Advancing YU empowers Black, women students

July 19, 2024

Advancing YU is a mentorship and scholarship program in York University’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) that links Black and/or women third- and fourth-year students with experienced alumni mentors, and provides professional and personal development opportunities.

A critical component of the Advancing YU program is matching student mentees with alumni mentors who share identities and experiences, and who have faced similar barriers.

“By connecting them with alumni mentors who share aspects of their identities, and many of whom have navigated similar challenges, we provide contexts within which our participants can excel and where they receive supports to encourage success in their academic and professional pursuits,” says Michele Johnson, interim dean of LA&PS.

Advancing YU consists of two streams – Advancing Black Students and Advancing Women – and offers a $1,000 scholarship upon completion of the program requirements. The program has benefited over 300 LA&PS students since 2020.

“Advancing YU has been a game changer for our Black and women students, offering targeted mentorship and resources that are meant to address some of their specific needs and aspirations,” says Johnson.

Within the program, students are organized into “quartets” consisting of one mentor and three students. They are required to invest 40 hours total (10 hours per month) into meeting with their mentor, joining workshops and personal reflection.

The program has engaged over 70 mentors in the past three years and continues to provide accomplished Black and/or women mentors a platform to give back to the York U community.

Alumni mentor Anika Holder, vice-president of human resources at Penguin Random House Canada, had this to say about the program: “One of the reasons I wanted to participate in the Advancing YU program is because, at this point in my career, I felt it was time to reach back and lift up. It’s helpful [for students] to have a real-life example who can offer their thoughts and help them to uncover and shape their vision.”

Lynette Furtado, a past participant in Advancing YU who now works as a policy consultant and mental health advocate, calls the program transformative in helping her navigate post-graduation life.

“[It was] vital in allowing me to network and develop strong connections, while providing resources tailored to my needs,” Furtado says. “My mentor guided me in the complexities of the legal field and helped me explore paths available to me.”

Keisha Porter, a recent mentee in the Advancing Black Students stream, echoes that being accepted into the program was life changing, both professionally and personally.

“Aside from building great contacts and networks, this program has taught me how to show up and advocate for myself in a variety of situations and environments. As a result, I am empowered and prepared to face both future obstacles and victories.”

“This program exemplifies our commitment to supporting diverse groups within our community and creating pathways for the advancement of Black and women scholars,” says Johnson.

Advancing YU student applications are open now until Oct. 4. Students must be in their third or fourth year of study in an LA&PS program, with a minimum of 54 credits completed. To learn more and apply for the 2024-25 Advancing YU program, students can visit the Student Information page.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to share Advancing YU program information and the application deadline with students.

Study examines impact of Quebec’s Bill 21

July 10, 2024

The senior southeast Asian woman with hijab standing on the blue background

York University Professor Nadia Hasan, in collaboration with the National Council of Canadian Muslims, has published a new study called “Social Discord and Second-class Citizenship” that examines how legislation passed in Quebec has negatively impacted the lives and careers of Muslim women.

Bill 21, a legislation enacted in 2019, prohibits Quebec public servants – teachers, law enforcement officers, prosecutors and others – from wearing religious symbols like the hijab, turban or kippah while at work.

Given the implications of the bill, Hasan, who joined York U’s School of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies last year, sought to better understand the impact the bill has had on the lives of Muslims and other religious minorities in Quebec since its inception.

After conducting in-depth interviews with 10 Muslim women, surveying 411 Quebec Muslim women and 750 other individuals in the general Quebec population, and drawing on information from Canadian market research company Abacus Data, a clear conclusion – shared in the published study – emerged: “Bill 21 systematically corners Muslim women into vulnerable positions as second-class citizens,” says Hasan. “This study is one of the largest of its kind and it contributes to a mounting body of evidence that illustrates the clearly damaging and harmful impacts of Bill 21.”

Per the findings in the report, Muslim women are experiencing heightened levels of stress and discriminatory treatment from colleagues due to the legislation, in ways that leave many facing a difficult decision between their religious beliefs and their professional careers.

“This important study provides compelling evidence for the real and negative impact of Law 21 on Muslim women living in Quebec, especially regarding access to the job market and career advancement opportunities, mental health, rise in verbal and physical aggressions, and gender equality,” says Professor Amelie Barras from the Department of Social Science, who was an external advisory committee member on the study.

“When you take away people’s rights, when you legislate and legitimize discrimination against them, it is not surprising to find that their lives have deteriorated in multiple ways,” says Hasan

The negative impact of the bill isn’t limited to individuals, either, the study finds. As many Muslim women are contemplating relocating from the province to seek better opportunities elsewhere, this potential exodus could result in billions of dollars of income loss for Quebec.

“The study shows that these negative consequences are far from being limited to women working in public services affected by the law, but extend to Quebec society at large, affecting both public and private sectors,” says Barras.

The study ends with 11 recommendations to help mitigate the impact of Bill 21, but for Hasan, the hope is the report will help advance what she believes is the most important outcome. “The only real solution is to repeal it,” she says.

York University professor champions arts of the Indian Ocean

June 27, 2024

Toy boat on a map of the Indian Ocean BANNER

For centuries, the Indian Ocean has been a vital maritime highway, facilitating the movement of people, goods and ideas across a vast region stretching from East Africa to Southeast Asia. Yet the artistic legacies born from these cross-cultural exchanges remain relatively understudied compared to other parts of the world. Zulfikar Hirji, a professor of anthropology at York University, is on a mission to change that.

This past April and May, Hirji co-organized the pioneering Arts of the Indian Ocean conference, which brought together 75 scholars, artists and curators from diverse backgrounds to explore the region’s rich artistic heritage across mediums, geographies and eras.

“The Indian Ocean constitutes one of the world’s most historic hubs of maritime trade and artistic exchange, but it remains one of the most understudied areas in terms of the arts,” says Hirji. “Scholars and artists working in and on the region provide vital insights into how it has been continually shaped by aesthetic and material exchanges.”

The conference’s wide-ranging program reflected the Indian Ocean region’s incredible cultural diversity. Presentations spanned topics such as Indonesian textiles, Japanese majolica tiles influenced by the Indian independence movement and the monumental Arabic inscriptions of royal palaces in East Africa.

“We had papers covering everything from ceramics to digital arts, from prehistory up to the contemporary period, from East Africa all the way to Japan,” Hirji says. “It really gave a sense of the vibrancy and depth of artistic production across the region over centuries.”

Notably, the conference prioritized including voices and perspectives from the Global South, breaking from the tradition of knowledge about the region being produced primarily from a northern viewpoint. Participants hailed from countries including India, Singapore, Mauritius and Mozambique.

“It was unprecedented in terms of the partnerships we built across Toronto to fund and host this event,” notes Hirji, citing collaborators such as the University of Toronto, the Aga Khan Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum. “Having that diversity of perspectives was crucial.”

A key theme was the threat climate change poses to the Indian Ocean’s cultural heritage and coastal communities. Several artists raised concerns about rising seas, erosion and flooding putting historic sites and traditions at risk of being lost forever without documentation and conservation efforts.

“These are issues that artists in the region are really grappling with,” Hirji says. “Their work sounds an alarm about the need to address these environmental impacts before it’s too late.”

Looking ahead, Hirji hopes to establish the conference as a biennial event and publish an edited volume of selected papers to further scholarly engagement with Indian Ocean arts. But most of all, he wants to inspire more research and creative work illuminating the region’s incredible cultural riches.

“The Indian Ocean world has been a crucible of creativity for millennia,” Hirji says. “By bringing greater attention to its artistic legacies, we can better understand the diverse societies that have shaped human history across this vast maritime region.”

Arnold Auguste reflects on career spent sharing marginalized voices

June 25, 2024

By Lindsay MacAdam, communications officer, YFile

At York University’s Spring Convocation ceremony on the morning of June 20, an honorary degree was presented to Arnold Auguste, president and publisher of the newspaper Share, which has been serving the Greater Toronto Area’s Black and Caribbean communities since 1978.

Born and raised in Trinidad, Auguste always had a fondness for Canada, so when he had the opportunity to move to Toronto in 1970, he didn’t hesitate. Two years later, a friend asked him if he would be interested in writing a column for community newspaper called Contrast, which covered issues affecting the Black community. And although writing was not something he had ever contemplated or felt capable of doing, he agreed. That was 52 years ago.

Pictured, from left to right: Chancellor Kathleen Taylor, Arnold Auguste, President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton.

“Today, I am proud to say that I’m a journalist,” said Auguste. “But this profession found me; I didn’t go looking for it.”

Growing up in Trinidad, Auguste naturally gravitated towards news media. He had access to three daily newspapers and three weekend tabloids, and he read every one. “I never, in my wildest dreams, thought I would ever write for one – let alone own one,” he admitted.

As Auguste became more involved with Toronto’s Black community, he learned that people were raising funds to provide university scholarships for ambitious youth. He felt a pull to pursue that path, to gain the skills necessary to help him tell the stories of his community in the most compelling way possible. “I felt that if stories needed to be told, they needed to be told well,” he said. “So I entered university to study journalism, where I had the privilege of learning from some of the best people in the business.”

After completing his studies, Auguste worked briefly as an editor at two Black community newspapers, before differences of opinion led to a parting of ways and to Auguste’s eventual decision to start his own publication. Looking to provide a forum where important issues affecting his community could be discussed and debated, he launched Share.

“I never wanted to own a newspaper,” he said, “but if I was to continue working in the Black community, I didn’t see another option.”

Before long, Share took over the market, and the other two publications went out of business.

Auguste was adamant that his newspaper would be free; that it would only publish positive news; that it would not accept any advertising that wasn’t in the best interests of its readers; and that it would not accept government funding. “If the paper was to be successful, it should be supported by the readers,” he believed. And supported it was.

Over the years, Auguste has considered closing his paper several times, but each time that decision has been met with resistance from its steadfast supporters. Last year, he decided again that, after 45 years, it was time to cease publication. This time, he didn’t tell anyone – “I thought I would just sneak out the back door and nobody would notice,” he said.

After the first few weeks, people started calling to find out why they couldn’t find the paper anywhere. Then, the number of calls increased. Eventually, people began offering financial support, thinking that was the reason for the shutdown. Others said they were willing to start paying for the paper that had been free for 45 years. The community had spoken: Share wasn’t going anywhere.

“This experience has instilled in us a renewed sense of Share‘s relevance,” said Auguste, finally realizing how critical his publication is to his community.

With people of colour now working in important positions in Canadian media, academia, the labour movement, police services, the medical profession, as lawyers and judges, at every level of government and in just about every walk of life, Share‘s role, Auguste explained, is to honour those who sacrificed to make that happen.

“As a dear friend reminded me,” said Auguste, “if our history is not written, it is as though we did not exist. Share proves that we existed.”

To conclude his speech, Auguste left graduands with some sage words of advice.

“You have been educated by one of the top universities in the world,” he said. “You are ready to take your place among the movers and shakers. Accept the challenge. Go forward with confidence in yourself and in your training. Be good people. Be honest people. Be kind. Be generous of spirit. Live a life of purpose and help make this world a better place.”

Reeta Roy urges Faculty of Education graduands to ‘make a difference in the lives of learners’

June 21, 2024

Reeta Roy, president and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation – an international non-governmental organization focused on empowering young Africans with education – offered several calls-to-action to Faculty of Education graduands to help shape the future of education.

“You have an entire lifetime of impact ahead of you,” Roy promised graduands during their June 17 convocation, as she began her address to them. “Whether you stand in front of the classroom or you get to decide what is taught in the classroom, whether you focus on expanding access to education or you set standards of education, you will make a difference in the lives of learners.”

An advocate for the transformational power of education through her work at the Mastercard Foundation, Roy made several requests of graduands as they move ahead in their careers.

She urged them to lean into one of the most important qualities teachers can possess. “As educators, one of the most important things you do – and you will do – is to recognize promise and talent in others, even before they may perceive it in themselves,” she said. “You have the opportunity to truly see the whole person – not the boundaries and not the limitations around them.”

That, she explained, can lead to something educators are uniquely positioned to do. “More than just see them, you will enable their passions, develop their confidence and help them believe in themselves so they can walk their own journeys and create their own opportunities,” said Roy.

Kathleen Taylor, Reeta Roy, Rhonda Lenton copy — Pictured, from left to right: Chancellor Kathleen Taylor, Reeta Roy, President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton.

She also called upon graduands to transform the reality of who deserves an education, as she noted there are many who struggle to access learning due to poverty, conflict, distance, disability, lack of teachers, gender and more.

Roy noted she has seen – and worked to change – this directly, through her work with the Mastercard Foundation, which advances the development of educational opportunities for African youth and their families, and looks to empower 30 million young Africans by 2030 with the creation of educational and economic opportunities.

Roy delivered her final call to action in the form of an anecdote. She recounted a trip to Moosonee, a small town in northern Ontario sometimes referred to as “the gateway to the Arctic.” She was doing work there with the Weeneebayko Area Health Authority, training Indigenous young people to become health professionals who would help the larger medical system embody Indigenous knowledge and world views about what is healthy and what is wellness.

During her visit, she encountered – in person, for the first time – an ice road.

She learned that during winters, communities transform rivers, lakes and other bodies of water into ice that’s strong enough to sustain trucks and cars transporting food, fuel and necessities to otherwise isolated communities. “I was just stunned by the sophistication and the technical know-how to create these roads,” Roy said. “The ice road reflected Indigenous technology based on traditional knowledge of living with the natural environment.”

At the same time, she marvelled at the cutting-edge knowledge being integrated into the unique type of infrastructure. As climate change threatens those ice roads, making it hard to predict where dangerous cracks might form, she learned that university researchers are applying emerging technologies – like sensors and artificial intelligence – to create better predictive models that can identity where cracks and ridges may form.

The ice road – its past, present and future – reminded Roy of education. “The ice road isn’t just a bridge across waters,” she said. “It’s a bridge connecting communities and cultures. It’s a bridge connecting traditional knowledge with new forms of knowledge, connecting the past and the present.”

In that realization, she found the lesson she wanted to impart on the Faculty of Education graduands she was addressing. “You can be that bridge,” she urged. “Be that bridge.”

York University rises to top 35 globally in Times Higher Education Impact Rankings

June 12, 2024

Voir la version française

Dear colleagues,

York University has risen an impressive five spots to be among the top 35 institutions in the world for advancing the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to this year’s Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, published today.

This is a testament to the growing recognition for York’s global leadership on the SDG Challenge and has been made possible by our community of changemakers – faculty, staff, students, course directors, alumni and our many partners. It is your commitment to our shared values of sustainability, inclusivity and equity that has enabled us to achieve our highest ranking yet.

On behalf of the University, thank you for your individual contributions and collective efforts in interdisciplinary research, teaching, and a myriad of campus initiatives and community projects, which have led to this success.

With an additional 300+ universities joining the rankings this year, York has continued to hold its leading position among more than 2,100+ universities worldwide for the sixth consecutive year. York has a particularly strong global standing in the following categories:

SDG 1 (No Poverty) – #2 in the world and #1 in Canada;
SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) – 33rd in the world and #1 in Canada; and
SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) – tied for 13th in the world.

This is an achievement we all share and one that the entire York community can take great pride in. We are delighted to see the community united by our common goals: to realize the University Academic Plan 2020-25 and to answer the call of the SDG Challenge.

When we work together to create positive change there is no limit on York’s ability to address the most pressing global issues of our time. Read the News@York story for more details.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Lenton
President & Vice-Chancellor

Lisa Philipps
Provost & Vice-President Academic

Amir Asif
Vice-President Research & Innovation

Those who wish to share the news in social media posts or email signatures can find instructions on how to do so in the THE Impact Rankings Toolkit.

York U study examines immigrant families’ experiences with autism stigma, caregiver stress

June 11, 2024

Woman and child hands holding together colorful puzzle heart on light blue background

A study by York University Faculty of Health Professor Farah Ahmad and her students Fariha Shafi and Amirtha Karunakaran, titled “Autism, Stigma, and South Asian Immigrant Families in Canada,” was recently published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

While existing evidence suggests early autism diagnosis and support results in positive outcomes for children and youth on the spectrum and their families, Ahmad believed the same might not be true for children of racialized families, who are often diagnosed at later ages and are more likely to be misdiagnosed and experience barriers to service access. She also identified a lack of research examining the experiences of parents in Canada from specific immigrant groups – many from racialized communities – who are caring for their children on the spectrum.

With funding from York University’s Faculty of Health, through a Collaborative & Community-based Research Seed Grant, the York U researchers set out to address this knowledge gap by looking at South Asian Canadian immigrant parents with children on the autism spectrum and examining their experiences with available care programs and supports, as well as their perceptions of social stigma.

“Disability should not hinder people’s opportunities to reach their full potential,” said Ahmad, “so it’s a matter of human rights to bring forth hardship experienced by families caring for their children or adult family members on the autism spectrum. This is particularly relevant for racialized immigrant families, given the dearth of scholarly knowledge in Canada on their experiences.”

The team worked with community collaborators, including the SAAAC Autism Centre and Health Access Thorncliffe Park, to find suitable study participants. Nine South Asian parents living in the Greater Toronto Area were selected and interviewed individually.

The study’s findings confirmed barriers to an autism diagnosis and to service access. Additionally, parent participants reported that the stigma surrounding autism kept them from receiving a timely diagnosis, access to support services and guidance on health-promoting behaviours. The findings also revealed considerable caregiver stress and psychological distress.

“I believe in a proactive strategy,” said Ahmad, “where we as researchers examine the ‘ground reality’ of caregivers’ challenges and ways to cope, with the aim to enhance equity in practice and policymaking for improving structural supports for them, including efforts to reduce societal negative attitudes towards disabilities.”

Ahmad and her team expect the evidence revealed by their study to have wide-ranging impacts, including helping to inform equitable policy, programming, and practices that better support the needs of children on the spectrum and their immigrant families.

Three professors receive SSHRC Partnership Development Grants

June 7, 2024

Celebration,party backgrounds concepts ideas with colorful confetti,streamers on white.Flat lay design

Social sciences and humanities research at York University has received a boost of more than half a million dollars from the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), awarding Partnership Development Grants to three researchers in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS).

The latest round of Partnership Development Grant funding supports short-term partnerships (one to three years) between research teams from post-secondary institutions and organizations in the public, private or not-for-profit sectors.

“York University is grateful for SSHRC’s investment in our outstanding faculty and their mission to create positive change through community-engaged research,” said Amir Asif, vice-president research and innovation. “As an institution that excels in social sciences and humanities research, these three York-led projects exemplify our commitment to research excellence driven by impact and rooted in meaningful collaboration with our partners.”

Through their combined efforts, the research teams develop projects in the social sciences and humanities or design and test new partnership approaches for research and related activities, including knowledge mobilization.

The York U recipients include:

Annie Bunting, a professor in the Law & Society program in LA&PS, for a project titled “Youth-led initiatives for gender justice and peacebuilding,” which received $199,850. The project will bring together researchers, filmmakers, artists and others to study the long-lasting impacts of violence on youth, aged 15 to 29, in places affected by war and conflict. The project looks to gain a deeper understanding of how young people cope in such situations and involves multiple collaborating partners, with groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Sierra Leone and Kenya.

Marcello Musto, a professor in the Department of Sociology in LA&PS, for a project titled “War and the Left: A Global History,” which received the maximum $200,000. The project will examine how left-wing political forces and theorists have responded to war, deepening understanding of the intellectual and political history of numerous progressive social movements and political parties around the world. It aims to be the most comprehensive study of the topic to date and involves researchers from York University, five archives, six research-focused organizations and two museums, from eleven countries across four continents.

Jose Miguel Gonzalez Perez — Miguel González

Miguel González, an assistant professor in the Department of Social Science in LA&PS, for a project titled “Emancipatory Horizons for Self-determination of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Peoples in Central America,” which received $199,840. The project will gain insights into the struggles and strategies of these peoples to protect their land, rights and way of life. It will promote the political and legal efforts of civil society organizations to advocate for autonomous self-governance and will involve a dozen Indigenous and Afro-descendant groups in Costa Rica, Panama and the San Andrés archipelago.

The three York-led projects were among 75 projects across Canada to receive the new funding. A full list of the Partnership Development Grant recipients can be found on the SSHRC website.

Annual Walk with Excellence to celebrate achievements of local high-school graduates

May 31, 2024

Now in its 11th year, the Walk with Excellence is an annual event that celebrates the achievements of graduating students from high schools in Toronto’s Jane and Finch community. Signifying the beginning of their journey to post-secondary education, the event – taking place this year on Thursday, June 6 – will see over 500 graduating students walk from five local high schools onto York University’s Keele Campus.

The students’ supportive teachers and administrators will be cheering them on along the way, and all York University community members are invited join in welcoming the students onto the Keele Campus in true York U style.

“The Walk with Excellence signals new beginnings and a new season,” said Itah Sadu, founder of the Walk with Excellence and a York University honorary degree recipient. “Walking with the graduating students in this annual urban rite of passage is pure joy.”

Organized by a coalition of community partners – including the York University-TD Community Engagement Centre, local school principals and high-school leaders, the Blackhurst Cultural Centre and A Different Booklist – the Walk with Excellence will feature brief musical performances from each participating high school, remarks from community leaders and Toronto poet laureate Lillian Allen reading a poem she wrote specifically for the event. Organizers look forward to presenting several bursaries this year, generously funded by CUPE Local 4400/Toronto Education Workers, Blackhurst Cultural Centre and York University.

“We are proud to stand alongside our students and school board partners in celebrating the hard work and dedication that define the Jane and Finch community’s collective journey toward excellence,” said Byron Gray, manager of the York University-TD Community Engagement Centre. “Together, we are fostering a brighter future for all.”

All York University community members are invited to take part in the event by cheering for students as they enter the Keele Campus and witnessing the presentation of scholarships and remarks. The students are expected to arrive in front of Vari Hall at approximately 11:30 a.m.

Those who cannot attend or would like to further support the cause can consider contributing to Vice-Provost Academic Marcia Annisette’s Walk with Excellence campaign for 2025, which will offer bursaries to five future York U students – one from each of the five participating high schools.

“This event exemplifies the power of community, resilience and academic achievement,” said Annisette. “It is our vision that a newly initiated campaign will engage all of York University in funding an ongoing Walk with Excellence Bursary.”

York makes progress on Security Services Review recommendations

May 28, 2024

York students walking in Accolade Building on Keele Campus

In the year since the release of the Security Services Review report in April 2023, a suite of committees has been actively working to scope, plan for and implement recommendations across the University to make it a safer space for all.

The review of York’s Security Services, conducted by an internal expert panel, outlined a set of recommendations to transition York to a community-centric model for safety services that is equitable, bias-free, transparent, collaborative, representative and organizationally aligned. 

One foundational recommendation brought forward in the report was a formal acknowledgement of racism in law enforcement. This month, the Community Safety Department released its formal acknowledgement – marking a clear and serious commitment to dismantle systemic racism.

The formal acknowledgement was established after York’s leadership met with over 120 members of the Black community – including students, faculty and staff – and learned that many had negative experiences related to safety on campus, including lack of personal and emotional safety, daily experiences of racial harassment, exclusion, discrimination, lack of representation, lack of respect, and barriers to academic and career advancement. Going forward, York will foster continuous dialogue and activities aimed at addressing systemic racism within its safety services and security practices.

Already, action has been taken to address the recommendation to review current call centre procedures and programming. The Call Taker and Dispatch job descriptions have been completed, and all relevant standard operating procedures have been amended, along with the addition of a DEDI statement to each.

Another recommendation made in the report was to develop alternative approaches to address the presence of individuals experiencing homelessness on York University campuses. York is currently developing comprehensive security protocols to ensure the safety of all members of our community, including those experiencing homelessness. In addition, a working group has been established and a comprehensive draft plan has been created that includes both short- and long-term objectives.

As mentioned in the plan, a short-term objective York has prioritized is collaborating with external partners who offer comprehensive support services. For example, the University is actively partnering with organizations like the Agincourt Services Association and the City of Toronto to provide tailored assistance and housing solutions for those experiencing homelessness within its community. Individuals experiencing homelessness who need immediate assistance are now provided with emergency kits and essential items, and have access to medical and mental health services through partnerships facilitated by the University.

Looking forward, York’s long-term plan encompasses mental health and well-being initiatives, as well as implementation and evaluation strategies. The University is committed to collaborating with relevant departments and external agencies to identify long-term solutions and address the root causes of homelessness on University campuses. One of the recommendations from this working group is to explore the possibility of establishing a temporary shelter in collaboration with the City of Toronto to offer support during extreme weather conditions.

To address the recommendation to align service structures, culture and employment with a community-centric safety model, York has been actively engaging equity-deserving groups and the broader York community to continue the conversation on what makes a “safe” campus. Last November, an advisory group was created, comprised of York University academics, staff and students with expertise in anti-Black racism. This past January, a town hall was held for the York community to receive updates about the implementation of the Security Services Review recommendations and share feedback and questions. During Community Safety Week in March, a panel discussion was held with community leaders and experts to learn more about adopting a community-centric approach to safety. In addition, an engagement plan has been developed to ensure services are responsive and reflective of community needs; for example, by hosting networking opportunities, focus groups, additional roundtable discussions and more. 

“Opportunities for collaboration and honest discourse are vital for the path ahead,” says Orville Wallace, executive director of community safety. “By prioritizing both immediate support and future planning, we’re dedicated to creating a safe and supportive environment for all members of our campus community.”

To learn more about the Security Services Review, including other recommendations to be implemented, visit the Community Safety website.

YFile
Newsletter

Tag: UN SDG 10