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SURPA AGM Meeting Minutes

  • Nov 2, 2025
  • 2 min read

Updated: Nov 18, 2025


✨ SURPA AGM: A Look Back and Forward for Urban and Regional Planning Alumni

The School of Urban and Regional Planning Alumni Association (SURPA) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 25, 2025, bringing together alumni, students, and faculty to review the past year and set the course for the future.


Read the minutes: RIGHT HERE


🏛️ School and Program Updates


  • Program Success: The School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP) recently passed its Periodic Program Review & Accreditation.

  • New Graduate Program: A new one-year graduate program is starting with a winter matriculation, specifically designed for experienced professionals.

  • Faculty Promotions and Welcomes: Shelagh McCartney was promoted to Full Professor. New Limited Term Faculty include Christine Wen (urban fiscal policy), Sneha Mandhan (urban design), and Attiya Haseeb (transport-environment and urban analytics).

  • Enrollment Trend: SURP has a large third-year bump in registration due to high retention and anticipates a bubble in the second year as well.

  • Financial Challenges: The broader university, TMU, is facing budget problems due to flat tuition and rising costs, with cuts anticipated, although SURP is hoping to offset these with entrepreneurial revenue-generation.


💰 Treasurer's Report Highlights


  • The association's current balance as of the meeting date was $71,561.12.

  • A key expenditure was the Annual Spring Reception (26th year), which had an overall expenditure of $55,653.44 and successfully raised $70,600 in sponsorship.

  • The SURPA Equity in Planning Awards payment, as per the Gift Agreement with TMU, totaled $6,250.


🗳️ New Executive Committee Elected


The AGM included elections for key coordinator positions. Congratulations to the newly elected members for their two-year terms:

  • Co-Chair: Daniel Barkin

  • Events Coordinator: Trinity Ho

  • Treasurer: Talha Umar

Ten Members-At-Large were also elected to one-year terms.


🤝 SURPA's Ongoing Contributions


SURPA continues its commitment to the planning community by providing Mentorship, Events, a Spring Reception Endowment Fund, and valuable Feedback to the school to enhance the program's value. Last year, the Mentorship Program matched about 40 mentors with 40 mentees.

The meeting adjourned at 8:31 p.m., unanimously approved.


 
 
 

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