The Ontario Council for University Lifelong Learning (OCULL) is a professional association of educators who develop and deliver degree and non-degree continuing education programs. Our members include administrators and practitioners such as faculty, instructional designers and educational technologists.
Through collaboration and sharing, OCULL advocates for adult learners at Ontario universities, develops collegial networks, and provides opportunities for professional development for its members. These goals are achieved through Community of Practice webinars, an Annual Retreat, and our listserv, as well as building partnerships with organizations, government, and industry for the benefit of members and client groups.
Mission and Governance
Mission
Vision Statement: Drive social and economic progress in Ontario through university continuing and professional education programming.
Mission Statement: To support the success of our members in meeting the continuing and professional education needs of the diverse learning communities they serve.
Governance
OCULL is governed by an executive committee, including: the president, past president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, two members-at-large, the chair of the Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice, the communications officer and a Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) representative (ex-officio).
Constitution
Article I: Name
The name of the organization shall be the Ontario Council for University Lifelong Learning (OCULL). As an affiliate of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), OCULL reports through the Ontario Council of Academic Vice-Presidents (OCAV).
Article II: Aims and Objectives
The aim of the Council shall be to provide a forum for university personnel associated with degree and non-degree university continuing and professional education programs whereby the basic functions and responsibilities of university continuing and professional may be promoted and acted upon.
The Council shall:
1. Promote the provision of university continuing and professional education as a leading source of lifelong learning opportunities in Ontario;
2. Strategically represent and advocate lifelong learning on behalf of university continuing and professional education in Ontario;
3. Partner with government and other system stakeholders towards identifying and advancing lifelong learning interests shared with members;
4. Improve Ontario lifelong learning systems’ capacity through members’ collaboration and exchange of information, ideas and opportunities; and,
5. Encourage and stimulate professional development and excellence among its members; especially to advance the efforts and outcomes for diversity, equity and inclusion; reconciliation; and decolonization.
Article III: Membership
Membership shall be open to university personnel associated with distance education or continuing education, or extension, or adult education or summer school, or part-time studies in the institutions whose Executive Heads are members of the Council of Ontario Universities.
Article IV: Voting
On matters of business calling for official action by the Council, each member institution has one vote. This vote will be vested in the head (dean or director) of the university’s central distance education or continuing education, or lifelong learning unit, or such other person as delegated by her/him to vote on her/his behalf.
Article V: Officers
a. There shall be an Executive Committee comprising the officers of the Council, two members elected from the Council, the CAUCE Executive Member for Central Canada (ex-officio, voting), a CNIE Representative from an Ontario institution whose executive head is a member of COU (ex-officio, voting) and the MTCU Liaison (ex-officio, non-voting).
b. The Council in session or the Executive Committee shall invite other ex-officio Executive Committee members as may be deemed necessary for effectively carrying out the objectives of the Council. Voting rights of such ex-officio members will be determined at such time.
c. There shall be a Nominations Committee comprised of the immediate past-president, who shall be chair, and the two other most recent past-presidents, or others as assigned by the Executive Committee.
d. There shall be a Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice comprising of one voting representative designated by each member university that chooses to participate. Institutions with separate administrative jurisdiction for non-degree and degree distance education may, upon approval by the Council, be exempted from the one representative rule. A Chair and secretary shall be elected biannually from among the membership of the Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice.
e. The Council in session or the Executive Committee shall establish or abolish such standing or Ad Hoc Committees as may be deemed necessary for effectively carrying out the objectives of the Council.
Article VII: Duties of the Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice
The Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice shall support the aims and objectives of the Council, as stated in Article II, with special emphasis on distance education research, programs and advocacy among and by Ontario Universities. It shall do this through performing the following duties and responsibilities:
• Liaison with outside agencies concerning matters relating directly to distance education;
• Negotiations for outside funding for research, subject to the constraints of the Constitution and policies of the Council, as they may be established from time to time.
Article VIII: Meetings
There shall be at least one meeting each year, the time and place of which shall be established by the Council in session.
The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the construction of the agenda of such meetings and shall issue an invitation to OCAV and COU Secretariat staff to attend for those portions of the agenda that would be of interest to them.
Article IX: Relations to Council of Ontario Universities
The Council shall report periodically upon request to the Council of Ontario Universities through OCAV, with respect to those interests and functions that fall within the activities of the Council of Ontario Universities.
Original constitution November 1994.
Revised by OCULL and approved by OCAV, October 17, 2008.
By-Laws
Article I: Voting – University of Toronto
University of Toronto shall have two votes, one vested in the Principal of Woodsworth College or her/his delegate, the other vested in the Director of the School of Continuing Studies or her/his delegate.
Article II: Membership
There shall be three membership categories:
a. Institutional – Continuing Education representatives from institutions that report direct through their Executive Head to COU. Voting.
b. Subscriber – Associations, agencies, or persons associated with, or interested in, post-secondary continuing education. Non-Voting.
c. Honorary – Persons so designated by the Council for outstanding contributions to post-secondary continuing education in Ontario . Non-Voting.
Article III: Membership Committee
Decisions on applications for all memberships shall be made by the Executive Committee serving as a Membership Committee.
The president shall be responsible for maintaining effective liaison with the Council of Ontario Universities as may be deemed necessary for carrying out the objectives of the Council.
Article IV: Amendment
This Constitution and its By-Laws may be amended by majority vote at any regular meeting of the Council, providing notice of the proposal amendment has been distributed to the members at least thirty days in advance of such meetings.
Article V: By-Laws
The council shall have the power to establish its own By-Laws.
Article VI: Definition of Quorum
For meetings of the Executive Committee, quorum is established as 50% of voting members.
For meetings of the Council, quorum is defined as 50% of membership plus one.
Article VII: Archives
The Archives of Ontario is the permanent home of the OCULL archives. It is the responsibility of the OCULL Secretary to gather the current year’s minutes and other relevant archival materials following the Annual General Meeting and store them with the OCULL Executive Committee’s other operational records. The Secretary and Executive Committee shall review the operational record holdings at least every 5 years to identify records that have outlived any regular operational use. Records no longer considered relevant to the Council’s operations shall be transferred to the Archives of Ontario. The indexing structure of the archival materials is the responsibility of OCULL.
November 1994
Revised by OCULL and approved by OCAV October 17, 2008
Revised by OCULL October 25, 2024
Executive Committee
2025-26 Members
Juan Mavo-Navarro
President,University of Toronto
Vacant
Past-President
Nathan Cheney
Vice-President,Brock University
Barb Mercer
Secretary,Brock University
Morgan Bender
Treasurer,University of Western Ontario
John Lewis
Communications Officer,University of Toronto
Adam Ghaddar
Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice,Queen’s University
Kathleen Geelen
Member-at-Large,McMaster University
Nicky Locker
Member-at-Large,Lakehead University
Jennifer Gordon
CAUCE Liaison,Toronto Metropolitan University
Liaisons
Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) Representative: Zoë Kroeker
Join the OCULL Executive!
OCULL is not currently accepting nominations for Executive Committee members for the 2025-2026 term. Thank you to all who applied. Consider nominating yourself or a colleague for the 2026-2027 term in September 2026.
Executive Roles and Responsibilities
President: The President shall have general management of the Council, chairs the monthly Executive Committee meetings, and in conjunction with the Executive, prepares reports and responses to external agencies such as the Council of Ontario Universities, the Ontario Council of Academic Vice-Presidents, and other similar organizations. From time to time, the President acts as representative for the organization, serving as an ambassador and advocate in public, governmental, and sector-related capacities. The term of office is one year, and the President may not hold office for more than two consecutive years.
Past-President: The Past-President chairs the Nominations Committee and oversees the election process. This role may be requested to perform other duties as required by the Executive. The term of office is no less than one year and not to exceed two years.
Vice-President: The Vice-President shall, in the absence or inability of the President, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President, take the lead on membership affairs, and perform other duties as required by the Executive. The term of office is three years: first year as vice-president, second year as president, and third year as past president.
Secretary: The Secretary is responsible for overall function and management of the Executive Committee, which includes executive agendas and materials, minute-taking, Annual General Meeting packages, as well as performing other duties as required by the Executive. The term of office is one year.
Treasurer: The Treasurer manages all finances of the Council, provides regular updates to the Executive on the financial position of the organization, assists with the membership renewal process, supports the Communications Officer with registration activities at OCULL events and performs other duties as required by the Executive. The term of office is two years.
Communications Officer: The Communications Officer manages the OCULL website and communications to the membership, oversees registration activities for OCULL events (e.g., CoPs and Annual AGM & Retreat), is a member of the Retreat Planning Working Group, and performs other duties as required by the Executive. The term of office is two years.
Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: The Chair of the Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice coordinates activities related to the online Community of Practice sessions (e.g., identifying speakers, preparing promotional materials for events, assisting with the registration process, facilitating sessions, etc.). The term of office is one year. [Under review.]
Members-at-Large (two positions): The member-at-large does not have fixed duties; however, they are expected to actively participate and support the mandate and activities of the Council by attending monthly meetings, serving on committees, contributing to special projects, and performing other duties as required by the Executive. The term of office is one year.
Past Executive Committee Members
2024-25 Members
President: Juan Mavo-Navarro (University of Toronto)
Past-President: Lena Patterson (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Vice-President: Roxanne Wright (University of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto)
Secretary: Trish Mazzotta-Shaheen (University of Toronto)
Treasurer: Morgan Bender (University of Western Ontario)
Communications Officer: John Lewis (University of Toronto)
Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: Alice Wright (University of Toronto)
Member-at-Large: Michel Beaulieu (Lakehead University)
Member-at-Large: Barb Mercer (Brock University)
CAUCE Liaison: Jennifer Gordon (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security Liaison: Zoë Kroeker
2023-24 Members
President: Lena Patterson (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Past-President: Sean Woodhead (York University)
Vice-President: Juan Mavo-Navarro (University of Toronto)
Secretary: Jennifer Gordon (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Treasurer: Christian Metaxas (Trent University)
Communications Officer: Vacant
Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: Alice Wright (University of Toronto)
Member-at-Large: Paul Jenkins (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Member-at-Large: John Lewis (University of Toronto)
CAUCE Liaison: Michelle Aarons (York University)
Ministry of Colleges and Universities Liaison: Vacant
2022-23 Members
Co-Presidents: Sean Woodhead (York University) and Lena Patterson (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Past-President: Leslie Malcom (Lakehead University)
Vice-President: Juan Mavo-Navarro (University of Toronto)
Secretary: Marina DeBona (York University)
Treasurer: Christian Metaxas (Trent University)
Communications Officer: Janice Cooke (University of Waterloo)
Acting Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: April Dawn Blackwell (Brock University)
Member-at-Large: Lisa Fanjoy (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Member-at-Large: Mylea Robson (Nipissing University)
CAUCE Liaison: Michelle Aarons (York University)
Ministry of Colleges and Universities Liaison: Anna Boyden
2021-22 Members
President: Sean Woodhead (York University)
Past-President: Leslie Malcom (Lakehead University)
Vice-President:Maureen Glynn (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Secretary: Juan Mavo-Navarro (University of Toronto)
Treasurer: Chris Bergen (Queen’s University)
Communications Officer: Janice Cooke (University of Waterloo)
Acting Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: Lisa Fanjoy (Toronto Metropolitan University)
Member-at-Large: Suha Mugni (McMaster University)
Member-at-Large: Janay Gouveia (University of Toronto)
Ex-Officio Member: Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) Liaison: Michelle Aarons (York University)
Liaisons
Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU): Anna Boyden, Zuzana Fabian
2020-21 Members
Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU): Anna Boyden, Zuzana FabianCo-President: Anne-Marie Brinsmead (Ryerson University)
Co-President: Leslie Malcolm (Lakehead University)
Past-President: Lisa Fanjoy (Ryerson University)
Vice-President: Sean Woodhead (York University)
Secretary: Maureen Glynn (Ryerson University)
Treasurer: Chris Bergen (Queen’s University)
Communications Officer: David Macdonald (University of Guelph)
Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: Marjory Gaouette (University of Guelph)
Member-at-Large: Christina Dinsmore (Ryerson University)
Member-at-Large: Janay Gouveia (University of Toronto)
Ex-Officio Member: Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) Liaison: Jennie Atkins (University of Windsor)
Liaisons
Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE): Carol Sparkes (Thompson Rivers University)
Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU): Anna Boyden, Zuzana Fabian
2019-20 Members
Co-President: Bev King (Queen’s University)
Co-President: Anne-Marie Brinsmead (Ryerson University)
Vice-President: Leslie Malcolm (Lakehead University)
Past-President: Bettina Brockerhoff-Macdonald (Laurentian University)
Secretary: Maureen Glynn (Trent University)
Treasurer: Maria Cardoso (Queen’s University)
Communications Officer: David Macdonald (University of Guelph)
Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: Marjory Gaouette (University of Guelph)
Member-at-Large: Sean Woodhead (York University)
Member-at-Large: Lisa Fanjoy (Ryerson University)
Ex-Officio Member: Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) Liaison: Aldo Caputo (University of Waterloo)
Liaisons
Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE): Carol Sparkes (Thompson Rivers University)
Ministry Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU): Erin McCloskey
2018-19 Members
Co-President: Bettina Brockerhoff-Macdonald (Laurentian University)
Co-President: Bev King (Queen’s University)
Vice-President: Leslie Malcolm (Lakehead University)
Past-President: Anne-Marie Brinsmead (Ryerson University)
Secretary: Sarah Bouchard (Laurentian University)
Treasurer: Maria Cardoso (Queen’s University)
Communications Officer: David Macdonald (Thorneloe University)
Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: Kelly Brennan (Laurentian University)
Member-at-Large: Lillian Chumbley (Trent University)
Member-at-Large: Lisa Fanjoy (Ryerson University)
Ex-Officio Member: Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) Liaison: Aldo Caputo (University of Waterloo)
Liaisons
Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE): Kelly Brennan (Laurentian University)
Ministry Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU): Zuzana Fabian
2017-18 Members
President: Bettina Brockerhoff-Macdonald (Laurentian University)
Vice-President: Bev King (Queen’s University)
Past-President: Anne-Marie Brinsmead (Ryerson University)
Secretary: Sarah Bouchard (Laurentian University)
Treasurer: Maria Cardoso (Queen’s University)
Communications Officer: David Macdonald (Thorneloe University)
Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: Moira Morrison(Laurentian University)
Member-at-Large: Lillian Chumbley (Trent University)
Member-at-Large: Carolyn Komarnitsky (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Ex-Officio Member: Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) Liaison: Naza Djafarova (Ryerson University)
Liaisons
Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE): David Macdonald (Thorneloe University)
Ministry Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU): Zuzana Fabian
2016-17 Members
President: Anne-Marie Brinsmead (Ryerson University)
Vice-President: Bettina Brockerhoff-Macdonald (Laurentian University)
Past-President: Natalie Green (University of Guelph)
Secretary: Carolyn Komarnitsky (Wilfrid Laurier University)
Treasurer: Bev King (Queen’s University)
Communications Officer: vacant
Chair, Distance and Online Learning Community of Practice: David Macdonald (Thorneloe University)
Member-at-Large: Lillian Chumbley (Trent University)
Member-at-Large: Moira Morrison (Laurentian University)
Ex-Officio Member: Canadian Association for University Continuing Education (CAUCE) Liaison: Naza Djafarova (Ryerson University)
Liaisons
Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE): David Macdonald (Thorneloe University)
Ministry Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU): Zuzana Fabian