but he did leave me with something very special – a lapel pin that belonged to the first Secretary of the Governing Council, David Claringbold. When Claringbold retired in 1981 his staff had it made for him. When he died his widow gave it to his successor, Jack Dimond, who then gave it to Louis when he became Secretary. Louis has since presented it to me. I feel that it is a great honour. It is also a tangible reminder that I am following after others who have served our great university with distinction. 

Before you went into university work, you were a legislative assistant to an MP. How did that experience guide your career path?
My time in Ottawa gave me the opportunity to build upon my political science background and exposed me first hand to the way in which an individual’s values and beliefs can shape one’s point of view as well as the decisions that one makes. In part that experience was what led me to study theology. I wanted to understand better how some people can use the same tradition  to advance one point of view and others can use it to advance the kinds of views with which I might be better aligned. 

How did that lead you to university administration?
While  in Ottawa, I met my future husband. We were both parliamentary interns – that’s how we met. He was from Alberta and I was from Ontario. I decided to move out west when we got married. It was at that time I began my studies in theology because I thought that since I was making that physical transition, it was a good time to consider other changes. 

As I was pursuing a Master of Divinity within the Catholic tradition, I knew that as a woman there were somewhat limited opportunities for what I would be able to do with it professionally. One of the things that seemed like an obvious possibility would be working as a university chaplain. But there aren’t many of those jobs and they’re not usually vacant very often. But while I was studying in my last year, the role at St. Joseph’s College at the University of Alberta became available. As a chaplain at the U of A, I was very interested in being connected with the broader student life community within the university and so from the very beginning, I was very deliberate about having a more open relationship with the larger university structure and administration. That eventually allowed me to transition from that role into other opportunities within U of A and then the University of Toronto. 

Before you joined the Governing Council Secretariat you were assistant provost. What differences are there between the two roles? 
There are differences, but there are probably more similarities than there are differences. One of the reasons that I think the transition to the deputy secretary role was reasonably smooth was because a major part of the role of assistant provost is the intersection with governance. You’re the primary liaison for the provost’s office, but in many ways even for the broader administration on certain matters. I had a huge amount of connection with the Governing Council, with all of the assistant secretaries, with the boards, with the committees, with all of that. So when I moved into the deputy secretary role, it was interacting with all of those same processes but of course from the perspective of being within the Secretariat. 

What are the major challenges of the position?
Good question. I see two challenges. The position of Secretary to the Governing Council is one of being a guardian of process and respecting precedent, but at the same time you want to be a facilitator, you don’t want to be a barrier. The other challenge I see, is that the position requires the utmost neutrality. You have regular exposure to the senior administration and their goals and aspirations. But you also have a 50-member governing council as well as all the other members of the other bodies and they all have unique viewpoints and perspectives. As Secretary, I have to effectively navigate that and facilitate those relationships in a way that is respectful of the University’s interests as a whole.

It sounds very demanding. What do you do to unwind?
Probably like most people with any children, we spend a lot of time actually getting them to their activities. It’s actually a challenge to find the opportunity to do things together as a family. Travel is one of the ways in which we can spend time and enjoy each other’s’ company, not just in the way of chauffeuring activities. 

What’s on the horizon for Governing Council?
Our tri-campus governing structure is still new relative to U of T’s history; and I think it will continue to be a focus and a priority, likely for the next number of years. It involves not just the Secretariat, but other parties, including the administration and the members of the governing bodies themselves.