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Schulich building achieves gold standard in sustainable design

Schulich School of Business new building
Image shows the McEwen’s and an image of the building concept drawing

The Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building, which is part of of York University’s Schulich School of Business, received LEED Gold certification – one of the highest standards of sustainability for a building.

Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building
Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building

The Canada Green Building Council issued the Gold certification, a third-party validation that Schulich’s new building has been designed to meet several sustainability criteria, including water efficiency, the reduction of CO2 emissions, and indoor environmental quality. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the global building industry’s premier benchmark for sustainable design.

The 67,000-square-foot building is one of the first in Canada to use the principles of thermally active building systems. One of the building’s core features is a dramatic glass solar chimney that stands 27 metres in height and provides passive natural ventilation for the entire facility.

Some of the other sustainable building features include more than 200 automated, computer-controlled and operable exterior windows to provide natural ventilation and radiant heating and cooling within the floors and ceilings.

“As a Certified LEED Gold Building, the McEwan building embodies the commitment of the Schulich School of Business to be a recognized international leader in environmental sustainability in all its endeavours,” said James McKellar, associate dean of external relations and professor of real estate and infrastructure.  

The Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building was named a recipient of The Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) Design Excellence Awards last year in recognition of its architectural excellence, creativity and sustainable design. The building also received a Canadian Green Building Award in 2020 for its sustainable design, architectural excellence and technical innovation.

Register for April 12 event with York Lion Kaleb Dahlgren, author of ‘Crossroads’

Lions hockey player Kaleb Dahlgren in his hockey uniform on the ice
Lions hockey player Kaleb Dahlgren

On the heels of his nationally recognized Crossroads book launch, the York University Athletics & Recreation Department has scheduled a York community celebration for Kaleb Dahlgren‘s fantastic accomplishment.

The Zoom event taking place on April 12 will feature Dahlgren talking about his book, a Q-and-A period and appearances by prominent members of the York athletic community.

An image of the book cover for Kaleb Dahlgren’s new book Crossroads, alongside an image of Dahlgren in his Lions hockey uniform
Kaleb Dahlgren’s book “Crossroads” was released March 16

The event begins at 12:30 p.m. with a welcome and address from Jennifer Myers, executive director of Athletics & Recreation for York University. BIVSAA (Black & Indigenous Varsity Student-Athlete Alliance) will also be on hand for support of Dahlgren, who is a member of the alliance and an advocate for Black and Indigenous rights on the York campus. BIVSAA co-presidents Monique Simon-Tucker and Teni Odetoyinbo will handle the event’s land acknowledgement, while York Sport Council president Tara Leithead will do the introduction.

Crossroads chronicles an unorthodox journey through life both before and after his involvement in a deadly bus accident that killed 16 of his junior hockey teammates, coaches and team administrators with the Humboldt Broncos on their way to a playoff game in Nipawin, Sask., in April 2018. At the intersection of Highway 335 and 35, a semi-truck missed a stop sign and ran into their bus, creating a scene that sent the sports world into an emotional rollercoaster for an extended period of time.

Life hasn’t been easy for the third-year commerce student – his experiences have been altered by multiple significant events throughout his childhood and young adult life. It began with his diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes at the age of four. Along with diabetes, Dahlgren still lives with severe brain trauma suffered from the bus crash.

The book also covers his childhood and early life, providing important context which proves essential in understanding his approach and resiliency which contributed to his recovery following the bus accident.

You must pre-register for this event here. Once registered, you will receive the Zoom link to access the virtual community celebration.

York Athletics & Recreation has partnered with the Alumni Engagement Team to bring Dahlgren and his story to the York University alumni family.

Join Nav Bhatia, the Raptors’ Superfan and Schulich startup ZERV for a free fitness event, April 7

Nav and the York Lions mascot
Nav and the York Lions mascot

In partnership with York Lions and ZERV (a Schulich startup focused on personal care services), the entire York University community is invited to take part in a special fitness activity with Nav Bhatia Superfan on April 7 at 7 p.m.

Join Nav the Superfan and Yeo for a fun fitness event, April 7

Bhatia, best known as the Toronto Raptor’s Superfan, has always looked for opportunities to engage with the community and bring people together. With the Raptors now in Tampa Bay due to the pandemic, Bhatia is using his free time to begin a journey to a healthier lifestyle and is hoping to bring everyone along with him.

The event is free to sign up, but virtual space is limited. This will be a fun, low impact fitness event, that can be done from the privacy of your own space. There will be prizes, special guests, and more.

Organizers hope to see you there! To learn more, watch the special video below which is direct from the Superfan himself. Register now at https://bit.ly/3cCT7B8.

York researchers part of international effort to cool a sample of antimatter to near absolute zero

Research York University

The international ALPHA (Antihydrogen Laser Physics Apparatus) collaboration at CERN, which includes York University Professor Scott Menary, is touting their newest experiment made possible with a University of British Columbia built laser and research led by UBC Professor Takamasa Momose.

York University physics Professor Scott Menary, Faculty of Science
York University physics Professor Scott Menary, Faculty of Science

The researchers were able to accomplish the world’s first laser-based manipulation of antimatter, leveraging the made-in-Canada laser system to cool a sample of antimatter down to near absolute zero. The research paper was published on March 31 and is the cover story of the journal Nature. In addition to Menary, York PhD student Darij Starko is also a contributor to the research.

The novel approach taken by the international research team will significantly alter the landscape of antimatter research and advance the next generation of experiments. In a quest to discover why the Universe has so little antimatter, the researchers decided to try this unusual technique and used the laser to cool antihydrogen (the antimatter counterpart to the simplest atom, hydrogen, is a neutral antihydrogen atom, which consists of a positively charged positron orbiting a negatively charged antiproton). The original proponent of the idea was Makoto Fujiwara, ALPHA-Canada spokesperson and TRIUMF scientist.

“To cool the antihydrogen using lasers is a technical tour-de-force, which will greatly enhance our ability to measure the properties of antimatter. To achieve laser cooling is a really spectacular result,” says Menary.

The lowest energy state of hydrogen is the most accurately predicted and experimentally measured quantity in all of physics, with agreement between theory and experiment measured to the astonishing level of the 15th decimal place.

But does the same theory – Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) – apply to antihydrogen? This QED theory that so successfully describes hydrogen requires antihydrogen to have the exact same properties. That’s the goal of ALPHA, to test this aspect of the quantum description of the Universe. So far, ALPHA has measured the antihydrogen energy level to around 12 decimal places.

“We are limited to some extent by the fact that the trapped antihydrogen atoms have some residual kinetic energy. They are moving around, albeit slowly, in the trap,” says Menary. “The more we can ‘cool’ or reduce the energy of the trapped antihydrogen atoms, the more precisely we can measure it, particularly the 1S-2S transition frequency, and therefore the better we can test QED.”

The results mark a watershed moment for ALPHA’s decades-long program of antimatter research, which began with the creation and trapping of antihydrogen for a world-record one thousand seconds in 2011. The collaboration also provided a first glimpse of the antihydrogen spectrum in 2012, set guardrails confining the effect of gravity on antimatter in 2013, and showcased an antimatter counterpart to a key spectroscopic phenomenon in 2020.

The Canadian effort was led by researchers and students from ALPHA-Canada (TRIUMF, UBC, Simon Fraser University, the University of Calgary, and York University) and contributors the University of Victoria and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

New Research & Innovation resource documents York’s unique contribution in fight against COVID-19

Featured illustration of the novel coronavirus

York University is a diverse community working to tackle complex societal challenges. On March 11, 2020, when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 – a novel strain of coronavirus – a global pandemic, York immediately began to navigate the unanticipated challenges.

One project chronicles the exceptional work that our researchers are undertaking to aid in the fight against COVID-19 and makes this information available to a wider audience.

When the pandemic was first announced, in March 2020, York University sprang into action and began to navigate the unanticipated challenges
When the pandemic was first announced, in March 2020, York University sprang into action and began to navigate the unanticipated challenges

This resource, now more than 140 pages, contains peer-reviewed scholarly publications, such as the Canadian Medical Journal Association, the Canadian Journal of Public Health and Infectious Disease Modelling; articles in The Conversation Canada, The Washington Post and The Globe and Mail; interviews with CBC and CTV; and more. Updated weekly, it is published on the Office of the Vice-President Research and Innovation (VPRI) website. With the user experience front and center, it is a searchable pdf where users can find research and expertise by faculty, school, researcher name and subject area.

York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton
York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton

“As a leading institution in health and health governance, disaster and emergency management, and disease modelling, York University is well-positioned to contribute to our collective understanding of the social, economic, environmental and health impacts of the pandemic as examined through an interdisciplinary lens,” says York University President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton. “This valuable resource reflects York’s commitment to supporting innovative research, both basic and applied, that furthers worldwide response and recovery efforts and drives positive change in our local and global communities.”

“We bring expertise from across disciplines to build new tools and strategies to tackle the historic crises – the global pandemic being paramount. This list, created by Senior Manager of Research Communications Megan Mueller, is a living document that illustrates York’s tremendous diversity, highly collaborative cross-disciplinary strength. It also exemplifies the uniqueness of York’s fight against the pandemic,” said Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif.

Amir Asif
Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif

Indeed, York’s research contribution to the pandemic is unique and wide-ranging. It includes, for example:

  • much-needed mathematical modelling, from the Faculty of Science, that predicts the spread of the pandemic;
  • guidance and epidemiological expertise on COVID-19 from the Faculty of Health;
  • from the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), critical examinations of racism and gender inequity that came to light during the pandemic, and policy-applicable research on the shortcomings of for-profit long-term care facilities; and
  • an innovative theatre production from the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design that helps kids deal with the stresses of lockdown and isolation.

These examples from across the University illustrate York’s historic strengths in many areas: advancing fundamental inquiry and critical knowledge; building healthy lives, communities and environments; exploring and interrogating the frontiers of science and technology; and forging a just and equitable world.

The research and expertise on this list could be broadly categorized into three areas, work that:

  • profiles research supporting treatment, vaccine development and expert advice;
  • prioritizes the health and safety of staff, students and communities while remaining committed to student academic success; and
  • showcases community impact during COVID-19 – that is, the individual and collective effort of students, ground-breaking discoveries of researchers, supporting emergency planning with local public health offices and the Province of Ontario.
<Caption> York’s contribution to the COVID effort is truly diverse, illustrating York’s historic strengths in a variety of areas
York’s contribution to the COVID effort is truly diverse, illustrating York’s historic strengths in a variety of areas

This research contributes to the larger national efforts

Developing this list is only half the story, Mueller emphasizes. “This resource does not sit statically on the VPRI website. It is leveraged, disseminated and shared both internally, at York, and externally, reaching a national audience,” she says.

Internally, York’s YUBetterTogether website, overseen by the Communications & Public Affairs Division, regularly features these research items and more. YUBetterTogether offers the latest updates, lists of resources and services, and answers to frequently asked questions. VPRI also has a dedicated page “Essential Information for Researchers,” with information about: on-campus research, procedures and other considerations; frequently asked questions; and key documents for York researchers.

Mueller also reaches out to federal and provincial stakeholders for dissemination on a weekly basis. The Council of Ontario Universities leverages this important work and shares it with a wider audience within the province. COU provides a forum for Ontario’s universities to collaborate and advocate in support of their shared mission to the benefit and prosperity of students, communities and the Province of Ontario.

Another important stakeholder, Research Canada, also shares this work to its national audiences and often features York research on its HRI Portal. Research Canada is a national alliance dedicated to advancing health research through collaborative advocacy.

Adding to this, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and Universities Canada also share York research on social media channels.

“CFI, CIHR, COU, Research Canada, NSERC and SSHRC are exceptional collaborators. We are grateful for their assistance in helping to help spread the word about York’s ground-breaking pandemic research and expertise,” says Mueller. “Having York’s contribution to the COVID fight reach a wider audience is essential.”

Visit the VPRI COVID-19 page to see the resource.

Submit your nomination today for Senate committees and other elected positions

Drone image shows Vari Hall and the Ross Building on Keele Campus

The Executive Committee of the Senate of York University has issued its annual call for expressions of personal interest in, and suggestions for, nominations for membership on Senate committees and other positions elected by Senate. For details, see the dedicated “Elections” page accessible from the Senate website.

Expressions of personal interest and the recommendation of other individuals can be transmitted by means of a form created for this purpose. Specific criteria for each of the positions should be reviewed carefully before the forms are submitted. Individuals must be available to serve at the standing meeting times of committees, and other criteria apply.

Questions about any aspect of the nomination and election process may be addressed to Cheryl Underhill, senior assistant secretary, University Secretariat, by email at underhil@yorku.ca.

Senate Committee or Position* Vacancies for terms beginning July 1, 2021
Senator on the Board of Governors 1 full-time tenure-stream faculty or full-time tenure-stream librarian or archivist
Vice-Chair of Senate 1 full-time faculty member
Academic Standards, Curriculum and Pedagogy 3 full-time faculty members
1 contract faculty member
Appeals Committee 2 full-time faculty members
Awards 2 full-time faculty members
Joint Sub-Committee on Quality Assurance 5 full-time faculty members
Tenure and Promotions Appeals Committee 4 full-time faculty members
Tenure and Promotions Committee 5 full-time faculty members

*Senate Executive, Academic Policy, Planning and Research, and the Sub-Committee on Honorary Degrees and Ceremonials are populated by a process leading to nominations by Faculty Councils. Contact Faculty Council secretaries for information on vacancies.

Multi-campus positioning online survey starts March 31

Keele campus Fall image showing the Bergeron Centre for Engineering Excellence

The following is a message to the University community from York President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda L. Lenton and Chief Communications & Marketing Officer Susan Webb:

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear Colleagues,

In September 2020, we launched our first-ever York University brand strategy, which captures our distinctive identity as a high-quality, research-intensive university committed to driving positive change for our students, our communities and the world around us. Underpinned by our University Academic Plan, Strategic Research Plan and other foundational planning documents, the brand strategy serves as an authentic and differentiated expression of our shared sense of purpose and identity.

As we consider all aspects of who we are as a community, there is an opportunity to understand how our campuses and other key locations support the overarching institutional positioning of “positive change.” Over the years, York has evolved into a multi-campus, multi-location university. From our original Glendon and Keele campuses, we have expanded locally into our downtown locations, where we offer executive education and professional development courses, and globally into our Costa Rica EcoCampus and Schulich MBA centre in Hyderabad, India. With our new Markham Centre Campus opening its doors in 2023, we want to be purposeful in how we communicate the synergies and benefits of our campuses to all our audiences.

Our University Brand & Marketing team is looking for your input to help inform our plans for positioning our multiple campuses and locations.  We will also be seeking the views of current students and our alumni.

This short survey launches today and will be available until April 12.

Take the survey in English

Take the survey in French

We hope to hear from as many members of our community as possible so that we can benefit from a diverse range of perspectives.

Warm regards,

Rhonda L. Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor 

Susan Webb
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
Communications & Public Affairs Division

Lancement du sondage en ligne sur le positionnement multicampus

Chers collègues,

En septembre 2020, nous avons introduit la toute première stratégie de marque de l’Université York qui reflète notre identité unique en tant qu’université de grande qualité, axée sur la recherche et engagée envers la création de changements positifs pour nos étudiants, pour nos communautés et pour le monde qui nous entoure. S’appuyant sur le Plan académique de l’Université, sur notre Plan de recherche stratégique et sur d’autres documents fondamentaux de planification, cette stratégie de marque est l’expression authentique et différenciée de notre vocation et de notre identité communes.

Cet examen des aspects de notre identité en tant que communauté nous donne l’occasion de comprendre le rôle de nos campus et d’autres emplacements stratégiques dans notre orientation institutionnelle globale envers des « changements positifs ». Au fil des années, York est devenu une université multicampus et multisites. Nos deux campus initiaux étaient les campus Glendon et Keele. Par la suite, nous nous sommes implantés au centre-ville de Toronto, où nous proposons aujourd’hui des cours de formation des cadres et de développement professionnel, puis à l’échelle internationale avec notre éco-campus au Costa Rica et le centre Schulich MBA à Hyderabad, en Inde. Avec l’ouverture de notre nouveau campus Markham Centre en 2023, nous souhaitons communiquer de manière ciblée les synergies et les avantages de nos campus à tous nos auditoires.

L’équipe chargée de la marque et du marketing de l’Université sollicite vos commentaires afin d’orienter nos plans de positionnement multicampus et multisites. Nous solliciterons également la perspective des étudiants actuels et de nos diplômés.

Vous avez jusqu’au 12 avril pour répondre à ce sondage.

Remplir le sondage en anglais

Remplir le sondage en français

Nous espérons recueillir les témoignages du plus grand nombre possible de membres de notre communauté afin de bénéficier d’un large éventail de points de vue.

Cordialement,

Rhonda L. Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière 

Susan Webb
Dirigeante principale des communications et du marketing
Division des communications et des affaires publiques

Study finds female style influencers over age 50 engage in ‘styleactivism’ to address ageism, sexism

Gender discrimination continues to be an issue in today’s work and marketplace, but female style influencers over the age of 50 are changing the landscape of the fashion and beauty industries.

A study recently published in the Journal for the Association of Consumer Research finds that advanced (aged 50-plus) female style influencers use the social media platform Instagram to actively fight gendered ageism rampant in the fashion and beauty industries.

Ela Veresiu
Ela Veresiu

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)-funded study was undertaken by Schulich School of Business Associate Professor Ela Veresiu in collaboration with HEC Montréal Associate Professor Marie-Agnès Parmentier, who is a York University alumna.

A growing body of consumer research on intersectionality in the marketplace focuses on identifying overlapping oppressive consumer identity categories, such as gender and race. Yet this work tends to prioritize microlevel agency over power relations within structures and practices of domination.

Drawing on the more transformative aspects of intersectionality theory, as well as a focused media and netnographic investigation of the ‘Advanced Style’ movement in North America, the study examines how advanced (aged 50-plus) female style influencers help transform the ageist and sexist fashion and beauty markets.

Specifically, these women enact two forms of embodied resistance informed by the Western dominant discourse of successful aging (deconstructing gendered and ageist fashion and defying gendered and ageist beauty) using the social media platform Instagram.

“It is inspiring to see regular women turned influencers trying to change not only gender, but also age discrimination in the fashion, beauty, and even influencer markets,” said Veresiu.

These consumers-turned-influencers engage in online “styleactivism” demanding designers to create ready-to-wear options for their changing bodies. They equally reject the anti-aging beauty market, opting instead to popularize natural, graying hair, wrinkles, and body scars through their Instagram posts. When selecting brands for collaboration as typical influencers, these ‘Advanced Style Influencers’ often refuse to be the token senior.

The study concludes with future research directions on the transformative potential of embodied resistance for various doubly oppressive gendered and ageist marketplaces.

“You too can follow the Advanced Style influencers’ consumer activism journeys on Instagram using the hashtag #advancedstyle,” said Veresiu.

Read the study “Advanced Style Influencers: Confronting Gendered Ageism in Fashion and Beauty Markets.”

York University introduces a new transitional remote work policy for staff

Vari Hall

The following is an important message for faculty and staff from Vice-President Equity, People and Culture Sheila Cote-Meek:

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear Colleagues,

As mentioned in an earlier message from President Lenton, York University is introducing a new Transitional Remote Work Policy as part of our commitment to the well-being of our community. The implementation of this new policy began March 29 with a goal to create more flexibility for staff, stronger engagement, satisfaction and productivity in daily work, both now and into the future.

As we continue to closely monitor public health guidance, the Transitional Remote Work Policy is part of our plan to keep the York community safe and healthy during our gradual return to campuses. We are committed to reviewing the policy and program over the next year to determine if an ongoing policy is the right approach for York as an employer of choice.

The policy will apply to non-academic employees designated as CPM (including Temporary Contract Management [TCM]) and employees in YUSA-1 and YUSA-2 units. Staff will be asked to identify whether they would like to work remotely for their full work week or on a partial basis. Ad hoc requests may also be considered by managers. Below is a list of key dates and information around the launch of this policy at York.

Timelines for Roll-out of Transitional Remote Work Policy 

Date 

Action 

March 26
  • Transitional Remote Work Policy is announced

March 29
  • Transitional Remote Work Policy implementation begins

May 1
  • Transitional Remote Work Policy effective date

March 29 – May 30
  • Staff will be contacted by managers to determine their interest in remote work arrangements for the Summer, Fall & Winter terms.
  • Requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis in a fair and equitable manner, based on operational requirements.
  • All staff will be required to complete a form and indicate whether or not they would like to work remotely.

June 30
  • Decisions are planned to be communicated to staff about remote work arrangements.

Over the past year, we have learned a great deal about remote work and continue to evaluate its benefits. Your persistence and dedication in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been essential to the success of the University and we appreciate your efforts. As we look ahead, I would also like to offer reassurance that for any staff who may be required to return to campus before September, we appreciate that arrangements may need to be made and will provide as much notice as possible to ensure a smooth transition. We are committed to no less than two weeks notice.

As mentioned in the President’s message, we are implementing a special York Wellness Day on Friday, July 2 to provide an extended four-day long weekend. We recognize that not all staff will be able to have this extra day off given the required nature of their role with the University. For those staff who are required to work, compensation will be arranged following our collective agreements or terms and conditions of employment for non-unionized staff.

In the meantime, continue to look for updates in the coming weeks on YU Better Together.

Sheila Cote-Meek 
Vice-President Equity, People & Culture

Nouvelle politique transitoire de télétravail pour le personnel de York

Chers collègues, 

Comme l’a mentionné la présidente Lenton, l’Université York introduit une nouvelle politique transitoire de télétravail dans le cadre de son engagement envers le bien-être de sa communauté. La mise en place de cette nouvelle politique commence aujourd’hui afin de fournir au personnel plus de flexibilité et un niveau d’engagement, de satisfaction et de productivité plus fort dans le travail quotidien maintenant et à l’avenir. 

Alors que nous continuons à suivre de près les directives de santé publique, la politique transitoire de télétravail fait partie de notre plan visant à assurer la sécurité et la santé de la communauté de York durant notre retour échelonné sur les campus. Nous nous engageons à réexaminer cette politique et ce programme au cours de l’année à venir afin de déterminer si une politique permanente est la bonne approche pour York en tant qu’employeur de choix.

Cette politique s’appliquera aux employés non académiques désignés comme CPM (y compris les employés TCM [Temporary Contract Management] et aux employés des unités YUSA-1 et YUSA-2. Les membres du personnel devront indiquer s’ils souhaitent travailler à distance pendant toute leur semaine de travail ou sur une base partielle. Des demandes ponctuelles peuvent également être prises en compte par les gestionnaires. Vous trouverez ci-dessous une liste de dates et d’informations importantes concernant le lancement de cette politique à York.  

Dates de mise en œuvre de la politique transitoire de télétravail  

Date 

Mesure 

26 mars 
  • Annonce de la politique transitoire de télétravail  

29 mars 
  • Début de la mise en place de la politique transitoire de télétravail 

1er mai 
  • Date d’entrée en vigueur de la politique transitoire de télétravail 

29 mars au 30 mai
  • Les gestionnaires contacteront leurs employés pour connaître leur intérêt envers le travail à distance durant les trimestres d’été, d’automne et d’hiver. 
  • Les demandes seront examinées au cas par cas, de manière juste et équitable, en fonction des exigences opérationnelles. 
  • Tous les membres du personnel devront remplir un formulaire et indiquer s’ils souhaitent ou non travailler à distance. 

30 juin
  • Les décisions relatives aux modalités de télétravail seront communiquées au personnel. 

Au cours de l’année écoulée, nous avons beaucoup appris sur le télétravail et nous continuons à évaluer ses avantages. Votre persévérance et votre dévouement en réponse à la pandémie de COVID-19 ont été essentiels au succès de l’Université et nous apprécions vos efforts. Je tiens à rassurer les membres du personnel qui devront retourner sur le campus avant le mois de septembre. Comme nous sommes conscients que vous devrez prendre des dispositions, nous préviendrons les personnes concernées le plus rapidement possible afin d’assurer une transition harmonieuse. Nous nous engageons à leur fournir au moins deux semaines de préavis. 

Comme mentionné dans le message de la présidente, nous mettons en place une journée spéciale de bien-être à York le vendredi 2 juillet afin d’offrir un long week-end de 4 jours. Nous savons que certains membres du personnel ne pourront pas bénéficier de ce jour de congé supplémentaire en raison de la nature de leur rôle au sein de l’Université. Pour les membres du personnel qui seront tenus de travailler ce jour-là, la rémunération sera prévue conformément à nos conventions collectives ou aux conditions d’emploi pour le personnel non syndiqué.     

Entre-temps, veuillez vous joindre à la conversation communautaire virtuelle de la présidente le 30 mars pour en savoir plus. Attendez-vous à voir d’autres nouvelles dans les semaines à venir sur le site Web YU Better Together.  

Sheila Cote-Meek
Vice-présidente de l’équité, des personnes et de la culture

York’s president offers an update on return to campus planning

Featured illustration of the novel coronavirus

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

La version française suit la version anglaise.

Dear Colleagues,

In my last update about our plan to safely return to our campuses this fall, I promised to share more details with you as they became available.

We recognize that the public health situation as it pertains to the ongoing pandemic continues to evolve, and that many of you understandably have questions about Fall 2021 planning. We continue to actively plan for a safe return to on-campus activities, while carefully monitoring public health guidance and the ongoing rollout of vaccines.

Our academic planning for the fall term is well underway, with the goal of providing our students with greater access to curricular and co-curricular activities on our campuses. We understand that remote learning will still be necessary for some courses due to physical distancing precautions and other factors. Some students may also have travel or health restrictions limiting their access to campus. At the same time, we appreciate how challenging it has been for our students, including our first-year students, who have been with us for a year without yet having been on campus.

We look forward to providing more specific guidance about what this will look like in the coming weeks.

As we anticipate the arrival of more students, staff, faculty and instructors on our York campuses later this year, next week we will be sharing our new Transitional Remote Work Policy with you, which will provide eligible staff with an opportunity to engage with managers about the return to campus plans and options for ongoing remote arrangements.

The gradual return to campus for all staff and managers is expected to take place beginning in late summer to early fall, in accordance with Toronto Public Health Guidelines.

We are also instituting a special York Wellness Day on Friday, July 2, to provide an extended four-day long weekend. We recognize that not all staff will be able to have this extra day off given the required nature of their role with the University. For those staff who are required to work, compensation will be arranged following our collective agreements or terms and conditions of employment for non-unionized staff.

It is exciting to look ahead with optimism for when we will be able to gather safely on our campuses once again. I would like to take this opportunity as well to thank faculty and staff who have been on campus throughout the pandemic for their hard work delivering required courses in-person, and keeping our campuses safe and accessible to those who need it. I look forward to sharing more details about our plans with you in the coming weeks and in the meantime, I encourage you to continue to visit YU Better Together for ongoing updates.

Sincerely,   

Rhonda Lenton
President & Vice-Chancellor 

Communication au sujet de la planification du retour sur le campus 

Chers collègues,  

Dans ma dernière communication au sujet de la planification du retour sécuritaire sur nos campus en automne, j’avais promis de partager plus de détails avec vous dès qu’ils seraient disponibles. 

Nous sommes conscients que la situation de la santé publique relative à la pandémie actuelle continue d’évoluer et il est compréhensible que beaucoup d’entre vous aient des questions au sujet de la planification de l’automne 2021. Nous planifions activement la reprise sécuritaire des activités sur le campus, tout en prenant en compte les directives de santé publique et le déploiement des vaccins.  

Notre planification académique pour le trimestre d’automne est en bonne voie; elle vise à fournir à nos étudiants et étudiantes un meilleur accès aux activités académiques et parallèles sur nos campus. Nous comprenons que l’apprentissage à distance demeurera nécessaire pour quelques cours en raison des précautions de distanciation physique et d’autres facteurs. Certains membres du corps étudiant risquent d’être astreints à des restrictions de voyage ou de santé limitant leur accès au campus. En revanche, nous sommes conscients des défis que la pandémie a posés à nos étudiants et étudiantes, y compris ceux et celles de première année qui sont à York depuis un an sans avoir eu la chance de fréquenter les campus.  

Nous vous fournirons des indications plus précises à ce sujet dans les semaines à venir.   

Nous anticipons l’arrivée d’un plus grand nombre d’étudiants, de membres du personnel, du corps professoral et du corps enseignant sur nos campus au courant de l’année. Nous vous communiquerons donc la semaine prochaine notre nouvelle politique transitoire de télétravail, qui donnera aux membres admissibles du personnel la possibilité de discuter avec leurs gestionnaires des plans de retour sur le campus et des options continues de télétravail.  

Le retour progressif sur les campus de l’ensemble du personnel et des gestionnaires devrait commencer à la fin de l’été ou au début de l’automne, conformément aux directives de la santé publique de Toronto. 

Nous instituons également une « journée spéciale de bien-être à York » le vendredi 2 juillet afin d’offrir un long week-end de 4 jours. Nous savons que certains membres du personnel ne pourront pas bénéficier de ce jour de congé supplémentaire en raison de la nature de leur rôle à l’Université. En ce qui concerne les membres du personnel tenus de travailler ce jour-là, une rémunération sera prévue conformément à nos conventions collectives, ou aux conditions d’emploi, dans le cas de personnel non syndiqué.  

Il est agréable de pouvoir envisager avec optimisme le jour où nous nous réunirons à nouveau de façon sécuritaire sur les campus. Je souhaite également saisir cette occasion pour remercier les membres du corps professoral et du personnel, qui sont restés sur place tout au long de la pandémie et qui ont travaillé sans relâche pour donner des cours obligatoires en personne et pour assurer la sécurité et l’accessibilité des campus. J’ai hâte de pouvoir partager avec vous plus d’information sur notre planification dans les semaines à venir. En attendant, je vous encourage à visiter le site YU Better Together pour les dernières nouvelles. 

Veuillez agréer mes sincères salutations,   

Rhonda Lenton
Présidente et vice-chancelière