Board of Governors

The Board of Governors is comprised of between 12 and 30 individuals, and is responsible for the government, conduct, management, and control of the University and its property.

Internal members on the Board include the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University; one Teaching Staff Governor; one Student Governor who is a member of the Algoma University Student Union (AUSU); one Non-Teaching Staff Governor; and other members appointed by the Board as per the Act, Section 8(1) sub-section 7: Senate Member, and Student Governor who is a member of the Shingwauk Anishinaabe Students Association (SASA). External members of the Board include the Chancellor of the University; three Lieutenant Governor in Council members; and other members of the Community at Large appointed by the Board as per the Act, Section 8(1) sub-section 7. At least 60 percent of the members of the Boards shall be external members.

The business of Meetings of the Board follows Robert’s Rules of Order (PDF), which provides common rules and procedures for deliberation and debate in order to place the whole membership on the same footing and speaking the same language. The conduct of ALL business is controlled by the general will of the whole membership – the right of the deliberate majority to decide. Complementary is the right of at least a strong minority to require the majority to be deliberate – to act according to its considered judgment AFTER a full and fair “working through” of the issues involved. Robert’s Rules provides for constructive and democratic meetings, to help, not hinder, the business of the assembly. Under no circumstances should “undue strictness” be allowed to intimidate members or limit full participation.

Paul Quesnele
University Secretary
705-949-2301, ext. 3060
[email protected]

Governing Documents

By-law No.1

A By-law relating generally to the conduct of the affairs of Algoma University.

VIEW BY-LAW NO.1

By-law No. 2

A By-law to set forth the eligibility criteria and election procedures for prescribed members of the Board of Governors under the Algoma University Act, 2008, S.O. 2008, c. 13.

VIEW BY-LAW NO. 2

The University maintains a Policy Roster which the Board of Governors monitors progress.

An update on the Policy Roster is presented at each Board of Governors meeting under information. To view a complete list, visit our policies and procedures section. The Board and its members are responsible for adhering to as well as maintaining policies and procedures relevant to the Board of Governors and its membership:

2025 - 2026 Meeting Schedule

Meeting materials and minutes will be posted here as they become available. Board strategy sessions will take place on October 24-25, 2025 and May 29-30, 2026.

Governance YouTube Channel

The Open Sessions of Board of Governors meetings will be live-streamed via YouTube. Visitors who wish to attend an Open Session of a Board of Governors meeting to observe the proceedings are required to advise the Secretary to the Board in advance of their intentions via email at [email protected]. Such Visitors may be required to sign-in upon arrival at the meeting and the names provided through this process may be listed among the attendees included in the official minutes of the meeting. Visitors may also be asked to comply with measures to address safety and security considerations. Whenever possible, these measures will be conveyed to Visitors in advance of their arrival at the meeting.

Date	Time	Location	Package	Report to the Board of Governors
September 29, 2025	4:30pm	CC 201 / Virtual Livestream	Open Book Board Meeting Summary	Interim President's Report Sept 2025 Interim President's Report Oct 2025
December 1, 2025	4:30pm	CC 201 / Virtual Livestream
February 9, 2026	4:30pm	CC 201 / Virtual Livestream
March 23, 2026	4:30pm	CC 201 / Virtual Livestream
April 27, 2026	4:30pm	CC 201 / Virtual Livestream
June 22, 2026	4:30pm	CC 201 / Virtual Livestream

Board of Governors Meeting Archive (2013 to Present)
If you require any of these documents in a different format please contact [email protected]

Non-Teaching Staff Governor

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Dr. Sheila Embleton

Interim President and Vice-Chancellor

Dr. Sheila Embleton is a nationally respected academic leader and scholar with extensive experience in university governance, administration, and public service. She was appointed Interim President and Vice-Chancellor of Algoma University on July 1, 2025, following a distinguished career spanning more than four decades in Canadian higher education.

A Professor Emerita of Linguistics at York University, Dr. Embleton previously served as Vice-President Academic and Provost, and was named a Distinguished Research Professor in recognition of her scholarly excellence. She holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Toronto and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, where she currently serves as President of the Academy of the Arts and Humanities.

Dr. Embleton brings a principled, collaborative leadership style shaped by her strong commitment to academic excellence, collegial governance, academic freedom, and equity. Most recently, she served as Interim President and Vice-Chancellor at Laurentian University, where she played a key role in restoring operational stability and rebuilding trust and governance across the institution.

Throughout her career, Dr. Embleton has been a strong advocate for internationalization, gender equity, and Indigenous engagement in higher education. She has served on numerous national and international academic boards and advisory councils and is widely recognized for her inclusive and strategic approach to leadership.

At Algoma University, Dr. Embleton is focused on sustaining momentum in core areas such as academic quality, student success, cross-cultural learning, Truth and Reconciliation, and on maintaining fiscal responsibility in these challenging times. She works closely with the Board of Governors, Senate, executive leadership, and community partners to advance the University’s Special Mission and support its growing presence across Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton, and Timmins.

Dr. Dwayne Keough

Teaching Staff Governor

[email protected]
705-949-2301

Teaching Interests:

Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to teach a variety of undergraduate courses. I particularly enjoy teaching introductory to psychology, sensation and perception, cognition, human neuropsychology, and statistics. No, that was not a typo…I really do like teaching statistics!

Research Interests:

In general, I am interested in motor control. More specifically, I want to understand how sensorimotor feedback is used during motor planning and execution. My research has largely focused on the importance of auditory feedback during singing. To this extent, I have examined how individuals with differing levels of expertise rely on what they hear to control their voice fundamental frequency (pitch). I am also interested in other areas of perception and comparative cognition

Recent Publications:

Keough, D., Hawco, C., & Jones, J. A. (2013). Auditory-motor adaptation to frequency-altered feedback occurs even when participants ‘ignore’ feedback. BMC Neuroscience, 14, doi:10.1186/1471-2202-14-25.
Keough, D., & Jones, J. A. (2011). Contextual cuing contributes to the independent modification of multiple internal models for vocal control. Journal of Neurophysiology, DOI: 10.1152/jn.00291.2010.
Keough, D., & Jones, J. A. (2009). The sensitivity of auditory-motor representations to subtle changes in auditory feedback while singing. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 126, 837-46.
Hawco, C., Jones, J. A., Ferretti, T., & Keough, D. (2009). ERP correlates of online monitoring of auditory feedback during vocalization. Psychophysiology, 46, 1-10.
Jones, J. A., & Keough, D. (2008). Acoustic-vocal mapping for pitch control in singers and nonsingers. Experimental Brain Research, 190, 279-287.

Heather Douglas

Non-Teaching Staff Governor

I’m your go-to person if:

You are currently studying or have recently graduated from a Canadian college
If you have applied as a mature student
If you are a Canadian citizen and have applied directly
Interested in our Sault Ste Marie Campus

Let’s hangout!

Email: [email protected]

Book a one-on-one meeting: by email

___

Why Algoma? The reason I chose Algoma University was because it allowed me the experience of living in Northern Ontario, along with the amazing lifestyle being in the north affords. Also I chose Algoma U because the lower cost of living at home allowed me to take full advantage of Algoma University’s international exchange programme, an experience that greatly enriched my undergraduate experience.
Favourite student question: “What is the best thing that Algoma did for you after graduating?” My time at Algoma has been a constant gift; I’ve gone back and worked in the country I did my exchange, travelled to the Florida Everglades and the most remote forests in the Pocono’s to do research in my field- thanks to my contacts and experience with my Algoma U family- and now I have the best job of all, getting paid to do what I already do: talk all about Algoma University!
Why visit Algoma? It always seems obvious to me: because of the hiking, camping, swimming, skiing etc. you can do while you’re in beautiful Sault Ste. Marie of course! The campus is touching the Queen street bike lane on the south and the beautiful hub trail to the North, the perfect excuse for a cruise after your tour.

External Candidate Selection Process

As a skills-based Board, we welcome applications from highly-skilled candidates who collectively will reflect the diversity of Canadian society and our students. Additionally, we encourage candidates to apply from Algoma University’s three campus locations: Sault Ste. Marie, Brampton, and Timmins.

Learn More

Internal Candidate Selection Process

Are you passionate about shaping the future of Algoma University? Run for a seat on the Board of Governors and make a meaningful impact through your contribution.

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Board of Governors Committees

The Board of Governors maintains standing committees. Each standing committee of the Board must meet at least once each year and shall report to the Board at least annually.

Committees of the Board are established primarily to make recommendations to the Board and they may not commit the Board in any matter unless authority to do so has been specifically designated by the Board. Unless otherwise authorized by the Board, Committees of the Board shall report to the Board only. As deemed appropriate by the Chair, administrative officers may attend committee meetings at the invitation of the Chair, and may serve as advisors and resource personnel, but shall not vote.

The duties and responsibilities of Board Committees are outlined here.