Tag: VP Finance and Administration

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Project Benchmark launches second survey related to services that support teaching and research

Vari Hall

York University will be conducting its second service effectiveness survey over the next coming weeks. The valuable data received from this survey will help improve understanding of the current distribution of services and activities in support of teaching and research, and the University’s academic mission.

All full-time faculty members and CPM staff at the University will be invited to participate in a two-part survey on the effectiveness of services at York. Part 1 will run from Feb. 15 to 26 and part 2 will run from March 8 to 19. Both parts 1 and 2 of the survey will take about 20 minutes each to complete.

This survey will ask University staff and faculty questions related to 10 core service areas (65 services), to identify which services are most important to their role at York, and whether those services are effective. The Service Effectiveness Survey will provide a closer look at satisfaction levels gathered from both service providers and end users to help with informed decisions about how to continue to improve service delivery at York.

To ensure confidentiality, the survey is being conducted and administered by a third party. Those invited to participate will receive an email from the Project Benchmark Executive Sponsors.

For questions about Project Benchmark or the survey, contact Richard Silva, program manager, at benchmark@yorku.ca.

For more information about the survey or about Project Benchmark, visit the yu link site.

An important update on the University Town Hall scheduled for Monday, Feb. 8

Vari Hall in the winter
Vari Hall in the winter

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

La version française suit la version anglaise.

As a result of interest expressed by our community members, the senior leadership team will now be hosting a consultation on the 2021-22 University Budget at the virtual town hall taking place on Monday, Feb. 8.

We look forward to presenting an overview of the University’s current financial framework and hearing your thoughts on urgent budget priorities, as well as the opportunities and challenges we face as we plan for the next academic year.

We encourage you to submit questions in advance of the event using this form.

For those who submitted questions related to University priorities and planning more broadly through a previous Town Hall invite, you will receive a response to your question directly.

Date: Monday, Feb. 8
Time: 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.
Zoom Webinar: https://yorku.zoom.us/j/98704749185?pwd=UHBqYk1ncVNrS0pQZXVXRFpVTXRWQT09
Webinar ID: 987 0474 9185
Telephone Dial-In: 647-374-4685
Password: 195097
Livestream: https://conversations.info.yorku.ca/

Note: The Zoom link for this event has been updated from the version sent out in the previous Town Hall invite. Please use the link included above to access the Town Hall.

To help answer your questions, I will be joined by:

  • Lisa Philipps, vice-president academic and provost
  • Carol McAulay, vice-president finance and administration
  • Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation
  • Jeff O’Hagan, vice-president advancement
  • Lucy Fromowitz, vice-provost students

If you have any accessibility needs, notes or comments, please let us know.

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.

I look forward to your questions.

Sincerely, 

Rhonda L. Lenton 
President & Vice-Chancellor

Mise à jour importante au sujet de la conversation communautaire prévue le lundi 8 février

En raison de l’intérêt exprimé par les membres de notre communauté, l’équipe de la haute direction tiendra désormais une consultation sur le budget universitaire 2021-2022 lors de la conversation communautaire virtuelle qui aura lieu le lundi 8 février.

Nous avons hâte de vous présenter un aperçu du cadre financier actuel de l’Université et de connaître votre opinion au sujet des priorités budgétaires urgentes et des possibilités et défis auxquels nous sommes confrontés alors que nous planifions la prochaine année universitaire.

Nous vous encourageons à soumettre vos questions à l’avance à l’aide de ce formulaire.

Si vous aviez déjà soumis des questions relatives aux priorités de l’Université et à la planification plus générale qui devaient faire l’objet de cette conversation communautaire, vous recevrez directement une réponse à votre question.

Date : Lundi 8 février 2021
Heure : 9 h 30 à 10 h 45
Webinaire Zoom : https://yorku.zoom.us/j/98704749185?pwd=UHBqYk1ncVNrS0pQZXVXRFpVTXRWQT0
Code du webinaire : 987 0474 9185
Numéro de téléphone : (647) 374-4685
Mot de passe : 195097

Lien pour la diffusion en direct : https://conversations.info.yorku.ca/

Remarque : Le lien Zoom a été mis à jour et est différent de celui envoyé dans l’invitation précédente. Veuillez utiliser le lien ci-dessus pour accéder à la conversation communautaire. 

Pour m’aider à répondre à vos questions, je serai accompagnée de :

  • Lisa Philipps, rectrice et vice-présidente aux affaires académiques
  • Carol McAulay, vice-présidente aux finances et à l’administration
  • Amir Asif, vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation
  • Jeff O’Hagan, vice-président à la promotion
  • Lucy Fromowitz, vice-rectrice aux affaires étudiantes.

Si vous avez des besoins, des remarques ou des commentaires en matière d’accessibilité, veuillez nous le faire savoir.

Cette conversation communautaire aura lieu grâce à la plateforme de visioconférence Zoom Webinar. Vous pouvez télécharger Zoom et apprendre à l’utiliser 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 ici.

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

J’attends vos questions avec impatience.

Veuillez agréer mes sincères salutations, 

Rhonda L. Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière

Two factor authentication enrollments to begin week of Feb. 8

Person working on a computer

In 2020, there was an increase in cyberattacks and related criminal activity world-wide. These attacks heightened the community’s awareness, concerns and expectations around privacy and security issues. Cybersecurity best practices have shown that two-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the most effective tools for preventing phishing and targeted attacks on your accounts and data.

York University’s Information Technology department is pleased to advise that activation of Duo, two-factor authentication for students, Faculty and staff will begin week of Feb. 8, starting with activation of those with surname beginning with ‘A’, and will continue alphabetically until all community members have been enrolled. We expect to complete the process by the end of April 2021.

Once your account is activated, your next Passport York login will prompt you to follow the 2FA setup process. Setup is fast and easy but if it is not a convenient time you can skip the setup step for up to 14 business days. After 14 business days the system will not allow you to go further unless your account has completed the 2FA setup process.

The process requires a second source of validation such as your smartphone to verify your login before granting you access. This way, even if your password were compromised, your account will be protected by 2FA.

Some of the benefits of 2FA include:

  • Protection of your York accounts and data from others accessing your account, even if they know your password.
  • Protection of all major York applications using Passport York, including Office 365.
  • One-press login validation for the most secure and convenient experience with Duo Mobile authentication, which can work with or without cellular data or Wi-Fi access.
  • Free Duo Mobile app download for iOS and Android.

To learn more about Duo two-factor authentication, visit the York University’s 2FA website.

York University has a new COVID-19 planning and response team

Featured illustration of the novel coronavirus

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

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear Colleagues,

As we begin a new year at York University, supporting our community through the pandemic remains our top priority. As public health guidance continues to evolve alongside the rollout of vaccines, we have made some adjustments to the organization of our institutional response.

I am pleased to announce that Parissa Safai has been appointed as Special Advisor to the President for Academic Continuity Planning and COVID-19 Response. Safai is associate professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences and a former associate dean (Interim), Teaching, Learning and Student Affairs in the Faculty of Health. She will lead a small, dedicated team of staff members who will be focused on managing the University’s response to COVID in 2021. I am grateful that the following individuals will be joining this team:

  • Peter Aylan-Parker will be stepping away from his role as associate director, University Events & Ceremonies, to serve as Project Manager, COVID-19 Planning & Response.
  • Octavio Colantonio, coordinator CCTV & Access Control Technologies in Community Safety, will be seconded into the role of Campus Access Planning Advisor.
  • Jennifer Lee, associate director of Communications, Office of the Provost & Vice-President Academic, will serve as Communications Advisor to the team.

The President and Vice-Presidents group will continue to provide overall policy guidance to keep our community safe, while ensuring academic and research continuity. Planning will be informed by priorities identified at the Academic Continuity Table led by the Provost & Vice-President Academic, and the Research Continuity Table led by the Vice-President Research & Innovation.

I want to extend special thanks to Samina Sami, executive director, Community Safety for her leadership at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), and the many other staff from across the University who have volunteered their time and worked tirelessly as members of the Emergency Management Team and EOC to support COVID-19 response planning since January 2020. Many of these staff members will remain involved in supporting the work of the COVID Planning and Response Group, while also recovering some time to devote to their regular roles. The University owes a great deal of its success in managing the pandemic to the dedication, personal commitment, and outstanding teamwork demonstrated by our professional staff colleagues, our administrative staff and on-the-ground workers.

We continue to actively monitor the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to inform planning for the Summer and Fall 2021 terms. As announcements on vaccine availability continue to be made, the team will update the community regularly. For the latest developments and the University’s approach to supporting our community, please continue to monitor YU Better Together.

We welcome these changes to support smooth operational planning at York University this year and appreciate the ongoing patience of our students, faculty and staff. With many supports in place to facilitate remote learning, we know that we will make both the current and upcoming term a success.

Sincerely,

Rhonda L Lenton
President and Vice Chancellor

Nouvelle équipe de l’Université York pour la planification et la réponse à la COVID-19

Chers collègues,

Alors qu’une nouvelle année commence à l’Université York, le soutien de notre communauté durant la pandémie demeure notre priorité absolue. Comme les directives en matière de santé publique continuent d’évoluer parallèlement au déploiement des vaccins, nous avons modifié la structure de notre réponse institutionnelle.

J’ai le plaisir d’annoncer que Dre Parissa Safai a été nommée conseillère spéciale de la présidente pour la planification de la continuité académique et la réponse à la COVID-19. Dre Safai est professeure agrégée de l’École de kinésiologie et des sciences de la santé et ancienne doyenne associée (par intérim) de l’enseignement, de l’apprentissage et des affaires étudiantes de la Faculté de la santé. Elle dirigera une petite équipe de membres du personnel qui se concentreront sur la gestion de la réponse de l’Université à la COVID en 2021. Je me réjouis que les personnes suivantes se joignent à cette équipe :

 

  • Peter Aylan-Parker quittera son poste de directeur adjoint des événements et cérémonies de l’Université pour le poste de gestionnaire de projet, planification et réponse à la COVID-19. 
  • Octavio Colantonio, coordonnateur des systèmes CCTV et des technologies de contrôle d’accès du Service de sécurité communautaire, sera détaché à titre de conseiller en planification de l’accès au campus.
  • Jennifer Lee, directrice adjointe des communications au bureau de la rectrice et de la vice-présidente aux affaires académiques, sera la conseillère en communications de l’équipe.

Le groupe composé de la présidente et des vice-présidents et vice-présidentes continuera à fournir des orientations stratégiques générales pour assurer la sécurité de notre communauté, tout en garantissant la continuité des activités académiques et de la recherche. La planification sera basée sur les priorités définies par la Table de continuité académique dirigée par la rectrice et vice-présidente aux affaires académiques et la Table de continuité de la recherche dirigée par le vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation.

Je tiens tout particulièrement à remercier Samina Sami, directrice principale de la sécurité communautaire, pour son leadership au Centre des opérations d’urgence (EOC) ainsi que plusieurs autres membres du personnel de l’Université, qui ont consacré leur temps et leurs efforts pour appuyer la planification de la réponse à la COVID-19 depuis janvier 2020, en tant que membres de l’équipe de gestion des situations d’urgence et du EOC. Bon nombre de ces membres du personnel continueront à apporter leur soutien au travail du groupe de planification et de réponse à la COVID tout en retrouvant une certaine disponibilité pour leurs rôles habituels. Le succès de l’Université dans la gestion de la pandémie résulte en grande partie du dévouement, de l’engagement personnel et du travail d’équipe exceptionnel dont les membres du personnel professionnel et administratif et nos travailleurs sur le terrain ont fait preuve.

Nous continuons à surveiller activement la réponse de la santé publique à la pandémie de la COVID-19 afin d’orienter la planification des trimestres d’été et d’automne 2021. Au fur et à mesure des annonces sur la disponibilité des vaccins, l’équipe informera régulièrement la communauté. Pour connaître les derniers développements et l’approche de l’université en matière de soutien à notre communauté, veuillez consulter le site YU Better Together.

Nous sommes heureux de ces changements qui permettront une planification opérationnelle harmonieuse à l’Université York cette année et nous remercions les membres du corps étudiant, du corps professoral et du personnel pour leur patience. Grâce aux nombreuses ressources mises en place pour appuyer l’apprentissage à distance, nous sommes convaincus de pouvoir assurer le succès du trimestre en cours et de celui à venir.

Veuillez agréer mes sincères salutations,

Rhonda L. Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière 

Passings: Paul Renewych, custodian, Property Management Custodial Services

A candle

Custodial staff and management in York University Facilities – Property Management are mourning the sudden passing of their colleague and friend, Paul Renewych, on Jan. 1.

Paul Renewych
Paul Renewych

Paul had been employed as a custodian at York University since January 2015. He originally accepted the position of a part-time custodian and eventually became a full-time custodian. Paul worked on the night shift then transferred to the day shift where he interacted with many in the York University community. He worked in numerous buildings throughout his time at York University. His most recent assignment was working at Sherman Health Sciences and Tait Mackenzie buildings at the Keele Campus.

If the topic of the Dallas Cowboys football team ever came up, it was a delight to Paul. He always had an extra pep in his step during the football season. An avid traveller, he was fortunate to see many sights in the world. One of the great travels he enjoyed was a trip to Las Vegas and to the west to see the mountains. He often spoke about going backstage to “chill” with his favourite rock group Van Halen.

He is remembered by his team as always demonstrating positive attributes and they enjoyed his company and smiling face. The devastating news of losing Paul has been of great sadness to all his co-workers who have not been able to extend a comforting hug to each other. He will be greatly missed.

Increasing cybersecurity at York University with two-factor authentication

Person working on a computer

York University’s Information Technology department is introducing two-factor authentication (2FA) powered by Duo security.

The recent cyberattacks on York University have heightened the community’s awareness, concerns and expectations around privacy and security issues. Cybersecurity best practices are showing that two-factor authentication (2FA) is one of the most effective tools for preventing phishing and targeted attacks on your accounts and data.

As most are aware from personal experiences with online access to bank accounts, personal email, etc., 2FA is a security process that adds a second layer of protection to your York accounts. It requires a second source of validation such as your smartphone to verify your login before granting you access. This way, even if your password were compromised, your account would be protected by 2FA.

“Security breaches due to compromised credentials have unfortunately been on the rise in all industries, including education. Duo 2FA is very easy to use and is as convenient as using your smartphone, which most of us carry with us everywhere,” says Chris Russel, chief information security officer. “Using the Duo Mobile app on your smartphone is fast and easy to set up, and most users prefer this since it provides the most secure and convenient way to validate your logins. There are other options for your second factor also available to fit everyone’s use case. At present we have about 500 early adopters from several departments across the University, all using 2FA successfully.”

Some of the benefits of 2FA include:

  • protection of your York accounts and data from others accessing your account, even if they know your password;
  • protection of all major York applications using Passport York, including Office 365;
  • one-press login validation for the most secure and convenient experience with Duo Mobile authentication, which can work with or without cellular data or Wi-Fi access;  and
  • free Duo Mobile app download for iOS and Android.

Faculty and staff will receive communication shortly on next steps, enrollment dates and instructions. The 2FA enrollment process will begin with faculty and staff, followed by students, in the new year. The information security team anticipates all active students, faculty and staff will be enrolled and activated on 2FA by end of April 2021.

To learn more about Duo two-factor authentication, visit the Information Security at York website.

Cybersécurité accrue à York

Le Département des technologies de l’information de l’Université York a le plaisir d’annoncer la mise en place de l’authentification à deux facteurs (2FA) générée par Duo Security.

Les cyberattaques récentes contre York ont accru la sensibilisation, les préoccupations et les attentes de notre communauté en matière de vie privée et de sécurité. Les meilleures pratiques en matière de cybersécurité montrent que l’authentification à deux facteurs (2FA) est l’un des outils les plus efficaces pour prévenir l’hameçonnage et les attaques ciblées sur vos comptes et vos données.

Comme vous le savez sans doute par expérience personnelle (accès à des comptes bancaires en ligne, au courrier électronique, etc.), l’authentification à deux facteurs ajoute un niveau supplémentaire de sécurité à vos comptes York. La 2FA requiert une deuxième source de validation — comme votre téléphone intelligent — pour vérifier votre identité avant de vous laisser accéder à votre compte. Ainsi, le compte sera protégé par la 2FA, même si votre mot de passe a été compromis.

« Les atteintes à la sécurité en raison de données d’identification compromises sont malheureusement en hausse dans tous les secteurs, y compris celui de l’éducation, explique Chris Russel, officier principal de la sécurité de l’information. Duo 2FA est très facile à utiliser. Elle nécessite seulement un second facteur, comme un téléphone intelligent que la plupart d’entre nous ont toujours à portée de la main. L’application Duo Mobile peut être installée rapidement et facilement sur votre téléphone. La majorité des utilisateurs préfèrent cette solution, car elle constitue le moyen le plus sécuritaire et le plus pratique de confirmer votre identité, mais il existe d’autres options pour le deuxième facteur d’authentification. Environ 500 personnes de plusieurs départements universitaires utilisent déjà la 2FA sans aucun problème. »

Quelques avantages de la 2FA : 

  • Protection de vos comptes York et de vos données contre l’accès de toute tierce personne, même si cette dernière connaît votre mot de passe;
  • Protection de toutes les applications principales de York utilisant Passport York, y compris Office 365;
  • Validation avec un seul clic pour une expérience plus sûre et plus pratique avec l’authentification Duo Mobile, qui peut fonctionner avec ou sans données cellulaires ou accès Wi-Fi;
  • Téléchargement gratuit de l’application Duo Mobile pour iOS et Android.

Le corps enseignant et le personnel recevront bientôt des communications sur les prochaines étapes qui comprendront des instructions et les dates d’inscription à la 2FA. Le corps enseignant et le personnel s’inscriront en premier. Ensuite, ce sera le tour du corps étudiant. L’équipe chargée de la sécurité de l’information prévoit que tous les étudiants actifs et les membres du corps enseignant et du personnel seront inscrits et utiliseront la 2FA d’ici la fin avril 2021.

Pour en savoir plus sur l’authentification Duo 2FA, veuillez visiter le site Web Information Security at York.

Holiday closure information for the community

campus winter vignette

The following is an important message to students, faculty and staff from York University Vice-President Finance and Administration Carol McAulay:

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear York Community,

As the holiday season approaches, I want to remind you of the extended University holiday closure period. All our campuses will be closed as of Thursday, Dec. 24 until Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. We are very pleased to be able to provide you with a few very well-deserved extra days off, to thank you all for your continued service and dedication particularly in light of challenges due to the ongoing pandemic. We would strongly encourage you to take full advantage of the holiday break and set aside York work commitments. We would also like to give a special thanks to all those employees who are required to work or provide instruction over the holiday period.

With the University closed for the holidays, and in order to minimize the number of staff required to work over the holiday closure, please do not plan to come to campus or book meetings during the holiday closure, even if you have previously received approval to access campus. A very few limited exceptions apply to this request, such as students in residence and research that cannot be suspended for the holiday period. Only absolutely exceptional requests for access for anyone with a demonstrated need will be granted and can be submitted here.

To ensure requests are processed and the necessary arrangements are finalized, exceptional requests should be submitted before end of day on Friday, Dec. 11.

The University will reopen on Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, and restricted operations under the current Toronto Public Health guidelines will resume on that date, with classes resuming on Monday January 11, 2021. Anyone who was pre-approved to attend campus during the fall, will automatically have their access restored as of Jan. 7, 2021.  No further request for approval to come to campus will be needed in the new year.

If you receive exceptional approval to be on campus during the holiday period, and you do not have a working key/card, you can sign one out at any time during the holiday period from the Security Control Centre located at the northeast corner of the William Small Building (opposite the Petrie Science and Engineering Building) on the Keele Campus. Please note that the key/card provided by Security Control are for building access only, so please make sure you have your office key/card with you. All persons signing out keys/cards are required to provide photo identification.

Anyone on campus now and/or during the holiday period should continue to follow the  COVID-19 screening procedure prior to attending campus and our health and safety protocols, including the wearing of mask or face coverings indoors, physical distancing and practising good hand hygiene.

The York community has worked incredibly hard in the face of an unprecedented transition of our teaching, research, and professional endeavours to remote formats, while the safety and well being of our community continues to be our first priority.

Thank you all and I hope you have a restful holiday.

Sincerely,

Carol McAulay
Vice-President Finance and Administration

Information au sujet de la fermeture pour les fêtes

Chère communauté de York, 

À l’approche de la saison des fêtes, je tiens à vous rappeler la fermeture prolongée de l’Université. Tous nos campus seront fermés à compter du jeudi 24 décembre 2020 et rouvriront le jeudi 7 janvier 2021. Nous sommes très heureux de pouvoir vous accorder quelques jours de congé supplémentaires bien mérités afin de vous remercier pour votre service et votre dévouement constants, surtout dans le contexte des défis posés par la pandémie actuelle. Nous vous encourageons vivement à bien profiter du congé des fêtes et à mettre de côté vos obligations professionnelles. Nous tenons également à remercier tout particulièrement les employés qui seront obligés de travailler ou de donner des cours pendant la période des fêtes.

Comme l’Université sera fermée pour les fêtes, veuillez ne pas prévoir de visites sur le campus ni réserver des réunions – même si vous avez un accès autorisé au campus – afin de minimiser le nombre de personnes devant travailler durant la fermeture. Il existe quelques exceptions, comme les étudiants et étudiantes habitant en résidence et les travaux de recherche qui ne peuvent pas être interrompus durant les fêtes. Seules les demandes d’accès absolument exceptionnelles ayant un besoin démontré seront approuvées; vous pouvez en faire la demande ici.

Pour assurer le traitement des demandes et la finalisation des arrangements nécessaires, ces demandes exceptionnelles doivent être soumises avant la fin de la journée du vendredi 11 décembre 2020.

Lors de la réouverture de l’Université le 7 janvier 2020, des activités restreintes en vertu des directives actuelles de la santé publique de Toronto reprendront. Les cours recommenceront le lundi 11 janvier 2021.   L’accès de toute personne pré-approuvée pour fréquenter le campus pendant l’automne sera automatiquement rétabli à partir du 7 janvier 2021. Aucune autre demande d’autorisation pour fréquenter le campus ne sera requise au début de la nouvelle année.

Si vous avez obtenu l’autorisation exceptionnelle d’être sur le campus pendant la période des fêtes et que vous n’avez pas de clé/carte fonctionnelle, vous pouvez en obtenir une durant la fermeture auprès du Bureau des services de sécurité situé à l’angle nord-est du William Small Building (en face du bâtiment Petrie Science and Engineering). Veuillez noter que la clé/carte fournie par les Services de sécurité vous donnera seulement accès à votre bâtiment; vous devrez donc apporter la clé/carte de votre bureau lors de votre visite. Pour emprunter des clés/cartes, vous devrez montrer une pièce d’identité avec photo.

Toute personne sur le campus actuellement et/ou durant la période des fêtes devra continuer à remplir le formulaire de dépistage de la COVID-19 avant de venir sur le campus (et respecter nos protocoles de santé et de sécurité, y compris le port d’un masque ou couvre-visage à l’intérieur, la distanciation physique et la pratique d’une bonne hygiène des mains.

La communauté de York a travaillé sans relâche pour faire face à la transition sans précédent de nos activités professionnelles, d’enseignement et de recherche vers des formats à distance. La sécurité et le bien-être de notre communauté restent notre priorité absolue.

Je vous remercie et vous souhaite un congé reposant.

Veuillez agréer mes sincères salutations,

Carol McAulay
Vice-présidente des finances et de l’administration

Brad Parkes named York University’s next assistant vice-president of Facilities Services

Vari Hall new image
Vari Hall new image

Carol McAulay, vice-president finance and administration, issues the following announcement to the York University community:

Brad Parkes, associate vice-president Facility Services at Laurentian University, has been named York University’s next assistant vice-president of Facilities Services.

Brad Parkes
Brad Parkes

Brad will assume the role from Helen Psathas who in May 2019 rose to the challenge and stepped forward as interim assistant vice-president, until the search for a permanent replacement was complete. The department has greatly benefitted from Helen’s knowledge and experience in facilities management, leadership, and operations. Helen has done a stellar job of enhancing the reputation of service, collaboration, and innovation in Facilities Services and I am truly grateful to her for all the wonderful work she has done over the past year and a half.

On Dec. 7, Helen will return to her role as director, campus planning and development, and Brad will begin his journey at York as assistant vice-president of Facilities Services.

Brad, a seasoned facilities leader with more than 30 years of experience in facilities management, construction, planning, design, operations, space management and sustainability from the education sector, will lead the planning, development, maintenance, and stewardship of York’s campuses to advance teaching, learning and research. He will lead efforts to continue York’s commitment to sustainability in design, construction, and operation of our campuses and to creating positive change at the University. He will collaborate with University leaders on capital funding plans and projects and oversee the execution of new construction and renovation projects.

Brad has led Laurentian University’s facility services since 2014. In his role at Laurentian, he oversees space planning, design, capital projects, maintenance, operations, shipping and receiving, energy and sustainability. Managing budgets in excess of $100 million and initiatives of over $50 million, Brad’s visionary leadership and transparent management style has led to strong and cohesive multi-functional matrix teams to advance Laurentian’s strategic vision. Prior to assuming the position of associate vice-president facility services at Laurentian, Brad was responsible for capital projects.

Before he joined Laurentian, Brad spent almost 25 years with the Simcoe County District School Board as manager of design and construction, where he directed more than 80 projects and managed budgets up to $120 million annually.

Brad is a sports enthusiast and an active member of his community. He is driven by a passion for paying it forward and has been recognized by organizations such as Kin Canada and the Ontario Paralympic Winter games for volunteerism, dedication, and commitment. He has used his extensive knowledge and experience in facilities management to assist institutions like Maison McCulloch Hospice, Sudbury and the Northern Watersport Centre with facilities planning as a volunteer member of the building committee.

Please join me in thanking Helen for her leadership and welcoming Brad to the York University family.

Sincerely,

Carol McAulay
Vice-President, Finance and Administration

Town Hall offers update on academics, work life and York’s positive contributions through COVID-19

Vari Hall new image
Vari Hall new image

During a Virtual Town hall event held on Oct. 21, York’s senior leadership team shared details on the University’s direction as it continues to evolve to meet pandemic safety guidelines.

The event offered York community members an opportunity to ask questions – in pre-submitted and live formats – and learn more about the University’s plans and initiatives. In attendance were President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton, Provost & Vice-President Academic Lisa Philipps, Vice-President Finance & Administration Carol McAulay, Vice-President Advancement Jeff O’Hagan, Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif, and University Registrar Darran Fernandez.

Rhonda L. Lenton
Rhonda L. Lenton

Lenton opened with a land acknowledgement, and a reminder that some of the University’s facilities – indoor gyms and indoor seated spaces for dining – have been temporarily shuttered to meet updated COVID-19 public health measures announced by the province two weeks ago.

Looking forward to winter term, Lenton said the University will continue to operate with the same plan as fall with the majority of courses offered remotely. Senior leadership, she said, is now in the beginning stages of planning for the 2021-2022 academic year.

“We expect that for fall of 2021 we will be able to move largely back to in-person instruction; however, it’s a volatile situation and there is still some level of uncertainty,” she said, adding that the decision rests largely on guidance from Toronto Public Health as well as the development of, and access to, a vaccine for COVID-19.

Reflecting on the last six months, Lenton noted the University’s highlights including the conclusion of the University’s 10-year plan, the completion of the University Academic Plan (UAP) 2015-2020 and the work on a new five-year UAP that will take the University to 2025. She encouraged the community to read the annual President’s Report, which recognizes institutional accomplishments and positive change led by the University over the 2019-2020 academic year.

The floor opened to questions from the community and kicked off with a query on how students studying from abroad will continue to participate in the winter semester. Lenton offered assurance that winter would continue in the same manner as fall. The 150 courses requiring an in-person component will reflect that requirement in the course notes.

It was also noted that while York is now permitted to welcome international students to campus, domestic students will have to wait for travel abroad for educational opportunities. However, Fernandez pointed out there are opportunities with an international focus available through York’s Globally Networked Learning programs.

Lisa Philipps

Students also voiced concern with lectures being posted too late, lectures running past the allotted time frame, and the lack of focused group work. Philipps said while the University acknowledges the impressive efforts by faculty to pivot to online instruction, she recognizes there is still room for improvement and would ensure these concerns are forwarded to the deans.

While the learning experience may not be the same, Lenton said “our colleagues are ensuring students still have the same student learning outcomes” and that “there’s a continual improvement as we go along.” Lenton further noted the senior leadership team aims to soon host a virtual town hall specifically for students.

One student asked about the development of scholarship fund supporting Black students. O’Hagan said there have been new donations specifically earmarked to support Black students, and Lenton said work has begun on developing an action plan.

Staff inquired about what work-from-home policies York may consider in a post-pandemic scenario. Lenton acknowledged the need to consider flexible work arrangements and said the University plans to continue discussions with management and unions on how to move forward. Other staff were curious to know if staff, like faculty, would be offered early retirement incentives. McAulay said there have been discussions on developing a program, and conversations would continue.

Concerns about potential staff layoffs were addressed as well. Lenton said the University’s approach has been to talk with unions and managers, and to try to get input from colleagues about challenges they face and to try to be responsive to those issues.

Many questions were specifically related to the pandemic and outlined concerns with ventilation on campus and with individuals not complying with the University’s mask and face covering protocol. McAulay said the University has implemented measures to improve ventilation on campus, including overriding settings to bring in more fresh air, filtration material being upgraded to a higher quality filter and air filters changes with increased frequency. (For more details on initiatives undertaken to ensure clean air in buildings at York, visit facilities.info.yorku.ca/maintenance). As for the face coverings, Lenton said she would take concerns to the University’s Emergency Operations Committee and look to them for guidance on how to follow up on complaints of non-compliance.

One community member asked senior leadership to describe what role York University has played in helping the community during the pandemic. Philipps pointed to the five faculty members recognized with provincial awards for their COVID-19 research.

Asif described several of the research projects undertaken by York’s researchers, including statistical modelling that is now used by the province to predict emerging trends, and also recounted York’s contributions of PPE, chemicals and other equipment to the province.

“York University has also awarded $300,000 in research grants to advance 20 new research projects ranging from the impact of COVID-19 on child protection investigations, to how textiles and non-woven materials could be modified to boost protection offered by cloth-based personal protective equipment (PPE), virus through microdroplets and potential implications for ventilation system design, as well as the role that variations in the genomic sequences of the virus play in infection and disease,” Asif added.

Commenting on the University’s new brand, one individual asked how the York community shows compelling evidence that York is a community of changemakers and produces graduates who are changemakers.

Lenton highlighted the recent Times Higher Education (THE) rankings, that placed York University 33rd out of 767 competing Universities when measured against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The new, upcoming interactive UAP website, said Philipps, will also catalogue stories of positive change led by York, similar to the YU Better Together website developed to highlight York’s positive contributions during the pandemic. O’Hagan pointed to the Alumni and Friends page, where there are stories that showcase alumni contributions to creating positive change.

In closing, Lenton thanked community members for their questions, and noted that senior leadership would aim to answer any questions not addressed during the town hall.

To watch the recorded version of this Virtual Town Hall, visit conversations.info.yorku.ca/first-page/webcast.

Paid parking on York’s campuses to return effective Nov. 1

Photo by KML from Pexels

La version française suit la version anglaise.

On Nov. 1, York University will be resuming paid parking on both the Keele and Glendon campuses. Parking Services will be implementing an interim discounted payment program for the remainder of the fall term, with regular parking rates and permit requirements restarting in January 2021.

Interim parking options – Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2020

Both daily and monthly permit parking will be available at discounted rates during this period.  These two options provide flexibility for individuals who are parking on campus with fixed or variable schedules.  Employee payroll deductions for monthly permits will not be available during this time.

Contractors who require on-site or service parking must contact Parking Services at parking@yorku.ca for further details.

Daily parking

Daily parking will be available at a flat rate of $5.00 per day in all parking locations, including on-street, pay-and-display lots, permit lots and garages.  During this interim period, you can pay at any location and park in any lot/garage on campus during that day. You are not limited to parking in the location where you paid.

Payment can be made at the existing pay stations located in pay-and-display areas.  In addition, a new contactless payment option will be available with HONK Mobile. With HONK Mobile, payment can be made using your iOS or Android mobile device by either:

  • Downloading the HONK Mobile app from your device’s app store
  • Tapping your phone at one of the HONK Tap signs located in each pay-and-display area

Additional details about the HONK Mobile payment option is available at yorku.ca/parking.

Please note: If you wish to park in any of the parking garages on the Keele Campus, you must download and use the HONK Mobile app for payment or first make payment at another location on campus.  HONK Tap payment and the payment machines located in the parking garages will not be available.

Monthly permit parking – purchased online only

For November and December, a single discounted monthly permit will be available for $88.50 per month plus HST.  This permit is only available monthly and is non-refundable.  November permits will be available for purchase online starting Oct. 13 and December permits will be available starting Nov. 25.

The Interim Monthly permit is designed for individuals who are parking on campus daily. This permit will provide access to valid parking spaces within all lots and garages on a first-come, first-served basis.

This permit will not be valid in any “reserved day and night spaces,” service spaces, loading docks, daycare spaces, 15-minute pick up and drop off zones or layby areas.  Should you require access to any of these areas, contact Parking Services at parking@yorku.ca to make special arrangements.

University employees who require service parking will need to have purchased either daily or monthly parking and display their existing service pass on their dash to occupy the service spaces.

The interim monthly permit will be virtual. During this time, you are not required to hang a permit from your rear-view mirror or swipe your access card to gain access to parking lots. If you have an access card, please retain it for future use.

Employees with continuous payroll parking deductions

Continuous payroll parking deductions will remain suspended for November and December.  If you are planning to park on campus during November and/or December, you can do so using either the daily or the monthly permit options described above.

Winter term parking (January to April 2021)

Additional information on the return to regular daily and permit rates in January, will be communicated later in the Fall term.

If you have any questions, please contact Parking Services at parking@yorku.ca.

Service de stationnement de l’Université York stationnement payant à partir du 1er novembre 2020

Le 1er novembre 2020, le stationnement sera à nouveau payant sur les campus Keele et Glendon de l’Université. Les Services de stationnement mettront en œuvre un programme intérimaire de paiement à tarif réduit pour le reste du trimestre d’automne; le retour aux tarifs de stationnement habituels et aux exigences en matière de permis se fera en janvier 2021.

Options intérimaires de stationnement du 1er novembre au 31 décembre 2020

Durant cette période intérimaire, des permis de stationnement journaliers et mensuels seront disponibles à des tarifs réduits. Ces deux options offriront de la flexibilité aux personnes qui stationnent sur le campus avec des horaires fixes ou variables. Les retenues sur la paie des employés pour les permis mensuels ne seront pas effectuées pendant cette période.

Les entrepreneurs qui ont besoin de stationner sur place ou de garer leur véhicule de service doivent s’adresser aux Services de stationnement à parking@yorku.ca pour plus de détails.

Stationnement journalier

Des places de stationnement journalier seront disponibles à un tarif forfaitaire de 5 $ par jour pour tous les lieux de stationnement, y compris les rues, les terrains Pay and Display, les terrains requérant un permis et les garages de stationnement. Durant la période intérimaire, vous pouvez utiliser n’importe quelle borne de paiement et stationner sur n’importe quel terrain/garage du campus cette journée. Vous n’êtes pas obligé de stationner à l’endroit où vous avez payé.

Le paiement peut être effectué aux bornes de paiement existantes dans les zones Pay and Display. En outre, une nouvelle option de paiement sans contact sera offerte : HONK Mobile. Avec HONK Mobile, vous pourrez payer avec votre appareil mobile iOS ou Android de deux façons :

  • En téléchargeant l’application HONK Mobile dans l’App Store/Google Play sur votre appareil; ou
  • En touchant l’un des panneaux HONK Tap avec votre téléphone aux zones Pay and Display.

Pour plus d’information sur l’option de paiement HONK Mobile, visitez yorku.ca/parking.

Remarque : si vous voulez stationner dans l’un des garages du campus Keele, vous devez télécharger l’application HONK Mobile et l’utiliser pour le paiement ou effectuer d’abord un paiement à un autre lieu du campus. Le paiement HONK Tap et les bornes de paiement situées dans les stationnements ne sont pas disponibles.

Permis mensuel de stationnement – Achat en ligne seulement

Pour les mois de novembre et décembre, un seul type de permis mensuel sera offert au prix réduit de 88,50 $ plus la TVH. Ce permis sera seulement disponible mensuellement et ne sera pas remboursable. Les permis mensuels de novembre pourront être achetés en ligne à partir du 13 octobre 2020 et ceux de décembre à partir du 25 novembre 2020.

Ce permis mensuel intérimaire est destiné aux personnes qui stationnent quotidiennement sur le campus. Il donnera accès à des places de stationnement valables dans tous les parcs et garages selon le principe du premier arrivé, premier servi.

Il ne sera pas valable pour les places « réservées jour et nuit », les espaces pour les véhicules de service, les quais de chargement, les places de garderie, les zones de ramassage et de dépôt de 15 minutes ou les aires de repos. Si vous souhaitez accéder à l’une de ces zones, contactez les Services de stationnement à parking@yorku.ca pour faire des arrangements spéciaux.

Les employés de l’Université ayant besoin de stationner des véhicules de service devront acheter un stationnement quotidien ou mensuel et afficher leur laissez-passer existant sur leur tableau de bord pour occuper les places réservées aux véhicules de service.

Le permis mensuel intérimaire sera virtuel. Durant cette période, vous n’aurez pas besoin d’accrocher un permis à votre rétroviseur intérieur ni d’utiliser votre carte d’accès pour entrer sur les terrains de stationnement. Si vous avez une carte d’accès, veuillez la conserver pour un usage ultérieur.

Employés ayant des retenues continues sur la paie

Les retenues continues sur la paie pour les permis mensuels resteront suspendues pour les mois de novembre et de décembre. Si vous prévoyez stationner sur le campus en novembre et/ou décembre, vous pouvez le faire en utilisant les options de permis journalier ou mensuel décrites ci-dessus.

Stationnement durant le trimestre d’hiver (janvier à avril 2021)

Des informations complémentaires sur le retour aux taux journaliers réguliers et aux taux de permis en janvier seront communiquées plus tard durant le trimestre d’automne.

Si vous avez des questions, veuillez contacter les Services de stationnement à parking@yorku.ca.