Last Chance to Nominate a Colleague for the 2020 President’s Staff Recognition Awards

FEATUREDStaffRecognitionAwards

The following is a message to the community from President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton:

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear Colleagues,

As we come to the end of the nomination period for the 2020 President’s Staff Recognition Awards, I encourage you to reflect on the colleagues who have gone above and beyond over the past year to make York an exceptional place to study and work, and to consider nominating them for one of the following awards:

  • The Ronald Kent Medal
  • The President’s Leadership Award
  • The President’s Voice of York Award
  • The Deborah Hobson York Citizenship Award
  • The Phyllis Clark Campus Service Award
  • The Harriet Lewis Team Award for Service Excellence
  • The Gary Brewer Emerging Leader Award

Nominations will be accepted until this Friday, April 16, at 4:30 p.m.

To find out more about the awards or to submit a nomination, please visit the President’s Staff Recognition Awards website.

Questions about the awards and the nomination process can be sent to president@yorku.ca.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Lenton
President & Vice-Chancellor


Dernière chance de mettre des collègues en nomination pour les prix 2020 de la Présidente pour la reconnaissance du personnel

Chers collègues,

La période de mises en nomination pour les prix 2020 de la Présidente pour la reconnaissance du personnel touche à sa fin. Je vous encourage à penser à des collègues qui se sont surpassés l’année dernière pour faire de York un lieu exceptionnel d’étude et de travail et à envisager de les proposer pour l’un des prix suivants :

  • La médaille Ronald Kent
  • Le prix de leadership de la Présidente
  • Le prix Voice of York de la Présidente
  • Le Deborah Hobson York Citizenship Award
  • Le Phyllis Clark Campus Service Award
  • Le Harriet Lewis Team Award for Service Excellence
  • Le Gary Brewer Emerging Leader Award 

La date limite des mises en nomination est le vendredi 16 avril 2021 à 16 h 30.

Pour en savoir plus sur chacun de ces prix et pour faire des mises en nomination, veuillez visiter la page Web President’s Staff Recognition Awards.

Vous pouvez envoyer vos questions liées aux prix de reconnaissance du personnel et au processus de mise en nomination à president@yorku.ca.

Sincères salutations,

Rhonda Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière

York University researchers leading national infectious disease modelling efforts

Featured illustration of the novel coronavirus

Researchers in York University’s Faculty of Science have been awarded federal government funding to lead national disease modelling efforts that will help better predict, prevent and respond to emerging infectious disease.

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, and the Minister of Health Patty Hajdu, announced an investment of $10 million in funding on Friday, including $2.5 million over two years for the One Health Modelling Network, led by York University mathematics Professor Huaiping Zhu.

They also announced $3 million in funding for Mathematics for Public Health (MfPH) led by University of Toronto mathematics Professor V. Kumar Murty and co-led by York University mathematics Professor Jianhong Wu.

The projects are among several multidisciplinary infectious disease modelling networks being funded through the Emerging Infectious Diseases Modelling Initiative, established through a partnership between the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

One Health Modelling Network

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Zhu is building a new network of researchers and collaborators who will bring a “One Health” approach to disease modelling to better predict, prevent and respond to emerging infectious diseases.

Huaiping Zhu

The One Health Modelling Network for Emerging Infections/Réseau Une Seule Santé sur le modélisation des Infections (OMNI/RÉUNIS) will use multidisciplinary knowledge about the connections between environmental, animal and human health to refine the disease modelling that is used to identify pathogens early.

“We are grateful for the federal government’s investment in the OMNI network, which will support researchers and collaborators from York University and institutions across the country as they work together to better predict, prevent and respond to emerging infectious diseases,” said York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton. “The Canadian Centre for Disease Modelling, hosted by York University, is a leader in modelling emerging and infectious diseases, and will provide a strong foundation of expertise to support Professor Zhu and the other members of the OMNI network as they work to protect the health and well-being of our local and global communities.”

As principal investigator on the OMNI/RÉUNIS project, Zhu, a professor in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics in York’s Faculty of Science, will bring together 72 project co-applicants from 23 Canadian universities and 49 collaborators from 28 national and international organizations. Their expertise ranges from public health, infectious diseases and epidemiology, to human health, animal health and wildlife, as well as climate-related health outcomes. They will focus on five areas: early detection, early warning systems, early response, and mitigation and control of developing epidemics.

“We are in the midst of an unprecedented emerging infectious disease crisis with the spread of COVID-19, and we need to evolve accordingly,” said Zhu. “The OMNI network will focus on developing models and capacity to inform prevention, surveillance and response. We will ‘follow the bug’ from its place of origin to its introduction and establishment.”

The OMNI network will build on the strong modelling history and multi-disciplinary expertise of the Canadian Centre for Disease Modelling, based at York, and includes many collaborators from the university: Faculty of Science Professors Iain Moyles, Jude Kong, Hongmei Zhu, Jane Heffernan, Carly Rozins and Hanna Jankowski; Lassonde School of Engineering Professors Marina Freire-Gormaly, Manos Papagelis and Aijun An; and Professor Sean Hillier of the Faculty of Health.

Models developed from the new network are expected to lead to identification of critical data and modelling gaps from a One Health perspective. By identifying the gaps, the network will be able to target surveillance and data and use the data in the disease modelling. For example, the network, which includes Indigenous collaborators, will work with Indigenous communities to address their specific concerns in the modelling and improve early warning capacity.

The Mathematics for Public Health (MfPH) initiative

The Mathematics for Public Health (MfPH) initiative is a collaboration between The Fields Institute, the Atlantic Association for Research in Mathematical Sciences (AARMS), the Centre de Recherches Mathématiques (CRM), and the Pacific Institute for Mathematical Sciences (PIMS). It establishes a pan-Canadian, Emerging Infectious Disease Modelling (EIDM) network that aims to apply advanced mathematical techniques to help achieve public health objectives.

York University Distinguished Research Professor Jianhong Wu Faculty of Science. Photograph by Paola Scattolon
Jianhong Wu. Photograph by Paola Scattolon

The MfPH group is comprised of 48 co-investigators, 21 Canadian institutions and more than 20 national and international collaborators in fields such as epidemiology, mathematical modelling, infectious disease, and public health. It will mobilize a national network that uses state-of-the-art techniques to advise on public health policy with the long-term goal of boosting future epidemic preparedness and improving Canada’s resilience in emergency situations.

“The establishment of this network is critical at this time,” says Wu. “It will accelerate our ability to respond to the current pandemic swiftly and accurately, and prepare for future public health emergencies.”

York University brings an interdisciplinary perspective to this national network and modelling platform, with expertise including mathematical modelling, disaster management and emergency operations, smart transportation systems, economic and financial risk assessment, and computational epidemiology.

Including Wu, there are eight York University co-applicants involved in this project: Professors Seyed Moghadas, Shengyuan (Michael) Chen, Ed Furman, and Jude Kong, all from the Department of Mathematics & Statistics; Professor Peter Park, Lassonde School of Engineering; and Ali Asgaryand Ida Ferraraprofessors in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies.

Welcome to the April 2021 issue of ‘Brainstorm’

Brainstorm graphic

Brainstorm graphic‘Brainstorm,’ a special edition of YFile publishing on the first Friday of every month, showcases research and innovation at York University. It offers compelling and accessible feature-length stories about the world-leading and policy-relevant work of York’s academics and researchers across all disciplines and Faculties and encompasses both pure and applied research.

In the April 2021 issue

Trailblazing report offers policy solutions for long-term care during COVID-19 and beyond – Bonus video
Sociologist Pat Armstrong, an expert on the Canadian healthcare system, has co-authored a ground-breaking report that gives government stakeholders a literal how-to plan on improving long-term residential care. It provides a path forward at a vital point in time.

Females in reproductive years less likely to contract COVID-19, finds new research on the role of estrogen 
Compelling new research determines that females between puberty and menopause are less likely to contract the virus. This suggests that estrogen may help in reducing COVID-19 incidence and in the development of symptoms, especially those related to increased survival.

Engineering team addresses flood management, urban planning and sustainable development 
Cities are increasingly threatened with flooding, fueled by climate change. Transformative research, led by Professor Usman Khan, determines the best way to approach this threat – a technique that reduces runoff – and considers the demand for this technique.

Researchers gain wisdom, key recommendations, from First Nations People living with HIV/AIDS
Through interviews with First Nations people living with HIV/AIDS, using a traditional storytelling method, a health researcher gains key policy and funding recommendations ― nothing short of a call for action that will help to decolonise care for Indigenous Peoples.

Who are Ontario’s green drivers and how can we incentivize more of them?
New research shows that drivers of electric vehicles represent one per cent of new car owners – this, ten years after a provincial push to encourage green driving. One researcher learns more about these consumers and advocates gaining additional info on them to better tailor the strategy.

Launched in January 2017, ‘Brainstorm’ is produced out of the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation in partnership with Communications & Public Affairs; overseen by Megan Mueller, senior manager, research communications; and edited by Jenny Pitt-Clark, YFile editor and Ashley Goodfellow Craig, YFile deputy editor.

York graduate celebrates winning inaugural McCall MacBain Scholarship

Books and an iPad in the classroom

At the end of a rigorous six-month scholarship application process, including two rounds of interviews, York University graduate and future positive changemaker Amanda Sears (BA ’20) joined a life-changing Zoom call.

Amanda Sears
Amanda Sears

On the call, Sears learned she was among 20 Canadians chosen as inaugural McCall MacBain Scholars, recipients of the country’s first comprehensive leadership-based scholarship that supports master’s and professional studies.

The scholarship enables students to pursue a fully funded master’s or professional degree at McGill University while connecting with mentors and participating in an intensive leadership development program.

More than 735 people applied for the McCall MacBain Scholarships; 132 participated in regional interviews with local leaders in November and 50 were invited to final interviews in March. Scholars were chosen based on their character, community engagement, leadership potential, entrepreneurial spirit, academic strength and intellectual curiosity.

Sears graduated in 2020 with a bachelor of arts in political science and philosophy from York. She worked part-time throughout her studies as a barista, a server and a research assistant for two York professors. She is now working in Montréal and will pursue a master’s degree in bioethics.

“Being a part of this scholarship and its mission is so humbling – and so exciting,” she said. “I think what the scholarship offers students is a sort of freedom – the freedom to be intellectually curious and adventurous, in a way that not many of us can when we have to balance academics with finances, and when we are navigating academia on our own.”

While at York, Sears served as editor-in-chief of Pro Tem, Glendon’s bilingual student newspaper, managing a team of 13. She also helped edit the Glendon Journal of International Studies. A proud York Lion, she credits York with providing many opportunities to develop and empower her leadership skills. “Many of the strengths and skills that I brought to the application process were developed during my undergraduate degree. This is especially the case for my leadership experience, which grew significantly within the university environment – you can learn a lot by maximizing your campus involvement.”

In addition to selecting 20 McCall MacBain Scholars, the McCall MacBain Scholarships program and McGill University offered 55 entrance awards to promising candidates. York University graduates Christina Hoang, Betty Nwaogwugwu and Kaitlyn Smoke were offered McCall MacBain Finalist Awards ($10,000) for their studies at McGill, and Berta Kaisr was offered a McCall MacBain Regional Award ($5,000) for use at any public university in Canada.

Sears, Hoang, Nwaogwugwu and Smoke were among 46 Canadian peers from 28 universities that were called to take part in virtual final interviews in March. Each finalist participated in interviews with Canadian leaders from academia, business, government and the social sectors.

“The global challenges we face as a society need the energy and entrepreneurial spirit of these scholars,” said John McCall MacBain, who, together with his wife Marcy McCall MacBain, created these scholarships through a historic $200-million gift in February 2019, the single-largest gift in Canadian history at that time. “Through this scholarship program, they’ll have opportunities to deepen their knowledge, develop their leadership skills, and create meaningful connections that will enable them to bring about positive change. We want to congratulate these students and recognize the hundreds of candidates across Canada who were considered for this scholarship.”

Outreach is already underway for the second class of McCall MacBain Scholars, with the application period opening in June. Canadian students and alumni can visit mccallmacbainscholars.org to learn about applying for Fall 2022 admission. Current York students and new grads are invited to join a McCall McBain Scholarships Information Session on Tuesday, April 13 to learn more about the awards and how to apply.

Message to the community: An update on the provincewide Emergency Brake shutdown

Featured illustration of the novel coronavirus

The following is a message to the University community from Provost and Vice-President Academic Lisa Philipps and Vice-President Research and Innovation Amir Asif:

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear York Community,

As we have entered a new phase of provincial restrictions in the COVID-19 pandemic, this is undoubtedly a very challenging time for all members of the York community. While we can confirm that the provincewide Emergency Brake shutdown does not pose any significant impact to on-campus classes that have been planned for the Winter or Summer 2021 terms, many continue to manage uncertainty, added responsibilities and fatigue.

It is important that we continue to uphold a sense of compassion and kindness as we persevere through this latest phase. Taking care of our mental health and well-being is equally important and  there are numerous resources available to the community to offer support, including:

As mentioned, While we can confirm that the provincewide Emergency Brake shutdown does not pose any significant impact to on-campus classes that have been planned for the Winter or Summer 2021 terms, many continue to manage uncertainty, added responsibilities and fatigue. For those seeking access to campus, we remind everyone that:

  • If your activity is not part of a previously approved or ongoing instructional activity, requests to attend on-campus activities must be made by submitting a Campus Access request form. Completion of daily screening is also part of this process, with guidance available here.
  • Research activities approved to take place on York’s campuses can continue, in-person research remains suspended and researchers with approved access to campuses can continue on-campus research that was previously approved by the University.
  • Libraries will remain open for contactless curb-side pickup and students with exceptional needs requiring access to book lockers, research appointments, digitization services, photocopiers and computers can contact askusyul@yorku.ca for assistance.
  • Y-Space will remain closed to in-person activities and Innovation York will continue to offer virtual support for affected entrepreneurs and staff.

We continue to monitor the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic and should any additional information about the impact of these current restrictions on campus activities come forward it will be shared directly with affected students, staff, faculty and instructors. For all the latest updates on York’s response to the pandemic, please continue to visit YU Better Together.

Sincerely,

Lisa Philipps
Provost & Vice-President Academic 

Amir Asif
Vice-President, Research & Innovation


Mise à jour sur le frein d’urgence provincial

Chers membres de la communauté de York,  

Alors que nous entrons dans une nouvelle phase de restrictions provinciales durant la pandémie de la COVID-19, il est indubitable que tous les membres de la communauté de York vivent actuellement une période très difficile. Nous pouvons confirmer que les mesures de frein d’urgence provincial n’auront pas de répercussions majeures pour les cours prévus sur le campus durant les trimestres d’hiver ou d’été 2021, mais beaucoup d’entre nous doivent continuer à gérer l’incertitude, des responsabilités supplémentaires et la lassitude.  

Il est important de faire preuve de compassion et de gentillesse durant la traversée de cette dernière phase. Il est tout aussi important de prendre soin de sa santé mentale et de son bien-être. De nombreuses ressources de soutien sont à la disposition des membres de la communauté, notamment des ressources pour appuyer leur santé mentale et leur bien-être. En voici quelques exemples :

Comme déjà mentionné, les dispositions prises par l’Université pour les sessions d’hiver et d’été restent en place, car elles respectent strictement les restrictions annoncées récemment. Si vous avez besoin d’accéder au campus, n’oubliez pas que :  

  • Si vos activités ne font pas partie d’une activité pédagogique déjà approuvée ou en cours, les demandes de participation à des activités sur le campus doivent être faites en soumettant un formulaire de demande d’accès au campus. Il faut également remplir une liste de contrôle quotidienne; des conseils sont disponibles ici. 
  • Les activités de recherche approuvées sur les campus de York peuvent se poursuivre, mais les recherches en personne demeurent suspendues; les chercheurs ayant un accès approuvé aux campus peuvent y poursuivre les recherches qui ont été précédemment approuvées par l’Université. 
  • Les bibliothèques restent ouvertes pour la collecte sans contact en bordure de trottoir; les étudiants ayant besoin d’un accès exceptionnel aux casiers à livres, aux rendez-vous de recherche, aux services de numérisation, aux photocopieurs et aux ordinateurs peuvent contacter askusyul@yorku.ca pour obtenir de l’aide.  
  • Y-Space reste fermé aux activités en personne et Innovation York continue à offrir un soutien virtuel aux entrepreneurs et aux membres du personnel concernés. 

Nous suivons de près la réponse de la santé publique à la pandémie de COVID-19; quand des informations supplémentaires concernant l’impact de ces restrictions actuelles sur les activités du campus seront disponibles, elles seront partagées directement avec les étudiants, le personnel, les professeurs et les instructeurs concernés. Pour toutes les dernières nouvelles sur la réponse de York à la pandémie, veuillez continuer à consulter le site YU Better Together.  

Sincères salutations, 

Lisa Philipps
Rectrice et vice-présidente aux affaires académiques 

Amir Asif
Vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation 

Schulich building achieves gold standard in sustainable design

Schulich School of Business new building
Image shows the McEwen’s and an image of the building concept drawing

The Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building, which is part of of York University’s Schulich School of Business, received LEED Gold certification – one of the highest standards of sustainability for a building.

Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building
Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building

The Canada Green Building Council issued the Gold certification, a third-party validation that Schulich’s new building has been designed to meet several sustainability criteria, including water efficiency, the reduction of CO2 emissions, and indoor environmental quality. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the global building industry’s premier benchmark for sustainable design.

The 67,000-square-foot building is one of the first in Canada to use the principles of thermally active building systems. One of the building’s core features is a dramatic glass solar chimney that stands 27 metres in height and provides passive natural ventilation for the entire facility.

Some of the other sustainable building features include more than 200 automated, computer-controlled and operable exterior windows to provide natural ventilation and radiant heating and cooling within the floors and ceilings.

“As a Certified LEED Gold Building, the McEwan building embodies the commitment of the Schulich School of Business to be a recognized international leader in environmental sustainability in all its endeavours,” said James McKellar, associate dean of external relations and professor of real estate and infrastructure.  

The Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building was named a recipient of The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) Design Excellence Awards last year in recognition of its architectural excellence, creativity and sustainable design. The building also received a Canadian Green Building Award in 2020 for its sustainable design, architectural excellence and technical innovation.

New Research & Innovation resource documents York’s unique contribution in fight against COVID-19

Featured illustration of the novel coronavirus

York University is a diverse community working to tackle complex societal challenges. On March 11, 2020, when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 – a novel strain of coronavirus – a global pandemic, York immediately began to navigate the unanticipated challenges.

One project chronicles the exceptional work that our researchers are undertaking to aid in the fight against COVID-19 and makes this information available to a wider audience.

When the pandemic was first announced, in March 2020, York University sprang into action and began to navigate the unanticipated challenges
When the pandemic was first announced, in March 2020, York University sprang into action and began to navigate the unanticipated challenges

This resource, now more than 140 pages, contains peer-reviewed scholarly publications, such as the Canadian Medical Journal Association, the Canadian Journal of Public Health and Infectious Disease Modelling; articles in The Conversation Canada, The Washington Post and The Globe and Mail; interviews with CBC and CTV; and more. Updated weekly, it is published on the Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation (VPRI) website. With the user experience front and center, it is a searchable pdf where users can find research and expertise by faculty, school, researcher name and subject area.

York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton
York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton

“As a leading institution in health and health governance, disaster and emergency management, and disease modelling, York University is well-positioned to contribute to our collective understanding of the social, economic, environmental and health impacts of the pandemic as examined through an interdisciplinary lens,” says York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. “This valuable resource reflects York’s commitment to supporting innovative research, both basic and applied, that furthers worldwide response and recovery efforts and drives positive change in our local and global communities.”

“We bring expertise from across disciplines to build new tools and strategies to tackle the historic crises – the global pandemic being paramount. This list, created by Senior Manager of Research Communications Megan Mueller, is a living document that illustrates York’s tremendous diversity, highly collaborative cross-disciplinary strength. It also exemplifies the uniqueness of York’s fight against the pandemic,” said Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif.

Amir Asif
Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif

Indeed, York’s research contribution to the pandemic is unique and wide-ranging. It includes, for example:

  • much-needed mathematical modelling, from the Faculty of Science, that predicts the spread of the pandemic;
  • guidance and epidemiological expertise on COVID-19 from the Faculty of Health;
  • from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), critical examinations of racism and gender inequity that came to light during the pandemic, and policy-applicable research on the shortcomings of for-profit long-term care facilities; and
  • an innovative theatre production from the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design that helps kids deal with the stresses of lockdown and isolation.

These examples from across the University illustrate York’s historic strengths in many areas: advancing fundamental inquiry and critical knowledge; building healthy lives, communities and environments; exploring and interrogating the frontiers of science and technology; and forging a just and equitable world.

The research and expertise on this list could be broadly categorized into three areas, work that:

  • profiles research supporting treatment, vaccine development and expert advice;
  • prioritizes the health and safety of staff, students and communities while remaining committed to student academic success; and
  • showcases community impact during COVID-19 – that is, the individual and collective effort of students, ground-breaking discoveries of researchers, supporting emergency planning with local public health offices and the Province of Ontario.
<Caption> York’s contribution to the COVID effort is truly diverse, illustrating York’s historic strengths in a variety of areas
York’s contribution to the COVID effort is truly diverse, illustrating York’s historic strengths in a variety of areas

This research contributes to the larger national efforts

Developing this list is only half the story, Mueller emphasizes. “This resource does not sit statically on the VPRI website. It is leveraged, disseminated and shared both internally, at York, and externally, reaching a national audience,” she says.

Internally, York’s YUBetterTogether website, overseen by the Communications & Public Affairs Division, regularly features these research items and more. YUBetterTogether offers the latest updates, lists of resources and services, and answers to frequently asked questions. VPRI also has a dedicated page “Essential Information for Researchers,” with information about: on-campus research, procedures and other considerations; frequently asked questions; and key documents for York researchers.

Mueller also reaches out to federal and provincial stakeholders for dissemination on a weekly basis. The Council of Ontario Universities leverages this important work and shares it with a wider audience within the province. COU provides a forum for Ontario’s universities to collaborate and advocate in support of their shared mission to the benefit and prosperity of students, communities and the Province of Ontario.

Another important stakeholder, Research Canada, also shares this work to its national audiences and often features York research on its HRI Portal. Research Canada is a national alliance dedicated to advancing health research through collaborative advocacy.

Adding to this, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and Universities Canada also share York research on social media channels.

“CFI, CIHR, COU, Research Canada, NSERC and SSHRC are exceptional collaborators. We are grateful for their assistance in helping to help spread the word about York’s ground-breaking pandemic research and expertise,” says Mueller. “Having York’s contribution to the COVID fight reach a wider audience is essential.”

Visit the VPRI COVID-19 page to see the resource.

Multi-campus positioning online survey starts March 31

Keele campus Fall image showing the Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence

The following is a message to the University community from York President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton and Chief Communications & Marketing Officer Susan Webb:

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear Colleagues,

In September 2020, we launched our first-ever York University brand strategy, which captures our distinctive identity as a high-quality, research-intensive university committed to driving positive change for our students, our communities and the world around us. Underpinned by our University Academic Plan, Strategic Research Plan and other foundational planning documents, the brand strategy serves as an authentic and differentiated expression of our shared sense of purpose and identity.

As we consider all aspects of who we are as a community, there is an opportunity to understand how our campuses and other key locations support the overarching institutional positioning of “positive change.” Over the years, York has evolved into a multi-campus, multi-location university. From our original Glendon and Keele campuses, we have expanded locally into our downtown locations, where we offer executive education and professional development courses, and globally into our Costa Rica EcoCampus and Schulich MBA centre in Hyderabad, India. With our new Markham Centre Campus opening its doors in 2023, we want to be purposeful in how we communicate the synergies and benefits of our campuses to all our audiences.

Our University Brand & Marketing team is looking for your input to help inform our plans for positioning our multiple campuses and locations.  We will also be seeking the views of current students and our alumni.

This short survey launches today and will be available until April 12.

Take the survey in English

Take the survey in French

We hope to hear from as many members of our community as possible so that we can benefit from a diverse range of perspectives.

Warm regards,

Rhonda L. Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor 

Susan Webb
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
Communications & Public Affairs Division


Lancement du sondage en ligne sur le positionnement multicampus

Chers collègues,

En septembre 2020, nous avons introduit la toute première stratégie de marque de l’Université York qui reflète notre identité unique en tant qu’université de grande qualité, axée sur la recherche et engagée envers la création de changements positifs pour nos étudiants, pour nos communautés et pour le monde qui nous entoure. S’appuyant sur le Plan académique de l’Université, sur notre Plan de recherche stratégique et sur d’autres documents fondamentaux de planification, cette stratégie de marque est l’expression authentique et différenciée de notre vocation et de notre identité communes.

Cet examen des aspects de notre identité en tant que communauté nous donne l’occasion de comprendre le rôle de nos campus et d’autres emplacements stratégiques dans notre orientation institutionnelle globale envers des « changements positifs ». Au fil des années, York est devenu une université multicampus et multisites. Nos deux campus initiaux étaient les campus Glendon et Keele. Par la suite, nous nous sommes implantés au centre-ville de Toronto, où nous proposons aujourd’hui des cours de formation des cadres et de développement professionnel, puis à l’échelle internationale avec notre éco-campus au Costa Rica et le centre Schulich MBA à Hyderabad, en Inde. Avec l’ouverture de notre nouveau campus Markham Centre en 2023, nous souhaitons communiquer de manière ciblée les synergies et les avantages de nos campus à tous nos auditoires.

L’équipe chargée de la marque et du marketing de l’Université sollicite vos commentaires afin d’orienter nos plans de positionnement multicampus et multisites. Nous solliciterons également la perspective des étudiants actuels et de nos diplômés.

Vous avez jusqu’au 12 avril pour répondre à ce sondage.

Remplir le sondage en anglais

Remplir le sondage en français

Nous espérons recueillir les témoignages du plus grand nombre possible de membres de notre communauté afin de bénéficier d’un large éventail de points de vue.

Cordialement,

Rhonda L. Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière 

Susan Webb
Dirigeante principale des communications et du marketing
Division des communications et des affaires publiques

York’s president offers an update on return to campus planning

Featured illustration of the novel coronavirus

The following is an important message to faculty and staff from York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton:

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear Colleagues,

In my last update about our plan to safely return to our campuses this fall, I promised to share more details with you as they became available.

We recognize that the public health situation as it pertains to the ongoing pandemic continues to evolve, and that many of you understandably have questions about Fall 2021 planning. We continue to actively plan for a safe return to on-campus activities, while carefully monitoring public health guidance and the ongoing rollout of vaccines.

Our academic planning for the fall term is well underway, with the goal of providing our students with greater access to curricular and co-curricular activities on our campuses. We understand that remote learning will still be necessary for some courses due to physical distancing precautions and other factors. Some students may also have travel or health restrictions limiting their access to campus. At the same time, we appreciate how challenging it has been for our students, including our first-year students, who have been with us for a year without yet having been on campus.

We look forward to providing more specific guidance about what this will look like in the coming weeks.

As we anticipate the arrival of more students, staff, faculty and instructors on our York campuses later this year, next week we will be sharing our new Transitional Remote Work Policy with you, which will provide eligible staff with an opportunity to engage with managers about the return to campus plans and options for ongoing remote arrangements.

The gradual return to campus for all staff and managers is expected to take place beginning in late summer to early fall, in accordance with Toronto Public Health Guidelines.

We are also instituting a special York Wellness Day on Friday, July 2, to provide an extended four-day long weekend. We recognize that not all staff will be able to have this extra day off given the required nature of their role with the University. For those staff who are required to work, compensation will be arranged following our collective agreements or terms and conditions of employment for non-unionized staff.

It is exciting to look ahead with optimism for when we will be able to gather safely on our campuses once again. I would like to take this opportunity as well to thank faculty and staff who have been on campus throughout the pandemic for their hard work delivering required courses in-person, and keeping our campuses safe and accessible to those who need it. I look forward to sharing more details about our plans with you in the coming weeks and in the meantime, I encourage you to continue to visit YU Better Together for ongoing updates.

Sincerely,   

Rhonda Lenton
President & Vice-Chancellor 


Communication au sujet de la planification du retour sur le campus 

Chers collègues,  

Dans ma dernière communication au sujet de la planification du retour sécuritaire sur nos campus en automne, j’avais promis de partager plus de détails avec vous dès qu’ils seraient disponibles. 

Nous sommes conscients que la situation de la santé publique relative à la pandémie actuelle continue d’évoluer et il est compréhensible que beaucoup d’entre vous aient des questions au sujet de la planification de l’automne 2021. Nous planifions activement la reprise sécuritaire des activités sur le campus, tout en prenant en compte les directives de santé publique et le déploiement des vaccins.  

Notre planification académique pour le trimestre d’automne est en bonne voie; elle vise à fournir à nos étudiants et étudiantes un meilleur accès aux activités académiques et parallèles sur nos campus. Nous comprenons que l’apprentissage à distance demeurera nécessaire pour quelques cours en raison des précautions de distanciation physique et d’autres facteurs. Certains membres du corps étudiant risquent d’être astreints à des restrictions de voyage ou de santé limitant leur accès au campus. En revanche, nous sommes conscients des défis que la pandémie a posés à nos étudiants et étudiantes, y compris ceux et celles de première année qui sont à York depuis un an sans avoir eu la chance de fréquenter les campus.  

Nous vous fournirons des indications plus précises à ce sujet dans les semaines à venir.   

Nous anticipons l’arrivée d’un plus grand nombre d’étudiants, de membres du personnel, du corps professoral et du corps enseignant sur nos campus au courant de l’année. Nous vous communiquerons donc la semaine prochaine notre nouvelle politique transitoire de télétravail, qui donnera aux membres admissibles du personnel la possibilité de discuter avec leurs gestionnaires des plans de retour sur le campus et des options continues de télétravail.  

Le retour progressif sur les campus de l’ensemble du personnel et des gestionnaires devrait commencer à la fin de l’été ou au début de l’automne, conformément aux directives de la santé publique de Toronto. 

Nous instituons également une « journée spéciale de bien-être à York » le vendredi 2 juillet afin d’offrir un long week-end de 4 jours. Nous savons que certains membres du personnel ne pourront pas bénéficier de ce jour de congé supplémentaire en raison de la nature de leur rôle à l’Université. En ce qui concerne les membres du personnel tenus de travailler ce jour-là, une rémunération sera prévue conformément à nos conventions collectives, ou aux conditions d’emploi, dans le cas de personnel non syndiqué.  

Il est agréable de pouvoir envisager avec optimisme le jour où nous nous réunirons à nouveau de façon sécuritaire sur les campus. Je souhaite également saisir cette occasion pour remercier les membres du corps professoral et du personnel, qui sont restés sur place tout au long de la pandémie et qui ont travaillé sans relâche pour donner des cours obligatoires en personne et pour assurer la sécurité et l’accessibilité des campus. J’ai hâte de pouvoir partager avec vous plus d’information sur notre planification dans les semaines à venir. En attendant, je vous encourage à visiter le site YU Better Together pour les dernières nouvelles. 

Veuillez agréer mes sincères salutations,   

Rhonda Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière

Annual Avie Bennett Historica Lecture remembers 20th century’s ‘forgotten’ pandemic

"Carried Away" Avie Bennett Lecture banner

Esyllt Jones, award-winning author and history professor at the University of Manitoba, will deliver this year’s annual Avie Bennett Historica Canada public lecture on March 26.

“Carried Away: Forgetting and Remembering the Great Influenza Pandemic in Canada” will shed new light on the 1918 Influenza pandemic by exploring the experiences of the ordinary people who lived through it. The lecture will take place virtually from 4 to 5 p.m. via Zoom.

Esylit Jones
Esylit Jones

While COVID-19 has generated intense recent interest in the Great Influenza pandemic (1918-20), that event was long referred to as the 20th century’s “forgotten” pandemic. With no “Great Men” to canonize, or moment of victory to celebrate, the influenza pandemic was largely excluded from national histories. Yet for a century its effects lingered in the lives and memories of its survivors.

In this public lecture, Jones will use work by writer Alice Munro to suggest a new interpretation of how pandemic disease survivors remembered their experiences, and how those intimate histories interacted with large-scale social forces and upheavals. By placing the experiences of ordinary men and women in the center of the frame, she will explore not only whether the pandemic was forgotten or remembered, but also by whom, and in what ways.

Jones’ research focuses on the history of health and disease in Canada and the modern world, 20th century health activism and politics, transnational social movements, working class history, and the history of Winnipeg. Her book, Influenza 1918: Death, Disease and Struggle in Winnipeg (University of Toronto Press, 2007), examines the impact of the Great Influenza pandemic on the community of Winnipeg, particularly its role in the eruption of the largest labour confrontation in Canadian history, the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919. Jones also co-edited a book on the national impact of the pandemic, called Epidemic Encounters: Influenza, Society, and Culture in Canada, 1918-20 (UBC Press, 2012).

The Avie Bennett Historica Chair was established at York University in 2004 by the Historica Foundation of Canada, endowed by York Chancellor Emeritus Avie Bennett. Its purpose is to promote the study of Canada’s heritage and ensure the academic vitality of the discipline. Each year, an esteemed lecturer is invited to share their research with historians, students, faculty and the public at large.

Register for the lecture here.