York community invited to take dining survey

bowl of colorful food surrounded

As part of its ongoing commitment to enhance the dining experience on campus, York University Food & Vending Services invites all York community members to participate in a York University Dining Survey.

This survey aims to gather insights into community members’ experiences with the campus dining services – including the quality of food, variety of options, services, and overall satisfaction at residence and retail locations operated by YU Eats. Feedback is invaluable in helping understand preferences and areas for improvement.

The survey should take approximately 10 minutes to complete, and thoughtful responses will contribute to positive changes in campus dining experiences.

Upon completion of the survey, participants can enter to win one of five $200 Flex Dollars prizes (students) or one of five $100 Flex Dollars prizes (staff & faculty) to be put on their YU Card.

Those interested in taking the survey can do so by following this link or using the QR code above.

The survey deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 26.

Annual Jean Augustine Chair event shines spotlight on Black artists

Coco Murray performance during Word, Sound, Power 2023 (image: Anderson Coward)

Members of the York University community are invited to celebrate Black artistic talent during a showcase of performances on Feb. 7, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., when the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community and Diaspora presents Word, Sound, Power: An Annual Celebration of Black Artistic Expression.

The annual event celebrates the rich and diverse world of Black aritistic expression, promising to be a vibrant showcase of talent, creativity and cultural pride.

Carrington Christmas and Isaac Crosby
Carrington Christmas and Isaac Crosby

The event is open to the community and is free to attend. It begins at 5:30 p.m. with a welcome reception in the CIBC Lobby, Accolade East Building at the Keele Campus, and performances will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Tribute communities Recital Hall, Accolade East Building.

The event’s land acknowledgement will be provided by Carrington Christmas, a York alumna, who is an Indigenous anti-racist educator and self-described “Aunty Extraordinaire” with Black Scotian-Mi’kmaw and German ancestry.

Andrea Davis
Andrea Davis

The ceremony will then be closed with an Afro-Indigenous blessing from Isaac Crosby, an agricultural expert of Ojibwe of Anderdon heritage.

Hosting and providing opening remarks will be Andrea Davis, a professor in the Department of Humanities, who recently received an honorary degree in recognition of her work advancing equity, access and justice in post-secondary education.

Also providing remarks before the performances begin will be Jean Augustine, the first Black woman elected to the Parliament of Canada; Samia Hashi, Ontario regional director of Unifor, which sponsors the event; and Robert Savage, dean of the Faculty of Education.

Among the featured performances this year are:

  • solo performances, including song and instruments, dance and spoken word, from students from Greater Toronto Area school boards;
  • a performance from the Oscar Peterson Jazz Ensemble;
  • a performance from the York University R&B Ensemble;
  • a spotlight artistic performance of the evening from Ian Kamau, an artist and designer;
  • a performance from the York University Gospel Choir; and
  • an Afro-Caribbean dance performance by students from James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School in the CIBC Lobby during the welcome reception.
Anika Forde and Karen Burke
Anika Forde and Karen Burke

This year’s Word, Sound, Power event is put on in partnership with the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, with primary sponsorship from Unifor. York’s Division of Equity, People & Culture has also provided funding support. The Faculty of Education – home to the Jean Augustine Chair – and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, through faculty member Davis, also play a critical role in the event.

Anika Forde, research project manager for the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, and Karen Burke, Chair of Music, were co-conveners of the event this year.

Those interested in attending can register for free tickets on Eventbrite.

Creative writing feedback available from writer-in-residence

female student journalist writing

No matter your profession, creative writing is a healthy way to disconnect from reality, stretch the limits of your mind and tap into your imaginative side. And regardless of your experience level, feedback is always beneficial. As part of the York University English Department’s Writer-in-Residence Program, esteemed Toronto author Emma Healey is offering appointments to York students, faculty, staff and alumni to discuss their fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction projects.

Emma Healey
Emma Healey

The Writer-in-Residence Program is aimed at supplementing the University’s creative writing courses by providing the community with access to a professional writer for personalized feedback and support, with a new individual being brought on each fall and winter term.

As the Winter 2024 writer-in-residence, Healey – whose most recent book, Best Young Woman Job Book: A Memoir (Penguin Random House Canada, 2022), was named a best book of the year by the Globe and Mail, Wired Magazine and CBC Radio – is available for four one-on-one manuscript consultations per week that might include editorial feedback or suggestions toward publication. Written submissions for review are due to her at least 10 days prior to each scheduled meeting.

In addition to the feedback sessions, Healey will serve the York community by hosting four public-facing, writing-related events throughout the term that allow her to showcase her expertise and knowledge as a working writer in Canada. Information about those events will be released as it becomes available.

For more details or to secure an appointment with Healey, visit the Writer-in-Residence Program web page.

Harriet Tubman Institute kicks off Black History Month

Stack of books on shelf

The Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa & its Diasporas is set to commence Black History Month with an opening ceremony on Feb. 1 at the Resource Centre located at 314 York Lanes.

This year’s theme, “Black Educators and Black Education,” will be celebrated through a series of events, starting with a reception where the community, friends and visitors can gather to socialize over a meal catered by the Executive Learning Centre.

The ceremony will include a panel discussion featuring distinguished Black faculty members from York University and a visiting scholar from the University of Guelph, delving into the “Black Educators and Black Education” theme.

The panellists from York University include: Godfred Boateng from the School of Global Health; Molade Osibodu from the Department of Education; Ola Mohammed from the Deptartment of Humanities; and Solomon Boakye-Yiadom from the Department of Engineering. Lawrence Goodridge, from the the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph, will also be part of the panel.

The event aims to create a friendly and joyful space for the community to celebrate and support Black educators. It also serves as an opportunity to set positive intentions for Black History Month.

To attend the opening ceremony and panel discussion, interested individuals are encouraged to register in advance.

To learn more about the series of events organized by the Harriet Tubman Institute, in collaboration with its partners, please review the full schedule on the institute’s website.

New working group builds on York’s leadership in social procurement

small houses businesses on blocks connected

York University is a leader in social procurement – a process that considers how buying goods and services can positively impact the social well-being of communities and assist in reducing poverty, promoting economic and social inclusion, and supporting local economic development and social enterprises. A new working group is seeking staff to help advance its efforts further.

For York University staff who aspire to become advocates for social procurement and whose roles involve a significant focus on purchasing, an exciting opportunity awaits. Strategic Procurement Services is actively seeking staff to join a social procurement working group with the goal of building social procurement awareness across York’s campuses. This group will, in part, help build tools and resources and identify future areas to build capacity to strengthen York’s leading social procurement program.

The group – and its future efforts – looks to build upon York positioning itself at the forefront of championing social procurement, taking a proactive approach to educate and engage its staff in the principles and practices of social procurement.

Among its recent endeavours is a pivotal new Anchor YU course, built from York’s Anchor York U Framework, designed to highlight the ways participants can champion social procurement within their respective roles alongside other ways to contribute to community wealth-building. The inaugural course held last fall received widespread attendance and positive feedback. Due to popular demand, a second offering is now available, and interested individuals are encouraged to register early to secure their spot through YU Learn.

York University’s success in social procurement has not been confined to its campuses; it has extended its impact across the province. The institution’s social procurement vendor portal, developed as an open-source tool, has become a catalyst for collaboration. Recently, York has signed memorandums of understanding with five university and college partners, designed to collectively build a robust social procurement ecosystem, leveraging York’s tools and expertise. This joint effort involves both institutional and community working groups, fostering a shared commitment to advancing social procurement practices.

As the University continues to lead the way in social procurement, these initiatives underscore its dedication to fostering a culture of sustainability and social responsibility. Through education, collaboration and community engagement, York is empowering its staff to become champions of social procurement, both within the University and across the broader community.

To express your interest in the social procurement working group, reach out to Brent Brodie at bbrodie@yorku.ca. To learn more about social procurement at York and the University’s current impact, visit the Social Procurement web page.

Prevent respiratory viruses with layers of protection

Mother and child grocery shopping with masks on

As Canadians, bundling up in winter gear to shield ourselves from the harsh elements is second nature, but it can be easy to forget to take measures to keep ourselves healthy this season, as the spread of respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, RSV and the flu are on the rise.

Experts recommend using the following layers of protection for respiratory illness prevention:

  • consider wearing a mask in indoor public settings, especially if it is crowded and/or there is poor ventilation;
  • keep a physical distance from others when possible, especially indoors;
  • stay home if you are sick or have symptoms of illness, even if mild; and
  • stay up to date with your vaccinations, including COVID-19 boosters.

To help keep the community safe and combat the spread of these respiratory viruses, York University is offering vaccination clinics throughout the winter season at both its Keele and Glendon campuses, with both COVID-19 (Moderna and Pfizer) and flu shots available. OHIP is not required at these clinics and vaccines are free of charge. The clinics are walk-in; first come, first served. Free masks and rapid antigen test kits are also available while supplies last. And for those who are curious, yes, it is safe to get both the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines at the same time.

Anyone with new symptoms of illness, or who has recently tested positive for COVID-19, is encouraged to complete the Ontario Ministry of Health’s self-assessment tool for further direction and guidance before visiting a vaccination clinic.

For those with questions regarding respiratory virus protocols, students can contact SCHW@yuoffice.yorku.ca and employees can contact SFCCM@yorku.ca. The hours of operation for these resources are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information about upcoming vaccination clinics, staff and faculty can visit yorku.ca/hr/covid19 and students can visit students.yorku.ca/health/communicable-diseases/covid-19.

Bestselling author to share publishing secrets at upcoming event

Pile of books

If you’ve ever fantasized about becoming a published author, or are simply curious about how the book industry works, you won’t want to miss this upcoming event. On Wednesday, Jan. 31, York University’s Writing Department and Creative Writing program are hosting a talk and Q-and-A session with Cody Caetano, a literary agent and award-winning Indigenous author whose bestselling debut memoir, Half-Bads in White Regalia (Penguin Random House Canada, 2022), won the 2023 Indigenous Voices Award for Published Prose in English.

Cody Caetano
Cody Caetano

Caetano, who is of Anishinaabe and Portuguese descent and is an off-reserve member of Pinaymootang First Nation, holds a master of arts in creative writing from the University of Toronto, where he wrote his memoir under the mentorship of Indigenous Canadian writer and academic Lee Maracle.

The highly successful memoir that resulted, Half-Bads in White Regalia, was longlisted for the 2023 Toronto Book Award, the 2023 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour and Canada Reads 2023. It was also named one of the best books of the year by the Globe and Mail and CBC Books.

To make his career trajectory even more impressive, Caetano was writing his bestselling debut memoir while working his way up the corporate ranks in the publishing industry, from his entry-level role as contracts administrator to his current job as a literary agent at the CookeMcDermid agency.

At this in-person event, the author and agent will speak about how to break into the book publishing industry and the challenges and rewards of being an author while also working a day job. After his talk and Q-and-A, he will read from his forthcoming novel and sign copies of his memoir.

The event will take place in the Harry Crowe Room, 109 Atkinson Building, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registration is not required and all York University community members are welcome to attend.

Help shape York’s 2024-25 budget

Black student in front of Vari Hall

La version française suit la version anglaise. 

Dear colleagues, 

I am pleased to invite you to the 2024-25 York University community budget consultation. For the last seven years, we have held budget consultations to provide the community with an overview of the University’s finances, an update on the current budget and an opportunity to provide input about priority areas for investment.   

Following individual consultations with Faculties, departments/units, employee groups and student groups across our community, we are culminating the budget consultation process with a community consultation on Tuesday, Feb. 20. We are inviting all students, faculty, instructors, and staff to join President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton, Provost and Vice-President Academic Lisa Philipps, and Vice-President Finance and Administration Carol McAulay for a community-wide budget consultation before the development of annual budgets for our next fiscal year.  

Tuesday, Feb. 20 
3:15 to 4:30 p.m. 
REGISTER TODAY 

During the consultation, you will learn about York’s budget model, current financial framework, planned investments and challenges to be considered for the year ahead. You will then have the opportunity to voice your perspective about what is important to you, and how York should consider allocating investments going forward to advance our collective strategic priorities.  

On behalf of the Budgets & Asset Management department, we look forward to hosting you for an engaging and informative discussion. 

Sincerely,  

Wendy Miller, 
Interim Assistant Vice-President, Budgets and Asset Management
 


Contribuez à l’élaboration du budget 2024-2025 de York

Chers collègues, chères collègues, 

J’ai le plaisir de vous inviter à la consultation communautaire sur le budget 2024-2025 de l’Université York. Au cours des sept dernières années, nous avons organisé des consultations budgétaires afin de fournir aux membres de la communauté une vue d’ensemble des finances de l’Université, une mise à jour du budget actuel et l’occasion de donner leur avis sur les domaines prioritaires d’investissement.   

À la suite de consultations individuelles avec les facultés, les départements et unités, les groupes étudiants et de membres du personnel à l’échelle de notre communauté, nous clôturerons ce processus par une consultation de la communauté le mardi 20 février. Nous invitons tous les membres de la communauté étudiante, du personnel et des corps professoral et enseignant à se joindre à la présidente et vice-chancelière Rhonda L. Lenton, à la rectrice et vice-présidente aux affaires académiques, Lisa Philipps, et à la vice-présidente des finances et de l’administration, Carol McAulay, pour une consultation communautaire avant d’élaborer les budgets annuels de notre prochain exercice financier.  

Mardi 20 février 2024 
De 15 h 15 à 16 h 30 
INSCRIVEZ-VOUS AUJOURD’HUI 

Au cours de la consultation, vous découvrirez le modèle budgétaire de York, le cadre financier actuel, les investissements prévus et les défis à envisager pour l’année à venir. Vous aurez la possibilité d’exprimer votre point de vue sur les questions qui sont importantes pour vous et sur la façon dont York devrait envisager d’allouer ses ressources à l’avenir pour faire progresser ses priorités stratégiques collectives.  

Au nom du Département des budgets et de la gestion des actifs (BAM), nous nous réjouissons de vous accueillir pour une discussion constructive et informative. 

Sincères salutations,  

Wendy Miller, 
Vice-présidente par intérim des budgets et de la gestion des actifs 

Building pathways to education: a Q-and-A with Professor Carl James

Two Black students outside on York's Keele Campus

Studies have shown that Black students are significantly under-represented on Canadian post-secondary campuses, due in large part to systemic barriers. The Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora, now fully endowed and housed within York University’s Faculty of Education, aims to address this disparity and others by advancing access, equity, and inclusivity to education through community engagement and collaborative action.

Carl James
Carl James

Distinguished Research Professor Carl James, who has held the position of Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora since 2016, met with YFile to discuss the Chair, his role within it and what the recent $1.5 million in federal funding means for its future.

Q: For those who are unfamiliar, can you describe the mandate of the Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora?

A: We work with community to enable and support students from racialized and marginalized groups through education; not only through elementary, middle and high school, but through university and college as well.

Q: What is your focus in your role as Chair?

A: I’m very interested in programming because it is a useful reference for knowing about the experiences and concerns of Black community members and students. In this way, we get to know about the research questions we might want to explore. There’s a tendency to separate research from program, but I think Jean Augustine expects the Chair to combine research with programs. It is simply not research for research’s sake. Instead, once you do the research, we should act on it.

I particularly like the participatory action research we do, where we set up a program and then, as the program proceeds, we research the program – is it working, is it not working, and why? And as we conduct the research, we might put into place some adjustments to the program if it’s not heading towards the expected outcome. Hence, when we’re promoting the idea that a particular program works, we will be able to say the program works because we have done the necessary research and have some documented evidence. We use the participants as researchers, as well, collaborating with them about the information we’re trying to gather.

Q: Can you explain what it means that the Chair is now fully funded?

A: The federal government’s recent $1.5-million contribution towards the endowment means that the Chair is well positioned to continue with its activities. It also means that we now have endowment funds to create some of the programs we’ve been wanting to.

Q: What is the Day at York program?

A: The Day at York program, which has hosted over 450 students from Ontario (and some from Halifax, Nova Scotia) in the past year and a half, provides Black students enrolled in Grades 7 to 12 with an opportunity to imagine themselves at a post-secondary institution.

We can tell students to go to university, but it’s difficult to imagine if you don’t have something to stimulate or inform that imagination. This program helps insofar as students are able to attend lectures, workshops, campus tours, and networking sessions with students, alumni and Black faculty members.

When students think of, where should I go to university, sometimes familiarity with an institution might help them to choose a particular university or program. It provides many opportunities that students would not have otherwise had.

Q: What are your proudest accomplishments in this role so far?

A: One of the things I’m particularly pleased with is the Jean Augustine Chair (JAC) Student Network, which involves Black undergraduate and graduate students and recent graduates. The group contributes to the work of the Chair by sharing their experiences navigating university and working to be successful in their respective educational programs. Members act as hosts and mentors to high-school students who come on campus; and they do not only help to inform and contribute to the Chair’s research agenda, they also participate in the research as respondents, research assistants and collaborators. Ultimately, the network provides members with opportunities for personal, educational, team building and work-related skill development in an affirming and supportive post-secondary educational environment.

Also, we have the Jean Augustine Chair’s annual Black History Month event that happens every year in partnership with the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design’s music program. Called Word, Sound, Power: An Annual Celebration of Black Artistic Expression, it is a showcase of talent, creativity and cultural pride. It is taking place this year on Feb. 7. It is held in recognition of one of Jean Augustine’s legacies – that is, the crucial role she played in establishing Black History Month in Canada. Therefore, it seems logical to hold an event at York through the Chair.

Q: What are some other projects you’re working on as part of the Chair?

A: We’re currently conducting research on social capital, a significantly new area to explore. We’re looking at how individuals employ their social capital – that is, their cultural assets, interests, aspirations, education and consciousness of what is possible – to take advantage of opportunities by which they might access training and employment to realize their social, economic, career and other ambitions. In partnership with the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Against Racism and York University’s School of Continuing Studies, we will investigate the lived experiences and needs of racialized Canadians, using the three years of the project to collect data that will help to inform educational and employment program initiatives.  

As well, we recently received program funding from the RBC Foundation to put in place Securing Black Futures, a national partnership by which we might collectively work to build pathways for Black youth to pursue their educational goals and attain academic and career success. Led by us at York and working in partnership with colleagues from six universities across the country, the program activities will serve to inform us about relevant and appropriate educational and social interventions and supports for Black youth. We will also get to know how we might best mentor, enable, support and educate Black students in their pursuit of post-secondary education, as well as particular educational and career pathways – particularly STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Q: Looking toward the future, how do you hope the now fully endowed Jean Augustine Chair will impact the lives of Black and marginalized youth in Canada?

A: I think that a fully endowed Chair is nicely positioned to continue with its current local, regional and national initiatives. These include: supporting students in constructing their aspirations, in their decision processes as they journey towards their future selves; facilitating the voices of Black Canadians as they tell of their experiences through the research we will conduct, report and publish; helping to build university-community partnerships through which we might help to address structural and institutional barriers to full inclusion and equity of Black and other racialized people within Canadian society; and making substantial research contributions about Black life in Canada, taking into account education, employment, health and housing needs. 

Q: How important is the York University community to the success of the Chair?

A: We cannot underestimate the support that York University has given the Chair, both financial and otherwise. Neither can we underestimate the contributions of the Faculty of Education, faculty members from across the University, our community advisory committee, and our partners at York University centres such as the Harriet Tubman Institute and the Centre for Research on Latin America & the Caribbean. It’s this whole network of people that enables the work of the Chair.

Watch the Jan. 23 town hall

Laptop with York U webpage

Students, faculty, instructors, course directors and staff at York University were invited to a virtual town hall on Jan. 23.

The event provided community members with an opportunity to discuss and ask questions about the University’s progress on key goals and initiatives for the year ahead.

The town hall was presented by York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton.

The full video of the town hall is now available and can be viewed here.