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(As approved by the Board of Trustees March 2013, amended May 2013, May 2014, October 2017, and June 2023)

I.  Purpose 

The External Relations and Development Committee (“Committee”) is formed to support and enhance the capacity of the Queen’s University Board of Trustees (“Board”) to fulfil both its strategic responsibilities, and its fiduciary obligations to oversee the University’s external relationships, philanthropic culture, brand and reputation, and associated risks. 

II.  Authority

The External Relations and Development Committee is a Committee of the Board of Trustees of Queen’s University from which it derives its authority and to which it reports. 

Oversight Areas: The Committee has delegated authority from the Board in respect of the areas of oversight for which it has accountability under these Terms of Reference. As specified under “Duties and Responsibilities” below, the Board delegates to the External Relations and Development Committee the authority to monitor and oversee, provide advice to the Board, to review and recommend matters to the Board for approval, and to approve matters on behalf of the Board. 

Professional Advisors: The Committee has the authority, with the consent of the Chair of the Board, to retain professional advisors as it deems appropriate to fulfilling its obligations under these Terms of Reference. 

III.    Duties and Responsibilities 

The Committee is accountable to the Board for oversight of the University’s external relationships, philanthropic culture and practices, and oversight of the University’s work to protect and enhance the University’s brand and goodwill, and associated risks (“Oversight Areas”). 

i. External Relationships

The Committee will oversee the University’s external relationships with 1) donors and supporters; 2) alumni; 3) significant research partners; 4) government partners, and; 5) external constituencies, and specifically will:  

Annually review the University’s plans and strategies for the development and maintenance of relationships with key donors, alumni, strategic partners, and key external constituencies, assess the effectiveness of those plans and strategies, and report to the Board the Committee’s assessment of their effectiveness. 

Annually review the University’s marketing and communications plans, assess the effectiveness of those plans to achieve their objectives, and report to the Board the Committee’s assessment of their effectiveness. 

ii. Philanthropic Culture and Fundraising 

The Committee will oversee the University’s philanthropic culture and the University’s fundraising strategies and progress toward Board-approved goals and objectives, and specifically will: 
Oversee and recommend to the Board for approval the development of a framework to monitor, assess, and improve Queen’s philanthropic culture by guiding the University to understand and identify significant aspects of the philanthropic culture and the activities necessary to maintain and enhance those aspects.

Annually review specific aspects of the philanthropic culture based on the framework, and report to the Board the Committee’s assessment of the effectiveness of the University’s activities to develop and maintain the philanthropic culture. 

Ensure that a policy framework is in place that encourages philanthropy, is donor-focused, based in University values, respectful of institutional autonomy, and transparently communicates how fundraising and other advancement activities support the mission and strategic priorities of the University. At least every three years, assess the effectiveness of the philanthropic policy framework and report the Committee’s assessment to the Board.  

Review and recommend for approval by the Board: 1) long-term institutional fund raising and other advancement strategies to support the academic and research strategies of the University, and 2) annual financial targets for fundraising and other advancement programs.

Monitor and evaluate progress throughout the year against fundraising and advancement financial targets and plans, and report regularly to the Board on the impact, efficiency, and efficacy of fundraising and other advancement programs.

iii. Brand and Reputation

The Committee will oversee the University’s brand and reputation, and specifically will: 

Oversee the development and maintenance of Queen’s brand and reputation, both of which are integral to the University’s mission, by guiding the University to understand and identify significant aspects of the brand, and significant aspects of the University’s reputation, and the activities necessary to maintain and enhance those aspects, and annually reporting to the Board the Committee’s assessment of the effectiveness of the University’s activities to develop and maintain the brand and reputation. 

Ensure that a policy framework is in place that guides University activities and the use of elements of the University’s brand and annually report to the Board the Committee’s assessment of the effectiveness of the policy framework to protect and enhance the brand.

iv.    University Intellectual Property related to Brand

Queen’s relies on official marks, trademarks, and copyright (“intellectual property”) to advance and protect its brand.  The Committee will: 

Oversee the protection and use of the University’s intellectual property (official marks, trademarks, and copyright material) to promote and enhance the University brand and report any significant infringement or issues to the Board. 

Ensure that the University has policies in place respecting intellectual property and branding, periodically review those policies for currency and effectiveness, and oversee University compliance with said policies.  The Committee will report to the Board respecting significant policy gaps or non-compliance and monitor remediation of the same.  

v.     Risk Management

The Committee will support a robust risk management framework at the University, and specifically will: 

Consider and probe risk(s), risk mitigation, and risk management as a part of all of its decision-making processes and within its Oversight Areas. 

Oversee the strategic or other risk(s) assigned to the Committee by the Audit & Risk Committee and report annually to the Audit & Risk Committee respecting the Committee’s assessment of the risk(s) assigned, the basis for such assessment, and the ongoing work of the Committee to monitor work to address deficiencies in the management or mitigation of such risks.

IV.   Composition and Skills 

The Committee will include six to 10 members the majority of whom will be appointed from the Board of Trustees. 

In addition to the foregoing, the Chair of the Board, the Chancellor, the Principal, the Rector, and the President of the Alumni Association will serve ex-officio on the Committee.

V.   Governance Practices

Each year, the Committee will provide applicable training and education to its members to allow them to fulfil their responsibilities to the Committee.  The Committee will annually report its training and education work to the Governance and Nominating Committee. 

All Committee members will foster an inclusive Committee culture that encourages the sharing of diverse perspectives in line with the Board’s commitments to advance Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism and Accessibility. 

All Committee members will fulfil the same expectations, and are held to the same standards as Trustees, including compliance with the Board’s Code of Conduct. All Committee members will fully and effectively participate in the work of the Committee, including through attendance at Committee meetings. In conducting its work, the Committee will remain mindful of any legal or regulatory requirements, governance leading practices, the Queen’s University Charter, By-Laws, Policies, and the Board of Trustees’ Guiding Principles for Board Committees. 

VI.   Meetings

The Committee will meet at least three times annually.  

Chair: A. Holt 
Vice-Chair: S. Smith