Just weeks after two Canadian soldiers were killed by extremist converts to Islam, Muslim students at York University will hold a forum denouncing the murders, drawing attention to the growing problem of youth radicalization and praising Islam as a religion of peace, reported the North York Mirror Nov. 4. Read full story.
Schulich’s latest MBA ware: a retail specialization
The Schulich School of Business at York University is launching its first global retail management specialization within its MBA program, starting with the winter term, reported the Globe and Mail Nov. 5. The program will cover fast-moving consumer goods and retail productivity and adaptability. The goal, marketing Professor Robert Kozinets says, is to train the country’s next generation of retail executives to take Canadian stores to the next level. Read full story.
Tory prostitution bill gets Senate approval
A legal challenge could be mounted on some parts of the bill as soon as it takes effect, but it may be prudent to wait for evidence to support a case against other parts of it, said Osgoode Hall Law School Professor Alan Young in the Globe and Mail Nov. 4. Young represented Ms. Scott in the Bedford case. Read full story.
Taxpayer-funded per-vote subsidy to federal political parties to top $266M before it is eliminated
Robert MacDermid, a political scientist at York University in Toronto who specializes in political party financing, said the elimination of the per-vote subsidy will actually benefit the Conservatives more than any other party, reported the National Post Nov. 4. While the Tories are receiving the largest subsidy, the party also has shown it has the strongest fundraising machine and is best prepared to solicit donations from its members in the post-subsidy era, he said. Read full story.
Cellphones get weak reception in classrooms
A 2013 York University study backs up the learning theory about cellphones in the classroom, reported the Globe and Mail Nov. 5. Students in one group used a laptop to take notes and were also instructed to do unrelated tasks on their computer that mimicked what distracted students would do in class. A second group used pen and paper to take notes but were sitting near students using laptops. The first group scored 11 per cent lower than their existing average on a quiz while the second group scored 17 per cent lower, apparent proof of the distracting effect of devices. Read full story.
The mini-MBA: Can it pack a big career punch?
A top-ranked MBA school (with tuition of about $32,905 this fall/winter in the two-year full-time program), York University’s Schulich School of Business began offering its new mini-MBA this year at a cost of $9,250. “I found [the mini-MBA] to be for myself, personally, probably just right,” said Adrian Jess in the Globe and Mail Nov. 5, noting students attend nine days of classroom time, and work on their own and in groups. Read full story.
Spadina subway to York could be delayed – again
It’s been postponed once already. But there’s fresh doubt about whether the Spadina subway extension will meet its latest opening target of 2016, reported the Toronto Star Nov. 5…. The subway extension into York Region has suffered setbacks almost since work began in 2010. The subway construction started 16 months late due to funding issues and the schedule was never adjusted to account for that. Other difficulties ranged from an unusually harsh winter last year to tunneling issues under York University. Read full story.
How B-schools are responding to the persistent gender gap
At York’s Schulich School of Business, MBA students can switch back and forth from part-time to full-time studies to accommodate changes in lifestyle and career needs, reported the Globe and Mail Nov. 5. Marcia Annisette, professor of accounting at Schulich, said the power of choice of scheduling has been particularly attractive to women, noting part-time programs typically have more than 40-percent-female participation. Read full story.
Sorbara autobiography sure to hit home for many in Vaughan
York University Chancellor Greg Sorbara spent close to 30 years in politics and was instrumental in securing the Liberal Party’s reign in Ontario for the past decade. During that time, he was no stranger to controversy, reported the Vaughan Citizen Nov. 4. Now, two years after retiring from public life, the former finance minister and Vaughan MPP appears poised to stir things up again, this time with his candid autobiography. Read full story.
In Protégé Club, peers help peers
In 2009, a group of senior undergraduates at York University’s Schulich School of Business in Toronto decided to mentor younger counterparts in the program, reported the Globe and Mail Nov. 5. Five years later, the student-run Protégé Club has proven so successful that this fall it recruited a record 81 mentors, upper-year business administration students who offer advice to younger counterparts on the academic, social and professional preparation required for a career in business. Read full story.