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York University’s president issues an important update on the Fall 2021 term

Keele campus Fall image showing the Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence

Keele campus Fall image showing the Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence

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

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear York Community,

Over this past year, York students, staff, faculty and instructors have demonstrated a deep commitment to academic excellence while adapting to the realities of being physically distanced from one another. Your achievements in navigating the shift to remote learning, research, and operations have been truly inspiring. At the same time, there is no substitute for the vibrant, on-campus experience that enables our diverse community to thrive.

Looking forward, I am pleased to announce that we are actively planning for a safe return to our campuses for the Fall 2021 term. Our plans are centred on bringing classes and co-curricular opportunities back onto our campuses as much as possible, while also prioritizing health and safety for all students, faculty, course instructors and staff. Classes held on campus will be delivered in a small group format that maximizes interactive learning.

As we look to make more on-campus learning opportunities available to our students, access to high-quality remote learning will continue, especially for those who may face health or travel restrictions.

The dynamic nature of the pandemic will of course mean that we will need to remain flexible in our approach in the months ahead. We will continue to update you if there are any significant impacts to the planned return to our campuses.

I look forward to sharing more details as we finalize plans. The Summer 2021 term will continue to be offered for the most part virtually as previously announced, with expanded options for our community to enjoy more outdoor space on our campuses, as the weather improves.

Our commitment to supporting everyone through this transition and to fostering a community of care is at the heart of our planning. I look forward to connecting with you all on campus in the fall. In the meantime, you can visit our YU Better Together website for regular updates.

Sincerely,

Rhonda L. Lenton
President & Vice-Chancellor

Nouvelles importantes au sujet du trimestre d’automne 2021  

Chers membres de la communauté de York,  

Au cours de la dernière année, les membres du corps étudiant, du personnel, du corps professoral et du corps enseignant de York ont fait preuve d’un grand engagement envers l’excellence universitaire tout en s’adaptant aux exigences de la distanciation physique. Vos réalisations durant notre passage à l’apprentissage, à la recherche et aux activités quotidiennes à distance ont été très inspirantes. Toutefois, rien ne peut remplacer la richesse de l’expérience sur le campus qui permet à notre communauté diversifiée de prospérer.  

Je suis heureuse de vous annoncer que nous planifions activement un retour sécuritaire sur nos campus pour le trimestre d’automne 2021. Notre planification est axée sur la reprise des cours et des activités para-universitaires sur les campus dans la mesure du possible, tout en privilégiant la santé et la sécurité de la population étudiante, du corps professoral et enseignant et du personnel. Les cours sur le campus seront donnés en petits groupes afin de maximiser l’apprentissage interactif. 

Parallèlement à l’accroissement des possibilités d’apprentissage sur le campus, l’accès à un enseignement à distance de haute qualité sera maintenu, tout particulièrement pour ceux et celles qui sont touchés par des restrictions de santé ou de voyage.   

La nature changeante de la pandémie nécessitera une grande flexibilité d’approche dans les mois à venir. Nous continuerons à vous informer des répercussions majeures du retour prévu sur nos campus.   

Je serai heureuse de vous fournir plus d’informations au fur et à mesure de la finalisation de nos plans. Dans l’ensemble, le trimestre d’été 2021 sera offert virtuellement — comme annoncé précédemment — avec des options supplémentaires qui permettront à notre communauté de profiter davantage des espaces extérieurs sur nos campus avec le retour des beaux jours.   

Cette planification est basée sur notre engagement à appuyer toute la communauté durant cette transition et à encourager la solidarité chez ses membres. J’ai hâte de vous revoir sur le campus en automne. Entre-temps, vous trouverez les dernières nouvelles sur notre site Web YU Better Together. 

Veuillez agréer mes sincères salutations, 

Rhonda L. Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière 

Virtual town hall on the Framework and Draft Action Plan on Black Inclusion planned for March 18

Last week, we shared Addressing Anti-Black Racism: A Framework on Black Inclusion and the accompanying Draft Action Plan on Black Inclusion – For Further Consultation with the York community. Together, these documents will guide the University’s approach to addressing systemic anti-Black racism and providing equitable access to learning, teaching, research and professional environments that are respectful and inclusive for all.

Today, we would like to invite all students, staff, instructors and faculty to a virtual town hall on Thursday, March 18, where we will provide a brief overview of these documents and an opportunity for community members to ask questions and provide input on them. We encourage you to review the Framework and Draft Action Plan in advance and to submit your questions prior to the event using this form. Community members also have the option of providing input on the Framework and Draft Action Plan using the form at the bottom of this page.

Date: Thursday, March 18
Time: 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Zoom Webinar: https://yorku.zoom.us/j/93045530162?pwd=YzFvOWg1aHNmV3MrbGNGdXNkaVdiQT09
Webinar ID: 930 4553 0162
Telephone Dial-In: (647) 558-0588
Password: 511089
Livestream: https://conversations.info.yorku.ca/

To help answer your questions and address your feedback, we will be joined by:

  • Carl James, senior advisor on Equity and Representation; Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora; and professor, Faculty of Education.
  • Andrea Davis, special advisor on the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) Anti-Black Racism Strategy and associate professor, LA&PS.

If you have any accessibility needs, notes or comments, please let us know prior to the event using this form.

We will be hosting this town hall via the video conferencing platform Zoom Webinar. You can learn about downloading and using Zoom here. The webinar will also be livestreamed on the Town Hall website.

If you have attended a past town hall, we would like your feedback through this short survey. If you were unable to attend previous town halls, you can access all of them here.

The latest community updates, resources and answers to frequently asked questions can always be found on our YU Better Together website.

We look forward to your questions.

Sincerely, 

Rhonda Lenton 
President & Vice-Chancellor

Sheila Cote-Meek
Vice-President, Equity, People & Culture

Conversation communautaire virtuelle le jeudi 18 mars pour discuter du cadre et de l’ébauche de plan d’action sur l’inclusion des personnes noires

Chers collègues,

La semaine dernière, nous avons partagé avec la communauté de York les documents Lutte contre le racisme anti-Noirs : un cadre pour l’inclusion des personnes noires et le document connexe Ébauche d’un plan d’action sur l’inclusion des personnes noires – Pour consultation plus approfondie. Ces deux documents orienteront l’approche de l’Université pour lutter contre le racisme systémique anti-Noirs et fournir un accès équitable à des environnements d’apprentissage, d’enseignement, de recherche et de travail respectueux et inclusifs pour tous.

Nous souhaitons aujourd’hui inviter tous les membres du corps étudiant, du personnel, du corps enseignant et du corps professoral à participer, le jeudi 18 mars, à une conversation communautaire virtuelle durant laquelle nous donnerons un aperçu de ces documents. Ce sera l’occasion pour les membres de la communauté de poser des questions et de faire des observations. Nous vous encourageons à passer en revue le cadre et l’ébauche de plan d’action avant la conversation et à soumettre vos questions à l’aide de ce formulaire. Les membres de la communauté peuvent aussi faire des suggestions au sujet du cadre et de l’ébauche de plan d’action à l’aide du formulaire sur cette page.

Date : Jeudi 18 mars 2021
Heure : 14 h 30 – 16 h
Webinaire Zoom : https://yorku.zoom.us/j/93045530162?pwd=YzFvOWg1aHNmV3MrbGNGdXNkaVdiQT09
Code du webinaire : 930 4553 0162
Numéro de téléphone : (647) 558-0588
Mot de passe : 511089
Lien pour la diffusion en direct : https://conversations.info.yorku.ca/

Pour nous aider à répondre à vos questions et à vos observations, nous serons accompagnées des personnes suivantes :

  • Carl James, conseiller principal pour l’équité et la représentation, chaire Jean Augustine en matière d’éducation, de communauté et de diaspora, Faculté d’éducation.
  • Andrea Davis, conseillère spéciale de la Faculté d’arts libéraux et études professionnelles sur la stratégie de lutte contre le racisme anti-Noirs et professeure adjointe de LA&PS.

Si vous avez des besoins, des remarques ou des commentaires en matière d’accessibilité, veuillez nous le faire savoir à l’aide de ce formulaire.

Cette conversation communautaire aura lieu grâce à la plateforme de visioconférence Zoom Webinar. Vous pouvez télécharger Zoom et apprendre à vous en servir ici. Le webinaire sera également diffusé en direct sur le site Web des conversations communautaires.

Si vous avez déjà assisté à une conversation communautaire, nous aimerions connaître votre opinion avec ce bref sondage. Si vous n’avez pas pu assister aux conversations précédentes, elles sont affichées ici.

Vous trouverez les dernières mises à jour, ressources et réponses aux questions fréquemment posées sur notre site Web YU Better Together.

Nous attendons vos questions avec impatience.

Sincères salutations, 

Rhonda Lenton,
présidente et vice-chancelière

Sheila Cote-Meek
Vice-présidente de l’équité, des personnes et de la culture

Researchers at York University receive $9 million in Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) funding

research graphic

Three major research projects at York University have received more than $9 million in research infrastructure funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced more than $518 million in research infrastructure funding on March 3 that will support 102 projects at 35 post-secondary institutions and research hospitals across the country.

“We are grateful for this visionary investment in the infrastructure needed to support York University’s ground-breaking research activities. The grants from CFI’s Innovation Fund will enable York to conduct fundamental research, helping us to better understand our planet and universe; develop technologies to address complex social, health, environmental, and economic challenges; and drive positive change in Canada and around the world,” said York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton.
York University Distinguished Research Professor Eric Hessels receives the 2020 CAP Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Physics. Photo by Paola Scattolon
Eric Hessels. Photo by Paola Scattolon

York University Distinguished Research Professor Eric Hessels has been awarded $3,360,000 from the CFI Innovation Fund for the project Tabletop Probe of PeV-scale new physics. A professor in York’s Department of Physics and Astronomy in the Faculty of Science, Hessels was recently honoured for his work in high-precision atomic physics measurements and their significance as tests of fundamental physics. This CFI grant will allow for ultra-precise measurements that will test the fundamental laws of physics at energies that are much higher than the 14-TeV Large Hadron Collider at CERN.  The infrastructure will be used to test whether the electron is spherical, or whether it has an electric dipole moment − a small distortion in its charge distribution. Such a distortion would be evidence that a fundamental symmetry of physics is violated at high energies, making matter act differently than antimatter, and could help to explain why the universe is made entirely out of matter, rather than antimatter.   

Derek Wilson
Derek Wilson

Professor and York Research Chair Derek Wilson has been awarded almost $2.1 million as principal investigator of a project withYork University Distinguished Research Professor Sergey Krylov, Technology-Enhanced Drug Development and Manufacturing (TEnDev): MirrorLab. Their research in the Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Science, is centered on the development of powerful new bioanalytical technologies that provide high detail, dynamic pictures of how drugs interact with their protein targets. TEnDev will enable Canadian international leadership in pre-clinical drug development and manufacturing through the creation of a globally competitive hub for technological innovation in biopharmaceuticals research. The result will be a greatly expanded capacity for biopharmaceuticals research at York University, and a distinct competitive advantage for pharmaceutical companies choosing to locate R & D activities in the surrounding region. TEnDev will also generate direct health benefits for Canadians through accelerated drug approvals and improved manufacturing quality.

George Zhu
George Zhu

Professor George Zhu has been awarded almost $3.6 million for Intelligent Additive Manufacturing Technology for Space Exploration, a project that will lead a transformation in mass and volume reduction for rocket launching satellites into space and self-sustained medical support to human spaceflight.  A professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, Zhu aims to develop transformative Artificial Intelligence (AI) enhanced Additive Manufacturing (AM) and 3D bioprinting technologies for human space exploration in three new frontiers: near net-shape manufacturing by AI enhanced AM; lightweight multifunctional materials; and 3D bioprinting for regenerative medicine. The long-term objectives are to make spacecraft, payloads and surgical instruments with AM technology operated autonomously by intelligent robots, and 3D print implantable biological substitutes to enable in-situ medical treatment of astronauts in space. The goal is to create functional prototypes of selected AI-AM systems for spaceflight, within five years, as well as scaffold-free 3D bioprinting technology ready for spaceflight, and new lightweight multifunctional materials and metamaterials.

The Prime Minister’s full announcement: New investments to support research and science across Canada.

York named founding partner of new global UNESCO network on education for sustainable development

image shows a plant growing in a lightbulb

York University is one of six founding partners of a new global UNESCO network on Education for Sustainable Development led by Leuphana University in Lüneburg, Germany.

Charles Hopkins
York’s UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, Professor Charles Hopkins

UNESCO has awarded Leuphana University the global university network with a UNITWIN/UNESCO designation that will comprise higher education institutions and internationally engaged organizations to foster worldwide collaboration and knowledge mobilization toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This new Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Societal Transformations (UNiEDS&ST) network will focus on ESD as a transformative force towards achieving the UN SDGs and a sustainable future for all.

The network will be a collaboration spanning 30 countries from Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania and the Americas. It will address teachers at all levels as key players to foster sustainable development and peace through education. It aims to strengthen the role of quality education through research, policy development and implementation of ESD with a focus on teacher education.

“It is an honour to be a founding partner of this global alliance. It is one out of only 40 UNITWIN Networks worldwide,” said York’s UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, Professor Charles Hopkins. “By collaborating globally, ESD knowledge, insight, research and experience can be more effectively and respectfully contextualized to enhance understanding in all UN regions simultaneously.”

UNiESD&ST will support UNESCO’s work with research designed to address the challenges of the ESD for 2030 Roadmap, a new framework that identifies ESD as a key enabler of all SDGs and an important measure of education quality.

York University was crucial in bringing this new network to life as the UNESCO Chair shepherded the application process that requires the support by National Commissions for UNESCO. York University’s  UNESCO Chair in Reorienting towards Sustainability was the first UNESCO Chair to be established related to ESD. Today, the Chair is active in more than 50 countries and coordinates two global networks, one focusing on teacher education and one researching how ESD initiatives may improve education outcomes for Indigenous children and youth. Since 2020, the UNESCO Chair was named focal point for the International Association of Universities to lead their efforts towards the UN SDG 4 on Quality Education in the Global Cluster of Higher Education and Research for Sustainable Development.

The other founding partners in this new alliance are:

  • Canada: UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability, York University
  • Costa Rica: UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Development with the Earth Charter, The Earth Charter Center for Education for Sustainable Development and the University of Peace
  • Germany: UNESCO Chair on World Heritage and Biosphere Reserve Observation and Education, Heidelberg University of Education
  • Greece: UNESCO Chair in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Education for Sustainable Development, University of Crete
  • South Africa: DSI/NRF South African Research Chairs Initiatives (SARChI) Chair in Global Change and Social Learning Systems, Environmental Learning Research Centre, Rhodes University.

In the weeks to come, Leuphana University will host a series of virtual dialogues with all partners to further design activities for the research agenda and activate this new platform to create and share knowledge for a sustainable future.

York University receives $1.2M donation from RBC Foundation to support Black students

Black female student working on a laptop

York University has received a $1.2-million donation from the RBC Foundation as part of RBC Future Launch, directly supporting the work of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora, held by education Professor Carl James.

Jean Augustine and Carl James

This donation will create and build on James’ education initiatives for Black youth in priority areas including student success, pathways to education, and support for Black scholars.

Established in 2008, the Jean Augustine Chair is an endowed Chair established by Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to the Parliament of Canada, and champion of the unanimous vote in 1995 that saw February designated as Black History Month. The Chair is one of only two endowed university chairs in Canada dedicated to research and knowledge mobilization endeavours on Black and African-descended communities.

“My research, academic and community work has long been guided by the urgent need to support Black youth as they strive for success in the face of longstanding systemic barriers in education, and in society,” said James. “RBC Future Launch, designed to support a variety of community-centred initiatives for young people, is a deeply appreciated contribution; and I’m pleased that the work of the Chair – particularly its programs that seek to support Black youth across Canada – will benefit significantly from this generous donation.”

RBC Foundation’s $1.2-million donation will provide direct support to the Chair’s programs in four key areas, including:

  1. Hosting the first ever National Conference for Black youth in Canada.
  2. Supporting student pipeline initiatives at York and up to four other universities across Canada that will bring high school students unto university campuses, thereby enabling them to imagine themselves participating in post-secondary education.
  3. Establishing a new Canadian data hub that will strengthen research and information capacity and inform better public policy.
  4. Creating new opportunities, supports and training for young Black scholars who as graduate students and post-doctoral fellows will engage in research, teaching and mentorship activities that will serve as resources to local Black communities.

It is anticipated that up to 900 high school and university students, and postdoctoral scholars could be served through the various initiatives and serve as a pipeline for many of these youth’s post-high school ambitions. The accompanying research will serve to inform feasibility and productivity.

RBC Future Launch is a 10-year, $500-million commitment to empower Canadian youth for the jobs of tomorrow. With a focus on networking, skills development, practical work experience and mental wellbeing supports and services, the initiative aims to help break down the barriers facing young people. In 2020, RBC announced a series of actions against systemic racism – including a commitment to invest $50 million by 2025 through RBC Future Launch to create meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for up to 25,000 BIPOC youth with investments in areas such as skills development and mentoring.

Building on previous work, and working with all university community partners, York has re-doubled efforts to advance specific initiatives and strategies to support Black scholars, and directly address anti-Black racism. Through innovative programs, including the research and scholarly work of James, the Jean Augustine Chair, York’s unique Black Canadian Studies Certificate, and the new Postdoctoral Program for Black and Indigenous Scholars, York University is putting this responsibility at the center of its teaching and research.

“York University is committed to offering a diverse student population access to a high-quality, research-intensive university committed to the social, economic, cultural and environmental well-being of society,” said Rhonda L. Lenton, York University president and vice-chancellor. “This generous donation, made possible by the RBC Foundation, will support Professor James’ trailblazing work to build pathways for Black youth to pursue their educational goals, and provide new opportunities for current and future Black scholars to drive positive change at York, across Canada, and beyond.”

Catch a rising star at the Libraries’ Undergraduate Research Fair

undergraduate research fair FEATURED

Students, faculty, staff and all members of the York University community are invited to attend the ninth annual Undergraduate Research Fair & Art Walk on Wednesday, March 10, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., online via EasyVirtualFair platform and over Zoom.

One of the most anticipated and uplifting events of the academic year, the Undergraduate Research Fair and Art Walk honours student researchers and provides them with an opportunity to share work that creates positive change.

Undergraduate Research Fair poster
The entire York University community is invited to log on and watch the Undergraduate Research Fair, presented online on Wednesday, March 10 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Jointly sponsored by York University Libraries and the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, this multidisciplinary, experiential education event provides students with the opportunity to design a poster and present the results of a course research essay or project to the York community in a friendly, cross-curricular environment. Students who have created a piece of artwork for their submission will have their work exhibited on the online platform.

From 9 to 11 a.m. on the date of the event, registered attendees can log into the Undergraduate Research Fair to browse posters. From 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., attendees will have an opportunity to participate in student panel discussions. An awards ceremony, including speeches, will begin at 1 p.m.

This year, due to the unprecedented impact of the pandemic, students have voiced the importance of cash prizes. Awards of $250, $500 and $600 will be given to poster presenters deemed to have the best lower-year project, best upper-year project, best honours thesis, best group project, best poster presentation and best art project, in addition to the Libraries’ Information Literacy Award.

All student-presenters will receive an invitation to submit an article on their project, to be considered for publication in the refereed e-journal Revue YOUR Review (York Online Undergraduate Research Review) associated with the fair. One artwork submission will be chosen to grace the cover of the e-journal.

York’s Undergraduate Research Fair has proven to be a very successful pan-University event, annually drawing up to 500 students, faculty, librarians and University leaders, as well as friends and families of student-presenters.

Those interested in attending this year’s fair are encouraged to register now.

To learn more, visit the Undergraduate Research Fair website.

2021 Inclusion Days feature talks and workshops that focus on the concept of ‘belonging’

inclusion lens FEATURED
inclusion lens FEATURED

What is belonging? How do we find belonging at York while studying, teaching, working and engaging in a virtual world? Join the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion on March 15 to 17 for Inclusion Days, a series of free talks and interactive, skills-based workshops to explore and engage with belonging as a concept and nexus between equity, diversity and inclusion.

MarianMcGregor063 (002)
Marian MacGregor

“Belonging is an emerging and increasingly important lens for inclusion, equity and diversity,” says Marian McGregor, executive director, Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion. “We challenge all students, staff and faculty to learn more about how you can support belonging at York University by participating in Inclusion Days 2021.”

Register for one or all of the sessions in the series at https://rights.info.yorku.ca/inclusion-days-2021/. Due to COVID-19, all events will take place online.

Curated talks in the series

Creating & Fostering Intentional Spaces of Belonging in a Virtual World
Tuesday, March 16
1 to 2:30 p.m.
In this keynote, Andrew B. Campbell, “Dr. ABC,” will examine critical questions related to belonging and engage with additional tools to create a deeper sense of inclusion and belonging in our schools so that our students, staff and colleagues can truly see themselves reflected in how we offer education and schooling.

Belonging in a Digital World
Wednesday, March 17
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
This keynote will explore examples of ways people are working to create belonging in a digital world. Bex Hong Hurwitz (they) will share perspectives on co-design; design justice and encoding a more inclusive internet one emoji at a time; on digital security and surveillance; and our right to private communication on and offline in our public socializing, organizing for social justice, and our most intimate exchanges.

Interactive workshops

Allyship and Inclusion
Monday, March 15
1 to 2:30 p.m.
Through a series of engaging activities and reflection exercises led by Student Community & Leadership Development and the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion, participants who take part in this workshop will be able to:

• Contextualize their social location based on their identity.
• Deepen their understanding of allyship in a personal and institutional setting.
• Practice active allyship and develop strategies to have brave conversations.

Emojis as Digital Language
Wednesday, March 17
1:30 to 3 p.m.

In this workshop, led by Bex Hong Hurwitz (they) and Arlene Ducao (they/zey), participants will discuss the roles emojis play in our lives and communication, how we make meaning with and from emojis. Participants will imagine emojis that represent our personal experiences, cultures, and lives. They will learn about the Unicode Consortium and internet standards and ask questions about who proposes emojis, judges proposals, and determines what becomes an emoji. Participants will leave with practical information about how to propose emojis and deeper understanding of internet standards and how a more inclusive internet can be encoded.

Respectful Dialogue Across Differences
Wednesday, March 17
3 to 4:30 p.m.

Through a series of engaging activities and reflection exercises participants who take part in this workshop, led by Student Community Leadership & Development (SCLD), will be able to:

• Identify personal limitations to engagement in dialogue across differences.
• Identify what they need to engage in meaningful conversation though respectful dialogue without the intention of persuasion.
• Develop personal strategies to manage emotions in order to look past individual differences and hear the humanity of someone’s lived experiences.

This is the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion flagship annual event. It explores critical issues that are central to equity, diversity, and inclusion in the context of a pandemic that has forced York community members to seek belonging in virtual spaces.

All of the talks and workshops are free and open to the University community, registration is required and can be completed at: https://rights.info.yorku.ca/inclusion-days-2021/.

Donations surpass goal to raise $25K in 25 Days for Jean Augustine Chair

Jean Augustine
Jean Augustine

A fundraising drive named “25K in 25 Days” that supports The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora at York University has far exceeded its goal, and the endowment fund will benefit from donations of more than $200,000.

Jean Augustine
Jean Augustine

The initiative, launched by Jean Augustine and Bridge for Change on Feb. 1, aimed to highlight the 25th anniversary of Black History Month in Canada by raising $25,000 in 25 days from community sources to match a $25,000 donation by Accenture Canada.

Augustine is a former MP and the first Black Canadian woman elected to the House of Commons. She is an advocate for social justice. Bridge for Change is an initiative to raise the remaining $1.2 million to fully fund the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora endowment at York University. Since 2007, with York and community support, $1.8 million has been raised thus far towards the $3-million goal.

During the 25-day drive, $26,665 was donated, bringing the total to just over $50,000. An additional donation of $50,000 was made by the Wes and Christine Hall Family Foundation, bringing the community donations to $101,655. York University announced it will match the donations raised during Black History Month, raising the total funds through the 25K in 25 Days campaign to $203,330.

“This is a proud moment for me – especially because we did this in Black History Month,” said Augustine. “The community and our corporate allies stepped up and their investment in the Chair will improve the education and the lives of Black students and their families.”

York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton congratulated the Bridge for Change committee on their “extraordinary efforts” in the success of the campaign.

“The Jean Augustine Chair has been an incredibly important part of the York community, with its unique focus and dedication to advancing scholarly research, programs, partnerships, and new opportunities for Black communities in Toronto and beyond,” said Lenton.  

Wes Hall, the executive Chair and founder of Kingsdale Advisors, challenged others with the means to meet or better his $50,000 contribution.

“On behalf of my family, we are proud to be able to contribute to funding that supports the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora at York University. Dr. Augustine has been a true trailblazer and instrumental in creating positive change for Black Canadians,” said Hall, who is also Chair of the Black North Initiative. “It is an honour to be part of this initiative to further advance the education and the lives of Black students and the overall enrichment of our community.”

At the age of 83, Augustine has raised $1.8 million in community donations for the endowment of the Chair. A total of $3 million is needed for it to continue in perpetuity. Accenture Canada is the first corporation to join Augustine with a significant contribution, and she is hoping that other allies will help her reach the $3-million goal.

“Diversity makes us stronger, smarter and more innovative, and that’s why Accenture is honoured to support Dr. Augustine – an inspirational force who continues to make an immense impact on the lives and education of Black and other racialized Canadians through research, policies and programs,” said Jeffrey Russell, president of Accenture in Canada.

This month’s $25,000 challenge was impactful as this is the 25th anniversary of Black History Month becoming officially recognized by the Canadian government – a motion that was single-handedly pushed by Augustine and received unanimous consent in the House of Commons.

The Jean Augustine Chair is one of only two university endowed Canadian Chairs dedicated to research and knowledge mobilization efforts in Black and other racialized communities. In recent years it has become an important research hub accessible to community agencies to actively inform policies and programs across Canada. 

Carl E. James holds the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora in the Faculty of Education at York University. He is a professor in the Faculty of Education and holds cross-appointments in the Graduate Programs in Sociology, Social and Political Thought, and Social Work. He is also the University’s Affirmative Action, Equity and Inclusivity officer, and was the director of the York Centre on Education & Community (2008-16) which he founded and director of the Graduate Program in Sociology (2007-08). He was one of six advisors to the Ontario Minister of Education and Premier (2017-18).

To learn more or support the future of The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora visit https://www.jacendowmentfund.ca.

Gender & Women’s Studies annual lecture features Jill Andrew, MPP Toronto-St. Paul’s and York alumna

York University’s School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies will hold its annual lecture virtually on Wednesday, March 10 at 1 p.m. via Zoom.

This year’s lecture, “And Still We Rise: Womxn Opposing Oppression & Proposing Change” features Jill Andrew, MPP for Toronto-St. Paul’s, the NDP Culture Critic and the Women’s Issues Critic for the Official Opposition.

Jill Andrew
Jill Andrew

Womxn have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. While COVID-19 has been referred to as an ‘unprecedented’ pandemic, in this talk Andrew (she/her) highlights the ongoing pandemics far preceding COVID-19 waging war on womxn that are exacerbated by this current moment.

Black, Indigenous, womxn of colour, queer and trans womxn, disabled women, sex workers, incarcerated women, fat women, elder women and those representing the bulk of gig-economy, sole-parent and essential worker groups have felt the physical and mental weathering of a pandemic also fueled by the realities of pay inequity, discrimination and chronic underfunding in health care, ‘justice’ and education, rising gender-based violence, lack of real affordable and supportive housing and systemic anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism.

Using the pandemic as a guise, decision makers have routinely ignored the impact of class-stratification and environmental racism on womxn’s bodies and have in fact created policies expediting these crises.

Andrew proposes an inter-ministerial plan for a COVID-19 recovery that centers womxn and discusses her Motion 89 – a call for the Ontario Government to adopt an intersectional, gender equity strategy as a mandatory component of the COVID-19 response. Andrew tabled this motion in December 2019. It is necessary now more than ever.

Andrew is the first Black and Queer person to be elected to the Ontario Legislature and reportedly in Canada. She is also a member of the ONDP Ontario Black Caucus, a first-of-its-kind in the province. Her first Private Member’s bill, which has successfully gone past second reading in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, is advocating for the establishment of an Eating Disorders Awareness Week across Ontario during the first week of February.

Outside of politics, she is also co-founder of Body Confidence Canada and is an award-winning educator, equity and body-image advocate, speaker and writer. As the co-founder of #SizeismSUCKS and Body Confidence Awareness Week, she advocates to end size and appearance-based discrimination, gender-based violence, harassment and bullying. Her co-edited anthology, Body Stories: In and Out and With and Through Fat, was published in 2020 by Demeter Press.

Andrew earned a BEd and PhD from York University’s Faculty of Education. She also holds a Child & Youth Worker diploma from Humber College and a master’s degree in women and gender studies from the University of Toronto New College.

Join the lecture on Zoom.

Youth Climate Report project partners with Foundation for Environmental Education

Mark Terry presenting the Youth Climate Report

York University Contract Faculty and Research Associate Mark Terry‘s ongoing research project, the Youth Climate Report, is having a good year. Not only did it win an SDG Action Award in January, but it has just partnered with the world’s largest environmental education organization, the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), and its Young Reporters for the Environment program.

Mark Terry
Mark Terry

The new partnership brings together two global programs of education and youth empowerment through film and adds another resource to populate Terry’s award-winning “Geo-Doc” film project, the Youth Climate Report, which showcases nearly 500 climate action videos from youth filmmakers geo-located on an interactive map. The project gives young people a voice at international climate summits and provides UN policymakers with an important resource to help them gain a fuller understanding of global climate issues. Videos are crowdsourced through the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Global Youth Video Competition and a workshop offered by York University’s Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research known as the Planetary Health Film Lab. With this new partnership, the films produced for FEE’s Young Reporters for the Environment program will also be added to the Young Climate Report’s digital database.

“I’m very pleased to extend our reach to the global community of youth through this new partnership with the Foundation for Environmental Education,” said Terry, contract faculty member and course director at York University’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC). “Its Young Reporters for the Environment program will provide more content to the Youth Climate Report’s interactive GIS map of youth-led documentary films. This digital database becomes a more valuable communications tool for policymakers at the UN’s annual climate summits and further amplifies the voices of future policymakers – today’s youth – on climate change data and Sustainability Development Goals initiatives and educational programs.”

Three young reporters wearing YRE shirts
FEE’s Young Reporters for the Environment program engages more than 275,000 young reporters in 42 countries. Photo: Young Reporters for the Environment.

Based in Copenhagen, Denmark, with members in 77 countries, the FEE administers five global education programs dedicated to promoting sustainable practices and empowering students to be leaders for sustainability and positive change. Its Young Reporters program, introduced in 1994, gives young people a platform to research environmental issues and promote solutions through investigative reporting, photography and video journalism. The program currently engages more than 275,000 young reporters in 42 countries.

With this new partnership, the Youth Climate Report will make its online training and virtual workshops available to FEE´s young reporters, and will also incorporate FEE’s eight education principles into its own educational programs.

Charles Hopkins and Katrin Kohl
Charles Hopkins, UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability at York University, and Katrin Kohl, executive coordinator to the UNESCO Chair.

Charles Hopkins, who holds the UNESCO Chair in Reorienting Education towards Sustainability at York University, says that this new partnership will strengthen York’s long-standing relationship with FEE. The UNESCO Chair works extensively with FEE, Youth Climate Report, and various other organizations to address education in the context of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) to achieve the targets of SDG 4 (Quality Education) – ensuring inclusivity and quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all – within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The partnership between Youth Climate Report and FEE and its Young Reporters for the Environment program continues its efforts to further scale up ESD both in policy and practice, elevating sustainable development to be seen as a purpose in all formal education systems around the world.

“Initiatives like the Youth Climate Report and the Young Reporters program exemplify how policy-making informed by practical approaches can benefit from each other, connecting the various layers of implementation to make change,” said Hopkins. “Mark Terry’s Youth Climate Report brings the arts into educating for a sustainable future – using filmmaking to talk about sustainability challenges in engaging ways through the eyes of young people.”