Second planning session of Senate to focus on the University Academic Plan and post-pandemic activities, May 13

People walk through Vari Hall, which is located on York U's Keele campus

Members of the York University community are invited to attend the second of two planning sessions centred on the 2020-2025 University Academic Plan. The session will take place Thursday, May 13, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.

The focus of this second session is to explore how the community can best support the UAP research priorities in view of the seismic events of 2020-2021. It is an opportunity to focus on the actions needed over the next one to two years to keep the University’s  academic mission on track and purposefully shape the post-pandemic future of York University.

The shift to online/remote interaction has significantly affected the ability of many in the  community to sustain their scholarly activities. The physical re-opening of the campuses will present new challenges and require adaptation to group size limits, access restrictions, safety protocols and the like. Further, the differential impact on individuals and groups has accentuated underlying disparities in resources and opportunities and reinforced the need to reduce inequalities in teaching and research.

The program

9:30 a.m.        Academic Policy, Planning and Research Committee (APPRC) Chair welcome

9:40 a.m.        Organization into break-out groups

9:45 a.m.        Break-out Group Discussions facilitated by an APPRC member

10:30 a.m.      Plenary polling of participants for feedback on break-out group discussions

10:50 a.m.      Wrap-up and follow-up plans

Break-out group questions for discussion:         

  • What are the challenges to sustaining research activities in our current environment?
  • What are some creative ways to engage scholarship in our current environment?
  • What supports are needed at the local level to increase research activities in this environment?
  • What are the qualitative milestones of progress on scholarship and knowledge creation in this environment?

RSVPs to the May 13 forum are requested and can be submitted online.]

Participants are asked to prepare for the session by reading the background material posted on the forum website at https://secretariat.info.yorku.ca/senate/academic-policy-planning-and-research-committee/the-university-academic-plan-and-the-pandemic-challenges-and-opportunities-for-the-teaching-and-research-priorities/.

For additional information, contact Cheryl Underhill of the University Secretariat, by email at underhil@yorku.ca.