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Glendon introduces four new faculty members this fall

This story is published in YFile’s New Faces Feature Issue 2020, part one. Every September, YFile introduces and welcomes those joining the York University community, and those with new appointments. Watch for part two on Sept. 25.

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Glendon Campus will welcome four new faculty members this fall: Maya Chacaby, Alison Harvey, Marlon Valencia and Rémi Vivès.

“We are delighted to have these great scholars join the Glendon community,” said Ian Roberge, interim principal of the Glendon Campus. “As we ponder the post-pandemic world, we know that these new researchers and teachers possess the requisite experience, know-how and energy to help build the Glendon and York of tomorrow.”

Maya Chacaby

Maya Chacaby

Maya Chacaby aka Odehamik, is Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) Autochtone from the Kaministiqua region. Her family comes from Red Rock First Nation. Chacaby has been a sessional instructor at the Glendon Campus for more than 10 years and has recently joined the Sociology Department in a full-time role. Chacaby is an Anishinaabe survivance philosopher (survivance, not survival) and brings from her traditional territory a bundle of magical metaphor coins, a tough cloak of irony, heaps of her favourite food (Anishinaabe metaphysical conjecture), an instant pop-up escape from oblivion hatch, a pair of sweet shades against victimry and a high-quality set of nihilist cancelling head phones. She is best known as a confluence of transmogrificating phantasmagoricals often seen in awkward social situations gnawing on a pile of juicy etymologies (her second favourite food).

Chacaby is a mare’s nest of impossibilities with at least 20 extra autistic senses (synesthesia, alexithymia, stims, apraxia, non-interoceptive, non-proprioseptive, hyperlexia, atelophobia, dyspraxia, palilelia, echolalia, dyscalculia, munus exsecutivam, non-24 circadian rhythm, prosopagnosia, misophonia, non-object permanence, rejection sensitive, hyperacuisis, verbal/non-verbal); a proficient speaker of her language, Anishinaabemowin; a traditional ceremonial person; two-spirited, anti-colonial writer; a human-trafficking surviver; a former street kid; dyslexic; socially anxious; provincial policy analyst; researcher; community consultant on trauma; government consultant on boring technical tables; and (most importantly) a pro-gamer. Altogether, Indigenous and autistic, raised to be a “surrealistic oppositional creature of obvious liminality,” which is SO COOL for short.

Alison Harvey

Alison Harvey

Alison Harvey joins Glendon Campus as an assistant professor of communications. She is returning to Canada after six years of working at the University of Leicester where she led the MA Media, Gender, and Social Justice program. Harvey undertook a postdoc at the University of Toronto in the Faculty of Information, and holds a PhD in communication and culture from York University.

Her research focuses on issues of inclusivity, justice and accessibility in digital culture, with an emphasis on games, social media platforms and creative work. She is the author of Gender, Age, and Digital Games in the Domestic Context (2015, Routledge) and Feminist Media Studies (2019, Polity), and her work has also appeared in numerous interdisciplinary journals.

Harvey is committed to critical community-engaged scholarship. She is currently working on two projects in this vein. In her book project Dirty Methods, she and her collaborators explore the tensions characterizing digital research methods with social justice-focused aims. In her study of formal game courses, she engages with diverse stakeholders to understand the role of the university in contributing to inclusivity and diversity in this creative tech field.

Marlon Valencia

Marlon Valencia

Marlon Valencia is happy to re-unite with the York community after doing his MA in applied linguistics back in 2008. He joins the Department of English at Glendon College as assistant professor, teaching stream, in the area of English as a second language and applied linguistics (ENSL). He is also the new ENSL director.

Valencia did his PhD in language and literacies, comparative, international and development education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. His research interests include the intersection between language, imagination, identity and multiliteracies; language learner and teacher identities; language teacher education; visual ethnography; and language politics.

Valencia is excited to teach in the ENSL program, as well as in Glendon’s Certificate in the Discipline of Teaching English as an International Language (D-TEIL). He is also looking forward to collaborating with colleagues at York and D-TEIL’s globally networked partners in Brazil and Cuba.

Rémi Vivès

Rémi Vivès

Rémi Vivès joins the Department of Economics at Glendon Campus, York University as assistant professor. A specialist in macroeconomics, Vivès earned his PhD from Aix-Marseille School of Economics. Before coming to Glendon, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Portuguese Catholic University and a Franco-German University Fellow at the University of Konstanz.

In addition to macroeconomics, Vivès’ research and teaching interests include finance and data science. His research concerns the macroeconomic and financial effects of expectation shocks. In pursuit of this research, he uses an interdisciplinary and eclectic battery of strategies, from theoretical analysis, calibration and data confrontation to techniques taken from the computer sciences such as web scraping, machine learning and textual analysis.

In his spare time, you can find him playing the drums, hiking and enjoying the outdoors, and exploring other cultures through reading, films and travel.

Cet article est publié dans la première partie du numéro spécial « Nouveaux visages 2020 » de YFile. Tous les ans au mois de septembre, YFile présente les personnes qui se joignent à la communauté de l’Université York ainsi que celles qui sont nouvellement nommées et leur souhaite la bienvenue. La deuxième partie de cet article sera publiée dans le numéro du 25 septembre.

Le campus Glendon accueillera quatre nouveaux membres du corps professoral cet automne: Maya Chacaby, Alison Harvey, Marlon Valencia et Rémi Vivès.

“Nous sommes ravis d’accueillir ces universitaires dans la communauté de Glendon ,” a déclaré Ian Roberge, principal par intérim du campus Glendon. “Alors que nous réfléchissons au monde post-pandémique, nous savons que leur expérience, leur savoir-faire et leur énergie en matière de recherche et d’enseignement nous aideront à construire le futur de Glendon et de York.”

Maya Chacaby

Maya Chacaby

Maya Chacaby ou Odehamik est une autochtone anishinaabe (ojibwée) de la région Kaministiqua. Sa famille vient de la Première Nation Red Rock. Employée contractuelle du campus Glendon depuis une dizaine d’années, Maya vient de se joindre au Département de sociologie à temps plein. Maya est une philosophe anishinaabe de la survivance (survivance, pas survie). Les contributions de son territoire traditionnel sont une poignée de pièces de monnaie métaphoriques magiques, un épais manteau d’ironie, des montagnes de son plat préféré (conjecture métaphysique anishinaabe), un sas de secours pour sortir de l’oubli, une paire de belles lunettes contre la victimisation et des écouteurs anti-nihilisme de haute qualité. Elle a la réputation d’être à la confluence de fantasmagories transmogrifiables et on la voit souvent dans des situations sociales gênantes en train de ronger un tas d’étymologies juteuses (son deuxième plat préféré).

Maya Chacaby est un méli-mélo d’impossibilités. Elle possède au moins 20 autres sens autistes (synesthésie, alexithymie, autostimulation, apraxie, non-interception, non-proprioception, hyperlexie, atélophobie, dyspraxie, palilalie, écholalie, dyscalculie, munus executivam, rythme circadien autre que 24 heures, prosopagnosie, misophonie, non-permanence des objets, sensibilité au rejet, hyperacuité, communication verbale/non verbale); Maya est aussi : quelqu’un qui parle couramment sa langue, l’anishinaabemowin; quelqu’un qui pratique des cérémonies traditionnelles; une auteure bispirituelle et anticolonialiste; une survivante du trafic de personnes; une ancienne enfant des rues; une personne dyslexique; souffrant d’anxiété sociale; une analyste politique provinciale; une chercheuse; une consultante communautaire sur les traumatismes; une consultante gouvernementale avec des tableaux techniques ennuyeux; et (surtout) une joueuse pro. Somme toute, elle est autochtone et autiste, élevée en « créature surréaliste d’opposition avec un espace liminal évident », en bref, Maya est TRÈS COOL.

Alison Harvey

Alison Harvey

Alison Harvey se joint au campus Glendon en tant que professeure adjointe de communications. Elle revient au Canada après avoir travaillé pendant six ans à l’Université de Leicester où elle a dirigé le programme de maîtrise en médias, genre et justice sociale. Alison a entrepris des études postdoctorales à la Faculté d’information de l’Université de Toronto, et elle détient un doctorat en communication et culture de l’Université York.

Ses recherches portent sur les questions d’inclusion, de justice et d’accessibilité dans la culture numérique et mettent l’accent sur les jeux, les plateformes de médias sociaux et le travail créatif. Elle

est l’auteure de Gender, Age, and Digital Games in the Domestic Context (2015, Routledge) et Feminist Media Studies (2019, Polity). Ses travaux ont également été publiés dans de nombreuses revues interdisciplinaires.

Alison Harvey se consacre à la recherche critique axée sur la communauté. Elle travaille actuellement sur deux projets dans cette veine. Dans son projet de livre Dirty Methods, elle explore avec ses collaborateurs les tensions qui caractérisent les méthodes de recherche numérique ayant des objectifs de justice sociale. Dans le contexte de son étude des sciences formelles du jeu, elle coopère avec diverses parties prenantes pour comprendre le rôle de l’université dans la contribution à l’inclusion et à la diversité dans ce domaine technologique créatif.

Marlon Valencia

Marlon Valencia

Marlon Valencia est heureux de retrouver la communauté de York après y avoir fait une maîtrise en linguistique appliquée en 2008. Il se joint au Département d’anglais du campus Glendon à titre de professeur adjoint, volet enseignement, dans les domaines de l’anglais langue seconde et de la linguistique appliquée (ENSL). Il est également le nouveau directeur de l’ENSL.

Marlon a fait un doctorat en sciences de l’éducation, options langage et littératures, éducation comparée, internationale et sensibilisation au développement à l’Ontario Institute for Studies in Education de l’Université de Toronto. Ses domaines de recherche comprennent l’intersection entre le langage, l’imagination, l’identité et les littératies multiples; les identités des apprenants et des enseignants de langues; la formation des enseignants de langues; l’ethnographie visuelle; et la politique linguistique.

Marlon Valencia a hâte d’enseigner dans le cadre du programme ENSL et du certificat Discipline of Teaching English as an International Language (D-TEIL) de Glendon. Il se réjouit de collaborer avec ses collègues de York et les partenaires du réseau mondial de D-TEIL au Brésil et à Cuba.

Rémi Vivès

Rémi Vivès

Rémi Vivès se joint au Département d’économie du campus Glendon de l’Université York en tant que professeur adjoint. Spécialiste en macroéconomie, Rémi a obtenu son doctorat à l’École d’économie d’Aix-Marseille. Avant de venir à Glendon, il a été chercheur postdoctoral à la Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics de l’Université catholique portugaise, et chercheur universitaire franco-allemand à l’Université de Constance.

En plus de la macroéconomie, les intérêts de Rémi en matière de recherche et d’enseignement comprennent la finance et la science des données. Ses recherches portent sur les effets macroéconomiques et financiers des chocs d’anticipation. Pour les mener à bien, il utilise une combinaison interdisciplinaire et éclectique de stratégies allant de l’analyse théorique, de l’étalonnage et de la confrontation de données à des techniques tirées de l’informatique telles que le grattage Web, l’apprentissage automatique et l’analyse textuelle.

Pendant son temps libre, Rémi Vivès joue de la batterie, fait des randonnées et profite du plein air et explore d’autres cultures grâce à la lecture, aux films et aux voyages.

How a belief system, with justice in mind, ends up silencing Indigenous voices

Yann Allard-Tremblay, of the Huron-Wendat First Nation, wrote a seminal article in the Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy last year. This Glendon scholar contends that rationalism, embraced by politicians and political theorists, is, in fact, a source of violence because it ignores and distorts the voices of the Indigenous peoples. His article focuses on the population of Turtle Island, referring to the continent of North America. In many Indigenous stories about the universe and human origins, the turtle, an icon of life itself, is said to support the world.

Yann Allard-Tremblay

This is a vital discussion related to reconciliation, at a key point in time when our nation is seeking to transform (and fix) existing oppressive social and political structures so as to ensure greater inclusion and facilitate the continued existence of Indigenous peoples.

Where are we going wrong? Allard-Tremblay, who came to York in 2017, has some answers. Associated with the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies, he specializes in political and social theory, with an interest in democracy, political pluralism and Indigenous peoples.

Why is rationalism ineffective?

Allard-Tremblay underscores the short-sightedness of rationalism. “It is optimistic that human reason has the power to apprehend the whole of reality. Reason assumes that there should be a single uniform and coherent scheme to apprehend reality and this scheme is a scientific one.”

The real problem, according to Allard-Tremblay, is two-fold: (1) rationalism, due to its limitations, excludes and/or distorts Indigenous voices; and (2) since rationalism has become an accepted tool for politicians and political theorists, this belief system end up reinforcing cultural imperialism, despite the fact that politicians and political theorists are, at least in theory, aiming to administer justice and oversee reconciliation.

Indigenous worldviews acknowledge the existence of spirits and the interconnectedness of all things

Indigenous discourses ignored; distortion is form of cultural imperialism

Allard-Tremblay unpacks the idea of distortion exceptionally well: “This happens either when Indigenous voices are wrongly interpreted, through a rationalist lens, or when Indigenous peoples modify and frame their claims so as to move [the rationalist people they engage in a dialogue with.]”

Indigenous discourses, he notes, speak a wholly different language metaphorically. “Indigenous worldviews are seen to be like religions and their associated claims are classified as animistic religious claims,” he writes. They acknowledge the existence of spirits and emphasize the interconnectedness of all things, for example – approaches that have little meaning through the lens of rationalism.

Métis (Otipemisiwak) artist Christi Belcourt
“Indigenous worldviews are seen to be like religions and their associated claims are classified as animistic religious claims,” Allard-Tremblay writes. Artwork created by Métis (Otipemisiwak) artist Christi Belcourt

As a result, Indigenous discourses are largely ignored. “They are not seen as alternative points of view on reality, but as forms of discourse to be apprehended and classified by reason. These forms of discourse are not in the same category as objective rational discourse,” Allard-Tremblay explains.

Scholar considers how to oppose rationalism, offers suggestions

In this article, Allard-Tremblay considers how to oppose rationalism and hear Indigenous peoples in their own voices. He warns, once more, against mainstream approaches by well-intentioned scholars that are about, not by, Indigenous people.

He also puts forward considerations about politics and political theory that should be kept in mind “so as to avoid masking domination under the guise of reason and ignoring people’s agency in determining the right structure of society.”

In the end, and at the heart of this thoughtful article, Allard-Tremblay suggests that two things need to happen before real change can be pursued – specifically, justice and reconciliation:

  1. We need to realize that politics is constructed; and
  2. We need to acknowledge that political theory is embedded in politics.

Only then can we break the dominance and exclusivity of rationalism and create the space to incorporate an Indigenous perspective into the discussion, “heard in its own right rather than as an object of our rational apprehension,” Allard-Tremblay adds. “And this is more of an ever-going process than something that can be accomplished one day and on which we could close the books.”

To learn more about Allard-Tremblay, visit his Faculty profile page at Glendon. To read the 2019 article in the Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, visit the website.

To learn more about Research & Innovation at York, follow us at @YUResearch; watch our new video, which profiles current research strengths and areas of opportunity, such as Artificial Intelligence and Indigenous futurities; and see the snapshot infographic, a glimpse of the year’s successes.

By Megan Mueller, senior manager, Research Communications, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, York University, muellerm@yorku.ca

C4: Groundbreaking, interdisciplinary experiential education initiative enters second year

After a successful pilot test, an international award-winning capstone course will begin its second year this September at York University.  

C4: The Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom, which meets Mondays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. between September and April, is open to all York students at the end of their degrees, and enables students from different faculties to work in multidisciplinary teams focused on solving pressing, real-world challenges posed by organizations operating in both the for-profit and not-for-profit worlds – and to get credit for their work.  

C4’s intertwined personal, professional and academic journey offers students a chance to expand and refine their portfolios and uniquely prepares students to succeed after graduation

Past C4 partners include the Yonge Street Mission, Markham Arts Council, Canobi Tech, L’Arche Daybreak, Foundation for Environmental Stewardship and Panoplo Inc., among many others.

In last year’s course, 74 York University students from eight faculties designed solutions for 11 social impact challenges.

In one project, for example, students from the Lassonde School of Engineering, Glendon College, the Faculty of Environmental Studies and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, worked together on “Solar Floatie,” a solar home system that provides affordable heating and electrical power for homeowners, farmers and workers in Chile. 

“Capstone courses provide high-impact learning opportunities for students that set them up to succeed after graduation,” said Danielle Robinson, the director of C4 and executive director of the York Capstone Network, as well as an associate professor in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance, & Design. 

Danielle Robinson

“These important experiential learning courses, which are offered in many departments across the University, apply and thus consolidate what a student has learned in his/her/their major,” Robinson explained. “This is achieved generally through an individual or group project, but placements can also serve as excellent capstone experiences for students, if they are integrated with ongoing critical reflection and assignments that apply students’ skills and knowledges.” 

Robinson and Franz Newland, an assistant professor in the Lassonde School of Engineering, are co-curriculum leads for C4 as an extension of the York Capstone Network (YCN) they founded in 2018, with integral support from the Teaching Commons and the Career Centre.  

C4 is a pan-University classroom, but not yet an official course, that requires students to register for a total of six credits in an independent study, directed reading, senior thesis or capstone course within a department. Once students gain entry to C4 through a department, they will meet senior students from other faculties, form interdisciplinary teams and have the opportunity to work on problems pitched by community partners, who will mentor them over the course of the school year. 

Franz Newland
Franz Newland

While other multidisciplinary capstones might bring together students from two or three pre-selected disciplines, C4 makes it possible for as many as five to 10 students from different Faculties to come together to engage in problem-based learning, with the potential for each group to have a completely different disciplinary makeup. 

At the end of the full-year course, C4 student teams present their projects to the community partners at a capstone showcase event. Newland says that “C4 ends with a big celebration, of these students and all they have accomplished this year, of the partners and all they have contributed and of York and its commitment to pedagogical innovation, experiential education and student success.” 

C4’s intertwined personal, professional and academic journey offers students a chance to expand and refine their portfolios and uniquely prepares students to succeed after graduation. 

This summer, the C4 project was awarded the Airbus Global Engineering Deans Council Diversity Award for increasing diversity among engineering professionals globally, so the industry reflects the diversity of its communities. 

More information about the impact of C4 can be found by watching the “What do Students Think of C4” video.

C4 makes it possible for as many as eight students from different to come together to engage in problem-based learning, with the potential for each group to have a completely different disciplinary makeup

Students interested in joining the C4 classroom and making real social impact must pre-register and register for the course by Sept. 11. The pre-registration site can be found here: https://ampd.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=94302. The gateway courses students can register through are listed here: https://capstone.yorku.ca/c4-linked-courses/.

Pitch Week, when the community partners pitch their challenges to the student teams, begins Sept. 8 and continues until the first C4 class meeting on Sept. 14 (5:30 to 8:30 p.m.). Multi-disciplinary teams will then be created on Sept. 15. To access Pitch Week and the first class, students must pre-register in advance. 

Community partners for this year’s course include Jobster, Centre for Free Expression, TechConnex, the Canadian Language Museum, York’s Office of Sustainability, University Women’s Club, StoryPlanet, Peel Community Climate Council, FYI – For Youth Initiative, Barnes Management Group, MaRS Discovery District and Nascent, with many more to be announced soon. 

To learn more, visit the C4: Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom webpage on the York Capstone Network website, and the “What is C4?” video.

To read a student blog about C4, visit YUBlog. 

Want to get involved? Please write to c4class@yorku.ca. 

Eighth Annual Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award recognizes 10 students

Image announcing Awards

Ten students at York University were recently honoured with the Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award, which recognizes students’ contributions to the growth, development and vitality of the York University community through their leadership, enthusiasm and dedication.

Now in its eighth year, the Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award was created in honour of Robert J. Tiffin, who served as York University’s vice-president, Students from 2005-12. Students were nominated by members of the University community (students, faculty, staff and alumni) for their engagement and leadership roles at York. Due to the COVID-19 situation, an in-person ceremony was not possible this year; however, Tiffin congratulated the winners in a personal letter sent to each student.

“Each year students are encouraged to become proactively engaged with their educational experiences through their academic studies, co-curricular and extracurricular activities. You definitely embraced that challenge and have not only enhanced the student experience of your fellow students but also shaped the foundations for future students to become engaged within the York community,” wrote Robert Tiffin. “I’m always impressed by the diversity of ways in which leadership occurs at York, and this was truly evident in the ways you contributed.”

Vice-Provost, Students, Lucy Fromowitz, also extends her congratulations to the award winners. “I want to acknowledge, congratulate and thank the outstanding recipients of this year’s Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Awards,” she said. “The commitment you made to academic excellence and community service is incredible, and I’m confident that this is only the beginning of the wonderful contributions you will go on to make. You have gone above and beyond by enriching the university experience for the community. Your efforts are not only acknowledged, but truly inspiring.”

This year’s recipients of Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Awards are:

Aly Fawzy

Aly Fawzy

As president of the Kinesiology and Health Science Student Organization (KAHSSO), Fawzy – a kinesiology student in the Faculty of Health – created a new cohort within KAHSSO called the “Ambassadors” who facilitate KAHSSO and Stong College events. Fawzy was also a KAHSSO peer tutor and peer tutor program coordinator, a service used by more than 300 students. He was also recruited as a Stong College course representative (CR), and was later promoted to CR meeting Chair, where he provided CRs with tips and strategies to enhance their presentation and communication skills.

Crystal Heidari

Crystal Heidari

Heidari, a law student at Osgoode Hall Law School, was the first Osgoode student to serve as a president’s ambassador. She was a student senator, a member of York’s Student to Alumni Advisory Committee and coordinator of Osgoode’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. She also helped to provide legal assistance to small business owners financially unable to retain legal services through her work at the Osgoode Business Clinic. As president of the Osgoode Tax Law Association, she grew engagement in Osgoode student events 10-fold by creating a hashtag marketing campaign. As a recognized researcher in mental health, Heidari also conducted mental health and wellness research for Osgoode’s associate dean (Students).

Elizabeth German

Elizabeth German

German, a psychology student in the Faculty of Health, has been committed to building community. She served as president of the Undergraduate Psychology Student Association and helped to restructure the Faculty of Health’s Peer Mentor program. As a club mentor in Student Community & Leadership Development (SCLD), she mentors students and provides access to resources used by over 350 student organizations to build community on campus. German also co-founded her own organization, called Rethinking Mental Health at YU – a non-profit student organization that aims to raise awareness, reduce stigma and educate people about mental health.

Emily Secnik

Emily Secnik

Secnik, a Civil Engineering and BEST (Bergeron Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology) Certificate student at the Lassonde School of Engineering, has been actively involved in the Lassonde Engineering Society, serving as president, vice-president, and chief returning officer. She also represented York University at the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students. In her role as Chair of Orientation Week, she revamped the Lassonde Internal Training program to train leaders on crisis management, community safety and inclusivity for the first time, and facilitated sexual violence education and prevention training. In addition, she co-founded and co-produced a show for the Lassonde Engineering Play. She also chaired the largest student-run engineering competition in Ontario with over 200 participants, and three teams making the nationals.

Issa Abdi Jamaa

Issa Abdi Jamaa

Jamaa, a student in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) majoring in economics, re-launched the International Students’ Association at York (ISAY) and coordinated revamping the Dean’s Ambassador Program (LA&PS). He was actively involved in Vanier College Council (VCC), increasing student-friendly, accessible and equitable events, and broadening VCC’s engagement with its constituency and college head. He was also elected as a student representative on the York University Senate, and on the Student Council of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (SCOLAPS), LA&PS Faculty Council, LA&PS Decanal Search Committee and the Economic Students’ Association (ESA).

Jc Elijah Madayag-Bawuah

Jc Elijah Madayag-Bawuah

A student in the Faculty of Environmental Studies, Madayag-Bawuah has served as the Graduate Environmental Studies Students Association (GESSA) Chair, where he coordinates events to create a space for voices from racialized, low-income, and other vulnerable groups to be valued and empowered. As student liaison for the Ontario Professional Planner Institute (OPPI), he started the first student-led newsletter, connecting over 500 planning students from various universities across Ontario. He has advocated for more affordable housing through his collaboration with Gentrification Tax Action, Ruangrupa and the Art Gallery of York University (where his efforts helped to implement an artistic installment).

Kelly Fung

Kelly Fung

Fung, a BBA student in the Schulich School of Business, served as a president’s ambassador and president’s ambassador program assistant. She also took on active leadership roles as a residence life don, where she directly supervised over 170 students in the last three years. She was student co-chair of the United Way York Cares campaign, where she helped raise over $170,000 through increased student participation.

Fung also proposed a new mental health resource for York U English Language Institute (YUELI) students called “What’s Up Walk In.” The program provides mental health counselling to 200-plus international students.

Mark Subekti Tan

Mark Subekti Tan

Tan, a master of arts candidate in the Department of Humanities and graduate of the Financial and Business Economics undergraduate program, has acted as a senior residence life don, a fitness coordinator, vice-president for the Dragon Boat Team and a president’s ambassador.

As a volunteer for the Male Identified Group at The Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support & Education (The Centre), he was also an advocate and ally against sexual violence.

Moboluwajidide (Bo) Joseph

Moboluwajidide (Bo) Joseph

Joseph, a student at Glendon, has held various roles, including Glendon director on the York Federation of Students, executive roles on the Glendon College Student Union, and member of the Student to Alumni Advisory Committee and the Glendon Principal Search Committee and president’s ambassador.

He also participated in the Glendon Model United Nations and headed the first-ever bilingual Model United Nations conference at Glendon for high school students. He is currently a Fellow at the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies

Theresa Nguyen

Theresa Nguyen

Nguyen, a mechanical engineering and international development studies student at the Lassonde School of Engineering, has served as the president of the York Chapter of Engineers Without Borders. She increased student participation in the club, led the group to place silver in the Hello2030 campaign and coordinated an opportunity to engage in the Engineering in Developing Communities Program in Ethiopia. A strong believer in mentorship, she mentored in the Helen Carswell STEAM Mentorship and the BEST Lab Experience programs. She also co-initiated, directed and produced an original play about the student experience in the Lassonde Engineering Play.

Professor Colin Coates to serve as Glendon associate principal, research and graduate studies

Glendon Manor FEATURED image
Glendon Manor

The following is a message to the York University community from Glendon Campus Interim Principal Ian Roberge:

Colin Coates

I am very pleased to announce that Colin Coates has accepted to serve as associate principal, research and graduate studies, starting July 1.

Colin held the Canada Research Chair in Canadian Cultural Landscapes from 2003-13. He has served as coordinator for the Canadian Studies program during much of his time at Glendon, and he was director of the Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies from 2011-15.  Author, co-author, editor and co-editor of 11 books, Colin has been active in the graduate program in history. He brings a range of experience as a researcher and mentor of graduate students to this new role.

Audrey Pyée

Colin will be working closely with Audrey Pyée, who on Jan. 1 took on the role of associate principal, academic.

Glendon has made tremendous advances in the intensification of research and in the development of innovative approaches to teaching and learning in recent years. I am excited to have Colin and Audrey continue to advance these priorities, allowing Glendon to further demarcate itself for years to come.

I would like to thank Dominique Scheffel-Dunand once more for her immense service to Glendon. I welcome Colin aboard and thank him in advance for his contributions.

Cordially,

Ian Roberge
Interim Principal, Glendon Campus

Voici un message à la communauté de l’Université York du vice-principal par intérim du campus Glendon, Ian Roberge :

J’ai le grand plaisir de vous annoncer que Colin Coates a accepté d’être le vice-principal à la recherche et aux études supérieures à compter du 1er juillet 2020.

Colin a occupé la Chaire de recherche du Canada sur les paysages culturels canadiens de 2003 à 2013. Il a été le coordinateur du programme d’études canadiennes pendant la plupart de son parcours à Glendon et a dirigé le Centre Robarts d’études canadiennes de 2011 à 2015. Auteur, co-auteur, éditeur et co-éditeur de 11 livres, Colin a joué un rôle actif dans le programme d’études supérieures en histoire. Il apporte à ce nouveau rôle une vaste expérience en tant que chercheur et mentor d’étudiants diplômés.

Colin collaborera étroitement avec Audrey Pyée qui est la vice-principale aux affaires académiques depuis le 1er janvier.

Ces dernières années, Glendon a fait d’énormes progrès dans l’intensification de la recherche et dans le développement d’approches novatrices d’enseignement et d’apprentissage. Je suis ravi que Colin et Audrey aient la chance de faire progresser ces priorités, ce qui permettra à Glendon de continuer à se démarquer dans les années à venir.

J’aimerais remercier encore une fois Dominique Scheffel-Dunand pour ses immenses services à Glendon. Je souhaite la bienvenue à Colin et je le remercie par avance pour ses contributions.

Cordialement,

Ian Roberge
Principal par intérim, campus Glendon

Biology, economics and Indigenous studies grads recognized with silver medals

Image announcing Awards

Three graduating students from York University, Megan Schwegel, James Addis and Lance Morrison, were recognized with the Governor General of Canada’s Silver Academic Medals.

Awarded by the Governor General of Canada, the Governor General’s Academic Medals recognize the outstanding scholastic achievements of students in Canada. Silver medals are awarded to the undergraduate level student graduating with the highest average from approved university programs.

“Megan, James and Lance have each demonstrated their commitment to academic excellence, one of the core pillars of York University,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton. “As new alumni, I know their tenacity, creativity and dedication will serve them well, and continue to bring them much well-deserved success.”

About the recipients

Megan Schwegel
Megan Schwegel

Megan Schwegel, a graduate of the bilingual biology program at Glendon Campus, worked closely with Assistant Professor Valerie Schoof, primarily on vervet monkey data entry, data cleaning and a social network analysis of red colobus monkeys.

During her undergraduate career, Schwegel was involved in the first-year Research Mentorship Program in 2016-17, and facilitated the administration of a psychological test to community members for healthy aging research being conducted by Associate Professor Guy Proulx and postdoctoral visitor Kristoffer Romero. She also volunteered on project with Assistant Professor Laura McKinnon that involved finding nesting sites and recording measurements of eggs in Toronto parks.

Schwegel has been awarded two Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Undergraduate Student Research Awards with Schoof. Research for the first award, held in 2018, involved collecting behavioural data and fecal samples, from which she extracted hormones, from adult female and infant vervet monkeys in Uganda. She is currently holding the second award, for which she has been expanding upon her honours thesis, “Breeding seasonality and stacked reproductive investment in female vervet monkeys at Lake Nabugabo, Uganda,” which used the vervet monkey data to determine how reproductive parameters relate to female dominance rank, and how these parameters differ in this group of monkeys relative to at other locations.

“Receiving the Governor General’s silver medal is a huge honour,” Schwegel said. “As a Glendon student, I was allowed to explore various fields and I’m very grateful for the opportunities with which I have been presented.

“Being at a small campus gave me the confidence to speak up and I am thankful for the friends I have made and the professors who have helped me along the way,” she said.

James Addis
James Addis

James Addis was a Glendon student who graduated with a major in economics and minors in mathematics and music with a focus on jazz piano. He describes his undergraduate experience at York as “unique and fantastic.”

He appreciated his time studying science and technology policy with Associate Professor of economics Marie Lavoie, and his work as a research assistant and co-author with Ian Roberge, interim principal at Glendon, exploring public policy and administration.

Addis, who aspires to be a professor of economics and management by day and a jazz pianist by night, is heading into the direct-entry PhD program in Strategic Management at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

“It is a great honour to receive this award from York,” he said, “My time at Glendon and in the jazz area of Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) music has been nothing short of phenomenal.”

Lance Morrison
Lance Morrison

Lance Morrison’s undergraduate research focused on cultural, ceremonial and language reclamation for Indigenous people, and the history of anti-Indigenous genocide in Canada. He graduated with a specialized major in Indigenous studies with a certificate in Anti-Racist Research and Practice.

“Being only the second Indigenous student to receive this medal makes me extremely proud,” said Morrison, a Métis and Plains Cree student. “I honour my ancestors who had very tumultuous relationships with the Canadian education system and have shown them we are still resilient and proving ourselves.

“I hope to serve as a role model for other Indigenous students to remember to believe in themselves and strive for their very best,” he continued.

While at York, Morrison served on the Indigenous Council, the Aboriginal Students Association at York, and as an Indigenous Student Advisor for the Department of Equity Studies, Department of Indigenous Studies and the Equity Studies Students Association. He was invited to give three guest lectures to first-year undergraduate classes.

His play, “ᐅᐢᑫᐢᑫᐧᐤ ᐸᓯᑯᐃᐧᐣ Oskeskwew Pasikowin: New Woman Standing,” received a President’s and Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies Creative Writing Award in 2017.

Morrison will be working toward his master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies at York with a project that looks at how reclamation of Indigenous languages can help Indigenous people heal from direct or intergenerational trauma.

About the awards

For more than 140 years, the Governor General’s Academic Medals have recognized the outstanding scholastic achievements of students in Canada. They are awarded to the student graduating with the highest average from a high school, as well as from approved college or university programs. Pierre Trudeau, Tommy Douglas, Kim Campbell, Robert Bourassa, Robert Stanfield and Gabrielle Roy are just some of the more than 50,000 people who have received the Governor General’s Academic Medal as the start of a life of accomplishment.

Today, the Governor General’s Academic Medals are awarded at four distinct levels: Bronze, at the secondary school level; Collegiate Bronze, at the post-secondary, diploma level; Silver, at the undergraduate level; and Gold, at the graduate level. Medals are presented on behalf of the Governor General by participating educational institutions, along with personalized certificates signed by the Governor General. There is no monetary award associated with the medal.

York University announces 12 York Research Chair appointments

Vari pond

Eight emerging and four established researchers across the University will join the York Research Chairs (YRC) program, York University’s internal counterpart to the national Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program, which recognizes outstanding researchers. Two of these appointments are renewals.

These YRCs belong to the seventh cohort of researchers to be appointed since the establishment of the program in 2015. These YRCs’ terms start July 1 and run through to June 30, 2025.

Rhonda L. Lenton

“Our new YRCs exemplify the extraordinary contributions of York’s researchers,” said President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton. “York is committed to ensuring that our research, scholarship and creative activities are focused on the needs of the communities we serve and on the complex challenges facing our society – from climate change to racism. In the current context, as the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, research focused on creating positive change is even more important. The YRC program is central to that commitment, and we are proud to support the ongoing excellence of our outstanding researchers through this initiative.”

Amir Asif

The YRC program seeks to build research recognition and capacity, with excellence in research, scholarship and associated creative activity serving as selection criteria. “This program mirrors the federal CRC program to broaden and deepen the impact of research chairs at York in building and intensifying world-renowned research across the institution. These new YRCs are undertaking visionary work that has local, national and international impact,” said Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif.

Tier I YRCs are open to established research leaders at the rank of full professor. Tier II YRCs are aimed at emerging research leaders within 15 years of their first academic appointment.

Tier I York Research Chairs

Ilijas Farah

Ilijas Farah
York Research Chair in Foundations of Operator Algebras

Ilijas Farah, Faculty of Science, singlehandedly developed the field of the applications of logic to operator algebras, revealing deep and unexpected connections between the foundations of mathematics and some of the most concrete and ubiquitous mathematical objects. A top researcher in both of these hitherto unrelated subjects, he was invited to speak at the International Congress of Mathematicians. He was also fortunate to supervise some spectacularly talented PhD students.

Stephen Gaetz
Stephen Gaetz

Stephen Gaetz
York Research Chair in Homelessness and Research Impact

Stephen Gaetz, Faculty of Education, is the director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, the Homeless Hub, and Making the Shift – Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab. He has a long-standing interest in understanding homelessness – its causes, how it is experienced and potential solutions. His research is defined by his desire to ‘make research matter’ through working in collaboration with partners to conduct and mobilize research so as to have an impact on policy and practice.

Obiora Okafor
Obiora Okafor

Obiora Okafor
York Research Chair in International and Transnational Legal Studies

Obiora Okafor, Osgoode Hall Law School, has had his YRC renewed. This renewal supports the continuation of Okafor’s research on Canada’s human rights engagements with various African countries, including in the sub-areas of economic and social rights, judicial strengthening, institution building, democratization and poverty alleviation. This work includes a study on Canada’s human rights engagements with the African Union as a body.

Laurie Wilcox
Laurie Wilcox

Laurie Wilcox
York Research Chair in 3D Vision

Laurie M. Wilcox, Faculty of Health, is a member of the Centre for Vision Research and VISTA (Vision: Science to Applications). Her research focuses on the neural mechanisms responsible for human depth perception and how depth information is processed under complex real-world conditions. She has a long history of collaboration with industry partners, for instance in 3D film (IMAX, Christie) and more recently in virtual and augmented reality (Qualcomm Canada) and image quality (VESA).

Tier 2 York Research Chairs

Ali Abdul-Sater
Ali Abdul-Sater

Ali Abdul-Sater
York Research Chair in the Regulatory Mechanisms of Inflammation

Ali Abdul-Sater, Faculty of Health, is interested in identifying novel regulators of inflammation and understanding how these regulators control immunity and the inflammatory response. He is pursuing several avenues of research: the roles of the protein TRAF1 in controlling inflammatory and autoimmune diseases; the role of Type I interferons (proteins made in response to the presence of viruses) in bacterial and viral responses; and how exercise regulates the immune response.

FES Professor Sheila Colla
Sheila Colla

Sheila Colla
York Research Chair in Interdisciplinary Conservation Science

Sheila Colla, Faculty of Environmental Studies, is an ecologist using scientific principles to address real-world conservation issues. Her research focuses on the conservation of lesser understood native species such as bees, butterflies and flowering plants. She works closely with environmental NGOs, landowners, academic partners and government agencies to implement conservation management based on the best available science. She wants her research to inform relevant environmental and agricultural policy.

Mike Daly
Mike Daly

Mike Daly
York Research Chair in Planetary Science

Mike Daly, whose YRC was renewed, is in the Lassonde School of Engineering. This appointment recognizes Daly’s outstanding contribution to space-flight instrumentation research at York. The YRC will enable his participation in NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission to the near-Earth asteroid Bennu and the return of Canada’s first sample of material from another solar system. Knowledge gained from Bennu could provide key information about the origins of Earth and the solar system.

Sarah Flicker
Sarah Flicker

Sarah Flicker
York Research Chair in Community-Based Participatory Research

Sarah Flicker, Faculty of Environmental Studies, is an expert in community development, health promotion and adolescent well-being. Flicker’s innovative program of research focuses on the engagement of youth and other allied actors in environmental, sexual and reproductive justice. She works across methodologies using participatory approaches for social change.

Eve Haque
Eve Haque

Eve Haque
York Research Chair in Linguistic Diversity and Community Vitality

Eve Haque, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, has research and teaching interests that include multiculturalism, white settler colonialism and language policy, with a focus on the regulation and representation of racialized groups in white settler societies. Her current research focus is on the recognition and language rights of non-official language communities in Canada. She is also the author of Multiculturalism Within a Bilingual Framework: Language, Race and Belonging in Canada.

Ali Sadeghi-Naini
Ali Sadeghi-Naini

Ali Sadeghi-Naini
York Research Chair in Quantitative Imaging and Smart Biomarkers

Ali Sadeghi-Naini, Lassonde School of Engineering, is an emerging leader in multi-disciplinary research at the intersection of AI, biomedical engineering, biophysics and oncology. His seminal studies demonstrated, for the first time, that quantitative ultrasound biomarkers at low frequencies can detect cell death induced by anti-cancer therapies. He seeks to develop quantitative imaging and biomarker technologies integrated with innovative machine learning and computational modeling techniques for precision medicine and personalized therapeutics.

Valerie Schoof
Valerie Schoof

Valérie A. M. Schoof
York Research Chair in Primate Behavioural Endocrinology

Valérie A.M. Schoof, Glendon Campus, is a primatologist whose research program, funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and New Frontiers in Research Fund, focuses on the ecology, sociality, physiology and life history of wild primates in East Africa, and the biological, geographical and cultural factors influencing human-wildlife interactions. She is also the director of the Primate Behavioural Endocrinology Lab, recently funded by Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ontario Research Fund.

Marlis Schweitzer
Marlis Schweitzer

Marlis Schweitzer
York Research Chair in Theatre and Performance History

Marlis Schweitzer, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, is a theatre and performance historian with a specialization in 19th and early-20th century Anglo-American performance. Schweitzer plans to use her YRC to explore urgent questions about the relationship between historical casting practices, theatre’s role in the circulation and perpetuation of racist stereotypes, and the onstage representation of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) individuals in contemporary Anglo-American performance.

Three students receive the Robert Everett Exceptional Leadership in Student Governance Award

Bob Everett
Bob Everett speaking at a University event

In honour of Robert Everett, a distinguished senior assistant secretary of the University who made extraordinary contributions supporting University governance for nearly three decades, President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton established in 2018 the Robert Everett Exceptional Leadership in Student Governance Award to recognize and celebrate students and their impact on governance at York University.

Robert Everett

The student recipients are: Kimiko Clark, undergraduate, Multidisciplinary Studies (Environmental and Health Studies), Glendon Campus; Michelle Cobblah, undergraduate, Economics and International Development Studies, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies; student senator; and, Moboluwajidide (Bo) Joseph, undergraduate, Communications and Creative Writing, Glendon Campus.

Clark was recognized for her passion, leadership, collegiality and inclusiveness, which her nominators stated were the hallmarks of her approach to student governance. In particular, they referenced her contributions to governance at Glendon, which were described as significant and lasting, including securing broad engagement of students and stakeholders in Faculty Council and Student Caucus, and the establishment of a process and a structure that brought representation of Indigenous students on Student Caucus. Particularly noteworthy to the panel considering Clark’s nomination was her role in actively striving to bring all voices and views to the table to foster full and fair deliberations to reach a better decision. Glendon faculty members were struck by her dedication to governance, as she served several roles and secured students to fill every seat on Faculty Council and its committees. Glendon students also wrote with equal praise of the mentoring Clark provided to ensure robust student governance carries on at Glendon.

Cobblah’s nominators spoke of her deep dedication, collegiality, respect and compassion, which they say is at the heart of her approach to student governance. They praised her contributions to the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, Senate and the University, which they said have been significant and lasting. Key among her achievements cited in the nomination was the revitalization of the Student Council of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (SCOLAPS) under her presidency, and her work to secure robust student participation on Faculty Council committees. Cobblah was also praised for pioneering the inaugural SCOLAPS-sponsored Mental Health Week to support students’ needs. The panel considering her nomination was struck by her selfless dedication to governance activities, not only in serving in many roles herself, but also in facilitating constructive relationships with College Councils and external partners to enhance student engagement and the quality of experience for all involved.

Joseph was recognized for his deep commitment to collegiality, inclusivity and diplomacy in his governance roles at Glendon. Nominators wrote of his contributions to governance at Glendon and the University, which they describe as being significant and influential. Through his leadership exhibited on the principal’s search committee, as the Glendon director for the York Federation of Students, and as a member of Faculty Council and its Policy, Planning and Nominations Committee, Joseph provided an influential and eloquent voice. He brought the student perspective to bear on complex governance matters. He was described as an exemplary ambassador of York who is “making a difference for the best … that will continue for years to come.”

All of this year’s nominees exhibited incredible dedication to supporting governance at the University. All three of these student recipients stood out for their passion, leadership, collegiality and inclusiveness, and their significant and lasting contributions to governance, which perfectly embody the spirit of this award. The members of the University Secretariat and the Senate of York University extend congratulations to these exceptional students. Their names will be added to the Student Award plaques in the Vari Hall rotunda.

Glendon signs MOU for French as second language education

York University’s Glendon Campus and the Lycée Français de Toronto (LFT) have signed a new and unique partnership agreement to collaborate in French education, from preschool to university.

The new Memorandum of Understanding, signed June 24, will allow Glendon’s French as Second Language (FSL) education students and newly graduated, accredited teachers to participate in a work integrated learning opportunity to gain training and experience in a French-language setting.

Rhonda L. Lenton
Rhonda L. Lenton

“A key priority for York is building new partnerships with the community to create positive change,” said York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton. “This MOU will provide professional development opportunities for French as a Second Language instructors, expand research and the sharing of best practices for FSL education and create new experiential learning opportunities for Glendon students that will help them succeed in the workforce.”

The new partnership will also provide continuing education for LFT teachers, research opportunities to learn more about FSL teaching best practices and credit recognition for graduating LFT students wanting to pursue their studies at York.

“This partnership has a special flavour for the bilingual Canadian in me. I am delighted that Glendon Campus and LFT will join together in this shared vision of providing excellence in education and new linguistic paths in Toronto,” said Professor Ian Roberge, interim principal of the Glendon Campus. “It’s a great honour for me to sign this protocol that contributes to the promotion of Canada’s two official languages and celebrates multiculturalism in Toronto.”

Co-Interim Principal of Glendon Campus Ian Roberge
Ian Roberge

The two Toronto institutions are both committed to the highest level of expertise in French-language education curriculum delivery. The new Memorandum of Understanding reaffirms both York and LFT’s shared values towards fostering open and multilingual education on a global scale.

“We are very pleased to join with York’s Glendon Campus in this partnership, which is unique in Toronto and gives an additional dimension to our pedagogical mission and to the study path for our students,” said Jean Pierre Faou, head of LFT. “This partnership thus solidifies our Canadian roots and renews our commitment to our multicultural community: where France meets Canada.”

The LFT is a not-for-profit organization in Ontario that was founded in 1995. Part of the Agency for French Teaching Abroad (AEFE) network, they are one of 522 institutions in 139 countries, and the only French institution in Toronto approved by the French Ministry of Education for Pre-kindergarten to Grade 12. It offers a demanding curriculum backed by the French Ministry of Education and prepares students for the French National Brevet Diploma and Baccalaureate exams.

And the NSSE Champion Cup goes to the Schulich School of Business!

The Seymour Schulich Buildiing, home of the Schulich School of Business

The Schulich School of Business achieved a spectacular 47.5 per cent participation rate in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) to win the 2020 NSSE Champion Cup. This is the third time the school claimed bragging rights to the coveted prize.

NSSE, or “Nessie,” is the National Survey of Student Engagement, which seeks input from first- and fourth-year York University undergraduates about their experiences at the University. Through NSSE, students contribute their insights and influence York University’s future direction. Organizers at York University challenged individual Faculties (except the Faculty of Education and Osgoode Hall Law School) to encourage participation in the survey through a little friendly competition. The Faculty achieving the highest percentage of complete responses wins the NSSE Champion Cup and bragging rights until the next survey.

Faculty response rates for NSSE 2020
Faculty response rates for NSSE 2020. Image courtesy of Richard Smith

In his opening comments, Richard Smith, who is York University’s Director of Institutional Research, Reporting and Analysis in the Office of Institutional Planning and Analysis, noted that this year’s effort was remarkable. “The closing of campus due to the pandemic meant we had to stop most of our promotion and communication efforts to make room for emergency messaging,” said Smith. “Despite the challenges, York achieved an impressive participation rate of 32.9 per cent when all responses are counted. We felt it was important to get the community together [via Zoom] to celebrate this impressive accomplishment.”

Participatnts in the NSSE Champion Cup presentation Zoom Webinar

In her remarks, York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton praised the NSSE results. “I am delighted to have this opportunity to celebrate the University’s progress with NSSE and to thank all of you who were most directly responsible for that progress,” said Lenton. “I remember when I was Provost and Vice-President Academic at York University in 2013, I sponsored the NSSE campaign because the University felt there was significant opportunity to increase our participation rate through promotion efforts. I asked Richard Smith and then Vice-Provost Students Janet Morrison, to put together a team to come up with a plan to improve our participation rates.

“That team eventually became the NSSE steering committee, which created the campaign that has increased York’s response rate dramatically for the next three survey administration years of 2014, 2017 and 2020,” said Lenton. “As a result, we are now able to rely on NSSE to inform a great deal of our institutional planning, both at the institutional level and at the faculty level.”

She noted that this year’s overall participation rate came in just shy of what was achieved in 2017 but had 675 more participants and set a York record for responses. Lenton described the accomplishment as remarkable given the disruption of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Lenton said that past survey data has been used to make improvements that directly benefit students. “Once NSSE results come out in the fall, we plan on running post-survey sessions to present and disseminate data to York students, faculty and staff. We will then hold community sessions to discuss the data and how we can use it to improve student supports and enhance the student experience.”

She thanked the NSSE Steering Committee and the 25-member Working Group of “NSSE Champions” for their efforts to make the survey a success. She also thanked prize sponsors Aramark, York Lanes and the Student Centre, and “the 6,237 students who took the time to tell us how they engage with York, what works, what doesn’t and how we can do better.”

York U Schulich Dean Deszo Horvath
Dezsö J. Horváth

Lenton then presented the NSSE Champion Cup to Dezsö J. Horváth, the Dean and Tanna H. Schulich Chair in Strategic Management at the Schulich School of Business. A beaming and very proud Horváth hoisted the NSSE Champion Cup high. He received hearty congratulations from York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton.

“On behalf of the Schulich School of Business, I am pleased and honoured to accept the 2020 NSSE Champion Cup – the third time that Schulich has taken the top spot since York University began participating!” said Horváth. “Let me first of all congratulate the many Schulich undergraduate students who made this happen. You achieved an impressive participation rate of nearly 50 per cent! “And what is even more remarkable is that you did this during a year like no other – a year none of us will ever forget!

“When it comes to undergraduate business students in Canada, Schulich students are among the best of the best!” said Horváth. “Every student who enters our school comes into the program not only with top marks …. but also proven leadership skills and entrepreneurial skills. To all of our students who took part this year: thank you for your enthusiasm and your dedication!”

Horváth took time to thank Schulich’s Associate Dean of Students Marcia Annisette, Lindsay Hillcoat, the school’s interim executive director of student services, and Keshia Grey, the former director of student and enrolment services at Schulich, for their important work in motivating the students to complete the survey.

Eric Mézin from Glendon College and Josephine Campanelli Zeeman from Environmental Studies accepted “most improved” awards on behalf of their Faculties. Glendon increased its participation rate by 8.1 per cent over 2017 and Environmental Studies increased it by 6.4 per cent.

Three participating students were drawn as winners of a $500 tuition waiver:  Rebecca Sarchese, first-year student in Linguistics and Language Studies from Glendon; Fidelia Erugom, first-year student in Political Science from LAPS; and Paula Molina, graduating student in Criminology from LAPS.

NSSE gives students in their first and fourth years an opportunity to have a say in making meaningful change happen at York University. It is offered every three years and the 2020 edition of NSSE began Feb. 10 and ended on May 22. Students were asked how much time and effort they put into educationally rewarding activities and to what degree York University facilitates this involvement. The data gathered is a valuable resource for the University that helps it make decisions about changes that will benefit students.

Quick facts about this year’s NSSE:

  • Student response rate (complete and partial) was 32.9 per cent.
  • Overall winner of the inter-faculty contest: Schulich School of Business.
  • Most improved response rate: Glendon College +8.4 per cent and Environmental Studies +6.4 per cent.

The online survey, which takes about 15 minutes to complete, asked first-year and graduating students in a four-year degree how they engaged with their studies and their campus. The results provide insights to York on what the University does well and what it could improve.

Data from previous NSSE surveys led to improvements in career advising: more programming and workshops by the Career Centre in career planning, the introduction of Career Peer Educators in 2018, and the expansion of the Career Fair websites. Career programming was also improved to meet the needs of targeted audiences, including new grads, graduate students, international students, Indigenous students, and students with disabilities. The 2017 data informed the expansion of Mental Health & Wellness services for students: more consultation and outreach with students to develop the University’s Mental Health and Wellness Strategy, the new Wellness Hub and the introduction of Peer Health Educators. NSSE data also contributed to the realignment of Student Counselling and Development, Student Accessibility Services and the Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support and Education.

By Jenny Pitt-Clark, YFile editor