Schulich team studies impact of updated accounting code of ethics
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New research by York University researchers and alumni from the Schulich School of Business shows that the likelihood of professional accountants reporting illegal acts by their employers or clients will increase because of explicit wording that was added to an international code of ethics in 2017.
Linda Thorne
The language introduced via the updated standard for non-compliance with laws and regulations (NOCLAR) clarifies and elevates accountants’ professional responsibility to report fraud and illegal acts to an external authority. The change was established in 2017 to address previous ambiguity around whether or not to maintain confidentiality when accountants suspected a breach of law.
The findings are contained in a forthcoming article in the Journal of Business Ethics. The article, titled “An Experimental Study of a Change in Professional Accountants’ Code of Ethics: The influence of NOCLAR on the duty to report illegal acts to an external authority”, was co-authored by Linda Thorne, professor of accounting at Schulich, together with two former PhD students at Schulich, Pier-Luc Nappert, an assistant professor of accounting at Laval University; Carolyn McTavish, an associate professor of accounting at Wilfrid Laurier University; and Sameera Hassan, a current Schulich PhD student.
The researchers evaluated the effect of NOCLAR’s updated wording on accountants’ perception of their responsibility to report illegal acts to an external authority. To carry out the evaluation, the research team conducted an experiment involving 113 Chartered/Certified Professional Accountants (CPAs) from the U.S. and Canada that showed that NOCLAR increases clarity and elevates CPAs’ perceptions of professional responsibility to report illegal acts externally.
“Prior to NOCLAR, the international code of ethics was seen by the public, the securities markets, audit regulators, and the audit profession as ambiguous,” says Thorne. “The ambiguity of the code prior to the introduction of NOCLAR facilitated the precedence of the principle of confidentiality over that of external reporting of fraud. But as a result of NOCLAR, there is now language in the code that explicitly grants accountants the right to break confidentiality in the face of illegal acts and outlines the steps for accountants to take when encountering them.
“Our findings suggest that the likelihood of professional accountants reporting illegal acts externally will increase,” Thorne concluded.
Philippine Studies Group offers research and publishing funds
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York University faculty members engaged in research and research creation related to the Philippines, or its diasporas, are invited to submit applications for funding and publication support by Tuesday, July 25.
The Philippine Studies Group (PSG) at the York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR) is offering up to five minor research grants worth a maximum of $4,500 each, as well as support for faculty members to publish research in the field of Philippine studies – with the number and value of the latter set to fluctuate based on the number of applications received. This opportunity is open to full-time York faculty, with a preference for early career scholars.
Available minor research and research creation grants are intended for faculty members wishing to explore subject that could include, but are not limited to: Filipino arts, history, cultures, languages, politics, society, economics and environments; Filipino Canadian relations; Filipinos in Canada; Filipinos in the diaspora; and Canadians in the Philippines. Applicants from Faculties across the University are invited to apply. Ideal applications show a clear link to Philippine studies. Where possible, applications that offer opportunities for training and professional development to undergraduate or graduate students are also welcomed.
Further grant information and applications for research and research creation can be found here.
Grants for publication support are intended to assist in covering expenses that will enable or enhance the publication of research in the field of Philippines studies. Eligible expenses include research support, indexing, artwork, copyright clearance, cartography, image reproduction, translation or copy editing. The fund might also contribute towards the cost of a publishing subvention required by a university press.
Information and applications for publishing support grants can be found here.
Call for mentors to register for York’s SDGs in Action Student Challenge
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York University is looking to engage faculty members with expertise and interest in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to mentor and provide advice and support to student project teams participating in York University’s Go Global SDGs in Action Student Challenge.
The program, funded by the Government of Canada’s Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program Global Skills Opportunity (GSO), aims to empower York students and their peers around the world to take action towards the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with a global lens.
Mentors will need to facilitate discussions, workshops and immersive abroad opportunities for York students and their peers in order to develop global competencies, leadership, digital fluency and project management skills necessary to take action on SDGs. By participating in the program, students will learn and experience the opportunities and challenges in leading community action for social change.
The program rolls out as follows:
From Oct. 10 to 13, students will participate in workshops hosted by mentors to build SDG knowledge and global competencies, including learning concepts in international development, social change, grassroots movements and community engagement. The workshops are designed under the principles of inclusive pedagogy, intersectionality and Universal Design of Instruction (UDI).
Next student groups will work towards a Dec. 5 deadline to plan and execute SDG community action projects advised by mentors and in collaboration with student peers from York global partners. Teams will be supported by York project teams from project ideation, pitch and implementation.
Lastly, on Dec. 6, students will share their experiences and learnings at a knowledge fair, by showcasing SDG community projects with the wider York community, Canadian peers and international partners.
To learn more about the Go Global SDGs in Action Student Challenge, visit here.
Those interested in registering as mentors can do so here.
York’s three-year budget plan approved
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La version française suit la version anglaise.
York University’s three-year budget plan has been approved, taking a thoughtful and prudent approach to secure long-term success.
The budget plan ensures that an in-year balance can be achieved in 2025-26 while continuing to advance the strategic priorities outlined in the University Academic Plan 2020-2025 for the long-term success of the University. York’s financial reserves will help mitigate the near-term impact of revenue shortfalls.
“York’s strong vision continues to shape the academic programs, research, creative activities and innovation that are elevating our reputation, attracting high-quality students, faculty and staff, and enhancing the well-being of the communities we serve,” said Rhonda Lenton, president and vice-chancellor.
Provost and vice-president academic Lisa Philipps added, “York has made extraordinary progress over the past few years, with teaching and research advances, improved global and domestic rankings, innovative curricula, more experiential learning opportunities, and a new campus in Markham actively preparing to welcome students next year. All these initiatives are designed to meet the needs of our current and future learners, and further strengthen York’s commitment to driving positive change.
“Providing new and returning students with high-quality experiences and supports is key to our success and remains a top priority for the University,” said Philipps.
Steps are now being implemented across the University to help achieve the planned recovery, including both short-term cost reductions and initiatives that will drive growth, innovation and enrolment.
Le plan budgétaire triennal de York a été approuvé, adoptant une approche réfléchie et prudente pour assurer le succès à long terme.
Le plan budgétaire garantit l’atteinte d’un équilibre durant l’exercice 2025-2026 tout en continuant à faire progresser les priorités stratégiques définies dans le Plan académique de l’Université 2020-2025 afin d’assurer le succès à long terme de l’Université. Les réserves financières de York permettront d’atténuer l’impact à court terme du manque à gagner.
« La vision forte de York continue de façonner les programmes académiques, la recherche, les activités créatives et l’innovation qui renforcent notre réputation, attirent des étudiants, des professeurs et du personnel de qualité et améliorent le bien-être des communautés que nous servons », a déclaré Rhonda Lenton, présidente et vice-chancelière de l’Université.
Lisa Philipps, rectrice et vice-présidente aux affaires académiques, a ajouté : « York a réalisé des progrès extraordinaires au cours des dernières années, notamment des avancées en matière d’enseignement et de recherche, une amélioration des classements mondiaux et nationaux, l’offre de programmes d’études innovants et de possibilités additionnelles d’éducation expérientielle ainsi qu’un nouveau campus à Markham qui se prépare activement à accueillir des étudiants l’année prochaine. Toutes ces initiatives sont conçues pour répondre aux besoins de nos apprenants actuels et futurs et consolident l’engagement de York envers la création de changements positifs.
« Offrir des expériences et un soutien de grande qualité aux nouveaux membres de la population étudiante et à ceux et celles qui poursuivent leurs études est la clé de notre succès et reste une priorité absolue pour l’Université », a-t-elle précisé.
Des mesures sont actuellement mises en œuvre à l’échelle de l’Université pour contribuer au redressement prévu, y compris des réductions de coûts à court terme et des initiatives qui stimuleront la croissance, l’innovation et les inscriptions.
Schulich student wins Vector Institute AI scholarship
Valued at $17,500, the merit-based VSAIs are bestowed upon top candidates pursuing studies in either Vector-recognized master’s programs, which provide students with the AI skills and competencies sought by employers, or individual AI study paths in Ontario.
“The Vector Scholarship allows me to have peace of mind while pursuing my MMAI and serves as a reminder that hard work does pay off,” said Singh. “The countless late nights that I had spent studying, working on assignments and programming during my undergraduate degree in astrophysics and computer science at York University played a large role in me receiving this award.”
Singh says the scholarship will allow him to focus more on his studies and less on funding his education. He is also looking forward to familiarizing himself with Vector Institute’s vast network which will accelerate his learning and education in AI.
“The MMAI, being a 12-month professional degree related to artificial intelligence, allows me to obtain a graduate degree without needing to remain entirely in academia,” says Singh. “The Artificial Intelligence Consulting Project (AICP) that is part of the degree will enable me to obtain relevant work experience before I graduate and enter the workforce.”
Scholarship recipients become part of the Vector Institute’s community of renowned researchers, major Canadian companies and AI startups solving high-impact problems. Recipients receive support for their education, and affiliation with Vector can open high-quality career options through Vector’s networking and career events, Digital Talent Hub and professional development programming.
‘YFile’ piloting new text-to-speech accessibility feature
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YFile has launched a new pilot project which aims to improve accessibility to its content.
YFile stories now offer text-to-speech capability, allowing readers the opportunity to listen to YFile via artificial intelligence-generated voices. Readers can click on the grey bar at the top of each article – including this one – to initiate the audio version of the story. Look for the text “Click to listen to this story.”
As this is a pilot project, with room for growth and improvements, the YFile editorial team welcomes feedback at yfile@yorku.ca.
Professors create VR summer program for high school students
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York University Faculty of Science Associate Professor Derek Jackson, and Kyle Belozerov, a sessional assistant professor, have partnered with Science Engagement Programs to develop a new Spark Lab virtual reality (VR) research course that will introduce high school students to pharmaceutical chemistry.
Derek Jackson
Kyle Belozerov
Spark Lab courses are week-long sessions designed for students in grades 9 to 12 who are interested in gaining hands-on experience in the science labs. The Faculty of Science offers courses in the experimental and research categories.
Experimental courses are developed and taught by York undergraduate and graduate students, teacher candidates, or Ontario-certified teachers, while research courses are developed and led by graduate students and/or professors and are based on the research they are conducting at York.
As a postdoctoral researcher at the Emory University Medical School, Belozerov worked on pre-clinical development and testing of drug candidates targeting an aggressive form of brain tumor called glioblastoma. He also has taught pharmacology to students in the nursing program at York.
Jackson’s expertise is in organic chemistry, a field of study that is used to synthesize the molecules found in a large number of medications, ranging from everyday medicines, like Tylenol, to complex and life-saving cancer medications. The professors have combined their respective areas of expertise to develop an engaging and dynamic summer lab course for curious Toronto high schoolers.
Schulich launches Schulich Venture Academy with star faculty team
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The Schulich School of Business at York University announced the launch of the Schulich Venture Academy – a new talent upskilling program for tech professionals featuring a star group of program directors from Canada’s startup ecosystem.
The Schulich Venture Academy will launch four Schulich Masterclass Venture Certificates focused on leadership roles, identified by Schulich and its faculty, industry advisors and alumni as crucial to fuelling the country’s next wave of tech ecosystem growth.
The inaugural four Masterclass Venture Certificates and program directors are:
Li will focus on teaching the next generation of finance professionals how to scale a venture-backed company and says: “After a long career, I am honoured to contribute my expertise through the Schulich Venture Academy. Scaling start-ups is a nuanced and complex process, which needs leaders in finance, operations and more to be nurtured in their specific roles.”
Do Forno will work with talent people professionals to teach them advanced strategies for attracting, retaining and developing talent in a venture-backed company and says: “This new Academy has the potential to have a deep impact on Canada’s startup ecosystem. People and talent strategies play a pivotal role in creating standout Canadian companies and, as a veteran in the industry, I feel privileged to be part of building the next generation of talent leaders.”
Gabowicz will work with professionals in operations to dig deeper into the metrics, systems and strategies required to scale operations in a venture-backed company and says: “As an operator who’s lived through raising, scaling and selling a startup, I can attest that having the right talent who understands these needs is critical. In being a part of this national initiative to educate our future leaders, I look forward to giving back and cultivating the next generation of Canadian startup talent.”
Matta will work with aspiring and growth-minded VC professionals to take their investing and career strategies to the next level and build the next generation of Canadian VC talent to support venture-backed firms across the country. Says Matta: “I’m thrilled to be part of the Schulich Venture Academy, which is committed to changing the way we develop startup talent. As one of Canada’s most active early-stage VCs, I know this will make a difference in how Canadian startups compete and scale.”
Schulich also announced it will be taking applications of interest for a fifth Masterclass Venture Certificate from potential program directors at its booth at Collision Conference 2023 in Toronto next week.
The Schulich Venture Academy was designed and built by award-winning Schulich Adjunct Professor Chris Carder and Schulich Entrepreneur in Residence and VC Cherry Rose Tan, in conjunction with the top-ranked Schulich ExecEd, which is among the world’s 30 best executive education providers according to the Financial Times.
“The startup ecosystem is filled with so many talented people in crucial supporting roles,” says Tan. “But as a country, we need to elevate and upskill them more effectively by giving them opportunities to learn from and be mentored directly by senior, proven leaders in their fields of expertise and interest. We’ve spent countless hours mapping the Academy out with senior leaders in the innovation economy and asking them what was needed next in order to scale growth. We’re thrilled to make this announcement on the eve of Collision Conference 2023 and start recruiting the first wave of lifelong learners to join the program.”
The Schulich Venture Academy begins classes in October 2023 in small online class sizes (maximum 25 per class) and will feature exclusive in-person networking opportunities with senior leaders in venture finance, venture operations, venture talent and venture capital.
Taught by industry stars with decades of experience, connections and successes under their belts, these programs are not theoretical. Tech professionals will learn strategies, frameworks and tools that can be immediately applied to their organization.
Upon completing a Schulich Masterclass Venture Certificate program, participants will receive a digital certificate credential.
Rami Mayer, the executive director of Schulich ExecEd, adds: “We’re excited to announce that our Academy graduates will celebrate the completion of the program at Schulich ExecEd Centre in downtown Toronto, and privately network with star program directors and other influential leaders from the venture ecosystem. In addition to providing skills and knowledge by way of completing the program, the program’s exclusive events are invaluable to graduates who look to build deeper relationships with marquee business leaders.”
This news follows two recent major tech sector announcements from the Schulich School of Business, including the launch of Canada’s first Tech MBA and the announcement of a joint Venture Studio with OneEleven.
For more information about the Schulich Venture Academy, visit this page.
York language students work with Japanese writing buddies
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By Elaine Smith
A new course at York University offered Japanese language students an opportunity to connect with a group of pen pals in Japan.
Intermediate Written Communication in Japanese (JP2010) is a full-year elective that focuses solely on writing, says Noriko Yabuki-Soh, an associate professor in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics. And, no wonder.
Noriko Yabuki-Soh
“Learning to write in Japanese takes time because there are three different writing systems which also incorporate Chinese characters,” she said.
Yabuki-Soh was eager to connect her students with the Japanese community through their writing as a way of ensuring the students had an authentic experience and learned some of the colloquial expressions commonly used in Japan today. She turned to York International, experts in globally networked learning (GNL), for assistance. GNL is an approach to teaching, learning and research that enables students, faculty and non-academic researchers from different locations around the world to participate in, and collaborate on, knowledge-making processes and concrete research projects.
York International connected Yabuki-Soh with faculty at York partner universities and she found an interested colleague, Professor Jin Abe at Hitotsubashi University, a Tokyo-based national university and York University exchange partner.
To interest Japanese students in taking part, Yabuki-Soh created a recruitment poster and promotional video. Not only did local students apply; there were responses from students from other countries who were studying at Hitotsubashi, as well as Hitotsubashi students studying on exchange programs in other countries. Sixteen students joined the program to work with Yabuki-Soh’s class, which also had 16 students.
“It was a very diverse group with students from all over the world,” she said. “It was good for our students to work with other people their own age who had similar interests.”
The two groups interacted every two weeks throughout the course through various writing projects and using Google Docs. For example, Yabuki-Soh assigned her students to write opinion pieces for posting online on topics that interested them, providing samples in Japanese newspapers for guidance, and their Japanese peers would comment about the ideas put forward.
“We’d review opinion pieces together in class, ensuring they understood the grammar, and I’d lecture about the writing style appropriate to the task,” she said. “Posting the pieces to Google Docs worked well, given the 14-hour time difference. The Japanese students could comment at any time of day.”
For another project, Yabuki-Soh paired each York student with a Japanese student, provided them with a list of questions and asked them to interview each other about the city where they lived or the town where they grew up. The York students were required to create an essay about their partners using the proper format for quotes. The York students also used the content for their final course essay, comparing their own hometown to their partner’s.
“They learned a lot about each other,” Yabuki-Soh said.
While class interaction was confined to Google Docs, students who expressed an interest in sharing their email addresses had the opportunity to connect individually with their overseas counterparts.
Jessell Miranda
Jessell Miranda, a graduating economics major, said she studied both Korean and Japanese because she loves the languages. With no advanced Japanese class offered during the winter semester, she opted for the writing course.
“I don’t want to lose what I’ve learned, and I wanted to test my understanding of the language,” Miranda said. “It was really fun and enjoyable, because we were communicating with people from our own age group, not simply talking to the professor.
“I feel more confident about writing as a result, but I also realize how much more there is to learn.”
Risha Pelchat, a fourth-year translation major at Glendon College, called the class “amazing.”
“It gave me the chance to apply what I’ve learned in real life,” she said. “In addition to being able to apply Japanese in a real-life situation, I was able to deepen my cultural understanding. Moreover, the Japanese students were from the same generation and relatable, which made our interactions especially enjoyable.
“The course was invaluable. It took my Japanese to another level. Now, I can write and be confident that people will understand what I’m saying in just about any situation.”
Lisa Endersby, the educational developer from the Teaching Commons who assisted with the GNL portion of the class, added, “GNL is a powerful, practical model for faculty to engage in the same experiences they hope to share with their students – meaningful collaboration, cross-cultural learning and academic work to impact timely, global issues. The faculty I support in GNL projects often share how these experiences are uniquely impactful for their students’ personal and professional development, connecting them to people and places they may have previously only read about.”
For more information on JP2010 and other JP courses, visit the Japanese Studies Program website.
York faculty members interested in exploring a GNL project with a partner overseas can connect with Shirley Lam and Helen Balderama through gnl@yorku.ca.
Leader in student success earns Lynda Tam Guiding Light and Legacy Award
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Agata Stypka, student success coordinator in the Faculty of Health, received the award from the Advising Community of Practice and Peer Leader Community of Practice in recognition of her unwavering commitment to students through her work in delivering excellence in student success and peer leadership programming.
The annual award was established in honour of Lynda Tam, who served as the first assistant dean, students in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) where she had a profound impact on the student experience through shaping student services, advising, and peer mentoring programs. She was also a founding co-chair of the Peer Leader Community of Practice.
Agata Stypka
Through her creative and imaginative approach, she developed programs and initiatives that helped students excel and reach their academic, personal, and professional goals. Tam exemplified student service excellence across York University and was a coach and a guiding light to students, staff, and faculty.
Stypka received this year’s award for exemplifying many of Tam’s qualities. Stypka is known as a leader in student success, who contributes to and has impact in student success programs and initiatives across campus. As the longest standing student success coordinator in Calumet and Stong Colleges, Stypka is credited with the delivery of high impact initiatives such as Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS), Agents of Change, Orientation and Peer Leadership Training.
“Agata is a welcoming and empathetic partner who works tirelessly to support her colleagues and champion student success and peer leadership across York’s campus and within our alumni community,” shared Jennine Rawana former head of Calumet College and Department of Psychology associate professor.
“Agata works tirelessly to support peer leaders to help them become proficient in their roles and brings a level of excellence to her programming, all with the intention of support students and their development,” says Mazen Hamadeh, associate dean, students, Faculty of Health and former head, Stong College.
As part of the award, art was commissioned from AMPD student Paria Shahverdi. The artwork is named “Peace” and was inspired by Tam, her illumination of shine, beauty and care, and the hope that she is now at peace. “This painting exemplifies the light and hope Lynda shared with those around her,” shared Catherine Salole, a member of the Selection Committee.
The award was presented to Stypka in a surprise meeting that included colleagues from the Faculty of Health, members of the selection committee and her nominators – Rawana and Robert Bishop, director, Student & Academic Services & Strategic Initiative.
“It is an immense honor to receive this award and I am humbled. I had the opportunity to meet and work with Lynda and she certainly was a guiding light for me as I began my career at York. The beautiful painting of the dove is a wonderful reminder of the important work that universities do in the pursue of justice and peace and creating positive change,” said Stypka.
