Sept. 29 marked the NAIT Board of Governors’ first meeting of the 2026-27 school year. The meeting began with a land acknowledgement and recognition of Sept. 30’s National Day of Truth and Reconciliation by board chair, Melanie Bayley.
The board welcomed new members Brian de Haan, Rob Otway, Craig Corbett and Sebastian Biel, a student representative.
Skip to:
- International update showcase
- Board strategy and OKRs
- AI discussion
- President’s update
- Search for new president
- Financial update
- Bylaw change
- Advanced Skills Centre update
International update showcase
Clayton Davis, VP students and campus experience, and James Aldridge, AVP international, presented a showcase on international impacts and opportunities.
The federal government’s changes to international student policies in 2024 impacted NAIT’s international student intake, so NAIT International is building a strategic recovery plan for international enrollment. The plan includes:
- Global outreach in areas like Nigeria and Lagos
- Discussing transnational education to profit from overseas Canadian credential programs
- Strengthening NAIT’s global brand as a polytechnic
Despite the struggles with international enrollment, Aldridge noted that the International and Intercultural Community Centre is 21 per cent busier and is continuing to support students through developing intercultural competencies.
Board strategy engagement: Objectives and Key Results (OKR)
JF Bouffard, NAIT’s chief of staff and director of strategy, presented NAIT’s 2026-27 OKRs.
Objective 1: “Advance a sustainable business model that provides the financial resources needed for NAIT to thrive.”
Mike High, VP administration and CFO, is responsible for the goal to save $20 million through NAIT’s RISE project. The project is 75 per cent complete. High recently resigned from his position. In a previous statement, NAIT told the Nugget that future decisions about leadership will be made in the months ahead.
Daryl Silzer, VP external relations and CDO, is responsible for raising $20 million towards NAIT’s $200 million Advanced Skills Centre funding goal. This is 33 per cent complete.
Objective 2: “Foster an agile, future-focused approach to excellence in teaching, learning, and curriculum supported by modern infrastructure and tools.”
Peter Leclaire, VP academic, is responsible for examining 100 per cent of DDCP programs per year. This is underway. A Sept. 2026 launch on student instruction was delayed.
Objective 3: “Enhance the learner and employee experience through clarity of culture and shared purpose.”
Clayton Davis, VP students and campus experience, is working with NAITSA to develop a measure of student experience. This is 75 per cent complete. Also underway is the goal to increase staff engagement by one point and improve domestic student retention by one point compared to last year.
Objective 4: “Strengthen NAIT’s relationships and visibility to reinforce its role as a trusted partner and community leader.”
Silzer is launching a refreshment of NAIT’s brand and storytelling campaign. The deadline was Sept. 30, but the goal is 66 per cent complete. He’s also working to establish a comprehensive cabinet campaign by Mar. 31, 2027. This is 50 per cent complete.
Objective 5: “Leverage responsible, transparent, and ethical use of AI across academic and operational activities, to enhance student outcomes and create efficiencies.”
Leclaire is 75 per cent complete in developing an AI framework for all VP portfolios. As of Sept. 1, all students had access to an AI fundamentals course, completing another objective in this bucket. By the end of March 2027, Leclaire will pilot AI automaton in administrative processes, with a cost-savings of $2.5 millon. This is 33 per cent complete.
AI discussion
NAIT launched an internal AI framework in September, and students now have access to an AI fundamentals course.
Student representatives Sebastian Biel and Tanroop Mahal asked about consultation, student involvement and AI safety.
- Allenby confirmed that groups like Amii and AltaML were consulted.
- Leclaire said the AI course was a pilot, and NAIT received student feedback through 1400 surveys
- He also said that NAIT is very intentional in their AI use, focusing on pragmatic learning processes and subject matter experts
President’s update
Laura Jo Gunter, NAIT president and CEO, noted that the last graduating class was 7000 students — one of the largest graduating classes in NAIT history. She highlighted some key projects and events, including Apprenticeship Day on Sept. 28 and the Flag Lowering ceremony on Sept. 29.
Other highlights:
- Gunter said student enrollment is four per cent below budget.
- Leclaire confirmed it’s due to lowered international enrollment, especially in business and media and IT programs.
- NAIT will receive funding to increase seats for six programs, including Denturist Technology, which received an exceptional tuition increase in 2026/27.
- Mahal asked about the differences in funding
- Leclaire clarified that the ETI was for improving student experience while the targeted enrollment allows adding additional seats.
- Biel asked about increasing domestic enrollment
- High says investments in student experience are key as students want to feel welcome and have better on campus experiences.
- Silzer notes that when applying, if students don’t get into their first choice program, is NAIT converting them to their second choice in an appropriate manner?
President search update
Kevin and Kenny Gregor from DHR Global have been tasked in recruitment efforts to find NAIT a new president. It’s a complicated process that involves the provincial government. There will be three phases to the search for a new president:
- Information gathering: conducting surveys and consultation reports. This phase should wrap up in October.
- Recruitment: the firm will reach out to sell potential candidates on the opportunity. This is set for November to December.
- Interview and selection: the firm will schedule multi-stage interviews, complete reference checks and consider relocation.
The Gregors cautioned the board to be wary of rumours, but the committee will not know who presidential candidates are until they sit with them. It is a private, confidential process to protect candidates.
Financial update
Arden Kobewka, AVP finance and corporate services, gave a presentation on NAIT’s financial standings, starting with enrollment.
The board’s interpretation is that the latest strategic enrollment management projection is 5.4 per cent below plan, but Fall 2026 application volumes are still stable compared to 2025. Kobewka explains that demand for NAIT programs is not the same as actual conversion.
Kobewka explains that there is a “mismatch between demand, conversion and capacity.” Health and life sciences, transportation, manufacturing and automation and energy and natural resources programs are seeing increased demand pressure.
Other programs, like business administration and software development, are seeing less demand.
For the quarter, NAIT is expected to see a deficit of $4 million to $5 million. 2026 Q1 revenue is at $97.6 million, which is down 2.2 per cent compared to 2025 Q1.
Tuition is $5.7 million below budget, domestic intakes are 170 full-load equivalent short. It is expected that overall expenses will finish the year close to the budget.
The biggest financial impact is decreased tuition revenue, but sales, rentals and services, like corporate and continuing education and bookstore purchases, are ahead of budget by $1.2 million. Provincial grants and apprenticeship growth also helped. Revenue is $4 million below budget.
Editor’s note: At this point, the Nugget was asked to stop taking photos, based on a proposed bylaw change that had yet to be discussed. The Nugget has previously taken photos at board meetings. At the time, bylaw 7.4.4 prohibited “audio or video recordings or broadcasts.” We have chosen not to share any of the photos we took in respect of the bylaw change.
Bylaw change
In the consent agenda, a change to bylaw 7.4.4 was proposed. Mahal asked to discuss the change.
The board explains that they have the control to restrict materials that are recorded. The board wanted changes to wording to include screenshots, pictures etc. Their lawyers recommended the bylaw be specific. The reasoning given was to preserve the clarity of the meeting minutes. The new bylaws have not been posted at time of publication. The Nugget has requested a copy.
Editor’s note: According to a confirmation from NAIT via email, the vote to change this bylaw passed unanimously. However, Nugget Senior Editor Alleah Boisvert was present at the meeting and did not witness a vote on this motion. The Nugget also spoke to several eyewitnesses present at the meeting who confirmed they did not witness a vote on this motion.
Advanced Skills Centre update
VP major projects Tim Cartmell gave a presentation on the ASC’s progress. He said NAIT is working with consultants including Indigenous, accessibility and neurodiversity.
The neuroinclusive design assessment of the ASC scored 87/100 (public space) and 84/100 (education and office spaces).
The accessibility review is a work in progress, but Cartmell explained that the review confirms accessibility code requirements have been met. The Nugget previously confirmed with NAIT media that NAIT is working with alumni and accessibility advocate Brad Bartko.
The ASC is including Indigenous perspectives with a 7 generations theme:
- Be grounded in legitimate Indigenous teachings
- Suit overall aesthetic
- Apply to all
- Support layered interpretation
- Be unique to ASC
- Avoid tropes
- Be responsive to place
Cartmell said there will be a smudge room somewhere in the building.
The ASC has also consulted with women in trades, which is a work in progress, to create a safe, functional and comfortable space for all.
Cartmell expressed concern about grants being delayed, but NAIT will continue to work with the provincial government to “align commitment timing to funding arrangements.”
The meeting ended with discussion of the board retreat on Nov. 6 and 7 as well as risks and deliverables. Risks include the ASC’s budget and timeline, funding models and AI’s impact on teaching, learning and administration.
NAIT will continue to work on its OKRs, president and CEO transition and governance structure changes to increase efficiency.
The next Board of Governors meeting will take place on Dec. 1 from 3 to 6 p.m.
