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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

Ontario lockdown successful in disrupting transmission of virus by shifting contact patterns

CDC image of the Coronavirus FEATURED image
CDC image of the Coronavirus

Do COVID-19 interventions, such as lockdowns, physical distancing and business closures, actually work? York University researchers conducted a model-based analysis that found Ontario government measures had a substantial and positive effect on mitigating virus transmission.

York University Distinguished Research Professor Jianhong Wu Faculty of Science. Photograph by Paola Scattolon
York University Distinguished Research Professor Jianhong Wu Faculty of Science. Photograph by Paola Scattolon

Faculty of Science Professor Jianhong Wu, corresponding author of the study, and his team found interventions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 reduced people’s social contact rate and altered who they were in contact with, which changed the contact mixing patterns. For example, more people were at home and that disrupted the contacts they otherwise would have had in their workplace and in the community.

Individual contacts decreased from about 12 a day to just under seven a day, while household contacts increased by 51 per cent, from before the lockdown in Ontario until it ended on May 16.

The researchers developed and utilized a novel methodology that looked at variables such as age and setting – workplace, household, school and community – to better understand transmission rates and contact mixing patterns, and the effectiveness of measures on the spread of COVID-19.

“These assessments are essential to avoid increases in transmission in vulnerable populations and to plan a smart relaxation of measures that will still protect these populations and inform expected outcomes. One of these may be a reintroduction of measures, but more targeted and informed by its induced shift of contacts, in the case of a resurgence,” says Wu, director of the Laboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics at York.

They found that timely and stringent non-pharmacological interventions are effective in curbing the spread of the outbreak if they are enforced until the transmission has been significantly reduced.

Wu and his team estimate there was a 46 per cent decrease in contact rate after Ontario implemented a series of interventions as contacts shifted to the household.

They also found that susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 increases with age and those 17 years old and younger have relatively low susceptibility to infection, less than three per cent. Seniors, already more vulnerable, however, are the most susceptible with a more than 50 per cent chance of becoming infected upon contact with the virus.

The four key periods the researchers used provided an escalation of measures from international travel advisories until March 13, public school closures, a state of emergency declaration and physical distancing advisories, and the closure of non-essential workplaces from March 24 to May 16.

The team’s methodology can be adopted in many regions around the world and could yield insights of the transmission risk and the effectiveness of different age- and setting-specific measures in workplaces, schools, the community and households.

“Estimates of age and setting-specific social contact patterns, along with age-specific susceptibility, allows governments to explore different scenarios when considering a staged reopening of the economy,” says Micheletti Alessandra, guest editor of the special COVID-19 issue of the Journal of Mathematics in Industry and a professor at Università degli Studi di Milano Statale. “It provides retroactive evaluation and proactive assessment of the effectiveness of measures.”

The framework can also be used for rotating workforce strategies and to help identify optimal distribution strategies by age should a viable vaccine be available.

The paper, Quantifying the shift in social contact patterns in response to non-pharmaceutical interventions, is published in the Journal of Mathematics in Industry.

Announcement of the appointment of the Principal, Glendon Campus

Glendon Campus in the winter
Glendon Campus

The following is a message to the community from York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton. The message was issued on Dec. 1:

I am delighted to announce that the search for Principal of Glendon Campus has reached a successful conclusion.

As you may recall, earlier this year I reconstituted a search committee comprised of members of Glendon Campus — including faculty, staff and students, as well as a member appointed by me — which was chaired by the Provost and Vice-President Academic and charged with undertaking a search for the next Principal. This is an important time in Glendon’s development as it evaluates academic programs and delivery; establishes strategies to attract and retain outstanding students, faculty and staff; and looks to promote its research activity and increase its profile.

Marco Fiola
Marco Fiola, photograph by Jenna Marie Wakani

Following an extensive national and international search, which attracted a number of outstanding candidates, the search committee recommended the appointment of Professor Marco Fiola to the position of Principal. I am very pleased to announce that Professor Fiola has accepted our invitation to take up a 5.5-year term as Principal, commencing January 1, 2021. On my recommendation, today the Board of Governors concurred with the recommendation for the appointment.

Professor Fiola will bring dynamic academic leadership and development experience to the position of Principal of Glendon Campus. He will join York University from the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Ryerson University, where he held the position of Chair for eight years, during which time he led the unit through tremendous changes and growth.

He is a Full Professor at Ryerson University, an institution he joined in 2006. From 2001 to 2006, he held an appointment at the Université du Québec en Outaouais. Prior to embracing an academic career, Professor Fiola was a Senior Translator for the Government of Yukon, where he worked closely with the Francophone community, in addition to providing advice to the Government of Yukon on issues related to Indigenous language preservation and revitalization.

As Chair of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Ryerson, he was responsible for all aspects of departmental leadership and administration. He led the broadening of the department’s mission, the funding of endowed scholarships and the intensification of research activities. Under his leadership, the department witnessed a three-fold increase in faculty positions and a notable academic programming expansion. He laid the groundwork for the diversification of course and program offerings beyond French and Spanish by enhancing Mandarin and Arabic offerings, developing a course suite in American Sign Language, and successfully reintroducing Latin and Attic Greek.

Throughout his career as a translator, translation studies scholar and academic leader, Professor Fiola has been a strong advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion, specifically through his award-winning research-action work, publications and community work on intercultural and interlinguistic communication. His publications include a Tamil-English Legal Glossary and several chapters on medical and community interpreting. He is a published Italian–French translator, and the coauthor of an English–French translation textbook. He has published and lectured domestically and internationally, including in France, Italy and Spain. In 2017, he served as Academic Convenor for the Congress of the Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences — a gathering of over 10,000 scholars representing some 70 scholarly associations — who met at Ryerson University for the first time.

Professor Fiola holds a BA and an MA in Translation (Université de Montréal) as well as a DEA in Language Sciences and a PhD in Translation Studies (École Supérieure d’Interprètes et de Traducteurs — Paris III Sorbonne Nouvelle). He is a Certified Translator and Terminologist (Association of Translators and Interpreters of Ontario) and a Certified Translator (American Translators Association). In 2019–20, he was awarded both the Ryerson Fellowship at Massey College and the Errol Aspevig Award for Outstanding Academic Leadership in recognition of his work within and outside Ryerson University.

I wish to express my deepest appreciation to Professor Ian Roberge for his outstanding leadership and service as Interim Principal this past year, and his dedication to Glendon and the University. I would also like to thank the members of the Search Committee for the Principal of Glendon Campus for their valued contributions to this important process.

I look forward to welcoming Professor Fiola to York University and to working with him in the coming years as he undertakes this key leadership role. I know that all members of Glendon and the University will join me in congratulating and welcoming him.

Sincerely,

Rhonda L. Lenton, PhD
President and Vice-Chancellor

Annonce de la nomination du principal du campus Glendon

J’ai le plaisir de vous annoncer la conclusion heureuse de notre recherche pour pourvoir au poste de principal du campus Glendon.

Comme vous le savez peut-être, afin de recruter le prochain principal, j’ai reconstitué au début de l’année un comité de recrutement composé de membres du campus Glendon — notamment des membres du corps professoral, du personnel et du corps étudiant ainsi qu’un membre que j’ai désigné —, présidé par la rectrice et viceprésidente aux affaires académiques. Cette étape est d’autant plus importante pour l’essor du campus Glendon qu’elle coïncide avec l’évaluation de ses programmes académiques et de leur prestation; l’élaboration de stratégies pour attirer et fidéliser des étudiants, membres du corps professoral et du personnel de calibre élevé; et les efforts déployés pour promouvoir les activités de recherche et rehausser le profil du campus.

Marco Fiola
Marco Fiola, photographie de Jenna Marie Wakani

À l’issue d’une vaste prospection nationale et internationale qui a attiré d’excellents candidats, le comité de recrutement a recommandé la nomination du professeur Marco Fiola au poste de principal. Je suis ravie de vous apprendre que le professeur Fiola a accepté ce poste pour un mandat de 5 ans et demi commençant le 1er janvier 2021. Sur ma recommandation, le Conseil d’administration a approuvé aujourd’hui cette proposition de nomination.

Ce poste permettra au professeur Fiola de mettre son expérience dynamique en leadership et en développement académique au service de Glendon. Il se joindra à l’Université York après avoir occupé pendant huit ans, à l’Université Ryerson, le poste de directeur du Département de langues, littératures et cultures qui a connu une croissance et des changements considérables durant cette période.

Professeur titulaire de l’Université Ryerson, Marco Fiola a occupé de 2001 à 2006 un poste à l’Université du Québec en Outaouais. Avant de faire carrière dans le monde universitaire, le professeur Fiola a été traducteur en chef pour le gouvernement du Yukon. À ce titre, il a travaillé en étroite collaboration avec la communauté francophone et a conseillé le gouvernement du Yukon sur des questions relatives à la préservation et à la revitalisation des langues autochtones.

En tant que directeur du Département de langues, littératures et cultures de l’Université Ryerson, le professeur Fiola était responsable des divers aspects du leadership et de l’administration du département. Il a mené à bien la diversification de la mission départementale, le financement de bourses de dotation et l’intensification des activités de recherche. Sous sa direction, le nombre de postes d’enseignants dans le département a triplé et les programmes académiques se sont multipliés. Il a posé les jalons de la diversification des cours et programmes s’ajoutant au français et à l’espagnol en rehaussant l’offre de cours de mandarin et d’arabe, en développant un ensemble de cours de langue des signes (ASL) et en réintroduisant le latin et le grec attique.

Tout au long de sa carrière de traducteur, de chercheur en traductologie et de dirigeant universitaire, le professeur Fiola a été un ardent défenseur de l’équité, de la diversité et de l’inclusion, notamment par ses travaux primés de recherche-action, ses publications et ses travaux communautaires sur la communication interculturelle et interlinguistique. Ses publications comprennent un lexique juridique bilingue anglais-tamil et plusieurs chapitres sur l’interprétation médicale et communautaire. Il est également un traducteur italien-français publié et le co-auteur d’un manuel de traduction anglais-français. Il a publié des travaux et donné des conférences au niveau national et international, notamment en France, en Italie et en Espagne. En 2017, il a été le responsable académique du Congrès des sciences humaines — un rassemblement de plus de 10 000 universitaires représentant quelque 70 sociétés savantes — qui se réunissait pour la première fois à l’Université Ryerson.

Le professeur Fiola détient un baccalauréat et une maîtrise en traduction (de l’Université de Montréal) ainsi qu’un DEA en sciences du langage et un doctorat en traductologie (de l’École Supérieure d’Interprètes et de Traducteurs — Université Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris 3). Traducteur et terminologue agréé de l’Association des traducteurs et interprètes de l’Ontario (ATIO) et traducteur agréé de l’American Translators Association, il a obtenu en 2019-2020 la bourse de recherche de Ryerson au Massey College et le prix Errol Aspevig pour son leadership universitaire, en reconnaissance de son travail à l’Université Ryerson et au-delà.

Je tiens à exprimer toute ma gratitude au professeur Ian Roberge pour son leadership exceptionnel dans son rôle de principal par intérim cette dernière année, ainsi que pour son dévouement envers Glendon et l’Université. J’aimerais également remercier les membres du comité de recrutement du principal de Glendon pour leur contribution précieuse à ce processus important.

Je me réjouis d’accueillir le professeur Fiola à l’Université York et de collaborer avec lui durant les années à venir dans le cadre de ce rôle de leadership clé. Je suis certaine que tous les membres de Glendon et de l’Université se joindront à moi pour le féliciter et lui souhaiter la bienvenue.

Veuillez agréer mes sincères salutations,

Rhonda L. Lenton, Ph. D.
Présidente et vice-chancelière

An end of year message from York University Board of Governors Chair Paul Tsaparis

Vari Hall

The following is a message to the York University community from Paul Tsaparis, Chair of the Board of Governors:

Paul Tsaparis
Paul Tsaparis

As we wrap up an extraordinary year, I want to use my annual message to focus on our community, and all that we have accomplished during what can best be described as a uniquely challenging year at home, at work and at school. For many, home, work, and school has been the same place, testing both our patience and our internet bandwidth.

In March, when it became clear that the safest way for us to complete the 2019/20 academic year was to do so at a distance, the University immediately put new supports and resources in place to help our community succeed. From introducing a laptop loan program to emergency bursaries, new online supports at the Teaching Commons, to new virtual mental health and learning supports for students, the efforts were outstanding – all with the aim to ensure all students, instructors and staff had access to the tools and resources they needed to stay safe.

Our students rose to the challenge, persevering with their studies: graduating, advancing, and moving forward with determination. It needs to be said that students are having a university experience unlike any other in recent history. To our students, I would like to say that managing change can be very difficult, but it is also a beneficial life and career skill, so while this difficult experience has tested you, if I can find a silver lining, it is that this experience can also serve you well. It will continue to shape you and guide your thinking throughout your life and career path, and we are very proud of you.

Course instructors knew that the sudden shift to online learning would mean that carefully made teaching plans had to change in ways that could not have been anticipated. Online lectures, group assignments, virtual and remote learning tools, and exams had to be developed and redeveloped almost overnight. The University is grateful and proud of your efforts and commitment to see your students succeed.

York researchers have made an impact on society through important studies and work related to COVID-19 and the social and economic fallout – from understanding the mental health impacts of loneliness to math modelling of infectious diseases, to leading the world forward with the UN Recovery Roadmap, the pandemic has not stopped York’s exceptional academics – it has inspired them like never before.

Our staff has remained unwavering in their commitment to all members of the University community throughout the course of the pandemic to advance our strategic priorities and fulfill our collective vision. Tireless work to recruit and orient thousands of students remotely, transition vital supports and services online, facilitate key managerial and governance processes, keep our campuses clean and safe, and support critical research was key to our success. You have achieved all of this while managing the challenges of transitioning to new ways of working, including working from home. The University recognizes and appreciates your hard work, and the dedication and determination you have shown this year.

The University’s leadership team, led by President Lenton, met the demands of 2020 with the vision, innovation, and careful planning that was needed – and will continue to be needed – as it becomes clear that the pandemic will test us into 2021. The early decision to move to online and remote learning for the 2020/21 academic year was not easy but it has proven to be exactly the right move – it demonstrated clear leadership in the sector and set York on a path where community members were empowered and had much needed certainty and stability during an uncertain time. Many of York’s impressive achievements are captured in the President’s annual report “Creating Positive Change.”

While the University pivoted to change in so many ways, the Board of Governors has been pleased to support the development of our new Markham Centre Campus and to generously support the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund. We must always strive to meet the needs of our community today, and we know that we must also seize the opportunities that represent the future.

For those of you interested in learning more about the talented volunteers who are currently members of your Board of Governors, I encourage you to visit: York’s Board of Governors.

For those in our community who wish to donate to the COVID-19 Student Relief Fund, I encourage you to visit this link to learn more about how your gift will make a difference.

Although we imagine a new normal after the pandemic, I am confident that York University will be poised for even greater success.

Paul Tsaparis, Chair
Board of Governors

Message de fin d’année du président du Conseil d’administration

Alors qu’une année hors du commun s’achève, je profite de mon message annuel pour mettre l’accent sur notre communauté et sur tout ce que nous avons accompli au cours de cette année particulièrement difficile à la maison, au travail et à l’école. Pour beaucoup, la maison, le travail et l’école ont été un seul et même lieu, ce qui a mis à l’épreuve notre patience et notre bande passante Internet.

Paul Tsaparis
Paul Tsaparis

En mars, lorsqu’il est devenu apparent que le moyen le plus sûr pour nous de terminer l’année universitaire 2019-2020 était de le faire à distance, l’Université a créé immédiatement de nouvelles ressources pour aider notre communauté à réussir. De l’introduction d’un programme de prêt d’ordinateurs portables aux bourses d’urgence, de nouvelles ressources de soutien en ligne à Teaching Commons, en passant par des soutiens virtuels de santé mentale et d’apprentissage pour les étudiants, les efforts ont été remarquables, tout cela afin que le corps étudiant, le corps enseignant et le personnel aient accès aux outils et aux ressources pour assurer leur sécurité.

Nos étudiants et étudiantes ont relevé le défi et ont persévéré afin d’obtenir leur diplôme, de progresser et d’avancer résolument. Je tiens à préciser que ces étudiants vivent une expérience universitaire sans précédent dans l’histoire récente. Savoir gérer le changement peut être très difficile, mais — si je peux trouver un côté positif à la situation — cette compétence leur sera utile dans leur vie personnelle et professionnelle. Cette expérience les a mis à l’épreuve, mais elle peut aussi leur servir. Elle façonnera et orientera leur réflexion tout au long de leur vie et de leur carrière. Nous sommes vraiment très fiers de notre corps étudiant.

Les membres du corps enseignant savaient que la transition soudaine à l’apprentissage en ligne signifiait que tous leurs plans d’enseignement soigneusement préparés devraient être adaptés. Les cours en ligne, les travaux de groupe, les outils d’apprentissage virtuel et à distance et les examens ont dû être conçus et remaniés quasiment du jour au lendemain. L’Université est reconnaissante et fière de vos efforts et de votre engagement envers la réussite des étudiants.

Les chercheurs et chercheuses de York ont eu un impact sur la société grâce à d’importants travaux et études liés à la COVID-19 et à leurs retombées économiques et sociales. De la compréhension des effets de la solitude sur la santé mentale à la modélisation mathématique des maladies infectieuses, sans oublier la feuille de route des Nations unies pour le redressement, la pandémie n’a pas arrêté les universitaires d’exception de York. Elle les a inspirés plus que jamais.

Notre personnel est resté résolument engagé envers tous les membres de la communauté universitaire tout au long de la pandémie pour faire avancer nos priorités stratégiques et réaliser notre vision collective. Le travail inlassable effectué pour recruter et orienter des milliers d’étudiants à distance, pour assurer la transition des soutiens et des services vitaux en ligne, pour assurer les processus clés de gestion et de gouvernance, pour maintenir la propreté et la sécurité de nos campus et pour appuyer les recherches essentielles a été crucial pour notre succès. Vous avez accompli tout cela alors que vous gériez les défis liés à la transition vers de nouvelles méthodes de travail, y compris le travail à domicile. L’Université reconnaît et estime à sa juste valeur votre travail acharné, ainsi que le dévouement et la détermination dont vous avez fait preuve cette année.

L’équipe de leadership de l’Université, sous la direction de la présidente Lenton, a répondu aux exigences de 2020 avec la vision, l’innovation et la planification minutieuse qui étaient nécessaires — et qui continueront de l’être — car il devient de plus en plus évident que les défis de la pandémie se prolongeront jusqu’en 2021. L’initiative de passer à l’apprentissage en ligne et à distance pour l’année 2020-2021 n’a pas été aisée, mais elle s’est avérée être la bonne décision. Elle a démontré un leadership éclairé et a mis York sur une trajectoire qui a procuré aux membres de la communauté la responsabilisation, l’assurance et la stabilité requises dans cette période d’incertitude. Plusieurs réalisations remarquables de York sont mises en vedette dans le rapport annuel de la présidente: Creating Positive Change (Créer des changements positifs). 

Tandis que l’Université faisait face à tant de changements, le Conseil d’administration a été heureux d’appuyer le développement de notre nouveau campus Markham Centre et le Fonds d’aide COVID-19 aux étudiants. Tout en nous efforçant de répondre aux besoins actuels de notre communauté, nous devons également saisir les possibilités d’avenir.

Si vous souhaitez en savoir plus sur les bénévoles talentueux qui font partie du Conseil d’administration actuel, je vous encourage à visiter le site: York’s Board of Governors.

J’encourage les membres de notre communauté qui souhaitent faire un don au Fonds d’aide COVID-19 aux étudiants à visiter cette page pour en savoir plus sur les effets de votre don.

Nous imaginons une nouvelle normalité après la pandémie, mais je suis convaincu que l’Université York sera bien positionnée pour connaître un succès encore plus grand.

Paul Tsaparis
Président du Conseil d’administration de l’Université York

Hariri Pontarini Architects wins bid to design new stand-alone Art Gallery of York University

AGYU rendering

The Art Gallery of York University’s (AGYU) new stand-alone art gallery, to be designed and constructed by winning architectural firm Hariri Pontarini Architects, will embrace a vision of art and connectedness.

The bold new winning design will help the art gallery magnify its reach into the local community and the world beyond, enhancing its visibility and prominence, as well as increasing its accessibility.

AGYU
Rendering of Hariri Pontarini Architects’ winning design for the new AGYU building to be named the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Gallery

Hariri Pontarini Architects (HPA) was one of three shortlisted firms out of a wide show of interest from the architecture community. The online design competition invited community members from York faculty and students to extended community members to attend and comment on the shortlisted proposals before a committee selected the winning design.

The new stand-alone art gallery is possible through a $5-million donation in October 2019 by philanthropists and art collectors Joan and Martin Goldfarb, igniting this expansion and re-centering the arts on campus. The gallery will also carry their name, the Joan and Martin Goldfarb Gallery, in honour of their long history of supporting the arts at York University.

“The new, stand-alone art gallery at York University will be an important hub for artistic engagement and the pursuit of creative excellence at the University, in our community and beyond,” says President & Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. “The new design reflects our vision of an accessible and collaborative art gallery that serves as a space for creation, exhibition and appreciation of diverse art and culture. I would like to thank the Goldfarbs for their generosity and unfaltering commitment to the arts, which made this project possible.” 

The new building will sit at the heart of the School of Arts, Media, Performance & Design and become a centerpiece at York’s Keele Campus. Just steps away from the York University subway station and adjacent to the Harry W. Arthurs Common, between the Accolade East Building and the Centre for Film & Theatre, the gallery will stand out as an icon with Hariri’s signature curves.

AGYU
Rendering of an ariel view of Hariri Pontarini Architects’ winning design for the new AGYU building

The three-storey building will highlight architectural innovativeness and define a space for the exhibition of contemporary and historic art, including a ground level event space with four separate gallery spaces set within a redefined xeriscape garden.

“The AGYU has a long history as a leader in presenting and supporting artists. As a contemporary art gallery, it strives to serve an aesthetic and social function,” says AGYU Director/Curator Jenifer Papararo. “Our goal with this ambitious new building is to establish both liveness and legacy by maintaining a critical contemporary art program and giving prominence to the University’s collection.”

The gallery will be a versatile yet distinctive space for a multiplicity of artistic voices and forms. It will also enhance the gallery’s ability to continue its advocacy of underrepresented communities, contribute to artistic production and help amplify artists’ voices.

“We are thrilled to be working with York University to build upon the AGYU’s rich history and help reimagine its future,” says Siamak Hariri, founding partner at Hariri Pontarini Architects. “To signify this transformation, we were inspired by metaphor and nature. Like a butterfly, each of the five wings of the new gallery extend their reach out to the campus and of course beyond. Responding to the AGYU’s aspiration to expand the social and civic role of the gallery, the building will have a powerful presence, a new presence, embracing the full University Common, and welcoming and attracting visitors to all the wonder it has to offer.”

HPA’s design, led by Hariri, was selected for its visual strength and magnetizing draw with a vision to generate flow and connection while centering the arts on campus. The design expressed a nuanced understanding of art, its role in society, and the framework needed to support art and the curatorial process.

HPA has worked with many Canadian universities and cultural organizations, most recently opening the Tom Patterson Theatre in Stratford, which has received high accolades. In addition, Hariri has received international praise for his design for the Bahá’í Temple of South America, which won several awards including the RAIC International Prize.

Moriyama and Teshima Architects and gh3* were also on the shortlist for their designs for the gallery. All three firms have received Governor General Medals in Architecture.

Combined with the AGYU’s current spaces, the new building will form a unified art institution that will magnify the breadth of the gallery’s scope, with a re-envisioning of the University’s art collection.

The AGYU opened in 1988 and moved into its current 3,000-sq.-ft. space in 2006.

The art gallery’s collection currently contains 1,700 works, including a donation by the Goldfarbs of 76 artworks in the early 2000s. It includes prominent donations of works by Norval Morrisseau and Andy Warhol, 200 prints and sculptures by renowned and influential Inuit artists including Kenojuak Ashevek and Kananginak Pootoogook, as well as paradigmatic work by Canadian “Automatistes” Jean-Paul Riopelle and Paul-Emile Borduas. American Modernists such as Helen Frankenthaler and Kenneth Noland are also part of the collection, as is the recent acquisition of RISE, an internationally acclaimed film by Bárbara Wagner and Benjamin de Burca, featuring performances from some of Toronto’s most influential spoken word and rap artists.

Sex, age and estrogens may play a role in who contracts COVID-19

CDC image of the Coronavirus FEATURED image
CDC image of the Coronavirus

Does sex and age affect who gets COVID-19 in Canada? York University researchers found females, particularly in their reproductive years, were less likely to contract the virus. 

The researchers analyzed COVID-19 data from Statistics Canada up to July 27, 2020 to find out if estrogens played a role. 

When they first looked at the data, females were most likely to get COVID-19; however, when they eliminated the high-risk groups – healthcare workers, long-term care residences and some daycares – they found females between the ages of 20 and 70 had a lower incidence rate. This also held true for female healthcare workers when occupation demographics were taken into consideration, as some roles are filled predominantly by women. 

The researchers looked specifically at two age groups, women between 20 and 49 years old, and postmenopausal females 60 and older. They found a significant decrease in the incidence rate among females of reproductive age compared with males in the same age group. That lower incident rate continued for women in their 60s and 70s compared to men in the same age bracket but to a lesser degree. Females 80 or older, however, were more likely to get COVID-19 than men.

Chun Peng
Chun Peng

“These findings suggest that if men and women were similarly exposed to SARS-CoV-2, women younger than 80 years old would be less likely to be infected, especially for those in the reproductive age group,” says corresponding author Professor Chun Peng of the Faculty of Science. “This suggests that estrogens may play a role in reducing COVID-19 incidence for women as after puberty and before menopause they have much higher circulating estrogens than men.” Her PhD student, Jacob O’Brien, conducted data analyses and summer student, Keven Du, also contributed to the study.

Female patients also have lower hospitalization and ICU rates. These sex-based differences, however, are observed in both the reproductive age and postmenopausal groups.

“Although estrogens may play a role in reducing COVID-19 incidence, it is unlikely that they play a major role in reducing the severity of COVID-19 once someone gets it,” says Peng.

They also have lower fatality rates than males, but because of the lack of fatality in patients younger than 50, it was not possible to make a comparison between the reproductive age group and the postmenopausal group.  

Symptoms also varied between the sexes. Those symptoms which were more frequent in patients who recovered, than those who died, were more commonly observed in females of the reproductive age compared to their male counterparts.

Future studies are warranted to confirm the protective effects of estrogens against SARS-CoV-2 infection, says Peng.

The paper, “Incidence, clinical features, and outcomes of COVID-19 in Canada: Impact of sex and age” was published today in the Journal of Ovarian Research.

New provincial COVID-19 measures – What Toronto in lockdown means for York University

Image: CDC
An image of the COVID-19 virus. Image: CDC

The following is an important message to students, faculty and staff from York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton:

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear York Community,

In an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, the provincial government has announced new restrictions that will come into effect for the City of Toronto and Region of Peel Monday, Nov. 23 at 12:01 a.m.

This communication outlines the impact of these measures on the currently approved on-campus activities at York University.

Most of our community will continue to operate online and remotely. Under the strict adherence to the provincial COVID19 response framework and University Health and Safety Guidelines, currently approved research and in-person activities can continue with a few exceptions listed below.

Anyone approved to be on campus for research, teaching or ongoing required activities continues to be approved until further notice for any time-sensitive activities that cannot be postponed. If you were scheduled to be on campus this week for approved activities, and if you require access that cannot reasonably be postponed, please come as planned.

Effective Monday, Nov. 23 12:01 am, the following changes are in effect:

  • Gatherings: Indoor private gatherings with people outside of a household is prohibited. An individual living alone can gather with one other individual in a similar situation. Outdoor gatherings will be limited to 10 people.
  • Fitness facilities: All indoor gyms are now closed until further notice.
  • Libraries:  Remain open for contactless curbside pick up (book lockers), access to photocopiers, and computers until further notice.
  • Study Spaces: Will close until further notice. Students with exceptional needs requiring study space are asked to contact askusyul@yorku.ca for assistance. Limited library staff will remain on site for book locker support, research appointments, digitization services and access arrangements for photocopiers and computers.
  • York Lanes: The post office, pharmacy, grocery store, bank, dental and medical clinics are permitted to continue operations in compliance with capacity restrictions.
  • Food services:  Service remains takeout only, and all seating in dining halls and other food service outlets remains closed.
  • Psychology Clinic: Continues to operate virtually with limited in-person psychological/ psychoeducational assessments only.

To help keep everyone safe, please postpone coming to campuses for non-required needs during this lockdown period. For those approved to be on campus, please continue to follow the university’s screening and health and safety protocols and:

  • Complete the COVID-19 Screening Checklist each time before attending York and do not come to campus if “yes” was answered to any of the screening questions.     
  • Wear a face covering in shared spaces and within buildings.
  • Practise physical distancing and hand hygiene.

The new restrictions and evolving health and safety directives present challenges for all of us in the York community.  Through your ongoing vigilance and support, we can all help keep each other safe. I am proud of all the efforts being made to rise to the enormous challenges this pandemic poses while continuing to provide an enriching learning experience for students and an atmosphere of support for our entire community.

We will continue to communicate government restrictions and public health guidelines as they evolve, and more details are made available. For the most current information, we encourage all community members to visit the YU Better Together website on a regular basis.

Yours sincerely,

Rhonda L. Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor

Nouvelles mesures provinciales liées à la COVID-19 — Répercussions du confinement de Toronto sur l’Université York

Chère communauté de York,

Dans le but de freiner la propagation de la COVID-19, le gouvernement provincial a annoncé de nouvelles restrictions qui entreront en vigueur le lundi 23 novembre à 0 h 01 pour la ville de  Toronto et la région de Peel.  

La présente communication décrit l’impact de ces mesures sur les activités actuellement approuvées sur le campus de l’Université York.  

La majorité de notre communauté continuera ses activités en ligne et à distance. Les activités de recherche et en personne actuellement approuvées peuvent continuer — à quelques exceptions près, énumérées ci-dessous — en respectant strictement les directives provinciales du Cadre d’intervention pour la COVID-19 et les directives sur la santé et la sécurité de l’Université.   

Toute personne ayant l’autorisation d’être sur le campus à des fins de recherche, d’enseignement ou d’autres activités essentielles continuera d’en avoir l’autorisation jusqu’à nouvel ordre pour toutes les activités urgentes qui ne peuvent être reportées. Si vous deviez être sur le campus cette semaine pour des activités approuvées, et si vous avez besoin d’un accès qui ne peut raisonnablement pas être reporté, veuillez venir comme prévu.  

À compter du lundi 23 novembre à 0 h 01, les changements suivants entrent en vigueur : 

  • Rassemblements : Les rassemblements privés à l’intérieur avec des personnes ne faisant pas partie de votre ménage sont interdits. Les personnes qui vivent seules peuvent se réunir avec une seule autre personne dans la même situation. Les rassemblements à l’extérieur sont limités à un maximum de 10 personnes 
  • Centres de conditionnement physique : Fermeture de tous les gymnases intérieurs jusqu’à nouvel ordre. 
  • Bibliothèques : Elles restent ouvertes pour la collecte en bordure de trottoir sans contact (casiers de livres), l’accès aux photocopieuses et aux ordinateurs jusqu’à nouvel ordre. 
  • Espaces d’étude : Fermés jusqu’à nouvel ordre. Les étudiants ayant besoin d’un espace pour étudier doivent contacter askusyul@yorku.ca pour obtenir de l’aide. Un nombre limité de membres du personnel des bibliothèques restera sur place pour aider avec les casiers, les rendez-vous de recherche, les services de numérisation et l’accès aux photocopieurs et aux ordinateurs. 
  • York Lanes : Le bureau de poste, la pharmacie, l’épicerie, la banque, les cliniques dentaires et médicales poursuivent leurs activités avec des restrictions de capacité.  
  • Services alimentaires : Repas à emporter seulement; toutes les places assises dans les salles à manger et autres lieux de restauration restent fermées.  
  • Clinique de psychologie : Poursuite des activités virtuelles avec seulement un nombre limité d’évaluations psychologiques/psychopédagogiques en personne.  

Pour assurer la sécurité de tout le monde, veuillez éviter de venir sur le campus pour des besoins non essentiels durant ce confinement. Si vous faites partie des personnes ayant l’autorisation d’être sur le campus, veuillez continuer à suivre le protocole de dépistage et les directives sur la santé et la sécurité de l’Université et :  

  • Remplir le questionnaire de dépistage de la COVID-19 chaque fois que vous fréquentez l’Université York; ne venez pas sur le campus si vous répondez « oui » à l’une des questions de dépistage.  
  • Porter un couvre-visage dans les espaces partagés et dans les bâtiments. 
  • Pratiquer la distanciation physique et une bonne hygiène des mains.  

Les nouvelles restrictions et l’évolution des directives en matière de santé et de sécurité présentent des défis pour tous les membres de la communauté de York. Grâce à votre vigilance et à votre soutien constants, nous pouvons tous contribuer à assurer notre sécurité. Je suis fière de tous les efforts déployés pour relever les énormes défis que pose cette pandémie tout en continuant à offrir une expérience d’apprentissage enrichissante aux étudiants et une atmosphère de soutien à toute notre communauté.   

Nous continuerons à communiquer les restrictions gouvernementales et les lignes directrices en matière de santé publique et de plus amples détails seront fournis au fur et à mesure de l’évolution de la situation. Pour obtenir les informations les plus récentes, nous encourageons les membres de la communauté à visiter régulièrement le site YU Better Together. 

Veuillez agréer mes sincères salutations, 

Rhonda L. Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière  

Welcome to the November 2020 issue of ‘Innovatus’

Innovatus featured image

Innovatus featured image

Welcome to the November 2020 issue of Innovatus, a special issue of YFile that is devoted to teaching and learning innovation at York University.

Will Gage
Will Gage

This issue of Innovatus focuses on teaching, learning and the student experience in the Faculty of Education. I am so pleased by the rich variety of stories offered in this issue because they showcase the expansive depth of the Faculty’s approach to the “act of education” to quote Interim Dean Sharon Murphy.

Education is universal and the Faculty’s work with refugees in the Dadaab Refugee Complex in Kenya, homeless youth and in re-envisioning early childhood education are displayed among the fine stories offered in this issue. As well, Dean Murphy’s letter is a testament to the Faculty’s commitment to excellence, and the story highlighting the innovation shown in moving the Faculty of Education’s Summer Institute online and transforming it to a year-long effort is amazing. Encore!

Thank you again for the many wonderful comments about our September and October issues. I value each of your responses. Please continue to contact me with your ideas, classroom innovations and thoughts about teaching, learning and the student experience.

As I close, the snow is starting to fly and with it, the holidays are approaching. I would like to take a moment to wish each of you good health and happiness at home, which is especially important this year.

Featured in the November 2020 issue of Innovatus

Dean’s letter: The act of education is an act of hope and imagination
In her letter to the community, Interim Dean Sharon Murphy writes about how the Faculty of Education is constantly working to enliven new visions of education and society, visions of possibility, equity and social justice. “Our work focuses not only inward on curriculum and pedagogy, but very much looks outward towards the idea of education being situated within a complex and seemingly evermore fragile world.”

Summer Institute going strong all year
One of York University’s hallowed traditions, the Faculty of Education Summer Institute (FESI), may have bowed to COVID-19 in terms of format, but it is unbowed in terms of mission and content. For 2020-2021, the institute has morphed into a series of five free webinars titled Up Close and Personal: Conversations on Anti-Oppression.

York lab explores solutions for youth homelessness
Stephen Gaetz, the York University Research Chair in Homelessness and Research Impact and a professor in the Faculty of Education, is using his excellent research and communications skills and grant-writing ability to attack the challenges within youth homelessness, which need broad solutions and a meeting of many perspectives.

Crisis: Only one of the experiences shared by students and faculty
Rachel Silver, an assistant professor of education at York, with the help of a team of her colleagues in both Toronto and Dadaab, has created a virtual colloquium series, Reciprocal Learning in Times of Crisis, for the Faculty’s Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER) program. The series considers the issues arising from the confluence of education, the COVID-19 pandemic and new waves of resistance to anti-Black racism.

Educators convene speaker series to address pressing questions in early childhood education and research in the 21st century
Lucy Angus and Cristina Delgado Vintimilla, assistant professors new to York and the Faculty of Education, have created a lecture series titled Disrupting Early Childhood: Inheritance, Pedagogy, Curriculum to explore new ideas about early childhood education (ECE) and create a space to bring together the innovative research conversations that are changing the field of ECE.

Innovatus is produced by the Office of the Associate Vice-President Teaching & Learning in partnership with Communications & Public Affairs.

I extend a personal invitation to you to share your experiences in teaching, learning, internationalization and the student experience through the Innovatus story form, which is available at tl.apps01.yorku.ca/machform/view.php?id=16573.

Will Gage
Associate Vice-President, Teaching & Learning

Toronto is now in the ‘Red Zone’ – What it means for York University

Image: CDC
An image of the COVID-19 virus. Image: CDC

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

Dear Colleagues,

Many of you will know that on Nov. 14, Toronto moved into the “Red” Control level of the Province of Ontario’s COVID-19 Response Framework. As a result, Toronto Public Health has updated their precautionary measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This update is to inform you about what this means for York. As always, our first priority is the health and safety of the entire York community.

Based on our initial assessment of the new framework, we have determined that our academic, research and operational requirements are in compliance with the new framework. There is only one minor change being implemented that we would like to highlight.

Effective immediately, York Lanes will restrict the consumption of food and beverages when walking in the mall. Signs are being posted around York Lanes to notify all patrons about this public health requirement.

As the number of COVID-19 cases rises across the province, it remains crucial for everyone to continue following all public health guidelines. When all public health measures are being followed appropriately, the risk of transmission is minimized, and we are contributing to efforts to flatten the rise of new cases.

Public Health is asking all Toronto residents to only leave home for essential activities such as work, education, fresh air and exercise, and to limit contact with people not in their direct households.

We encourage our community to continue adhering to this and other public health measures, such as practising physical distancing, wearing mouth and nose coverings, and maintaining good hand washing hygiene, to prevent the spread of the virus.

The pandemic situation is continually evolving, and the University will continue to monitor it closely. If necessary, York will be prepared to enter into further levels of restrictions, should we be directed to do so or deem such steps necessary for maintaining the safety of our community. Every effort is being made to ensure the continued health and wellbeing of the York community, and compliance with new public health and government guidelines. As always, updates will continue to be posted on the Better Together website.

Once again, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation to all York students, staff and faculty for the unwavering commitment being demonstrated every day in supporting one another and the activities of the University.

Yours sincerely,

Rhonda L. Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor

UN releases York-led Research Roadmap for COVID-19 Recovery

Featured illustration of the novel coronavirus

The United Nations launched the UN Research Roadmap for the COVID-19 Recovery Nov. 17, a report led by York University Professor Steven J. Hoffman in his role as scientific director of the Institute of Population & Public Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Steven Hoffman

Hoffman is also the director of the Global Strategy Lab and the Dahdaleh Distinguished Chair in Global Governance & Legal Epidemiology in York’s Faculty of Health and Osgoode Hall Law School. 

Building on the work of the UN COVID-19 economic and social recovery plan, the UN Research Roadmap for the COVID-19 Recovery is intended to ensure national and international strategies are informed by rigorous evidence generated in anticipation of, and during, the COVID-19 recovery period.

Hoffman was invited by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed in June 2020 to lead this UN effort to rapidly develop a global research strategy for the post-pandemic socio-economic recovery. He was supported in carrying out this work by his team at the CIHR Institute of Population & Public Health, which is hosted by York University. 

“We live in a world where people, systems and generations are all interdependent, which means the actions we take today during COVID-19 must simultaneously work towards a more equitable, resilient and sustainable future. Science represents the world’s best chance for guiding the attainment of that better future,” said Hoffman.

The UN Research Roadmap for the COVID-19 Recovery links urgent research initiatives to a unifying global framework and advocates for policies that are informed by evidence, address inequalities and place peoples’ human rights at the centre. It outlines 25 research priorities, five priorities for each of the five pillars of the UN’s socio-economic recovery framework:  

  1. Health systems and services
  2. Social protection and basic services
  3. Economic response and recovery programs
  4. Macroeconomic policies and multilateral collaboration
  5. Social cohesion and community resilience

The UN Research Roadmap draws on the knowledge of a global community of researchers, funding agencies, governments and other international institutions. It engaged more than 250 researchers, implementers, funders and citizens internationally to identify priority knowledge needs and research areas for rebuilding after the pandemic and safeguarding progress towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

In her message that opens the Roadmap document, Mohammed thanks all who participated in and supported its creation, “in particular Professor Steven J. Hoffman and his colleagues at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.”

“This Roadmap demonstrates what is possible through international collaboration and the United Nations,” writes Mohammed. “By working together, we will recover better and create strong, healthy, prosperous communities in our interdependent world.” 

York University is a global leader in the UN’s SDGs, recently ranking 33rd out of 767 universities around the world by Times Higher Education.