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Update from York University’s Provost on the U.S. travel ban

York University Provost and Vice-President Academic Rhonda Lenton issues the following message to the University community:

Further to the President’s message of January 31, regarding the recent United States’ travel ban, I am pleased to share an update regarding how the York University community is standing in solidarity with academics who have been, or could be, impacted.

The recent U.S. federal appeals court’s unanimous ruling clearly states the position that such a travel ban cannot be upheld, and as such, the travel ban is currently not being enforced. While the White House has signaled its intent to pursue an appeal, there is some uncertainty and confusion.

Members of the York University community have been offering a temporary academic home to scholars and students affected by the travel ban.  The University fully supports our faculty members’ efforts and encourages them to continue to do so.

Indeed, I wish to take this opportunity to encourage you to welcome those visitors who will join us because they have been banned from travelling to the U.S. Sustaining international scholarly collaboration and learning, and ensuring it is equally accessible to all, is critical to higher education and to the global community.

As one of the most diverse universities in the world, York is, in every way, a global university. The strengths we enjoy today were built on our founding principles of openness and inclusion. We must continue to defend these values which have shaped us and which allow us to foster and sustain human connection and understanding while at the same time enabling us to address the most challenging issues of our time.

For members of our community seeking advice and/or support, please find below the key contact areas within the University:

York International
Immigration specialists Carol Tang and Diana Ning are available to answer questions Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm
http://yorkinternational.yorku.ca/
(416) 736-5177

For International Faculty and Staff Queries
Affirmative Action, Immigration & Relocation Officer, Faculty Relations
Claudia McPherson
mcpherc@yorku.ca
(416) 736-2100l, ext. 33434

Community Safety
safety@yorku.ca
Urgent matters: (416) 736-5333 or ext. 33333
Non-urgent matters: (416) 650-8000 or ext. 58000

The Centre for Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion
http://rights.info.yorku.ca/
(416) 736-5682

Personal Counselling Services
http://pcs.info.yorku.ca/
416-736-5297

President’s Sustainability Leadership Awards celebrate champions of sustainability at York

President's Sustainability Leadership Awards
President’s Sustainability Leadership Awards

The nomination period for the President’s Sustainability Leadership Awards opens today. The awards recognize students, faculty and staff who are contributing to making York University a leader in sustainability among post-secondary institutions.

By recognizing the important work that sustainability champions are doing at York University, the awards celebrate this work and encourage others to get involved in sustainability initiatives on the University’s campuses. The President’s Sustainability Leadership Awards is now in its fourth year, and up to five awards will be given out.

“With many sustainability champions across our campuses, we are proud to celebrate their achievements through these awards,” said Mamdouh Shoukri, president and vice-chancellor, York University. “The awards recognize individuals, groups or offices across the University whose efforts are significantly enhancing the University’s sustainability leadership and innovation, and contributing to a culture of environmental awareness here at York.”

Any student, faculty or staff member from the University community can nominate any other individual or group for consideration. Nominees will be considered for the award based on their demonstrated leadership in sustainability, specifically through the following criteria:

  • the overall impact of the nominee’s contributions to sustainability on campus, including the depth (how significant the contribution is) and breadth (how widespread, collaborative and/or replicable the contribution is);
  • degree of innovation and originality, and/or degree of enhancement (to existing initiatives); and
  • how the individual or group went “over and above the call of duty” (additional time and resources committed that were not part of their job description or academic program).

To submit a nomination, visit the President’s Sustainability Leadership Awards page.

The nomination period opens today. Nominations will be accepted until March 8, and award winners will be announced during the Earth Day event in April.

Previous winners of the President’s Sustainability Leadership Award include:

2016

Nicole Arsenault

Jose Etcheverry

Finance Department

Mark Terry

John Wilson

2015

Bonfire Implementation Team  (Procurement Services and Finance)

Food Services Department, CSBO

Glendon Roots and Shoots

Meagan Heath

Regenesis at York

2014

Brad Cochrane

Tim Haagsma

Osgoode Sustainability Committee

Planning and Renovations Unit, CSBO

Helen Psathas

Passings: Remembering the incomparable Joe Green

Joseph Green

Known for his booming voice, huge heart and eternal generosity, York Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Joseph Green, has died of renal and bladder cancer on Feb. 3 at the Kensington Hospice in Toronto, Ontario.

Joe Green

Prof. Green (or “Joe” as he was known by all) had a long and illustrious career in theatre and was a proud and ardent supporter of the Arts in all of its forms. It could be said that his life’s work was a grand and passionate play, with his students as rising stars in Canadian theatre cast in central roles.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Joe received his PhD in Dramatic Theory and Rhetoric from Indiana University in 1964 and his BA in Theatre from Temple University, Philadelphia, in 1956. Joe taught at The University of Louisville, Indiana University South Bend, and Hunter College, before coming to York University in 1968. Subsequently, he became a proud citizen of his new country. He served as Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts, from 1973 until 1980, working to establish the departments of Visual Art, Dance, Film, Music and Theatre, as well as The York Winds Ensemble and the York Theatre Review.

“Joe was a transformational figure at York and in the Toronto arts scene,” said Shawn Brixey, dean of the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design. “His radiant energy, artistic curiosity, sense of humour, razor-sharp wit, and intellectual depth helped lay the foundation for what has become a thriving culture of creativity and artistic innovation at York. He will be deeply missed and eternally remembered.”

Joe brought onto the Faculty such Canadian icons as Mavor Moore (“Mr. Theatre”), and established the York Performance Artists Series at Burton Auditorium, showcasing such artists as Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Alan Ginsberg, Tom Wolfe and Henry Moore, to name but a few. Many of Joe’s former students and faculty appointments have gone on to fill important positions in Toronto, across Canada and beyond.

“Joe had a booming voice, a huge heart, a wicked sense of humour and an inspiring passion,” said Ines Buchl, chair of the Department of Theatre at York University. “If you met Joe you could never forget him. His profound legacy will live on in the Joseph Green Theatre in the Centre for Film and Theatre.”

He helped found, and served as director of, York’s MBA Program in Arts Administration at the Schulich School of Business, and later served as chair of the Board of Directors of CulTech Collaborative Research Centre. Joe served as a consultant for the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Canada Council, the Ontario Arts Council, New York State Council on the Arts, the American Theatre Association and the National Association of Schools of Theatre.

He developed the initial proposals for the York Master of Fine Arts degrees. When he took early retirement in 1994, Joe held the rank of full Professor in the Faculties of Fine Arts (Theatre), Arts (Humanities) and Administrative Studies (Policy and Strategy).

In addition to his academic career, Joe was producer of many stage and TV productions. He developed, along with Gordon Hinch, the mini-series Glory Enough for All, which won a record-setting nine Gemini awards.

As chair of Democrats Abroad (Canada), and international voter registration chair, Joe worked to bring in the democratic vote to Americans across the globe. For his local community, he served on the boards of the Toronto Garden District Residents’ Association, and the Canadian Senior Artists’ Resource Network.

His last legacy was the CBC interview: Joe Green Speaks of Life, Death and Love. Joe inspired many people with the grace, acceptance and openness he displayed while facing life’s final stages.

His family is grateful for the extraordinary care and compassion of doctors, nurses, staff, and volunteers at Kensington Hospice that allowed Joe to live in comfort for many more months than expected. Funeral services took place on Sunday, Feb. 5, at Benjamin’s Memorial Chapel in Toronto. Shiva has begun and will continue at the residence of Rhoda Green, 130 Carlton Street, suite 509 (please check in with security) on Tuesday from 2 tp 4 and 7 to 9pm, and on Wednesday from 7 to 9pm. Details can be found here: http://bit.ly/2jL7dXB.

The family requests that donations in his memory go towards the Kensington Hospice. Information is available here: http://bit.ly/2lkmRWV.

Reminder: Register soon to have a say on the future of sustainability at York University

John Robinson from the UofT
John Robinson from the UofT

York University is in the process of developing a Sustainability Strategy that will guide the University in advancing sustainability into the near and long-term future. As part of this process, the President’s Sustainability Council is hosting a community-wide workshop on Friday, Feb. 10, from 9am to 4:30pm, in Room N109, Seymour Schulich Building, Keele campus.

The workshop will offer a venue for community members to provide input on envisioning a sustainable future for the University. Members of the York community are invited to attend a keynote address in the morning and to participate in afternoon discussions on key issues such as energy, climate change, waste management, transportation, social justice, and many other sustainability issues facing the University now and in the future. Participation is free and lunch and refreshments will be provided.

John Robinson
John Robinson

The workshop will feature a keynote address by University of Toronto Professor John Robinson. Prior to his role at the University of Toronto, Robinson was the associate provost of sustainability at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where he led the integration of academic and operational sustainability on UBC’s Vancouver campus. A widely respected voice on university sustainability, he now teaches in the Geography and Planning Department and the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, where he also acts as a special advisor on sustainability to the president of U of T. Robinson will bring a unique perspective to the workshop from his experience in developing the 20-year Sustainability Strategy at UBC.

Space is limited and interested participants are asked to confirm their attendance at http://bit.ly/2k4C1lk.

Statement from York University President on the U.S. Travel Ban and the Quebec City Attack

York President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri has issued the following statement:

York University, along with our university colleagues across the country, is extremely concerned about the recent travel ban imposing restrictions on individuals from seven countries that has been issued by the president of the United States.

We are working with Universities Canada and other university leaders to monitor the impact of the U.S. travel ban and to voice our collective concern about the implications such a ban has for our academic and research pursuits and partnerships, as well as on the family relationships of our students, faculty and staff.

York University is closely monitoring and reviewing any impacts of the travel ban on members of our own community, and we are working to create a support system and to allocate resources to assist those who may be affected. We will share further information in the coming days, and we encourage community members who have questions or need support to access the resources listed below.

As one of the most diverse universities in the world, York is, in every way, a global university. The strengths we enjoy today were built on our founding principles of openness and inclusion. We are home to more than 60,000 students, faculty and staff who can trace their roots to 157 countries globally. We have campuses in Costa Rica and Hyderabad, India, and our research and teaching are making an impact on distant communities, including through the Borderless Higher Education Project. Collectively, our students are learning in more than twenty languages and studying abroad in places such as Beijing, Paris and Mumbai through hundreds of international academic and student exchange agreements.

Our community reflects, as Prime Minister Trudeau has said, that diversity can be a source of strength. This is why last night’s terrorist attack on the Centre cultural islamique in Quebec City is so shocking and senseless, and why we must continue to condemn any hateful or violent act committed against an individual or group on the basis of their difference.

The foundational principles so central to the University’s being—a commitment to justice and fairness, to freedom of speech and the free exchange of ideas and information—are being threatened by the increasing levels of polarization and extremism that we are seeing around the world.

We must continue to set the highest possible standard through our research, scholarship and teaching to advance knowledge and to promote understanding and awareness.

We must continue to bear out on our campuses the tremendous success of Canada’s multicultural model, showing that it is indeed possible to embrace diversity and different perspectives while at the same time celebrating the shared values that make Canada one of the most socially progressive and welcoming countries in the world.

For members of our community seeking advice and/or support, below are key contact areas within the University:

York International
Immigration specialists Carol Tang and Diana Ning are available to answer questions Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm
http://yorkinternational.yorku.ca/
(416) 736-5177

For International Faculty and Staff Queries:
Affirmative Action, Immigration & Relocation Officer, Faculty Relations
Claudia McPherson
mcpherc@yorku.ca
(416) 736-2100 x. 33434

Community Safety
safety@yorku.ca
On Campus –
Urgent matters: (416) 736-5333 or x. 33333
Non-urgent matters: (416) 650-8000 or x. 58000

The Centre for Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion
http://rights.info.yorku.ca/
(416) 736-5682

Personal Counselling Services
http://pcs.info.yorku.ca/
416-736-5297

 

Social Science professor wins prestigious Helen Potter Award

Caroline Shenaz Hossein, from the Department of Social Science
Caroline Shenaz Hossein, from the Department of Social Science
Caroline Shenaz Hossein, from the Department of Social Science
Caroline Shenaz Hossein shows off her Helen Potter Award certificate

Professor Caroline Shenaz Hossein, from the Department of Social Science in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, won the prestigious Helen Potter Award – an accolade that has only been granted to nine women since its inception in 1975.

The Association of Social Economics presented the award to Hossein on Jan. 7, in Chicago at the American Economic Association and Allied Social Science meetings.

“The work of Professor Hossein contributes to our knowledge in new and important ways, interrogating the ways in which the social economy operates in specific locales, and has been lauded for its theoretical sophistication and empirical rigour,” says Sandra Whitworth, LA&PS Associate Dean Graduate Studies and Research. “Her work is inspiring and we’re proud of her many accomplishments and congratulate her on this new accolade.”

The Helen Potter Award is presented each year to the author of the best article in the Review of Social Economy by a promising scholar at the Assistant or Associate level. Dr. Hossein, one of the few people of colour to receive the award, won for her article “Big Man” politics in the social economy: a case study of microfinance in Kingston, Jamaica.  Award recipients receive a plaque and a cash prize.

“My article has a Global South focus on how the social economy works. It shows that elites can corrupt the social economy from within.  This is occurring in a field that’s supposed to be helping some of the most marginalized people. When social economy institutions are beholden to politics, this further marginalizes the very people they are intended to help,” says Hossein. “Many things in the social economy work great; however, this particular case demonstrates that partisan and informal politics can interfere with the way community organizes.” She’s pleased that this award puts a spotlight on the story in Jamaica so that the sector can be strengthened to help the thousands of people who depend on it every day.

Named after the economist Helen Potter, the goal of the award is to recognize excellence in scholarship which confronts mainstream economics with literature that supports heterodox economic research.

Hossein’s research interest is in diverse community economies with specific attention to the intersection of identities such as race, class and gender. Her work on social exclusion is grounded in Black liberation and feminist theorizing, and the lived experience of the African diaspora.

She is the author of Politicized Microfinance: Money, Power and Violence in the Black Americas (University of Toronto Press, 2016) and is an executive board member of the Harriet Tubman Institute for Research on Africa and its Diaspora and the Centre for Feminist Research at York University.

The Centre for Human Rights becomes the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion

York University President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri has issued the following message to the York community:

I am pleased to announce that the Centre for Human Rights has been renamed the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion. This renaming reflects an expanded mandate that will see the centre take a more active role in leading the enhancement of inclusivity in learning and working environments at York. This change was announced on Jan. 27 at the centre’s annual Inclusion Day Conference, Canada & Human Rights @150 years.

Since its establishment in 2005 to provide a coordinated approach to addressing and resolving issues related to human rights and equity at York, the centre has contributed significantly to the University’s vision of and commitment to social justice and accessible education. The centre has played a critical role in building a respectful, equitable, diverse and inclusive culture and community at York, offering expertise, insight and understanding to advancing, promoting and upholding human rights in accordance with provincial human rights legislation and the University’s policies.

The centre’s new name reflects an expansion of its strategic purpose. Over the coming months, I look forward to seeing the continued evolution of the centre through the championing of new initiatives and programs and the facilitation of new opportunities for community-wide consultation and collaboration. I would like to thank Executive Director Michael F. Charles for his leadership in steering the centre through this important change.

To align with its expanded mandate, the centre’s vision has been updated: To promote and build a respectful, equitable, diverse and inclusive university community that upholds human rights, facilitates equitable access to opportunities, and champions diversity and inclusion as a strategic objective.

With the support of senior academic and administrative leadership, the centre will continue its efforts to drive progressive change and develop new understandings, solutions and discoveries that will have an impact on our university community and beyond.

For more information, visit the Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion website.

Have your say on the future of sustainability at York University

John Robinson from the UofT
John Robinson from the UofT

York University is in the process of developing a Sustainability Strategy that will guide the University in advancing sustainability into the near and long-term future. As part of this process, the President’s Sustainability Council is hosting a community-wide workshop on Friday, Feb. 10, from 9am to 4:30pm, in Room N109, Seymour Schulich Building, Keele campus.

The workshop will offer a venue for community members to provide input on envisioning a sustainable future for the University. Members of the York community are invited to attend a keynote address in the morning and to participate in afternoon discussions on key issues such as energy, climate change, waste management, transportation, social justice, and many other sustainability issues facing the University now and in the future. Participation is free and lunch and refreshments will be provided.

John Robinson
John Robinson

The workshop will feature a keynote address by University of Toronto Professor John Robinson. Prior to his role at the University of Toronto, Robinson was the associate provost of sustainability at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where he led the integration of academic and operational sustainability on UBC’s Vancouver campus. A widely respected voice on university sustainability, he now teaches in the Geography and Planning Department and the Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto, where he also acts as a special advisor on sustainability to the president of U of T. Robinson will bring a unique perspective to the workshop from his experience in developing the 20-year Sustainability Strategy at UBC.

Space is limited and interested participants are asked to confirm their attendance at http://bit.ly/2k4C1lk.

There’s plenty to enjoy at the Fair Trade Fair on Jan. 18

FT Fair featured image
FT Fair featured image

Come and celebrate Fair Trade at the Fair Trade FairYork University’s annual Fair Trade Fair will take place Wednesday, Jan. 18 in Vari Hall and the Ross link from 10am to 4pm.

The Fair Trade Fair is an annual celebration of all things fair trade, from coffee and tea to bananas, textiles, arts and crafts. The fair also serves as a forum for the York University community to learn more about fair trade and how purchasing habits can improve the lives of others.

In addition to vendors offering fair trade certified products, there will also be opportunities to design fair trade t-shirts, get a temporary Fair Trade tattoo, or to learn more about fair trade from vendors, students and faculty who work in and study the fair trade movement.

What is fair trade?

Fair Trade Canada describes fair trade as a “way for all of us to identify products that meet our values so we can make choices that have a positive impact on the world.”

Over the years, York University has developed and adopted many fair trade initiatives. The University was the first in Canada to sell certified, fair trade clothing in its campus bookstore, and this year the bookstore will be selling fair trade t-shirts at the fair.

York University also has its own brand of fair trade coffee, Las Nubes, which is grown in the Las Nubes rainforest in Costa Rica (of which York is a part owner). Las Nubes coffee is also available at the York Bookstore. For more information on the Las Nubes project, visit the Las Nubes website at www.lasnubes.org.

To learn more about fair trade at York and other sustainability initiatives, visit http://www.yorku.ca/sustainability or e-mail sustainability@yorku.ca.

York U receives top awards for excellence in marketing and communications

This is Biophysics
This is Biophysics

Work by York University’s communicators has been recognized for excellence by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) in its 2017 Accolades Awards and 2016 Circle of Excellence competitions.

The University’s Open Your Mind brand campaign, news writing and a community relations campaign by the Faculty of Science garnered awards in the 2017 Accolades Awards that were announced in early January. These awards complement three Circle of Excellence Awards that were announced last summer for the first iteration of the Open Your Mind brand campaign, the “Yes to York” advocacy campaign and feature photography that appeared in the spring 2015 issue of York U magazine.

York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri met with staf
York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri met with staff from Communications & Public Affairs to congratulate the team on the CASE Awards

“York University has world-class communicators and external awards such as these are a testament to their expertise,” said York University’s Chief Marketing & Communications Officer Susan Webb. “I’m very proud of the contributions that staff continue to make to support the priorities of the University and enhance its brand and reputation.”

CASE is a professional association serving 3,670 educational institutions in 82 countries and the advancement professionals who work on their behalf in alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and allied areas. The CASE Circle of Excellence Awards considers work from the international membership while the CASE Accolades Awards are divisional. More than 100 categories of work are considered by expert judging panels comprised of sector peers.

Gold and Silver Medals: Brand Identity/ Marketing Communications

Image from the Open Your Mind instagram page
Image from the Open Your Mind instagram page

York University’s Open Your Mind brand campaign was conceived and produced by Communications & Public Affairs and their agency of record doug&partners. The campaign received two Gold Medals in the divisional 2017 Accolades Awards competition for Best Practices in Communications and Marketing (Platinum category), and Institutional Marketing and Identity/Branding. It won a Silver Medal in the international 2016 Circle of Excellence competition for the Advertising category.

The campaign, first launched in the fall of 2015, was expanded in 2016 and positions York as a progressive and modern university making it refreshingly different from typical university ads. With a focus on showcasing unexpected research strengths, program applications or potential careers, quantitative research reveals the campaign is compelling and meaningful in terms of enhancing reputation and the likelihood to consider applying to York University.

Results are key criteria for winning any CASE award and the Open Your Mind campaign yielded a significant impact on audiences being encouraged to find out more about the University and contributed to thousands of student applications to study at York.

Gold Medal: Advocacy campaign

The “Yes to York” advocacy campaign by Communications & Public Affairs received a Gold Medal in the Circle of Excellence competition.

microsite
The “Yes to York” microsite

The campaign was specifically designed to create awareness, understanding and support for York University’s “Yes to York” proposal to the Government of Ontario for a third campus in Markham, Ontario. York University’s proposal and the accompanying community awareness and advocacy campaign were built in partnership with a number of internal groups as well as municipal and business leaders, community agencies and leaders and area residents. It included a microsite, yestoyork.ca, a variety of social media efforts, media relations activities, internal articles and videos.

Silver Medal: Photography

Prior to its evolution to become The York University Magazine, York U Magazine produced by Communications & Public Affairs wrote and photographed a feature length story titled Sporting Life. It profiled York University athletes talking about what varsity sports means to them.

york U magazine
A feature spread showing the award-winning photography that appeared in York U spring 2015 issue. The photos show York varsity athletes in their athletic gear

The photo feature story was the cover for the spring issue of the magazine and conveyed the joy, dedication and strength of York athletes in advance of the Pan American/Parapan American Games that included a new stadium at York University. It was awarded a Silver Medal in the international Circle of Excellence competition.

Bronze Medal: Newswriting/media relations

Newswriting by Communications & Public Affairs garnered a Bronze Medal from CASE in its Accolades Awards competition. The story and media pitch focused on a unique certificate program in Educational Studies at York University that offers postsecondary education to students living in the Dadaab refugee camps in Kenya. The media release demonstrated York University’s commitment to social justice and engagement with the community – whether next door or a world away – which is one of the University’s top five strategic priorities. It emphasized how this project, pioneered through research and achieved through practice with many partners, serves as a model for projects being developed by other universities worldwide.

dadaab
Students in a Dadaab refugee camp work on their York University course work

The story received broad coverage in the Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail due to a comprehensive plan that circumvented the restrictions associated with working with a refugee camp in another continent. In addition to a news release, video clips and still images taken by staff working in the camps, Skype interviews with students offered firsthand information about the experience in the camp and the program.

Bronze Medal: Community awareness campaign

The CASE Accolades Competition judges awarded a Bronze Medal to the Faculty of Science for its community awareness event, Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe. A large, high-profile, free public event held by the Faculty of Science at York University in December 2015, the event marked the launch of the York Science Forum.

The Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs event poster
The Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs event poster

“Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs” featured a talk by bestselling author and renowned particle physicist Lisa Randall (professor at Harvard University), who talked about the intriguing possibility that a comet, knocked out of its orbit by a disc of dark matter, might have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Her presentation was followed by a panel discussion also featuring York University physicists Sean Tulin and Wendy Taylor, moderated by Ray Jayawardhana, dean of Science at York University. The goal of the event was to engage with the broader community and to enhance the reputation and brand of York University’s Faculty of Science. The event was very successful and sold out early, with more than 500 audience members attending.

Communications & Public Affairs has collected dozens of awards from CASE in both the divisional and international competitions. Over the past decade, CASE has recognized York University for excellence in marketing, publications, media relations, social media, website, advocacy and other projects.