Schulich is tops among Canadian MBA schools in global ranking

The Schulich School of Business at York University placed 12th in the world and first in Canada in a ranking of MBA schools by London, England’s The Economist, wrote The Globe and Mail Oct. 15.

The Canadian schools in the rankings are:

12. York University – Schulich School of Business

75. McGill University – Faculty of Management

82. University of British Columbia – Sauder School of Business

Raising the curtain on friendship

It’s crucial business partners have complementary skills, wrote the Toronto Star Oct. 15 in a story about the challenges of starting a business with friends.

“The problem with friends in business together is that often that they are too much alike and there isn’t a synergy there but an overlap that can work against the business,” says Eileen Fischer, director of entrepreneurial studies at the Schulich School of Business at York University.

“What you really want are people who have enough differences in background training, perspectives and even styles so they offset one another’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Higher legal fees surface for Aurora

It seems legal fees are costing the Town of Aurora more than originally stated, wrote the Aurora Era-Banner Oct. 14.

The issue of external legal expenses accrued by municipalities is not one York University political science Professor Robert MacDermid has followed closely but he added, in general, the types of expenditures stated are not all that surprising.

“One can speculate that (these figures) are not unusual,” MacDermid said. “It all depends on what it’s for. Going to the Ontario Municipal Board is very costly and, really, any time you’re employing a lawyer, you’re probably going to see higher costs.”

However, it’s unfortunate some costs in Aurora have accrued due to personal differences, said MacDermid. “I think it’s regrettable when a council cannot get along and solve its differences without going the legal route,” MacDermid said. “At that point, I think that they’ve forgotten who it is that they’re really there to represent.”

International authors hit the road

Hosted by the Orillia Public Library, the Orillia International Festival of Authors takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 8pm in the Green Room at the Orillia Opera House, wrote the Orillia Packet & Times Oct. 15. Four authors will be participating in this exciting event, including Barry Callaghan, Don Gillmor, Martin MacIntyre and Leon Rooke.

A well-known Canadian novelist, poet and publisher, Callaghan, who has been the recipient of various honours and awards, including the Writers’ Trust of Canada’s W. O. Mitchell Literary Prize, is currently professor emeritus and distinguished scholar at York University in Toronto, where he was a professor of contemporary literature for 35 years.

Mathematician works to predict the spread of infectious diseases

James Watmough is working to do the math on H1N1, wrote The Daily Gleaner (Fredericton) Oct. 15. The University of New Brunswick professor is part of a few research projects, spearheaded by York University’s nationwide MITACS Centre for Disease Modelling research network, designed to statistically model and analyze communicable diseases like influenza.

York grad lauds Argo teammate’s rushing

“It’s huge,” fellow running back Jeff Johnson (BA Spec. Hons. ’02) said of Toronto Argonaut Jamal Robertson’s assault on 1,000 yards rushing for the season, wrote the Toronto Star Oct. 15.

Johnson, a product of York University who’s in his eighth season with the Argos and has done a lot of blocking for Robertson, said the rushing totals are “a testament to the work of the guys up front…. It couldn’t happen to a nicer person and it’s something positive to salvage from this season,” he said.

York jazz performers are critics’ choice

Toronto alto saxist and former York music student Richard Underhill debuts a new collection of “melodic original jazz” at Lula Lounge Monday, wrote the Toronto Star Oct. 15. He says the tunes from an upcoming album, recorded Thanksgiving weekend and tentatively titled Sounds of the City, range from “straight-ahead jazz, to far out, to everything in between, including some funky numbers.” Playing with him are trombonist Ron Westray (Jazz at Lincoln Center alum and the new Oscar Peterson Chair in Jazz Performance at York University), guitarist Eric St. Laurent, drummer Larnell Lewis, bassist Artie Roth and pianist Dave Restivo. The show will be filmed for a DVD. (8:30pm,  1585 Dundas St. W. $10 at the door.)

On air

  • York humanities PhD student Sharanpal Ruprai spoke about her short film (Narrow Field of Vision) on Radio Canada International’s “Masala Canada” program Oct. 10.
  • Bernie Wolf, economics professor in the Schulich School of Business at York University, spoke about the surging loonie on CBC Radio’s “Metro Morning” and on CTV News Oct. 14.
  • CTV News, Global TV’s “ET Canada” and numerous other broadcast outlets reported on the honorary doctorate being given to actor Woody Harrelson Oct. 14.