While this has been a challenging year for the York University community, it has also been a deeply inspiring one. This year’s report highlights some of the uplifting stories of how so many members of the community contributed to help students at a time when it mattered most. It shows how everyone is working together to support York University’s students, communities and research. And most importantly, it shows how, together, we can create positive change in our community.
Assessment up for discussion across the University, Dec. 10
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The pandemic is prompting York University to reconsider how student learning is assessed. This pan-University effort is being led by William Gage, associate vice-president, teaching & learning, with support from the Teaching Commons and its new speaker series, the Assessment Strategy Exchange, launching Dec. 10.
“Although exams have long been the dominant mode of assessment worldwide, with the pandemic, we’re in a position where we simply can’t write exams in a way that works for everyone,” said Gage.
Will Gage
Writing exams online can pose challenges in terms of accessibility, invigilation, privacy and time zone, Gage noted, as well concerns that are related to systemic biases in the online platforms.
“What if we could create a world without exams, but enhance our ability to evaluate learning?” Gage asked. “There have always been questions about whether exams really do evaluate learning, and there are approaches to evaluation that don’t involve exams, and many faculty members are now becoming aware of them and we’re trying to help with that.”
Although reconsidering assessment is a long-term initiative and acknowledging that some fields require more traditional exams because of accreditation requirements, Gage noted that the pandemic offers an ideal opportunity to consider some changes quickly, given the challenges of remote assessment. Until now, there hasn’t necessarily been a strong imperative to attend to it.
Gage says he is finding enthusiasm in all corners of the University for these discussions, and there is an appetite for including students in the conversation. Gage is putting together a pan-University working group to explore the issue and he has had more interest than he can accommodate.
“We’re bringing brilliant people to the table so we can tackle the problem, but we’re so early in the process that I’m not sure what the products will be yet,” he said. “The outcome could be a report with recommendations to the University, but that’s not definite.”
Meanwhile, Teaching Commons is giving the entire community an opportunity to learn more about the issues surrounding assessment through its new speaker series, the Assessment Strategy Exchange.
Geneviève Maheux-Pelletier
“Since we launched our Going Remote earlier this year, the assessment pages are among the top five most visited,” said Geneviève Maheux-Pelletier, director of the Teaching Commons. “You can adapt the classroom experience reasonably well on Zoom and eClass, but assessment is part of the teaching practice that is most challenging online and people are looking for support.”
It has been a long time coming, Maheux-Pelletier says.
“From the perspective of teaching and learning in higher education, we’ve tried to push the practice toward other forms of assessment that connect content with real-life problems, application and synthesis of information. Now, the limitations of online assessment and a long overdue pivot towards authentic forms of assessment are dovetailing.”
The Teaching Commons series is offering support to Gage’s process and inviting a broader conversation about assessment. It will be supplemented by enhancements to the Commons’ Going Remote website that include information about more than 30 alternative strategies for assessing students and by a new TC course, Rebooting Your Final Exam.
The Dec. 10 event features Professor Laura Winer from McGill University, the director of teaching and learning services at McGill, discussing Pivoting Assessment Strategies in Response to COVID-19 and Beyond, and a student panel discussing What Learning Remotely Has Meant for Me this Fall, moderated by Maureen Barnes, York’s director of student accessibility services in the morning. There will be a Lunch & Learn session at noon where faculty will offer pre-recorded short presentations about assessment tasks and strategies, followed by a live Q-and-A session with the presenters and break-out room discussions. Teaching Commons will continue this series in the winter semester with more events featuring faculty and students.
“Professor Gage’s initiative and this series will feed off each other,” Maheux-Pelletier said. “As difficult as this year has been, it’s a time when people are coming together and wanting to share.”
By Elaine Smith, special contributing writer
An end of year message from York University Board of Governors Chair Paul Tsaparis
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The following is a message to the York University community from Paul Tsaparis, Chair of the Board of Governors:
Paul Tsaparis
As we wrap up an extraordinary year, I want to use my annual message to focus on our community, and all that we have accomplished during what can best be described as a uniquely challenging year at home, at work and at school. For many, home, work, and school has been the same place, testing both our patience and our internet bandwidth.
In March, when it became clear that the safest way for us to complete the 2019/20 academic year was to do so at a distance, the University immediately put new supports and resources in place to help our community succeed. From introducing a laptop loan program to emergency bursaries, new online supports at the Teaching Commons, to new virtual mental health and learning supports for students, the efforts were outstanding – all with the aim to ensure all students, instructors and staff had access to the tools and resources they needed to stay safe.
Our students rose to the challenge, persevering with their studies: graduating, advancing, and moving forward with determination. It needs to be said that students are having a university experience unlike any other in recent history. To our students, I would like to say that managing change can be very difficult, but it is also a beneficial life and career skill, so while this difficult experience has tested you, if I can find a silver lining, it is that this experience can also serve you well. It will continue to shape you and guide your thinking throughout your life and career path, and we are very proud of you.
Course instructors knew that the sudden shift to online learning would mean that carefully made teaching plans had to change in ways that could not have been anticipated. Online lectures, group assignments, virtual and remote learning tools, and exams had to be developed and redeveloped almost overnight. The University is grateful and proud of your efforts and commitment to see your students succeed.
York researchers have made an impact on society through important studies and work related to COVID-19 and the social and economic fallout – from understanding the mental health impacts of loneliness to math modelling of infectious diseases, to leading the world forward with the UN Recovery Roadmap, the pandemic has not stopped York’s exceptional academics – it has inspired them like never before.
Our staff has remained unwavering in their commitment to all members of the University community throughout the course of the pandemic to advance our strategic priorities and fulfill our collective vision. Tireless work to recruit and orient thousands of students remotely, transition vital supports and services online, facilitate key managerial and governance processes, keep our campuses clean and safe, and support critical research was key to our success. You have achieved all of this while managing the challenges of transitioning to new ways of working, including working from home. The University recognizes and appreciates your hard work, and the dedication and determination you have shown this year.
The University’s leadership team, led by President Lenton, met the demands of 2020 with the vision, innovation, and careful planning that was needed – and will continue to be needed – as it becomes clear that the pandemic will test us into 2021. The early decision to move to online and remote learning for the 2020/21 academic year was not easy but it has proven to be exactly the right move – it demonstrated clear leadership in the sector and set York on a path where community members were empowered and had much needed certainty and stability during an uncertain time. Many of York’s impressive achievements are captured in the President’s annual report “Creating Positive Change.”
While the University pivoted to change in so many ways, the Board of Governors has been pleased to support the development of our new Markham Centre Campus and to generously support the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund. We must always strive to meet the needs of our community today, and we know that we must also seize the opportunities that represent the future.
For those of you interested in learning more about the talented volunteers who are currently members of your Board of Governors, I encourage you to visit: York’s Board of Governors.
For those in our community who wish to donate to the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund, I encourage you to visit this link to learn more about how your gift will make a difference.
Although we imagine a new normal after the pandemic, I am confident that York University will be poised for even greater success.
Paul Tsaparis, Chair Board of Governors
Message de fin d’année du président du Conseil d’administration
Alors qu’une année hors du commun s’achève, je profite de mon message annuel pour mettre l’accent sur notre communauté et sur tout ce que nous avons accompli au cours de cette année particulièrement difficile à la maison, au travail et à l’école. Pour beaucoup, la maison, le travail et l’école ont été un seul et même lieu, ce qui a mis à l’épreuve notre patience et notre bande passante Internet.
Paul Tsaparis
En mars, lorsqu’il est devenu apparent que le moyen le plus sûr pour nous de terminer l’année universitaire 2019-2020 était de le faire à distance, l’Université a créé immédiatement de nouvelles ressources pour aider notre communauté à réussir. De l’introduction d’un programme de prêt d’ordinateurs portables aux bourses d’urgence, de nouvelles ressources de soutien en ligne à Teaching Commons, en passant par des soutiens virtuels de santé mentale et d’apprentissage pour les étudiants, les efforts ont été remarquables, tout cela afin que le corps étudiant, le corps enseignant et le personnel aient accès aux outils et aux ressources pour assurer leur sécurité.
Nos étudiants et étudiantes ont relevé le défi et ont persévéré afin d’obtenir leur diplôme, de progresser et d’avancer résolument. Je tiens à préciser que ces étudiants vivent une expérience universitaire sans précédent dans l’histoire récente. Savoir gérer le changement peut être très difficile, mais — si je peux trouver un côté positif à la situation — cette compétence leur sera utile dans leur vie personnelle et professionnelle. Cette expérience les a mis à l’épreuve, mais elle peut aussi leur servir. Elle façonnera et orientera leur réflexion tout au long de leur vie et de leur carrière. Nous sommes vraiment très fiers de notre corps étudiant.
Les membres du corps enseignant savaient que la transition soudaine à l’apprentissage en ligne signifiait que tous leurs plans d’enseignement soigneusement préparés devraient être adaptés. Les cours en ligne, les travaux de groupe, les outils d’apprentissage virtuel et à distance et les examens ont dû être conçus et remaniés quasiment du jour au lendemain. L’Université est reconnaissante et fière de vos efforts et de votre engagement envers la réussite des étudiants.
Les chercheurs et chercheuses de York ont eu un impact sur la société grâce à d’importants travaux et études liés à la COVID-19 et à leurs retombées économiques et sociales. De la compréhension des effets de la solitude sur la santé mentale à la modélisation mathématique des maladies infectieuses, sans oublier la feuille de route des Nations unies pour le redressement, la pandémie n’a pas arrêté les universitaires d’exception de York. Elle les a inspirés plus que jamais.
Notre personnel est resté résolument engagé envers tous les membres de la communauté universitaire tout au long de la pandémie pour faire avancer nos priorités stratégiques et réaliser notre vision collective. Le travail inlassable effectué pour recruter et orienter des milliers d’étudiants à distance, pour assurer la transition des soutiens et des services vitaux en ligne, pour assurer les processus clés de gestion et de gouvernance, pour maintenir la propreté et la sécurité de nos campus et pour appuyer les recherches essentielles a été crucial pour notre succès. Vous avez accompli tout cela alors que vous gériez les défis liés à la transition vers de nouvelles méthodes de travail, y compris le travail à domicile. L’Université reconnaît et estime à sa juste valeur votre travail acharné, ainsi que le dévouement et la détermination dont vous avez fait preuve cette année.
L’équipe de leadership de l’Université, sous la direction de la présidente Lenton, a répondu aux exigences de 2020 avec la vision, l’innovation et la planification minutieuse qui étaient nécessaires — et qui continueront de l’être — car il devient de plus en plus évident que les défis de la pandémie se prolongeront jusqu’en 2021. L’initiative de passer à l’apprentissage en ligne et à distance pour l’année 2020-2021 n’a pas été aisée, mais elle s’est avérée être la bonne décision. Elle a démontré un leadership éclairé et a mis York sur une trajectoire qui a procuré aux membres de la communauté la responsabilisation, l’assurance et la stabilité requises dans cette période d’incertitude. Plusieurs réalisations remarquables de York sont mises en vedette dansle rapport annuel de la présidente: Creating Positive Change (Créer des changements positifs).
Tandis que l’Université faisait face à tant de changements, le Conseil d’administration a été heureux d’appuyer le développement de notre nouveau campus Markham Centre et le Fonds d’aide COVID-19 aux étudiants. Tout en nous efforçant de répondre aux besoins actuels de notre communauté, nous devons également saisir les possibilités d’avenir.
Si vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur les bénévoles talentueux qui font partie du Conseil d’administration actuel, je vous encourage à visiter le site: York’s Board of Governors.
J’encourage les membres de notre communauté qui souhaitent faire un don au Fonds d’aide COVID-19 aux étudiants à visiter cette page pour en savoir plus sur les effets de votre don.
Nous imaginons une nouvelle normalité après la pandémie, mais je suis convaincu que l’Université York sera bien positionnée pour connaître un succès encore plus grand.
Paul Tsaparis
Président du Conseil d’administration de l’Université York
The provost provides an update on the summer 2021 term
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La version française suit la version anglaise.
Dear Colleagues,
As we near the end of the fall 2020 term, we want to take the opportunity to briefly reflect on the past several months and provide an update on what is ahead for the York community. While it has been a challenging transition to virtual learning, students, faculty and staff have shown great resilience and continue to demonstrate impressive learning accomplishments. Through your feedback, we have learned much about what we can do to ensure that your virtual learning experience is a successful one. We welcome and encourage your continued input.
York University’s Senate Executive Committee recently approved the extension of the Principles to Guide Fall/Winter Graduate and Undergraduate Course Planning to the summer 2021 term. This means that the same approach to course delivery approved for the upcoming winter term will also apply to the summer 2021 term. As guidance from public health authorities evolves, we will continue to explore opportunities to offer more in-person learning when it is safe to do so.
Where remote learning is not able to accommodate course components such as labs, studios or small graduate classes, York will maintain flexibility and make best efforts to accommodate requests for in-person instruction. Our colleagues in Facilities are currently investigating the potential to use outdoor spaces on our campuses to increase modestly the opportunities for in-person learning in summer 2021. The following process will apply to the summer 2021 term:
Instructors will be polled to identify courses requiring in-person activities or optional learning components.
Faculty or instructors who wish to request access to campus spaces for research or teaching purposes will continue to submit requests here.
At registration, students will be informed if a course has a required in-person component.
Courses with optional in-person components should also have a fully remote version available to allow students to complete their work online if needed.
Staff will continue to work from home throughout the term, unless asked to return to campus to support research, in-person teaching, in-person student service activities, or other required services. Managers will contact identified staff and provide notice to help them plan and make special arrangements, as needed.
We are actively monitoring the rapidly evolving public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to inform planning for the fall 2021 term. As announcements on vaccine availability are made, we will continue to update our response during the winter 2021 term. More details will also be shared shortly concerning this year’s holiday closure period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6, 2021.
A forward looking plan for the 2021-22 academic year is underway, alongside a plan for the gradual, phased return to campus when restrictions are lifted. We appreciate the ongoing patience of our students, faculty and staff, and together we can make the coming two terms a success.
Lisa Philipps Provost and Vice-President, Academic
Mise à jour sur le trimestre d’été 2021
Chers collègues,
Alors que le trimestre d’automne 2020 touche à sa fin, nous voulons saisir cette occasion pour réfléchir brièvement aux mois passés et faire le point sur ce qui se profile à l’horizon pour la communauté de York. Bien que la transition initiale vers l’apprentissage virtuel ait posé des défis, les étudiants, le corps professoral et le personnel ont fait preuve d’une grande résilience et continuent d’accomplir d’impressionnantes réalisations en matière d’apprentissage. Grâce à vos commentaires, nous avons beaucoup appris sur ce que nous pouvons faire pour que votre expérience d’apprentissage virtuel soit réussie. Nous vous encourageons à continuer à nous faire part de vos commentaires.
Le Comité de direction du Sénat de l’Université York a approuvé récemment la prolongation des au trimestre d’été 2021. Cela veut dire que l’approche fondamentale pour la prestation des cours d’hiver s’appliquera aussi au trimestre d’été 2021. Au fur et à mesure de l’évolution des directives des autorités de santé publique, nous continuerons à explorer les possibilités d’offrir plus de cours en personne lorsqu’il sera possible de le faire en toute sécurité.
Si certains éléments du cours comme des laboratoires, studios ou petites classes de cycle supérieur ne se prêtent pas bien à l’apprentissage à distance, York préservera la flexibilité actuelle et fera tous les efforts possibles pour accommoder les demandes d’enseignement en présentiel. Nos collègues du Service des installations étudient actuellement la possibilité d’utiliser les espaces extérieurs de nos campus pour augmenter modestement les possibilités d’apprentissage en personne au cours de l’été 2021. Le processus suivant s’appliquera à la session de l’été 2021 :
Le corps enseignant devra déterminer quels cours nécessitent des activités en personne ou des éléments d’apprentissage optionnels.
Le corps professoral ou les enseignants qui souhaitent demander accès aux espaces du campus à des fins de recherche ou d’enseignement continueront à soumettre des demandes ici.
Les étudiants et étudiantes seront informés au moment de leur inscription à un cours s’il comporte une composante obligatoire en présentiel.
Les cours ayant des composantes optionnelles d’apprentissage en présentiel devront aussi comporter une version entièrement à distance permettant aux étudiants et étudiantes de suivre le cours de cette façon au besoin.
Les membres du personnel continueront à travailler de la maison à moins qu’on ne leur demande de retourner sur le campus pour appuyer la recherche, l’enseignement en personne, les services aux étudiants ou d’autres services essentiels. Les gestionnaires prendront contact avec ces individus et leur donneront un préavis pour les aider à planifier et à prendre des dispositions spéciales, le cas échéant.
Nous surveillons activement l’évolution rapide de la réponse de la santé publique à la pandémie de la COVID-19 pour orienter la planification du trimestre d’automne 2021. Quand la disponibilité d’un vaccin sera annoncée, nous continuerons à adapter notre réponse tout au long du semestre d’hiver 2021. De plus amples détails seront également communiqués prochainement concernant la période de fermeture des fêtes prévue du 24 décembre au 6 janvier cette année.
Un plan prévisionnel pour l’année universitaire 2021/2022 est en cours ainsi qu’un plan pour le retour progressif et échelonné sur le campus quand les restrictions seront levées. Nous apprécions la patience constante de nos étudiants, des membres du corps professoral et du personnel. Ensemble, nous pouvons assurer le succès des deux prochains trimestres.
Lisa Philipps Rectrice et vice-présidente aux affaires académiques
Glendon researchers expose unequal impacts of COVID-19 on racialized communities
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La version française suit la version anglaise.
At Glendon Campus, researchers’ multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to complex problems provide solutions to current issues. In the context of COVID-19, social sciences and humanities are important to identify and unpack the societal effects of the pandemic, beyond the biomedical concerns.
Glendon researchers, Gertrude Mianda and Shirin Shahrokni, conduct research in separate disciplines to explore the effects of systemic racism and discrimination on specific racial groups in Canada.
Professor Gertrude Mianda
Shirin Shahrokni
Mianda is a full professor in Glendon’s Gender and Women’s Studies program who focuses her research on the experiences of discrimination lived by francophone immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa in Canada. The current director of The Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diasporas at York University, Mianda works to expand the Institute’s membership to include francophones belonging to both African and West Indian communities.
Shahrokni is an assistant professor of sociology at Glendon. She is the principal investigator of a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)-funded research project on the socio-professional trajectories and experiences of francophone immigrants in Toronto, through critical race and feminist perspectives. Shahrokni is also the co-investigator of a SSHRC-funded research project titled the “Racialization of Asian International Students” (RAIS) with principal investigator and Glendon associate professor Jean Michel Montsion. The project investigates the racialization experiences of international Asian students across five Canadian universities.
Though distinct in their research initiatives, Mianda’s and Shahrokni’s central concerns with the impacts of discrimination on racial groups provide insights and research data relevant to better understanding the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on racialized populations.
On the issue of equity in access to housing, health care and employment, Mianda and Shahrokni acknowledge that COVID-19 has reinforced the presence of deep divides in social structures among racial and non-racial groups.
“COVID-19 has exposed white privilege and the marginalization of racialized individuals in the west,” says Mianda.
In her research, Mianda exposes how systemic discrimination of francophones from Sub-Saharan Africa in Canada leads to their overrepresentation in low income employment.
Mianda explains that because immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa are members of Canada’s Black population – a group marginalized by structural inequities – their place in front-line positions at the bottom of the occupational scale increases their likelihood of exposure and infection to COVID-19.
Shahrokni’s research aims to highlight the mechanisms that produce racial inequalities across mainstream institutions and their effects on racialized individuals.
In the context of COVID-19, Shahrokni’s research provides relevant information about structural inequalities to understand specific challenges the pandemic presents to various racial groups.
Shahrokni points out that without recognizing the different effects of COVID-19 on racialized communities, inadequate one-size-fits-all solutions to challenges in housing, in employment and healthcare are proposed.
“We obviously have all been hearing and repeating to one another that we should ‘stay home,’” Shahrokni said. “It seems simple, effortless, but the ability to ‘stay home’ for a prolonged period with limited outdoor activities is not readily accessible to all of us.”
Shahrokni continues to outline inequities in social structures by highlighting the disparities in access to health care for racialized groups and Indigenous people. She also explains that while the issue of accessibility heightens the impact of COVID-19 on these communities, the sense of distrust among their members vis-à-vis the health care system is also a significant factor.
“Because of repeated experiences of racism within the healthcare system […],” Shahrokni says, “many members of racialized and Indigenous communities will tend to distrust and avoid recourse to the health care system even if their medical conditions require assistance.”
Without a discussion of the different impacts of COVID-19 on various racial groups, there is a failure to recognize the continued existence of systemic inequalities in contemporary society, and the lack of statistical data on race in Ontario plays a major role in this.
Mianda’s and Shahrokni’s various scholarly contributions on systemic discrimination in Canada further highlight the structural inequalities experienced by racialized individuals and communities, indicating how such discrimination is exacerbated and dangerous in times of crisis.
Their research is supported by the Glendon Research and Innovation Office.
Written by Carli Gardner, bilingual research support, Glendon Campus
Les approches multidisciplinaires et interdisciplinaires du personnel de recherche du campus Glendon face à des problèmes complexes apportent des solutions à des questions d’actualité. Dans le contexte de la COVID-19, les sciences sociales et humaines sont importantes pour déterminer et analyser les effets sociétaux de la pandémie au-delà des préoccupations biomédicales.
Deux chercheuses de Glendon, Gertrude Mianda et Shirin Shahrokni, mènent dans leur discipline respective des recherches qui explorent la discrimination raciale systémique sur différents groupes racialisés au Canada.
Professor Gertrude Mianda
Shirin Shahrokni
Gertrude Mianda est professeure titulaire au sein du programme d’études des femmes et de genre à Glendon. Ses recherches mettent l’accent sur les expériences de discrimination vécues par les immigrants francophones d’Afrique subsaharienne au Canada. Gertrude occupe actuellement le poste de directrice au « Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diasporas » à l’Université York et elle vise à développer la communauté de l’Institut pour inclure les francophones appartenant aux populations africaines et antillaises.
Shirin Shahrokni est professeure adjointe en sociologie à Glendon. Elle est la chercheuse principale d’un projet de recherche financé par le Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada (CRSH) sur les trajectoires et les expériences socioprofessionnelles des immigrants francophones à Toronto, par le biais de perspectives raciales et féministes critiques. Shirin est aussi co-chercheuse pour le projet de recherche financé par le CRSH intitulé « Racialization of Asian International Students » (RAIS) avec le chercheur principal et professeur agrégé, Jean Michel Montsion. Ce projet examine les expériences de racialisation vécues par les étudiants internationaux asiatiques au sein de cinq universités canadiennes.
Bien que leurs initiatives de recherche soient distinctes, les préoccupations centrales des professeures Mianda et Shahrokni au sujet des répercussions de la discrimination sur des groupes racialisés fournissent des informations et données de recherche pertinentes pour mieux comprendre les effets disproportionnés de la crise sanitaire COVID-19 sur les populations racialisées.
En ce qui concerne l’accès équitable au logement, aux soins de santé et à l’emploi, les professeures Mianda et Shahrokni reconnaissent que la crise sanitaire de la COVID-19 confirme la présence de profondes divisions dans les structures sociales entre les groupes racialisés et non racialisés.
« La COVID-19 a révélé le privilège blanc et la marginalisation des personnes racialisées en Occident », déclare Gertrude Mianda.
Dans ses recherches, la professeure Mianda démontre comment la discrimination des immigrants francophones d’Afrique subsaharienne au Canada entraîne leur surreprésentation dans des emplois à faible revenu.
Mme Mianda rappelle que les immigrants d’Afrique subsaharienne font partie de la population noire du Canada, un groupe marginalisé par les inégalités structurelles. Leurs postes en première ligne se trouvent donc au bas de l’échelle professionnelle ce qui augmente leurs probabilités d’exposition et d’infection à la COVID-19.
Les recherches de Shirin Shahrokni nous éclairent sur les diverses expériences des personnes racialisées et leurs perspectives sur la politique et la planification institutionnelles les concernant.
Dans le cadre de la COVID-19, les recherches de Shirin Shahrokni nous fournissent donc des informations pertinentes sur les inégalités structurelles et les défis particuliers que la pandémie pose aux différents groupes racialisés.
Shirin Shahrokni remarque que les solutions uniformes proposées pour résoudre les problèmes de logement et de soins de santé sont inadéquates, car elles ne prennent pas en compte les différents effets de la COVID-19 sur les groupes racialisés.
Rédigé par Carli Gardner, soutien bilingue à la recherche, campus Glendon
Hariri Pontarini Architects wins bid to design new stand-alone Art Gallery of York University
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The Art Gallery of York University’s (AGYU) new stand-alone art gallery, to be designed and constructed by winning architectural firm Hariri Pontarini Architects, will embrace a vision of art and connectedness.
The bold new winning design will help the art gallery magnify its reach into the local community and the world beyond, enhancing its visibility and prominence, as well as increasing its accessibility.
Rendering of Hariri Pontarini Architects’ winning design for the new AGYU building to be named the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Gallery
Hariri Pontarini Architects(HPA)was one of three shortlisted firms out of a wide show of interest from the architecture community. The online design competition invited community members from York faculty and students to extended community members to attend and comment on the shortlisted proposals before a committee selected the winning design.
The new stand-alone art gallery is possible through a $5-million donation in October 2019 by philanthropists and art collectors Joan and Martin Goldfarb, igniting this expansion and re-centering the arts on campus. The gallery will also carry their name, the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Gallery, in honour of their long history of supporting the arts at York University.
“The new, stand-alone art galleryat York University will be an important hub for artistic engagement and the pursuit of creative excellence at the University, in our community and beyond,” says President & Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. “The new design reflects our vision of an accessible and collaborative art gallery that serves as a space for creation, exhibition and appreciation of diverse art and culture. I would like to thank the Goldfarbs for their generosity and unfaltering commitment to the arts, which made this project possible.”
The new buildingwill sit at the heart of the School of Arts, Media, Performance & Design and become a centerpiece at York’s Keele Campus. Just steps away from the York University subway station and adjacent to the Harry W. Arthurs Common, between the Accolade East Building and the Centre for Film & Theatre, the gallery will stand out as an icon with Hariri’s signature curves.
Rendering of an ariel view of Hariri Pontarini Architects’ winning design for the new AGYU building
The three-storey building will highlight architectural innovativeness and define a space for the exhibition of contemporary and historic art, including a ground level event space with four separate gallery spaces set within a redefined xeriscape garden.
“The AGYU has a long history as a leader in presenting and supporting artists. As a contemporary art gallery, it strives to serve an aesthetic and social function,” says AGYU Director/Curator Jenifer Papararo. “Our goal with this ambitious new building is to establish both liveness and legacy by maintaining a critical contemporary art program and giving prominence to the University’s collection.”
The gallery will be a versatile yet distinctive space for a multiplicity of artistic voices and forms. It will also enhance the gallery’s ability to continue its advocacy of underrepresented communities, contribute to artistic production and help amplify artists’ voices.
“We are thrilled to be working with York University to build upon the AGYU’s rich history and help reimagine its future,” says Siamak Hariri, founding partner at Hariri Pontarini Architects. “To signify this transformation, we were inspired by metaphor and nature. Like a butterfly, each of the five wings of the new gallery extend their reach out to the campus and of course beyond. Responding to the AGYU’s aspiration to expand the social and civic role of the gallery, the building will have a powerful presence, a new presence, embracing the full University Common, and welcoming and attracting visitors to all the wonder it has to offer.”
HPA’s design, led by Hariri, was selected for its visual strength and magnetizing draw with a vision to generate flow and connection while centering the arts on campus.The design expressed a nuanced understanding of art, its role in society, and the framework needed to support art and the curatorial process.
HPA has worked with many Canadian universities and cultural organizations, most recently opening the Tom Patterson Theatre in Stratford, which has received high accolades. In addition, Hariri has received international praise for his design for the Bahá’í Temple of South America, which won several awards including the RAIC International Prize.
Moriyama and Teshima Architects and gh3* were also on the shortlist for their designs for the gallery. All three firms have received Governor General Medals in Architecture.
Combined with the AGYU’s current spaces, the new building will form a unified art institution that will magnify the breadth of the gallery’s scope, with a re-envisioning of the University’s art collection.
The AGYU opened in 1988 and moved into its current 3,000-sq.-ft. space in 2006.
The art gallery’s collection currently contains 1,700 works, including a donation by the Goldfarbs of 76 artworks in the early 2000s. It includes prominent donations of works by Norval Morrisseau and Andy Warhol, 200 prints and sculptures by renowned and influential Inuit artists including Kenojuak Ashevek and Kananginak Pootoogook, as well as paradigmatic work by Canadian “Automatistes” Jean-Paul Riopelle and Paul-Emile Borduas. American Modernists such as Helen Frankenthaler and Kenneth Noland are also part of the collection, as is the recent acquisition of RISE, an internationally acclaimed film by Bárbara Wagner and Benjamin de Burca, featuring performances from some of Toronto’s most influential spoken word and rap artists.
York grad lands major Dragon’s Den deal with her innovative AI wig platform
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Akosua Asare
York University Schulich alumna and LaunchYU Accelerator graduate, Akosua Asare, pitched her artificial intelligence (AI) powered wig-fitting platform on CBC’s Dragon’s Den earlier this month and landed a deal with Canadian investor, Manjit Minhas.
Akosua Asare
This self-driven entrepreneur captivated the Dragons, receiving a $150,000 business investment for 25 per cent of her company, Essence Luxe Couture; which features the first virtual wig try on. Using the power of AI, customers can use an app to try on a variety of wigs, which fit and look like their own hair, from the comfort of their own home.
The AI used to analyze user facial features, skin tone and facial structure was developed with the support of researchers at York University. The work is supported by a Smart Computing for Innovation (SOSCIP) project with the Department of Math and Statistics Associate Professor Michael Chen, a collaboration that was facilitated by Innovation York’s industry engagement unit. Backed by funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP), SOSCIP’s Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Accelerated Platforms were able to provide as much as 97 per cent accuracy on face shape classification.
The project provided York University students the opportunity to both apply and build their expertise and research, with far reaching implications for the Canadian technology industry.
“Our mathematics graduate students developed the AI solution for Akosua’s startup,” says Chen. “During development, students were able to gain essential experience developing an AI product with real-world application. Projects like this allow us to provide innovative AI solutions, while training AI talents, who are an essential driver of a thriving AI powered economy.”
Akosua Asare on the Dragons Den
Coupled with the support from York University research, Asare also received additional assistance from Innovation York’s LaunchYU Accelerator program, where she spent four months fine-tuning her business through hands-on workshops, one-on-one mentorship, investor office hours, and various networking resources.
“Throughout the program, Akosua was not afraid to ask for support and feedback, which is just one of the things that make her such a great founder. Seeing the development of her pitch and watching her land a deal on Dragon’s Den was such a proud moment. It really shows us how far she’s come as an entrepreneur,” said David Kwok, associate director of Entrepreneurship at Innovation York.
Before landing her deal, Asare was named the Schulich Startup Night People’s Champion for her pitch in the alumni category. Her drive and positive attitude continue to motivate entrepreneurs today.
“Akosua is such an inspiring member of our entrepreneurial community,” says Chris Carder, executive director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Schulich School of Business. “She always has a ‘can-do’ energy and commitment to giving her time to the next generation of student Founders and Innovators. We are all behind her in her journey – 100 per cent.”
Asare could not be more motivated to elevate her company given the potential it has. As she explains to the Dragons during her pitch, “the value of the application, it’s limitless what it can be applied to.” The founder and mother of two is on her way to launching her business with the support of York University and the newest member of her team – Minhas.
LA&PS DARE 2020 winners display outstanding research in virtual gallery
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The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies is celebrating this year’s cohort of 48 students who received the Dean’s Award for Research Excellence (DARE) this summer, with a special virtual gallery.
J.J. McMurtry
“It gives me great pleasure to celebrate your outstanding academic accomplishments,” LA&PS Dean J.J. McMurtry said, congratulating students on their summer research achievements.
Now in its third year, DARE awards each student $5,000. As part of the award, students have an opportunity to work with a LA&PS faculty member on a designated research project during the summer term. Typically, students would celebrate their research on campus during a DARE Research Poster Session and Celebration, but this year their work will be virtually recognized on the LA&PS website.
“The range of the research done this year is extraordinary and reflects the diversity of research going on in LA&PS – from the use of history in video games, to how we manage wildfires, Muslim perspectives on BLM, and cybersecurity in cloud computing,” LA&PS Associate Dean Research and Graduate Studies Ravi De Costa said, adding, “The quality is outstanding. Given the circumstances this year, it’s a testament to the determination of faculty members to continue their research and of our students’ commitment to challenging themselves and to testing what they have learned in more complex projects.”
DARE bridges a gap between theory and advanced research methodologies for undergraduate students who otherwise would not have opportunities to work directly with faculty, explained Disaster and Emergency Management Professor Aaida Mamuji.
“The DARE program has proven to be very beneficial for both students and their supervisors alike. Students get personalized mentorship in developing advanced research skills, including in primary data collection and analysis, in a way that is not possible in most classroom settings. And as their supervisor, I am motivated by the enthusiasm for research that the students bring to the table,” she said.
Ijaabo Mohamed
Students are equally as excited about the unique opportunities the program has given them. Fourth-year social work student Ijaabo Mohamed worked with Professor Chris Chapman on the project “Black Muslim Perspectives on Brutality, Abolition and the Black Lives Matter Movement,” where she learned how to be a more efficient researcher.
“I feel satisfied with the work that I have done these past few months for the DARE program. My poster turned out great and I learned so much,” she said, adding that she is extremely proud of herself for completing the work amid systemic anti-Black racism and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Humayra Rashid Safa
For fourth-year International Development Studies major, Humayra Rashid Safa, DARE is a rare opportunity to gain hands-on experience in interesting fields of study. Her project, “Green Jobs in Rising Africa” supervised by social science Professor Nathanael Ojong, allowed her to study various forms of socially sustainable jobs and initiatives started by people in Africa.
“Starting with solar energy in northern Africa to wind energy on the southern side of the continent, I had the amazing opportunity to study them all,” she said.
These opportunities, Safa noted, would not be available without the support of the York community.
“I would like to thank the donors of York University and Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies for letting me have this opportunity. The funding I received from the program also helped me during the time of the pandemic,” Safa said.
York University undergraduate students collaborate with students in Korea to study social policy
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An urban street in Korea
School of Public Policy and Administration Professor Thomas Klassen from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LAPS) worked with Professor Sophia Lee at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, South Korea, to provide undergraduate students in their respective classes with a unique international learning opportunity. Klassen teaches Canada’s Social Policy (PPAS 3761) while Lee teaches a course on Social Security in Korea.
Thomas Klassen
The students in the two courses created teams – of three York students and five Chung-Ang students – based on shared interests and complementary skills. Each team selected one social policy to study both in Canada and Korea. The policies include student financial assistance, mental health, childcare, social housing, unemployment insurance, education and elder care.
The mission for each group during this current course is to draw lessons from examining the policy in both Korea and Canada. That is, are there things that Canadian policymakers could learn from Korea and Korean decision makers from Canada, to improve social policies? At the conclusion of the course each team will create a multi-media presentation of findings. The top groups will receive prizes.
Sophia Lee
“The course is an exciting opportunity to expand my network, improve my cultural awareness, refine my interpersonal skills, and add policy analysis to my undergraduate portfolio,” says York student Dael Vasquez-Hernandez.
Jeongmin Kim, one of the Chung-Ang students, adds that “at first I was worried because we don’t speak the same first languages and there are also cultural differences. However, in getting to know my Canadian team members, I find that we are experiencing many of the same problems in our two countries and that we can start to solve these by learning from, and cooperating with, each other.”
York student Katharine Schoenfeldt says that “having the opportunity to participate in a collaborative project is not something I would have expected especially during the pandemic. What I am taking away from this unique experience is how many possibilities lie ahead of us as individuals and societies.”
As part of the partnership between the two courses, Lee has also given a guest lecture to York students, and Klassen has reciprocated for the Korean students.
“It is amazing to see students using SNS and online meeting platforms to exchange ideas and collaborate,” says Lee. “They are interacting effectively and enjoying cooperating with new team mates especially during this time of COVID.”
Screen shot of guest lecture by Professor Sophia Lee
“Students are experiencing international collaboration first-hand including how to work across a 14-hour time difference,” adds Klassen, noting that “although the York students are learning about Korea and its social policies, they will through the comparison learn far more about Canada.”
Sex, age and estrogens may play a role in who contracts COVID-19
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CDC image of the Coronavirus
Does sex and age affect who gets COVID-19 in Canada? York University researchers found females, particularly in their reproductive years, were less likely to contract the virus.
The researchers analyzed COVID-19 data from Statistics Canada up to July 27, 2020 to find out if estrogens played a role.
When they first looked at the data, females were most likely to get COVID-19; however, when they eliminated the high-risk groups – healthcare workers, long-term care residences and some daycares – they found females between the ages of 20 and 70 had a lower incidence rate. This also held true for female healthcare workers when occupation demographics were taken into consideration, as some roles are filled predominantly by women.
The researchers looked specifically at two age groups, women between 20 and 49 years old, and postmenopausal females 60 and older. They found a significant decrease in the incidence rate among females of reproductive age compared with males in the same age group. That lower incident rate continued for women in their 60s and 70s compared to men in the same age bracket but to a lesser degree. Females 80 or older, however, were more likely to get COVID-19 than men.
Chun Peng
“These findings suggest that if men and women were similarly exposed to SARS-CoV-2, women younger than 80 years old would be less likely to be infected, especially for those in the reproductive age group,” says corresponding author Professor Chun Peng of the Faculty of Science. “This suggests that estrogens may play a role in reducing COVID-19 incidence for women as after puberty and before menopause they have much higher circulating estrogens than men.” Her PhD student, Jacob O’Brien, conducted data analyses and summer student, Keven Du, also contributed to the study.
Female patients also have lower hospitalization and ICU rates. These sex-based differences, however, are observed in both the reproductive age and postmenopausal groups.
“Although estrogens may play a role in reducing COVID-19 incidence, it is unlikely that they play a major role in reducing the severity of COVID-19 once someone gets it,” says Peng.
They also have lower fatality rates than males, but because of the lack of fatality in patients younger than 50, it was not possible to make a comparison between the reproductive age group and the postmenopausal group.
Symptoms also varied between the sexes. Those symptoms which were more frequent in patients who recovered, than those who died, were more commonly observed in females of the reproductive age compared to their male counterparts.
Future studies are warranted to confirm the protective effects of estrogens against SARS-CoV-2 infection, says Peng.
The Division of Advancement is delighted to share with York University community members its Impact Report to Donors 2019-2020.
