In 1882, an amendment to ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Royal Charter declared the University Council duly constituted. It is one of the three governing bodies of the university. The elective members of the Council are elected by and from among the alumni of the university in a manner provided for in the By-laws of the Council. The Council serves as both an advisory and an ambassadorial body to the university as a whole and is responsible for the election of the Chancellor.
Although it is not directly involved in operations, the Council may bring to the Senate or Board of Trustees any matter, which it believes, affects ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ well being and prosperity. In this way, the Council, in plenary session and through study committees, has made important contributions to several areas of campus life.
| Categories | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Alumni: 4-year term
|
All alumni of Queen’s University are eligible to nominate, to be nominated and to vote |
| Senate: 2-year term |
One member of the Senate appointed by the Senate |
| Alumni Association: 2-year term |
One member of the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Alumni Association appointed by the Board of Directors of the Alumni Association |
Eligibility to nominate, to vote and to stand for nomination and election is governed by University Council By-law C: Elections and Appointments to the Council.
Nomination
All alumni are invited to nominate fellow alumni to run for a four-year position on the University Council. Nominations must be submitted by alumni (via the online Nomination Form) and received by the University Secretary on or before a date specified by the University Secretary.
To be nominated, a candidate shall be nominated by at least two Alumni nominators. Additionally the Nominating Committee shall have the right to nominate candidates as it sees fit each year.
In order to help University Council achieve the goal of reflecting the diversity of Canadian society, alumni are encouraged to consider individuals from equity deserving groups such as women, Black, racialized and Indigenous peoples, persons with a disability, and persons who identify in the 2SLGBTQ+ community when nominating a candidate.
The Executive Committee will establish the ballot for the election and the Secretary of the Council shall immediately notify the nominees of their nomination.
Nomination Form
The 2025 nominations period is now closed. The 2025 online nomination form can be found here.
Election
Once the nomination period closes, nominees who received the requisite two nominations will be contacted by the Secretariat regarding next steps. Nominees will be asked to complete an online form and provide the following:
- Statement of Interest: detailing the nominees motivation(s) for joining University Council and what they wish to achieve and/or contribute during their term (max. 300 words);
- Biographical Sketch: citing degrees with years, city of residence, job title (if applicable), undergraduate and alumni activities, volunteer/professional affiliations, etc. (max 150 words); and,
- Photograph (optional but encouraged).
The election shall be conducted in a manner and at such time or times as determined by the Nominating Committee, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee of the Council.
The 2025 election will be held online from May 14-28, 2025.
All valid ballots received by the Secretary of the Council on or before a date specified by the Nominating Committee shall be tabulated under the supervision of the Secretary of the University on the next working day. A tie shall be broken by lot.
The Secretary of the Council will immediately notify the successful candidates. The election results are announced on the University Secretariat website.
Expectations
University Council meets annually (once virtually and once in-person in Kingston) and prior to that a virtual Orientation will be held for newly elected Councillors on Wednesday, June 18 (11:00 am – 12:30 pm EDT). The 2025 AGM will be held via Zoom on Friday, October 10 (10:00 am – 11:30 am EDT). An in-person Retreat will be held on Queen’s campus for University Councillors on the afternoon of Friday, November 7 and the morning of Saturday, November 8, 2025. Attendance is expected at all sessions.
As a Councillor, engagement in the work of the Council and the life of the University is integral to a successful term on the University Council, and the time commitment is manageable and predictable. Based on meeting schedules, committee appointments, and other duties, University Councillors can expect an average monthly time commitment of two to four hours.
All nominees are encouraged to read the University Councillor Role Description to familiarize themselves with the role and its expectations.
Councillors are also encouraged and have the opportunity to serve on Council Committees and/or task forces as well as other University advisory groups. Additional details on the role and expectations of a University Councillor can be found here.
Questions? Email univsec@queensu.ca.
Results and Active Elections
Election Results
The 2025 election will run from May 14 - 28, 2025.
Alumni elected to the University Council in the 2025 election will be listed below after the election closes. They will begin their four-year terms on September 1, 2025.
Active Elections
There are no active elections at this time.
The next election of ten (10) alumni to the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Council will be held from May 14 - 28, 2025. Alumni will be alerted to this election via email. To ensure you will receive communications about this election, please update your contact information and confirm your communication preferences by contacting the Alumni Relations Office by email: records@queensu.ca or by phone: 1-800-267-7837. Questions about the election process can be directed to ucouncil@queensu.ca.
All nominees are encouraged to review the history of the University Council and the University Councillor Role Description.