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Seek opportunities to make a difference, Andromache Karakatsanis tells grads

Andromache Karakatsanis

By Lindsay MacAdam, communications officer, YFile

After receiving her honorary degree at an Oct. 13 Fall Convocation ceremony for graduands from York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, Andromache Karakatsanis (LLB ’80), herself an Osgoode alumna as well as Canada’s longest-serving Supreme Court justice, shared her inspirational story and words of wisdom with the crowd.

Chancellor Kathleen Taylor (left), Justice Andromache Karakatsanis (middle) and President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton (right) during an Oct. 13 Fall Convocation ceremony.

Born and raised in Toronto, Justice Karakatsanis is the child of Greek immigrants, whom she credits for her dedication and work ethic.

After receiving a bachelor of arts in English literature from the University of Toronto, Karakatsanis went on to earn her bachelor of laws from Osgoode. There, she met her husband and had the opportunity to work at Parkdale Community Legal Services, which she reflects on fondly as one of the most satisfying experiences of her legal education.

“As a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School, this is a special homecoming,” Karakatsanis said in her opening remarks. “I feel that life has come full circle, returning to York University for Convocation after a journey of decades that have been enriched by the education, the skill and the values I learned here on this campus.”

Called to the Ontario bar in 1982, Karakatsanis began her legal career practising criminal, civil and family law before shifting her focus to the public service in 1987. As the first woman to lead the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario, she served as Chair and chief executive officer until 1995, followed by a stint as assistant deputy attorney general of Ontario and secretary for Native Affairs. Karakatsanis then served as the province’s secretary of the cabinet and clerk of the executive council beginning in 2000, before becoming a judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in 2010 and being appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada only one year later.

“Put simply, Justice Karakatsanis is everywhere when it comes to Canada’s justice landscape,” said Osgoode Dean Trevor Farrow after his glowing introduction. “In 2002, the Law Society of Ontario presented Justice Karakatsanis with an honorary LLD in recognition of her long-standing and tireless service to justice in Canada. So, while we may not be the first to present her with an honorary degree, I think we are certainly the most proud.”

Karakatsanis began her speech by reflecting on her 97-year-old mother’s story of hardship and sacrifice, spending her youth in a war-ravaged country. After losing her father, she bravely left for Canada alone with nothing but hope for a better future. Following her arrival, she met her future husband – another young, Greek immigrant – and together they opened a restaurant and raised three children with lives full of all the opportunity they didn’t have.

“In another time and place, this woman would have risen to the top of any profession she wanted,” said Karakatsanis of her mother, who sat proudly in the Convocation audience. “But it was because of her sacrifice and her example that decades later she would watch her daughter sworn in as a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.”

Karakatsanis acknowledged that there are very few countries in the world where the first-generation child of immigrants can become a judge of the country’s highest court, and praised Canada as a “generous and pluralist model for the world.”

“We may not look, speak or pray alike,” she said, “but for the most part we have learned to live together in harmony.”

She then turned her attention to the injustices that are ever-present, and the responsibility that comes with embarking on a legal career.

“We live in a world where vulnerable people must fight to have their humanity recognized, where fear and prejudice often triumph over compassion and kindness, and where justice sometimes is an elusive goal rather than a secured outcome,” said Karakatsanis.

The law, she continued, has undoubtedly played a role in the many historical failures of humanity. “The Holocaust was legal under German law, as was the Jim Crow system in the United States, apartheid in South Africa and the Chinese Head Tax here in Canada,” she said. “They are not relics of the distant past, nor are they inconceivable in the present.”

She emphasized that the lessons of the past should serve as reminders not to take the future for granted: “The values and freedoms and opportunities we hold so dear were fought for with sacrifice and bravery. And just as they were won, they can be lost.”

In her final words to Osgoode’s graduating class, Karakatsanis encouraged graduands beginning their own journeys in the legal profession to seek out opportunities to make a difference.

“As we celebrate our personal triumphs, and honour the people and places that have made them possible, today is also a moment to reflect on what you can do to shape the future, to protect democracy, to build equality, to achieve reconciliation,” said Karakatsanis. “Don’t forget that the values by which you choose to live your life are just as important as any job you will undertake. Those values are how we will ensure that generations to come can stand where we stand today.”

Nnimmo Bassey calls for graduands to ‘restore hope in our time’

nnimmo bassey

By Alexander Huls, deputy editor, YFile

On Oct. 13, at the Fall Convocation ceremony for York University’s Faculty of Education, Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change, Glendon College, Lassonde School of Engineering and the Faclulty of Science, environmentalist Nnimmo Bassey shared his life story and words of encouragement with graduands.

During her opening remarks, Vice-Chancellor and President Rhonda Lenton urged graduands to consider a critical question as they move forward in their lives and careers. “It’s … imperative that we ask ourselves, ‘How do we function in … society?'” Lenton would go on to introduce Bassey as an example of someone who has been guided by that question for decades, praising him as “a dedicated advocate for the environment … whose gift to future generations is contributing to a more sustainable world.”

During his address to graduands, Bassey recounted his journey to becoming an advocate, driven by the mission to leave society with a more sustainable future. Born in Nigeria, he spoke of growing up during the Nigerian-Biafran war, a time he described as “disruptive and traumatic,” leading him to be exposed to human rights abuses, hunger, disease and more. Those experiences, as well as living under the oppression of a series of military authoritarian dictatorships, led Bassey to develop a desire to change the world around him. “As a young adult, I could not escape being a part of the human rights and anti-dictatorship movement,” he said.

Kathleen Taylor, Nnimmo Bassey, Rhonda Lenton
Chancellor Kathleen Taylor (left), Nnimmo Bassey (middle) and President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton (right) during an Oct. 13 Fall Convocation ceremony.

Inspired over time by anti-colonial leaders throughout the Global South, he came to adopt a cause. He felt that protesting dictatorships was not the zenith of standing against injustice, but rather protesting something else he saw at work under the radar.

“The wheels of oppression at home were crude oil and extractivism activities. Capital trumped concerns for the health of Mother Earth and her children … and complaints against the destruction of the ecosystems and livelihoods were met with brute force while communities were crushed,” he said. “The judicial models and assault on communities were the red lines that dictatorships crossed, and that set me on a lifelong journey of standing for environmental rights as the key basis for the enjoyment of the right to life.”

Over the course of his career, Bassey has become one of Africa’s leading advocates and campaigners for the environment and human rights. He founded Nigeria’s first environmental rights organization in the early 1990s, proceeding to inspire activists to stand up against the malpractices of multinational corporations, which eventually led to the formation of Oil Watch International in 1996, a network resisting fossil fuel expansion in the Global South. Later, he founded the Health of Mother Earth Foundation, an environmental justice organization.

He has also received several accolades, including the distinguished Right Livelihood Award, the Rafto Prize and he was named one of Time magazine’s Heroes of the Environment in 2009.

Despite a lifetime of accomplishments, Bassey spoke of the vital work still left at this critical moment for his work and the world. “It is clear we cannot afford linear growth on a finite planet,” he said. “While record temperatures, wildfires, floods and other stressors raged across the world, leaders are engrossed in xenophobic nationalism, building barriers against climate refugees, and promoting fictional, false and risky climate solutions.”

Despite the challenges, he expressed hope: “The milestones in my journey and the successes in the midst of continual battles have come by the resilience of the peoples and communities. We see expanding movements, readiness of communities to certify conveniences today for the sake of building a safe future for those yet unborn. I have seen the power of traditional wisdom and cultural production in building hope and strengthening alliances against oppression.”

Bassey extended that hope to graduands, urging them to action. “This is a time to stand together to demand justice in all circumstances, to call for an end to genocide, to build solidarity, and not walls, and to restore hope in our time.”

Join Academic Policy, Planning and Research Committee forum, Oct. 26

An image of a man's hands holding a card that says "Join us!"

The York University community is invited to attend the Senate’s Academic Policy, Planning and Research Committee (APPRC) planning forum to discuss and provide input on the preliminary recommendations of the Joint APPRC-ASCP (Academic Standards, Curriculum & Pedagogy Committee) Task Force on the Future of Pedagogy.

The forum, titled The Future of Pedagogy: Directions and Preliminary Recommendations, will take place Thursday, Oct. 26 from 9:30 a.m. to noon via Zoom.

Universities around the country and beyond are engaging in the exercise of redefining their pedagogical plans post-pandemic. York is in the process of defining its teaching and learning agenda to advance its distinctive vision, core values and academic goals. The future of pedagogy at the University was a priority for APPRC in 2021 and 2022, and the goal this year – through the Task Force and in collaboration with the ASCP – is to build on that work.

Members of the Task Force will join APPRC and ASCP in facilitating the event.

The program for the forum is planned as follows:
9:30 a.m. – Welcome: APPRC Chair (Andrea Davis) and provost (Lisa Philipps)
9:40 a.m. – Remarks: Anita Lam, co-chair, Joint APRPC-ASCP Task Force on the Future of Pedagogy
10 a.m. – Organize into breakout groups built around the Task Force Working Group Themes: in-person teaching and learning; technology-enhanced teaching and learning; experiential education and work-integrated learning; scaling and sustaining pedagogical innovations; and rethinking assessments
10 a.m. – Breakout group discussions facilitated jointly by Task Force and APPRC/ASCP members
10:45 a.m. – Break
10:50 a.m. – Open plenary discussion and Q-and-A session (Davis)
11:30 a.m. – Summary wrap and followup steps (Kim Michasiw, ASCP Chair)

Breakout group questions for discussion will include:

  • Do the five primary recommendations set the desired path forward to support the University Academic Plan priority to diversify whom, what and how we teach for 21st-century learning?
  • Do the working groups’ recommendations capture the actions needed for successful pedagogical adaptations that enhance the quality of learning experiences for York’s diverse students in the context of ubiquitous technology?
  • In the world of finite resources, what actions should be prioritized for support and implementation?

RSVPs to the forum are kindly requested. The Zoom connection will be provided to participants. Participants are asked to prepare by reading the following background material: Task Force on the Future of Pedagogy: Themes and Preliminary Recommendations.

Additionally, all the information is posted on a dedicated Planning Forum web page on the APPRC website.

A message for the York community

Keele campus pond

The events in Israel and Gaza, and in communities around the world this past week, have had a profound impact on us all. When classes resume following reading week, we encourage everyone to be mindful of the difficulties that students, faculty, instructors and staff may be experiencing related to the ongoing tragic violence and loss of life.

Last Sunday, the University sent out a tweet unequivocally denouncing the attacks by Hamas against civilians in Israel. As events have been unfolding, we have been reaching out to students and student groups supporting Jewish and Palestinian students, and to faculty and staff, to offer support and assistance directly. We also issued a community-wide message on Tuesday, Oct. 10 providing information about available supports.

These world events have amplified deep divides. An inflammatory and abhorrent statement made by three student unions at York University has created considerable concerns and unease, and we have unequivocally condemned the statement. We are an incredibly diverse community of people who care passionately about advancing the well-being of the communities we serve. This requires that we create an environment where everyone feels safe in sharing different perspectives on how to advance that goal. Freedom of expression has limits and comes with responsibilities. We are better than reckless rhetoric and divisive words and deeds. And we must never tolerate the promotion or justification of hate or violence.

The University is asking faculty and instructors to exercise care and flexibility over the next week in relation to academic considerations, including requests for alternative access to course materials for students with safety concerns or in need of support. Students who have concerns about coming to campus should be accommodated wherever that is possible.

Faculty and instructors may require support to navigate challenging conversations or conflict in the classroom. I encourage you to look at the Teaching Commons resources that are being offered to support you. Supports are available for students with concerns including the respective associate dean students of their Faculties; the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion; and the ombudsperson.

We also want you to know that the Community Safety team has proactively moved to strengthen safety and security measures at this time, including through:

  • increased campus safety patrols in priority areas;
  • additional security for high-profile events occurring on York’s campuses;
  • enhanced CCTV including increased reviews of high traffic areas and residences;
  • engaging in ongoing dialogue with Toronto Police Service to be prepared to quickly activate additional support if needed;
  • GoSAFE staff will continue to perform regular checks and are available at any time to accompany community members with safety concerns;
  • classroom locations for courses are behind Passport York; and
  • an Incident Response Plan has been developed for use in the face of any unexpected events that could compromise safety on campus.

If you have any specific safety questions or concerns to share, I ask that you contact the Community Safety department at safety@yorku.ca.

I know many members of our community are experiencing fear and trauma that can affect mental health and well-being. For our students, please know that counsellors at York’s Student Counselling, Health and Wellbeing Centre are ready to support you. Please call 416-736-2100 or email schw@yorku.ca and identify what you are seeking support for, so we can prioritize our reply, or you can come in during office hours and speak with one of our drop-in counsellors.

For employees who are eligible to work remotely, managers are reminded of the flexibility that exists within the Hybrid Work Policy to approve ad hoc remote work. Employees with well-being concerns, are encouraged to access available supports which can be found at YorkU.ca/Well-being/Resources.

Collectively, we are responsible for creating an inclusive and respectful environment where community members feel safe and welcomed without fear of intimidation or harassment. Please remember that in such painful moments it is even more imperative that we function as a community of care.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor

Un message pour la communauté de l’Université York

Les événements survenus en Israël et à Gaza, de même que dans diverses communautés à travers le monde au cours de la dernière semaine, ont eu un fort impact sur tout le monde. Lorsque les cours reprendront après la semaine de lecture, nous encourageons tout le monde à être sensible aux difficultés que le corps étudiant, le corps enseignant et le personnel éprouveront dans la foulée de toute cette violence tragique et soutenue et des pertes de vie humaines.

Dimanche dernier, l’Université a publié sur a plateforme de média social X un message dans lequel elle dénonçait sans équivoque les attaques du groupe Hamas contre des civiles en Israël. Au fil des jours, nous avons communiqué avec nos étudiants et avec les associations étudiantes qui soutiennent les étudiants juïfs et palestiniens, avec le corps enseignant et le personnel, pour offrir directement soutien et assistance. Nous avons également diffusé un message à l’ensemble de la communauté le mardi 10 octobre pour diriger les membres de la communauté vers les services de soutien qui leur sont disponibles.

Ces événements d’une ampleur mondiale n’ont eu pour effet que d’accentuer de profondes divisions. Une déclaration incendiaire et odieuse a été publiée par trois associations étudiantes de York, ce qui a eu pour effet de susciter des inquiétudes et un malaise considérables, et nous avons condamné sans équivoque cette déclaration. Nous formons une communauté incroyablement diverse dont les membres se passionnent pour faire avancer le bien-être des communautés que nous servons. Pour cela, il nous faut maintenir un environnement où tout le monde se sente à l’aise de partager ses idées pour faire progresser cet objectif. La liberté d’expression a ses limites, cependant, et s’accompagne de responsabilités auxquelles personne n’échappe. Par ailleurs, nous ne pouvons jamais tolérer tout propos visant à promouvoir ou à justifier la haine et la violence.

L’Université demande au corps professoral de faire preuve de bienveillance et de souplesse envers la population étudiante au cours de la prochaine semaine en ce qui concerne toute demande d’accommodement, y compris toute façon d’accorder l’accès au matériel d’apprentissage nécessaire à ceux et celles qui craignent pour leur sécurité ou ont besoin de soutien. Les étudiants qui craignent de revenir sur le campus devraient pouvoir compter sur des accommodements dans la mesure du possible.

Il est possible que les membres du corps professoral aient besoin d’aide pour faire face à des conversations difficiles ou à des situations de conflit en classe. Je vous encourage à consulter les ressources offertes sur le site de Teaching Commons à cette fin. Les étudiants ont accès à du soutien, y compris au vice-décanat aux étudiants, ou à la vice-principale, affaires académiques, selon qu’ils sont sur le campus de Keele ou à Glendon. Le Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion et l’Ombudsperson sont également là pour les soutenir.

Nous voulons également que vous sachiez que le Département de la sécurité communautaire s’est donné pour mission de renforcer les mesures de protection et de sécurité, notamment en :

  • augmentant le nombre de patrouilles dans les secteurs prioritaires des campus
  • fournissant un service de sécurité accru dans le cadre d’activité particulièrement sensibles sur les campus de York
  • intensifiant l’analyse du contenu des caméras de sécurité dans les secteurs très fréquentés et dans les résidences étudiantes
  • maintenant la communication avec le service de police de Toronto pour être prête à agir rapidement et à obtenir rapidement du renfort, au besoin
  • veillant à ce que l’équipe GoSAFE continue à faire des vérifications de routine et demeure disponible en tout temps pour accompagner les membres de la communauté qui s’inquièteraient pour leur sécurité
  • maintenant accessibles uniquement avec un Passeport York l’emplacement des salles de classe
  • et en créant un plan d’urgence pour intervenir dans l’éventualité d’actes qui compromettraient la sécurité sur les campus

Si vous avez des questions ou si vous souhaitez signaler quelque chose d’inhabituel, je vous invite à communiquer avec le Département de la sécurité communautaire à safety@yorku.ca.

Je sais que de nombreuses personnes de la communauté composent actuellement avec de craintes et des traumatismes qui peuvent avoir un impact sur leur santé et leur bien-être mental. Je rappelle à la communauté étudiante que les équipes de soutien psychologique de York (que vous pouvez joindre au (416) 736-2100 ou en écrivant à schw@yorku.ca) et les Services de counseling de Glendon (que vous pouvez joindre au 416-487-6709 ou en écrivant à counselling@glendon.yorku.ca) sont là pour vous aider. Il vous suffit d’indiquer la raison pour laquelle vous les consultez de sorte qu’ils puissent trier les demandes par ordre de priorité. Vous pouvez également vous rendre directement au Centre, à Keele ou à Glendon durant les heures d’ouverture pour parler à un membre de l’équipe de soutien psychologique.

Dans le cas des membres du personnel autorisés au télétravail, nous rappelons aux gestionnaires que la politique sur le travail hybride permet une certaine souplesse leur permettant d’approuver un mode de travail temporaire. Les membres du personnel qui éprouvent pour qui la situation est particulièrement éprouvante peuvent se prévaloir de services dont la liste se trouve sur le site https://www.yorku.ca/glendon/supports-and-services/counseling-de-glendon/?lang=fr.

Ensemble, nous nous devons de créer et de maintenir un environnement qui soit inclusif et respectueux, un environnement ouvert où les membres de la communauté se sentent en sécurité, sans craindre d’être l’objet d’actes d’intimidation ou de harcèlement. Et surtout, n’oublions jamais, tout particulièrement en ces temps troubles et difficiles, qu’il est important plus que jamais d’être bienveillants envers les membres de la communauté dans son ensemble.

Je vous remercie sincèrement.

Rhonda Lenton
présidente et vice-chancelière

Itah Sadu spurs graduands to ‘shine bright’

itah_sadu

By Alexander Huls, deputy editor, YFile

Honorary degree recipient Itah Sadu, a bestselling children’s author and more, offered inspiration to the first cohort of graduands from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies at the Oct. 12 Fall Convocation ceremony at York University’s Keele Campus.

Addressing graduands at the beginning of the ceremony, President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton introduced Sadu by praising “her gifts to humanity contributing to a more diverse, equitable and inclusive world.”

Among those contributions have been running the bookstore A Different Book List in Toronto, specializing in literature from the African and Caribbean diaspora, as well as the Global South; organizing the Walk With Excellence, which sees graduating students from Toronto’s Jane and Finch neighbourhood share their achievements through a parade; serving as managing director of the Blackhurst Cultural Centre; and her involvement with the Emancipation Day “Underground Freedom Train” Ride.

Sadu’s accomplishments evoked a quote she shared with graduands from the late member of provincial parliament Rosemary Brown, the first African Canadian woman to become a member of a provincial legislature: “We must open the doors and we must see to it they remain open so that others can pass through,” Sadu recited.

She took a moment to credit York University for living up to Brown’s words, then encouraged graduands to do so as well. “I hope you will open multiple doors in the future and be door jams – and I’m even going to say door jammers – so that others can pass through,” Sadu said.

Kathleen Taylor, Itah Sadu, Rhonda Lenton
Pictured, from left to right: Chancellor Kathleen Taylor, Itah Sadu and PResident and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton.

Before Sadu began her speech, Kathleen Taylor, York’s 14th chancellor, had praised graduands for their potential to do just that. “Your generation has shown immense strength and determination and continues to work towards positive change. You’re here today because you’ve proven that you have the drive to make the world a better place,” Taylor said. Sadu expanded on Taylor’s sentiments, encouraging students to seize their potential. “Graduates, when you wake up in the morning and history calls you, you text history right back and say, ‘I am coming there ASAP,’ ” Sadu said.

The presence of so many diverse people – students, faculty, staff, families – at Convocation, united in a shared experience, also represented to Sadu the very progress she wished for the graduands and the world. “We have come by car, by train, by taxi, plane and bus. Some of us have cycled and even walked,” she said. “However, we travelled with a common purpose to celebrate today’s graduates to bring joy and to arrive at this powerful destination. This reminds us that we can function in a world where different experiences, perspectives and points of view are to be valued. Therefore, if we work together with common interests, we can arrive at powerful destinations.”

Sadu encouraged graduands to be proactive in helping the world arrive at those destinations by being mindful of giving back. “When you see policies that are unfair, change them. That’s giving back. When you see an injustice and you speak up and out, that’s giving back. When you say a word or a simple act of kindness, that is given back. And know that giving back is altruistic and never, ever transactional,” she said. “Be the best door jammers you can be. And, in the words of the Barbados national anthem, continue to write your names on history’s page with expectations great. And when this happens, in the words of the philanthropist and singer Rihanna, you will shine bright like diamonds. This is your time to shine.”

Wes Hall urges grads to ‘do what others won’t dare to do’

Wes Hall during Fall Convocation

By Ashley Goodfellow Craig, editor, YFile

Before crossing the stage to receive their diplomas, the second cohort of graduands from York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) were greeted with words of encouragement from honourary degree recipient Wes Hall during an Oct. 12 Fall Convocation ceremony.

A businessman, social justice advocate and philanthropist – and celebrity investor on the Canadian reality TV show “Dragons’ Den” – Hall was introduced by LA&PS Dean J.J. McMurtry as having an inspirational story of resilience and tenacity.

“Faced with many barriers to success, Mr. Hall found himself locked out of many boardrooms, inspiring him to create his own,” said McMurtry, noting that Hall was listed as number 18 on The Power List of influential Canadians in Maclean’s.

Chancellor Kathleen Taylor, Wes Hall and President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton
Chancellor Kathleen Taylor (left), Wes Hall (middle) and President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton (right) during an Oct. 12 Fall Convocation ceremony.

Born and raised in a tin shack in rural Jamaica by his grandmother who worked at a plantation, Hall was one of 14 kids and shared with graduands and their guests that he never thought his life would be anything but that. At 18 months old, he and two of his siblings – one four years old and the other six months old – were abandoned by their mother in that shack with nothing but a pot of porridge on the stove.

“She never came back,” recalled Hall. “Days later a neighbour heard us crying … and came to check on us and realized we were by ourselves. She went to the plantation where my grandmother was working … and said, ‘Your grandkids are abandoned in a shack.’ “

It was then his grandmother went to collect them and bring them back with her to raise alongside the seven other grandkids already in her care, in addition to her own special needs daughter. After completing primary school, he and his siblings all had “one choice” – to work at the plantation because there was no money to pay for school beyond that.

“I was saved because my dad, who left when I was one year old from Jamaica to make a better life for himself in Canada, rescued me from that life. I came to Canada Sept. 27, 1985. I was 16 years old. That was 38 years ago that I came here. And people say that you can’t change things overnight.”

Access to free education in Canada, he said, completely changed his life. “I am humbled and honoured to accept this prestigious institution’s honorary doctor of laws. The future wasn’t meant for me that I have today. And I thank all the people that paved the way for me to be here today. I am forever grateful and will continue to work hard to pay back that debt of gratitude that I owe to them,” he said, noting his grandmother as a source of inspiration.

However, it wasn’t always easy. Having to overcome society’s labels and discrimination was part of the uphill climb, and is a barrier he works to create awareness around through social justice efforts. Defined as underserved, underpriveledged or underrepresented imprisons a person’s potential, he said, and can make those labelled feel they don’t belong.

“Several of you are here today despite being labeled underserved, underrepresented, underprivileged – you fought hard and you ought to be commended for that,” he said, urging those graduands to enter the workforce and approach it like a running back in football: if you fumble and fall down, get right back up and find the “positive blockers” around you.

Hall started his own career in the mailroom of a law firm on Bay Street in Toronto – and after being educated at George Brown College as a law clerk, is now a successful businessman, entrepreneur, the founder of the BlackNorth Initiative – which works to combat racism in business – and is an author, with the publication of his autobiography No Bootstraps When You’re Barefoot.

And to those with privilege, he urged them to change the world by using their privilege.

“Many of you are graduating with big dreams. The beauty of dreaming is that we add no restrictions when we dream. We dream as if ‘anything’ is possible,” he said. “Remember, you are all starting from the same place, right here, and it’s up to you to create a just and fair world. Do not relax in your privilege. When you see injustice, you must act decisively. When you see inequality, you must eradicate it. You must never become complacent or complicit.”

With his parting words, Hall shared his formula for success: have a curious mind, work hard and smart and be a changemaker. Don’t take “no” for an answer, and, when you are knocked down, get right back up.

“See the opportunities others do not see. Do what others don’t dare to do,” he said. “Congratulations again – and now go change the world.”

Contribute to York’s new Sustainability Strategy

Keele campus bikes trees Lassonde

La version française suit la version anglaise. 

Dear colleagues,

We are happy to announce the launch of a community consultation period to help inform the renewal of York University’s Sustainability Strategy. Originally published in 2017, this strategy is critical to ensuring we meet our bold sustainability commitments and uphold our collective responsibility for environmental stewardship.

We are seeking your input to help us develop a data-driven strategy to drive our whole-institution approach to sustainability. Consultations will be led by Mike Layton, chief sustainability officer, and will be open to all students, faculty, instructors, staff and alumni. Through renewal of the strategy, we hope to build awareness, create opportunities to engage all members of our community on sustainability-related topics, promote sustainability as one of our core values, generate feedback to inform the new strategy and inspire lifelong commitment to create positive change through environmental sustainability.

We encourage all community members to review our previous strategy before providing feedback through the following channels:

Please note that personal information shared throughout the consultation process will remain confidential. Feedback will be used to guide and inform strategy development in advance of the renewed strategy’s anticipated launch in 2024.

Aligned with the University’s mission of the pursuit, preservation and dissemination of knowledge, York is also releasing its own detailed emissions data and ecological footprint assessment. With its release, York becomes the first Canadian institution to compile and publicize its own comprehensive emissions data and Ecological Footprint assessment.

As the third largest university in Canada, York has an extensive history of demonstrating a commitment to sustainability that has garnered much recognition, including a spot on Canada’s Greenest Employers list for 11 consecutive years and consistent annual high scores for the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings. Our commitment to sustainability touches every aspect of life on our campuses, from research to teaching and learning to how we heat our buildings and dispose of our waste. This new report from the Ecological Footprint Initiative provides us with more information than ever before to identify opportunities to reduce our emissions and develop innovative sustainability solutions.

Our plan to create positive change affects every corner of our campuses and shapes decision-making at every level of the institution. We look forward to co-creating this strategy with you to advance York’s sustainability goals across our network of campuses and ensure sustainability as our core value is embedded all aspects of university life.

Sincerely,

Carol McAulay
Vice-President Finance and Administration

Amir Asif
Vice-President Research and Innovation

Contribuez à la nouvelle Stratégie de développement durable de York

Chers collègues, chères collègues,

J’ai le plaisir d’annoncer le lancement d’une période de consultation afin que la communauté puisse contribuer au renouvellement de la Stratégie de développement durable de l’Université York. Publiée à l’origine en 2017, cette stratégie est essentielle pour garantir le respect de nos engagements audacieux en matière de développement durable et pour honorer notre responsabilité collective en matière de gestion responsable de l’environnement.

Nous sollicitons votre contribution pour nous aider à élaborer une stratégie fondée sur des données afin d’orienter notre approche du développement durable à l’échelle de l’Université. Les consultations seront ouvertes à tous les membres de la population étudiante, des corps professoral et enseignant, du personnel et de la communauté des diplômés. Il y aura plusieurs façons de fournir de la rétroaction. En renouvelant la stratégie, nous espérons faire de la sensibilisation, créer des occasions d’engager tous les membres de notre communauté sur des sujets liés au développement durable, promouvoir le développement durable comme l’une de nos valeurs fondamentales, générer une rétroaction pour alimenter la nouvelle stratégie et inspirer un engagement à vie pour susciter des changements positifs par le biais du développement durable.

J’encourage tous les membres de la communauté à prendre connaissance de notre stratégie précédente avant de nous faire part de leurs commentaires sur les canaux suivants :

Veuillez noter que les informations personnelles partagées tout au long du processus de consultation resteront confidentielles. Les commentaires seront utilisés pour orienter et étayer le développement de la nouvelle stratégie avant son lancement prévu en 2024.

Conformément à la mission de l’Université, à savoir la recherche, la préservation et la diffusion des connaissances, York publie également ses propres données détaillées sur les émissions et l’évaluation de son empreinte écologique. Avec cette publication, York devient le premier établissement canadien à compiler et à publier ses propres données complètes sur les émissions et son évaluation de l’empreinte écologique.

En tant que troisième université du Canada en matière de taille, York démontre depuis toujours sa détermination d’agir en faveur du développement durable, ce qui lui a valu de nombreuses accolades, notamment une place sur la liste des employeurs les plus verts du Canada pendant 11 années consécutives et des résultats annuels élevés au classement Impact du Times Higher Education. Notre engagement en faveur du développement durable touche tous les aspects de la vie sur nos campus, de la recherche à l’enseignement et à l’apprentissage, en passant par la manière dont nous chauffons nos bâtiments et dont nous éliminons nos déchets. Ce nouveau rapport de l’initiative pour l’empreinte écologique nous fournit plus d’informations que jamais pour définir les possibilités de réduction de nos émissions et pour développer des solutions innovantes en matière de développement durable.

Notre volonté d’être susciter des changements positifs touche chaque recoin de nos campus et façonne la prise de décision à tous les niveaux de l’établissement. Nous nous réjouissons de créer cette stratégie avec vous afin de faire progresser les objectifs de durabilité de York sur nos campus et de garantir que la durabilité fasse partie intégrante de tous les aspects de la vie à l’Université.

Sincères salutations,

Carol McAulay
Vice-présidente des finances et de l’administration

Amir Asif
Vice-président de la recherche et de l’innovation

Osgoode Fellow to focus on environmental law, Indigenous land rights

Trowbridge Conservation Area Thunder Bay Ontario Canada in summer featuring beautiful rapids and Canadian Forest with blue sky on summer

Osgoode Hall Law School master’s student Julia Brown, the 2023-24 Environmental Justice & Sustainability Clinic (EJSC) Fellow, hopes she can play a part in ensuring the development of Ontario’s mineral-rich Ring of Fire region, on First Nations land in the environmentally sensitive Hudson Bay Lowlands, does not take place without the free, prior and informed consent of the Indigenous people who live there.

Julia Brown
Julia Brown

Brown will work with leaders of Neskantaga First Nation in an effort to draft the terms of a workable partnership with the Government of Canada as it prepares to undertake a regional environmental assessment prior to any mineral development. The assessment is taking place under Canada’s Impact Assessment Act, which replaced the Environmental Assessment Act in 2019.

Brown said the original terms of reference for the regional assessment gave First Nations in the area only token participation in the process. After strong pushback, the federal agency involved agreed to review the terms.

“That was disappointing,” she explained, “because this legislation was supposed to be a real improvement in terms of the roles that First Nations would play.

“That was a glaring omission,” she said. “Whether development should go ahead really should be up to the people who live there and whose land it is.”

While various levels of government have recognized the importance of reconciliation, they are still reluctant to give up control – especially when it comes to mineral wealth, Brown remarked.

The federal assessment will be among the first to look at a whole region; environmental assessments are typically project specific. Brown said the Ontario government has, to date, declined to participate in the federal process and is carrying out separate assessments focused only on proposed roads connecting the area to the provincial highway system.

“There is no precedent for the federal government in terms of how this regional assessment has to be structured,” she explained. “So we’ll be working on how it could be structured so there is a real partnership between First Nations and the federal government.”

Last year, Neskantaga First Nation marked its 10,000th day of being under a hazardous drinking water advisory, despite federal commitments to fix the problem. Located 463 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, Ont., the fly-in community is situated amid a vast wetland that acts as a huge carbon sink.

Some have called the region the “lungs of Mother Earth,” and the First Nations people there call the region the “Breathing Lands.” In total, the Ring of Fire region spans about 5,000 square kilometres and is rich in chromite, nickel, copper, platinum, gold, zinc and other valuable minerals – some of which are required for battery production.

Brown, who previously worked as a lawyer for Toronto-based OKT Law, the country’s largest Indigenous rights law firm, said she feels fortunate to be working with the Environmental Justice & Sustainability Clinic and its current director, Professor Dayna Nadine Scott – and the feeling is mutual.

“We feel very fortunate this year at the EJSC to have someone with Julia’s depth of knowledge and experience to be stepping into the role of clinic Fellow,” said Scott.

As part of her graduate research, Brown will focus on the issue of emotion in judicial reasoning and how that influences Indigenous title cases. Her research adviser is Professor Emily Kidd White.

Animated video series explains Student Systems Renewal Program initiatives

SSRP animated video

York University’s Student Systems Renewal Program (SSRP) aims to transform and enhance the student, faculty and staff experience at York through improved online systems and processes.

Recognizing the magnitude of the SSRP and the breadth of its projects, the University is taking a creative approach to explain what the program is about through a series of engaging animated videos.  

With Release 1 of the new Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) recently launched, and preparations underway for the launch of the new financial aid, awards and scholarships solution, the University is taking steps to ensure the SSRP and its benefits for students, faculty and staff are communicated to the community. A collection of short, animated videos will convey information in an easy, digestible way. The first video kicks off the series as a general introduction to the program, with project-specific videos soon to follow.  

Watch for the first video’s distribution across various online platforms, and community members are invited to share it through social media. For more information about the program and recent updates, visit the SSRP website at yorku.ca/ssrp.

A statement on behalf of York University

Stong Pond at York University's Keele Campus

La version française suit la version anglaise. 

York University unequivocally condemns the inflammatory statement shared by three student unions last night. Freedom of expression has limits and comes with responsibilities. It must never reach into promoting or justifying violence against unarmed civilians. To suggest otherwise is abhorrent and does not reflect the views of York University, nor the perspective of many thousands of York University students. 

We call upon the executives of the York Federation of Students, York University Graduate Student Association, and the Glendon College Student Union to immediately clarify that they firmly reject any acts of violence or discrimination against Jewish students or other members of the community, and to reaffirm their commitment to non-violence and the safety of all of their members.

Déclaration de l’Université York

L’Université York condamne sans équivoque la déclaration incendiaire partagée par trois syndicats étudiants hier soir. La liberté d’expression a des limites et s’accompagne de responsabilités. Elle ne doit jamais aller jusqu’à promouvoir ou justifier la violence contre des civils désarmés.  Suggérer le contraire est odieux et ne reflète pas les opinions de l’Université York ni le point de vue de plusieurs milliers d’étudiants et étudiantes de l’Université York.

 Nous demandons aux dirigeants de la Fédération des étudiants et étudiantes de York, de l’Association des étudiants et étudiantes de cycle supérieur de l’Université York et de l’Association étudiante du Collège Glendon de déclarer immédiatement qu’ils rejettent fermement tout acte de violence ou de discrimination à l’encontre d’étudiantes et étudiants juifs ou d’autres membres de la communauté, et de réaffirmer leur engagement en faveur de la non-violence et de la sécurité de l’ensemble de leurs membres.