York University
Encyclopedia
York University is a public
research university in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. It is Canada
's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school
, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university.
York has a student population of approximately 51,000, 7,000 staff, and 250,000 alumni worldwide. It has ten faculties, including the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Schulich School of Business
, Osgoode Hall Law School
, Glendon College
, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Faculty of Health, the Faculty of Environmental Studies, and 24 research centres.
York University participates in the Canadian Space Program. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is Canada's primary research facility into Martian exploration and has designed several space research instruments and applications currently used by NASA
. York has pioneered some of the first PhD
programs in Canada, in various fields including women's studies
. The school of social work
is recognized as having one of the most socially responsive programs in the country. York University's business school
and law school
have continuously been placed among the top schools in Canada.
which received Royal Assent
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
on 26 March of that year. Its first class was held on September 1960 in Falconer Hall on the University of Toronto
campus with a total of 76 students.
The policy of university education initiated in the 1960s responded to population pressure and the belief that higher education was a key to social justice and economic productivity for individuals and for society. The governance was modeled on the provincial University of Toronto Act of 1906 which established a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate (faculty), responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors (citizens) exercising exclusive control over financial policy and having formal authority in all other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was to provide a link between the two bodies and to perform institutional leadership.
In the fall of 1961, York moved to its first campus, Glendon College
, and began to emphasize liberal arts and part-time adult education. It became independent in 1965 after an initial period of affiliation with the University of Toronto
(U of T) under the York University Act, 1965. Its main campus in North York opened in 1965.
Murray Ross, who continues to be honoured today at the University in several ways – including the Murray G. Ross Award, was still vice-president of U of T when he approached to become York University's new president. At the time, York University was envisaged as a feeder campus to U of T, until Ross's powerful vision led it to become a completely separate institution.
In 1965, the university opened a second campus, the Keele Campus (York University)
, in North York. The Glendon
campus became a bilingual
liberal arts college
led by Escott Reid
, who envisaged it as a national institution to educate Canada's future leaders, a vision shared by Prime Minister Lester Pearson, who formally opened Glendon College in 1966.
The first Canadian undergraduate program in dance opened at York University in 1970. The first Canadian PhD. program in Women's Studies opened with five candidates in January 1992.
Its bilingual mandate and focus on the liberal arts continue to shape Glendon's special status within York University. The new Keele campus
was regarded as somewhat isolated, in a generally industrialized part of the city. Petrol storage facilities are still located across the street. Some of the early architecture was unpopular with many, not only for the brutalist designs, but the vast expanses between buildings, which was not viewed as suitable for the climate. In the last two decades, the campus has been intensified with new buildings, including a dedicated student centre and new fine arts, computer science and business administration buildings, a small shopping mall, and a hockey arena
. The Rexall Centre
tennis stadium, built in 2004, is a perennial host of the Canada Masters
tennis tournament. As Toronto has spread further out, York has found itself in a relatively central location within the built-up Greater Toronto Area
(GTA), and in particular, near the Jane and Finch
neighbourhood. Its master plan envisages a denser on-campus environment commensurate with that location. Students occupied the university's administration offices in March 1997, protesting escalating tuition hikes.
On November 6, 2008, the York University Senate suspended classes because of a strike by CUPE Local 3903. The local represents contract professors, teaching assistants, and graduate assistants. Classes resumed on Monday, February 2, 2009 after back-to-work legislation was passed by the Ontario Legislative Assembly (see: 2008-09 York University Strike
)
), the largest and most prominent media networks in Canada (CTV Television Network
, Rogers Communications
, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
), and numerous judges, diplomats, and senior politicians including the current Chief Justice
of the Federal Court of Appeal of Canada, the Minister of Finance
of Canada, the Attorney General of Ontario
, the President of the Privy Council of Canada and the Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations. Astronaut Steve MacLean
was educated at York University in the physics
department and later taught there before going to work at Stanford University
.
York's approximately 2,450 full-time faculty and academic librarians are represented by the York University Faculty Association. Contract faculty, teaching assistants, and graduate assistants are represented by CUPE Local 3903.
and Engineering
, Education, and Glendon College
. Some faculties' programs overlap: for instance, more than one house separate mathematics departments, although some of these are being merged; the Schulich School of Business
offers undergraduate and graduate International Business Administration programmes and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies offers a Bachelor of Administrative Studies, as well as a minor in Business, to be taken in conjunction with a major in another discipline. The Schulich School of Business offers undergraduates with the option of pursuing a BBA or iBBA program with a component of mandatory exchange. Also, Glendon, and Schulich units are offering or are in the processing of preparing to offer degrees in public policy and administration. The University administration has, however, taken steps in some cases to unify departments in separate faculties, in part to support York's efforts to brand itself as a university focused on interdisciplinarity. For example, the Faculty of Health, opened on 1 July 2006, houses the School of Health Policy and Management, School of Kinesiology
and Health Science, School of Nursing, and the Department of Psychology
.
York University offers the first and largest graphic design
programme in Ontario York/Sheridan Design (YSDN)
. It is a four-year University degree delivered jointly by the two leading educational institutions of design in Canada (York University and Sheridan College
) and recognized throughout North America for maintaining the highest academic and professional standards.
The Osgoode Hall Law School
moved from a downtown location to the York campus in 1969 following the requirement that every law school affiliate with a university. The law school has several flexible degrees available including the Osgoode-NYU JD/LLB degree in conjunction with New York University School of Law
. Osgoode Hall Law School of York University has been ranked the top law school in Canada in Canadian Lawyer magazine’s 2008 Law School Survey.
York University's Faculty of Graduate Studies offers graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines, and there are several joint graduate programmes with the University of Toronto
and Ryerson University
. It is the second largest graduate school in the Province of Ontario.
The Ph.D.
students in the Social and Political Thought program have won the award for best PhD thesis in Canada.
The School of Women's Studies at York University offers a large array of courses in the field, some of which are offered in French.
The Canadian Centre for Germanic and European Studies is co-housed at York University and Université de Montréal. The Centre is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service
.
York has an art gallery (Art Gallery of York University. The Faculty of Fine Arts offers programmes such as design, ethnomusicology
, cultural studies
, visual arts, music, dance, and theatre. York's Jazz
Department was once overseen by Oscar Peterson
. York also has a joint Bachelor of Design program with Sheridan College
. York's Departments of Film, Theatre and Creative Writing (which is not officially affiliated with the Faculty of Fine Arts) offers programmes in film
production/directing, acting, and writing respectively, producing many award-winning graduates. The founders of Toronto's Hot Docs
International Documentary Film Festival and CineACTION
film theory magazine were graduates of York's Faculty of Fine Arts.
York's Dance department was founded by National Ballet of Canada
's first choreographer Grant Strate
.
York offers a Space and Communication Sciences undergraduate degree. York’s Centre for Vision Research has developed a ‘virtual reality
room’ called IVY (Immersive Virtual Environment at York) in order to study spatial orientation and perception of gravity and motion
. The Canadian Space Agency and National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) use this room to strengthen astronauts’ sense of ‘up’ and ‘down’ in zero-gravity environments. The room is a six-sided immersive environment made of the glass used in the CN Tower
’s observation deck and includes walls, ceiling, and a floor made of computer-generated pixel
maps. York's Faculty of Science and Engineering most recently took part in the 2007 NASA Phoenix
Mars Mission.
York is also the only university in Canada with specialized programs in meteorological sciences at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
, and York University offers a number of joint programs with Seneca College:
, plus the Archives of Ontario
and the library of Osgoode Hall Law School
.
York's primary campus ("The Keele Campus") is located in the former municipality of North York. Most of the University's faculties reside here, including Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Environmental Studies, Science and Engineering, Education, and Health. All together, nearly 50,000 students attend classes on the Keele campus.
York has over 200,000 living alumni. Although a large number of alumni live in Ontario, a significant number live in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta, New York, and Washington, D.C. York also has over 25,000 alumni internationally.
, a bilingual liberal arts faculty which conducts its own recruitment and admissions and hosts its own academic programs, is also housed on its own campus on Bayview Avenue in North Toronto. Glendon is the only university-level institution in central Southern Ontario that offers university courses in both French
and English
; others elsewhere in Ontario include the University of Ottawa
and Laurentian University
in Sudbury. A shuttle bus runs regularly between the Glendon and the Keele campuses. Glendon students are free to take courses at the Keele campus (and vice-versa). However, there are students who feel getting from one campus to the other to be inconvenient thus the attractiveness of this option is not universal.
While most of the Schulich School of Business and Osgoode Hall Law School programs are offered at the Keele Campus, both of them maintain satellite facilities in downtown Toronto. Schulich operates the Miles S. Nadal Management Centre, while Osgoode Hall has a Professional Development Centre located at 1 Dundas Street West.
, a student-elected body that sponsors most of the clubs and engages in lobbying with the university administration and the provincial
and federal
governments.
York has nine undergraduate residential college
s:
The different houses that make up Founders Residence are actually named after the Group of Seven
(Varley House, Harris House, etc.), or as the plaque at the building says, 'The Founders of Canadian Art."
The Village is a residential neighbourhood within the City of Toronto, occupying about 130 acres beyond the south boundary of York University's property. Residential dwellings in The Village are privately owned, and homeowners in this community are City of Toronto taxpayers. York University participates in the Village At York Town and Gown Committee, with representatives of residents of The Village; the York Federation of Students; Toronto Police Service and Toronto Fire Service, as well as other key municipal agencies and the local Councillors' office. This committee addresses concerns of residents, students, the City and the University, such as community safety and by-law enforcement and compliance.
has been the university's autonomous student newspaper since 1966. In 2008, the YU Free Press was formed as an alternative campus newspaper.
Colleges and some programs also have individual newspapers or magazines. They include: The Flying Walrus (Stong College), MacMedia (McLaughlin College), The Pipe (Calumet College), Winters Free Press (Winters College), SOFA (Spotlight On Fine Arts), The Lexicon (Norman Bethune College), The Vandoo (Vanier College
), The Phoenix (Founders College), Pro Tem (Glendon College), Obiter Dicta (Osgoode Law School), and The Insider (Schulich School of Business).
Existere
– Journal of Arts and Literature (est. 1978) is a national publication with local and international contributors. It is financed by Vanier College Council. The journal publishes short fiction, poetry, non-fiction and art from novices and seasoned veterans. Several major writers got their early start in Existere.
YorkU Magazine (est. 2003) is the official magazine of York University. It publishes five times per year in hard copy and digital editions.
by the York Lions
. Beginning in 1968 York's sporting teams were known as the "Yeomen", after the Yeomen Warders
, the guardians of the fortress and palace at the Tower of London
, otherwise known as Beefeaters. Later, the name "Yeowomen" was introduced to encourage women to participate in sports. Popular sentiment ran against this name scheme, however, as many students were fond of noting that a "Yeowoman" was fictitious, neither a real word nor having any historical merit. In 2003, after conducting an extensive internal study, the University replaced both names with the "Lions", as part of a larger renaming effort, and a new logo, now a white and red lion, was brought into line with the university's new visual scheme. The name change also brought York University in line with the 92% of other Canadian universities which use a single name for both sexes' sports teams. Ironically, students often refer to the female Lions teams as the "York Lionesses", even though the name "Lion" is intended to apply to both sexes.
York offers 29 interuniversity sport teams, 12 sport clubs, 35 intramural sport leagues, special events and 10 pick-up sport activities offered daily.
York University has several athletic facilities, some of which are used for major tournaments. These include a football stadium, 4 gymnasia, 5 sport playing fields, 4 softball fields, 9 outdoor tennis courts, 5 squash courts, 3 dance/aerobic studios, 6 ice arenas, a swimming pool, an expanding fitness centre and the new Rexall Centre
(home of the Rogers Tennis Cup
).
In 2005, plans were made to build a new football and soccer stadium to host the Toronto Argonauts
of the Canadian Football League
and future football tournaments. These plans were scuttled, however, when a deal was signed by the Argos to remain at the Rogers Centre
.
and convocation
, and athletic games are: "York Song", sung to the tune "Harvard".
At sporting events, and in a host of frosh week events on campus, students are often heard singing and chanting the cheer "Deep in the Heart":
Another York Fight song that is used at Homecoming games is:
There are also college songs, particularly from the friendly feuds between Stong College and Bethune College, and the infamous Winters College and Vanier College
cheer songs.
Fraternities:
Sororities:
Phi Delta Phi
(ΦΔΦ) international legal fraternity, at Osgoode Law School, was given special dispensation when the law school became part of the university, as the fraternity's history with the law school dated back to 1896, and is recognized at York.
York University is sometimes referred to as a "commuter school". Over 65% of the students and staff have home addresses in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), particularly in York Region and downtown Toronto. Many students are opting for public transit owing to York's high parking fees. York intends to increase the fees for parking for the 2009/10 academic year to combat the congestion around the campus and to support the goal of making Toronto more environmentally friendly.
Close to fourteen hundred buses move people through the campus each day. A proposed extension of the Yonge-University-Spadina line of the Toronto Subway
is currently under construction. It would run directly under the campus, creating new stations at Keele Street
and Finch Avenue
(as Finch West station
), at the centre of campus (as York University station
), and at Steeles Avenue, interfacing with York Regional Transit (as Steeles West station
).
York University's Glendon and Keele campuses are served by the TTC. The Keele site is also served by York Region Transit
buses (both regular and Viva
) from the immediate north, GO Transit
express buses from several other Toronto suburbs and colleges or universities and Greyhound buses
for regional transportation. Transportation Services operates a shuttle service to GO Transit's York University train station on its Barrie corridor. As of November 20, 2009, express buses on the highly frequent 196 York University Rocket Toronto Transit Commission
(TTC) bus route now use the dedicated York University Busway
to transport students from Downsview station
to York Lanes in about 15 minutes. It consists of bus-only lanes on Allen Road and Dufferin Street, and bus-only roadways through a hydro corridor north of Finch Avenue West, and along the east side of the campus. As of September 20, 2010, the Züm
Route 501 provides service from Bramalea Terminal
in Brampton
to York University.
The department uses marked Ford Crown Victorias which are clearly identifiable with low-profile LED roof lights. The department responds to all calls for service, however incidents of a criminal nature should be reported to Toronto Police.
Uniform security staff can be clearly identified by their dark cargo-style pants, red shirt (York University colour) and black exterior body armour (bulletproof vest covers).
Residence watch staff are also posted nightly at all undergraduate residence buildings to provide an extra level of protection.
As part of the campus safety system a student escort service is available to all members of the community. The escort staff are students hired on a part-time basis. In an emergency escort staff have immediate communication with Security Services.
In June 2008, the university announced it had commissioned an external safety audit after a string of rapes on the university campus.
During frosh week 2007, two men entered a campus dormitory and raped two students.
The victims were 17 and 18 years old at the time.
A lawsuit filed claims that "the entrance door to the college and to the residential room areas of the college were virtually wide open to the public at large".
The next year, in January 2008, another student was sexually assaulted in the stairwell of a campus building.
In May 2009, a contract security guard was shot at a York University campus pub, The Underground.
In April 2010, a 20-year-old student was sexually assaulted while walking to her apartment, located minutes away from the main campus.
The incident, described by police as "particularly severe" and resulting in "very serious" injuries for the victim, was particularly notable as it occurred just a week after Daniel Katsnelson was sentenced for the 2007 rape on the university campus.
The incident further reignited criticism against the school for continued delays in releasing the campus safety audit, which was first announced nearly 2 years prior.
On March 31, 2010, less than a month prior to the April 2010 incident, the campus newspaper, Excalibur
published an article lambasting the school administration for delays in releasing the audit.
A spokesman for the university responded that the school is still "anxiously awaiting" the report.
In April 2011, campus security was temporarily increased following the murder of a 23-year old, the university hired paid duty Toronto Police Officers to patrol the campus. Chinese
overseas student
in the York University Village.
On August 26, 2011, York University announced that in response to recommendations in the METRAC Safety Audit, the University will be modifying the service delivery model for York Security Services (YSS) personnel. Members will be trained and issued with handcuffs and batons. Cruisers are to also be equipped with "silent partners" for transporting arrested persons.
The York administration appointed former Supreme Court of Canada Judge to review the issue, but the Iacobucci Review was problematic, and the terms of reference for the review were seen as an attack on academic freedom. The whole issue is being investigated by the Canadian Association of University Teachers.
In response to the allegations made, a University spokesperson said that the University should be judged the fact that event took place despite the pressure not to hold it, and that there is always internal discussion as part of the planning of all events. He added that "In the end, this conference did go on and we do not feel that academic freedom was breached." Vice President and Provost, Patrick Monahan, said, about these allegation that "Justice Iacobucci has looked at that and he doesn’t see any purpose in conducting further inquiries. Obviously there are a lot of different views about it.” Yet, it seems that the Iaccobucci Report is seen by many faculty members at Osgoode as controversial. In a letter from the Osgoode Hall Faculty Association, the Association said that it "considers the Iacobucci Report to be unsound and unreliable." The Association also said that "the Report both jeopardizes academic freedom and fails to consider the troubling conduct of the York officials."
Krisna Saravanamuttu, York Federation of Students' vice-president of equity, who took part in the protest, denied that the protesters shouted anti-semitic slogans, stating that "That is categorically false. I heard nothing of that nature at all." He did however, confirm that the protesters shouted "racism off campus" and "students united will never be defeated."
In May 2009, York adjudicator Janet Mosher, who is an associate dean at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School, ruled that two York students, Krisna Saravanamuttu and Jesse Zimmerman, had violated the Student Code of Conduct due to their behaviour at the protest, which she described as “exclusionary and offensive” and which promoted an atmosphere of “hostility, incivility and intimidation.” Mosher noted that both students participated in the protest which pursued a group of Jewish students to Hillel’s lounge in York’s Student Centre, and swarmed outside shouting taunts. On a video of the incident, Saravanamuttu was shown clapping and apparently leading a chant of “Whose campus? Our campus!” as well as participating in a chant of “Racists off campus." Saravanamuttu was fined $150 and both he and Zimmerman were given an official reprimand and human rights training.
In February 2010, the campus group the Christians United for Israel (CUFI) and My Canada applied to use university space to host the Imagine With Us coalition event consisting of pro-Israel speakers. The University replied that the event could only proceed under certain conditions (which ultimately led to the event's cancellation when the organizers declined to comply with the terms):
These conditions drew criticism because they were not imposed on the organizers of Israel Apartheid Week which was being held on campus the same month. York's decision drew sharp criticism from David Frum
who wrote in the National Post
that "Since the anti-Israel people might use violence, the speech of the pro-Israel people must be limited. On the other hand, since the pro-Israel people do not use violence, the speech of the anti-Israel people can proceed without restraint." A York University spokesman subsequently told Frum that "all student groups that request university space" must meet "precisely same requirements" but that while the “process” and the “protocols” that were the same, a “needs-based assessment” of each particular case is necessary. Frum subsequently criticized the "utterly arbitrary ad hoc decision-making of a fathomlessly cowardly university administration." Frank Dimant, CEO of B'nai Brith Canada
also sharply criticized York's justification, arguing that "York’s continued appeasement of anti-Israel agitators at the expense of Zionist Christians and Jews is unacceptable.”
Professor Ed Morgan
of the University of Toronto
criticized York, citing a 1992 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down a county government's increased fee for police protection for a controversial speaker because "speech cannot be financially burdened, any more than it can be punished or banned, simply because it might offend a hostile mob." Regarding the situation at York, Morgan wrote that "It's bad enough that there are "hostile mobs" on our campuses; making others pay for that hostility only rubs salt in our wounded freedoms." Prof. Howard C. Tenenbaum, also of the University of Toronto
, wrote that York "has lost all stature as an academic institution whose remit is to provide for full academic discourse, freedom from hatred on campus and freedom of speech, unless of course that freedom only includes unabashed hatred for the State of Israel." David Murrell of the University of New Brunswick
wrote that "Everyone has a supposed right to free speech at York University – so long as groups can afford to pay security against leftist intimidation."
A strike beginning on November 6, 2008 concerned a variety of institutional grievances, including job security for contract professors, elimination of the Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct, creation of whistleblower protection, and fund indexation. On January 20, 2009, CUPE 3903 defeated a forced ratification vote that would have ended the strike. On January 24, Ontario premier
Dalton McGuinty
announced a rare Sunday recall of the provincial legislature
in order to pass back-to-work legislation mandating an immediate end to the strike. On January 29, the York University Labour Disputes Resolution Act was passed in the provincial parliament on a count of 42–8 ending the long 85-day strike and setting a precedent for future university strikes in Ontario.
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
research university in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school
Graduate school
A graduate school is a school that awards advanced academic degrees with the general requirement that students must have earned a previous undergraduate degree...
, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university.
York has a student population of approximately 51,000, 7,000 staff, and 250,000 alumni worldwide. It has ten faculties, including the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies is the largest of 11 Faculies at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.LA&PS was opened on July 1, 2009, combining the strengths of the former Faculty of Arts and the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies.With an enrollment of...
, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Schulich School of Business
Schulich School of Business
The Schulich School of Business is York University's business school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is an internationally-ranked business school. Schulich offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, finance, public administration and international business as...
, Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
, Glendon College
Glendon College
Glendon College is one of the two campuses of York University, Canada's third-largest university, in Toronto, Ontario. A bilingual liberal arts college with 84 full-time faculty members and a student population of about 2400, Glendon is located in midtown Toronto's Lawrence Park neighbourhood...
, the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Faculty of Health, the Faculty of Environmental Studies, and 24 research centres.
York University participates in the Canadian Space Program. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is Canada's primary research facility into Martian exploration and has designed several space research instruments and applications currently used by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
. York has pioneered some of the first PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
programs in Canada, in various fields including women's studies
Women's studies
Women's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective...
. The school of social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
is recognized as having one of the most socially responsive programs in the country. York University's business school
Schulich School of Business
The Schulich School of Business is York University's business school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is an internationally-ranked business school. Schulich offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, finance, public administration and international business as...
and law school
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
have continuously been placed among the top schools in Canada.
History
York University was established in 1959 as a non-denominational institution by the York University Act.which received Royal Assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
on 26 March of that year. Its first class was held on September 1960 in Falconer Hall on the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
campus with a total of 76 students.
The policy of university education initiated in the 1960s responded to population pressure and the belief that higher education was a key to social justice and economic productivity for individuals and for society. The governance was modeled on the provincial University of Toronto Act of 1906 which established a bicameral system of university government consisting of a senate (faculty), responsible for academic policy, and a board of governors (citizens) exercising exclusive control over financial policy and having formal authority in all other matters. The president, appointed by the board, was to provide a link between the two bodies and to perform institutional leadership.
In the fall of 1961, York moved to its first campus, Glendon College
Glendon College
Glendon College is one of the two campuses of York University, Canada's third-largest university, in Toronto, Ontario. A bilingual liberal arts college with 84 full-time faculty members and a student population of about 2400, Glendon is located in midtown Toronto's Lawrence Park neighbourhood...
, and began to emphasize liberal arts and part-time adult education. It became independent in 1965 after an initial period of affiliation with the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
(U of T) under the York University Act, 1965. Its main campus in North York opened in 1965.
Murray Ross, who continues to be honoured today at the University in several ways – including the Murray G. Ross Award, was still vice-president of U of T when he approached to become York University's new president. At the time, York University was envisaged as a feeder campus to U of T, until Ross's powerful vision led it to become a completely separate institution.
In 1965, the university opened a second campus, the Keele Campus (York University)
Keele Campus (York University)
The Keele Campus of York University in Toronto, Canada, occupies roughly 1 square kilometer of land and is situated between Jane Street to the west, Keele Street to the east, Steeles Avenue West to the north and Finch Avenue West to the south...
, in North York. The Glendon
Glendon College
Glendon College is one of the two campuses of York University, Canada's third-largest university, in Toronto, Ontario. A bilingual liberal arts college with 84 full-time faculty members and a student population of about 2400, Glendon is located in midtown Toronto's Lawrence Park neighbourhood...
campus became a bilingual
Bilingualism in Canada
The official languages of Canada are English and French, which "have equality of status and equal rights and privileges as to their use in all institutions of the Parliament and Government of Canada" according to Canada's constitution...
liberal arts college
Liberal arts college
A liberal arts college is one with a primary emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences.Students in the liberal arts generally major in a particular discipline while receiving exposure to a wide range of academic subjects, including sciences as well as the traditional...
led by Escott Reid
Escott Reid
Escott Graves Meredith Reid, CC , was a Canadian diplomat who helped shape the UN & NATO, author, international public servant and academic administrator....
, who envisaged it as a national institution to educate Canada's future leaders, a vision shared by Prime Minister Lester Pearson, who formally opened Glendon College in 1966.
The first Canadian undergraduate program in dance opened at York University in 1970. The first Canadian PhD. program in Women's Studies opened with five candidates in January 1992.
Its bilingual mandate and focus on the liberal arts continue to shape Glendon's special status within York University. The new Keele campus
Keele Campus (York University)
The Keele Campus of York University in Toronto, Canada, occupies roughly 1 square kilometer of land and is situated between Jane Street to the west, Keele Street to the east, Steeles Avenue West to the north and Finch Avenue West to the south...
was regarded as somewhat isolated, in a generally industrialized part of the city. Petrol storage facilities are still located across the street. Some of the early architecture was unpopular with many, not only for the brutalist designs, but the vast expanses between buildings, which was not viewed as suitable for the climate. In the last two decades, the campus has been intensified with new buildings, including a dedicated student centre and new fine arts, computer science and business administration buildings, a small shopping mall, and a hockey arena
Beatrice Ice Gardens
Canlan Ice Sports - York is the main ice rink at York University and replaces the old York University Ice Palace. It opened in 1996 as the Beatrice Ice Gardens. The arena is one of the largest in the city of Toronto and features six ice pads including one of Olympic size. The arena has been used in...
. The Rexall Centre
Rexall Centre
Rexall Centre is a tennis stadium in Toronto, Ontario. Rexall Centre is the venue for the professional Canada Masters tournament, held annually. The facility also is a year-round tennis training facility. The main stadium is occasionally used for seasonal concerts...
tennis stadium, built in 2004, is a perennial host of the Canada Masters
Canada Masters
The Canada Masters , currently sponsored as the Rogers Cup, is an annual tennis tournament held in Canada. The men's competition is a Masters 1000 event on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour. The women's competition is a Premier 5 tournament on the Women's Tennis Association tour...
tennis tournament. As Toronto has spread further out, York has found itself in a relatively central location within the built-up Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
(GTA), and in particular, near the Jane and Finch
Jane and Finch
Jane and Finch is a neighbourhood located in northwestern North York, a district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The area is roughly bounded by Highway 400 to the west, Driftwood Avenue to the east, Grandravine Drive to the south, and Shoreham Drive to the north...
neighbourhood. Its master plan envisages a denser on-campus environment commensurate with that location. Students occupied the university's administration offices in March 1997, protesting escalating tuition hikes.
On November 6, 2008, the York University Senate suspended classes because of a strike by CUPE Local 3903. The local represents contract professors, teaching assistants, and graduate assistants. Classes resumed on Monday, February 2, 2009 after back-to-work legislation was passed by the Ontario Legislative Assembly (see: 2008-09 York University Strike
2008-09 York University Strike
The 2008–09 York University Strike was a strike by CUPE Local 3903, the union representing contract professors, teaching assistants, and graduate assistants at York University. The strike began on November 6, 2008 and concluded on January 29, 2009 when the provincial parliament legislated the union...
)
Academics
York University alumni, faculty, or former faculty have been awarded one Nobel Prize and 14 Pulitzer Prizes. York has educated some of the current directors and one CEO of two of the major banks in Canada (Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of MontrealBank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
), the largest and most prominent media networks in Canada (CTV Television Network
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
, Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
), and numerous judges, diplomats, and senior politicians including the current Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Federal Court of Appeal of Canada, the Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (Canada)
The Minister of Finance is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible each year for presenting the federal government's budget...
of Canada, the Attorney General of Ontario
Attorney General of Ontario
The Attorney General of Ontario is a senior member of the Executive Council of Ontario and governs the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario - the department responsible for the oversight of the justice system within the province. The Attorney General is an elected Member of Provincial...
, the President of the Privy Council of Canada and the Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations. Astronaut Steve MacLean
Steven MacLean (astronaut)
Steven Glenwood MacLean is a Canadian astronaut. He is the current President of the Canadian Space Agency, appointed on September 1, 2008....
was educated at York University in the physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
department and later taught there before going to work at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
.
York's approximately 2,450 full-time faculty and academic librarians are represented by the York University Faculty Association. Contract faculty, teaching assistants, and graduate assistants are represented by CUPE Local 3903.
Admissions
For the 2011-2012 academic year, 41,527 students applied and 11,000 were admitted with a high school entrance average of 81% (A-).Faculties
York University has ten faculties including the Faculties of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (which was formed in July 2009 by the merger of the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies and the Faculty of Arts), ScienceScience
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, Education, and Glendon College
Glendon College
Glendon College is one of the two campuses of York University, Canada's third-largest university, in Toronto, Ontario. A bilingual liberal arts college with 84 full-time faculty members and a student population of about 2400, Glendon is located in midtown Toronto's Lawrence Park neighbourhood...
. Some faculties' programs overlap: for instance, more than one house separate mathematics departments, although some of these are being merged; the Schulich School of Business
Schulich School of Business
The Schulich School of Business is York University's business school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is an internationally-ranked business school. Schulich offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, finance, public administration and international business as...
offers undergraduate and graduate International Business Administration programmes and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies offers a Bachelor of Administrative Studies, as well as a minor in Business, to be taken in conjunction with a major in another discipline. The Schulich School of Business offers undergraduates with the option of pursuing a BBA or iBBA program with a component of mandatory exchange. Also, Glendon, and Schulich units are offering or are in the processing of preparing to offer degrees in public policy and administration. The University administration has, however, taken steps in some cases to unify departments in separate faculties, in part to support York's efforts to brand itself as a university focused on interdisciplinarity. For example, the Faculty of Health, opened on 1 July 2006, houses the School of Health Policy and Management, School of Kinesiology
Kinesiology
Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational...
and Health Science, School of Nursing, and the Department of Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
.
York University offers the first and largest graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
programme in Ontario York/Sheridan Design (YSDN)
York/Sheridan Design (YSDN)
The York/Sheridan Department of Design is a four-year university degree program delivered jointly by York University and Sheridan College, both in Toronto, Ontario. This is the first and largest program in Ontario that offers the Bachelor of Design Honours degree.Courses in design are taken equally...
. It is a four-year University degree delivered jointly by the two leading educational institutions of design in Canada (York University and Sheridan College
Sheridan College
Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a diploma and degree granting Canadian polytechnic institute with approximately 15,000 full time students and 35,000 continuing education students...
) and recognized throughout North America for maintaining the highest academic and professional standards.
The Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
moved from a downtown location to the York campus in 1969 following the requirement that every law school affiliate with a university. The law school has several flexible degrees available including the Osgoode-NYU JD/LLB degree in conjunction with New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
. Osgoode Hall Law School of York University has been ranked the top law school in Canada in Canadian Lawyer magazine’s 2008 Law School Survey.
York University's Faculty of Graduate Studies offers graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines, and there are several joint graduate programmes with the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and Ryerson University
Ryerson University
Ryerson University is a public research university located in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its urban campus is adjacent to Yonge-Dundas Square located at the busiest intersection in Downtown Toronto. The majority of its buildings are in the blocks northeast of the square in Toronto's Garden...
. It is the second largest graduate school in the Province of Ontario.
The Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
students in the Social and Political Thought program have won the award for best PhD thesis in Canada.
The School of Women's Studies at York University offers a large array of courses in the field, some of which are offered in French.
The Canadian Centre for Germanic and European Studies is co-housed at York University and Université de Montréal. The Centre is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service
German Academic Exchange Service
The German Academic Exchange Service or DAAD is the largest German support organisation in the field of international academic co-operation....
.
Research centres and institutes
- Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry
- Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions
- Centre for Research in Earth and Atmospheric Science
- Centre for Research in Mass Spectrometry
- Centre for Vision Research (CVR)
- York Institute for Social Research
- York Institute for Health Research
- Robarts Centre for Canadian StudiesRobarts Centre for Canadian StudiesThe Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies is a research centre at York University in Toronto, Canada that supports interdisciplinary and discipline-specific research pertinent to Canadianists and Canada's place in the world. Faculty affiliated with the Robarts Centre are concerned with Canadian...
- Canadian Centre for German and European Studies
- Centre for Feminist Research
- Centre for Jewish Studies
- York Centre for Asian Research
- Centre for International and Security Studies
- Centre for Practical Ethics
- Centre for Public Law and Public Policy
- Centre for Refugee Studies
- Centre for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean
- Centre for Research on Work and Society
- Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability
- Institute for Research on Learning Technologies
- The Jack and Mae Nathanson Centre for the Study of Organized Crime and Corruption
- LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution
- Las Nubes Centre for Neotropical Conservation and Research in Chirripó National ParkChirripó National ParkChirripó National Park is located in the middle portion of the Talamanca Range of Costa Rica, approximately 30 km northeast from the city of San Isidro del General. It protects a number of important ecosystems on the Costa Rican Pacific slope and is notable for including the largest extension...
is a research facility in Costa RicaCosta RicaCosta Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
donated by Dr. Woody Fisher in 1998 - Interactive Systems Research Group (ISRG)
- The Mariano Elia Chair for Italian-Canadian Studies
York has an art gallery (Art Gallery of York University. The Faculty of Fine Arts offers programmes such as design, ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology
Ethnomusicology is defined as "the study of social and cultural aspects of music and dance in local and global contexts."Coined by the musician Jaap Kunst from the Greek words ἔθνος ethnos and μουσική mousike , it is often considered the anthropology or ethnography of music...
, cultural studies
Cultural studies
Cultural studies is an academic field grounded in critical theory and literary criticism. It generally concerns the political nature of contemporary culture, as well as its historical foundations, conflicts, and defining traits. It is, to this extent, largely distinguished from cultural...
, visual arts, music, dance, and theatre. York's Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
Department was once overseen by Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson
Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
. York also has a joint Bachelor of Design program with Sheridan College
Sheridan College
Sheridan College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is a diploma and degree granting Canadian polytechnic institute with approximately 15,000 full time students and 35,000 continuing education students...
. York's Departments of Film, Theatre and Creative Writing (which is not officially affiliated with the Faculty of Fine Arts) offers programmes in film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
production/directing, acting, and writing respectively, producing many award-winning graduates. The founders of Toronto's Hot Docs
Hot Docs
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is North America's largest documentary film festival, conference, and market, held annually in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
International Documentary Film Festival and CineACTION
CineACTION
CineAction is a Canada-based film magazine, published three times a year, edited by an editorial collective that included critic Robin Wood...
film theory magazine were graduates of York's Faculty of Fine Arts.
York's Dance department was founded by National Ballet of Canada
National Ballet of Canada
The National Ballet of Canada is Canada's largest ballet troupe. It was founded by Celia Franca in 1951 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. Based upon the unity of Canadian trained dancers in the tradition and style of England's Royal Ballet, The National is regarded as one of the premier classical...
's first choreographer Grant Strate
Grant Strate
Grant Strate, is a Canadian dancer, choreographer, and academic.Born in Cardston, Alberta, though he started out in Edmonton as a lawyer he was an original member of the National Ballet of Canada and was a soloist, choreographer and teacher with the Company as well. From 1970 to 1980, he was the...
.
York offers a Space and Communication Sciences undergraduate degree. York’s Centre for Vision Research has developed a ‘virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
room’ called IVY (Immersive Virtual Environment at York) in order to study spatial orientation and perception of gravity and motion
Motion (physics)
In physics, motion is a change in position of an object with respect to time. Change in action is the result of an unbalanced force. Motion is typically described in terms of velocity, acceleration, displacement and time . An object's velocity cannot change unless it is acted upon by a force, as...
. The Canadian Space Agency and National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) use this room to strengthen astronauts’ sense of ‘up’ and ‘down’ in zero-gravity environments. The room is a six-sided immersive environment made of the glass used in the CN Tower
CN Tower
The CN Tower is a communications and observation tower in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Standing tall, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It held both records for 34 years until the completion of the Burj...
’s observation deck and includes walls, ceiling, and a floor made of computer-generated pixel
Pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel, is a single point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable screen element in a display device; it is the smallest unit of picture that can be represented or controlled....
maps. York's Faculty of Science and Engineering most recently took part in the 2007 NASA Phoenix
Phoenix (spacecraft)
Phoenix was a robotic spacecraft on a space exploration mission on Mars under the Mars Scout Program. The Phoenix lander descended on Mars on May 25, 2008...
Mars Mission.
York is also the only university in Canada with specialized programs in meteorological sciences at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Faculties
- Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS)
- Faculty of Education (ED)
- Faculty of Environmental Studies (ES)
- Faculty of Fine Arts (FA)
- Glendon CollegeGlendon CollegeGlendon College is one of the two campuses of York University, Canada's third-largest university, in Toronto, Ontario. A bilingual liberal arts college with 84 full-time faculty members and a student population of about 2400, Glendon is located in midtown Toronto's Lawrence Park neighbourhood...
(GL) - Faculty of Graduate Studies (GS)
- Faculty of HealthYork University Faculty of HealthYork University Faculty of Health was founded in September 2006. Led by Harvey Skinner, it is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is part of York University campus of 50,000 students....
(HH) - Osgoode Hall Law SchoolOsgoode Hall Law SchoolOsgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
(OS) - Schulich School of BusinessSchulich School of BusinessThe Schulich School of Business is York University's business school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is an internationally-ranked business school. Schulich offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, finance, public administration and international business as...
(SB) - Faculty of Science & Engineering (SC)
Seneca@York
The Keele campus is host to a satellite facility of Seneca CollegeSeneca College
Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology is a Canadian public college in the greater Toronto area. Seneca College is currently Canada's largest college with approximately 108,000 students.-History:...
, and York University offers a number of joint programs with Seneca College:
- School of Communication Arts
- Computer Studies
- Biological Science and Applied Chemistry
- Corporate and Technical Communications
- Nursing
Libraries
There are seven libraries and archives at York, five of them (Scott, Steacie, Peter F. Bronfman, Leslie Frost, and Clara Thomas) constituting York University LibrariesYork University Libraries
York University Libraries is the library system of York University in Toronto, Ontario. The four main libraries and one archive contain more than 2,500,000 volumes....
, plus the Archives of Ontario
Archives of Ontario
The Archives of Ontario is the provincial archives for the province of Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1903, the archives is located in Toronto....
and the library of Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School
Osgoode Hall Law School is a Canadian law school, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and affiliated with York University. Named after the first Chief Justice of Ontario, William Osgoode, the law school was established by The Law Society of Upper Canada in 1889 and was the only accredited law...
.
Keele Campus
York's primary campus ("The Keele Campus") is located in the former municipality of North York. Most of the University's faculties reside here, including Liberal Arts, Fine Arts, Environmental Studies, Science and Engineering, Education, and Health. All together, nearly 50,000 students attend classes on the Keele campus.
York has over 200,000 living alumni. Although a large number of alumni live in Ontario, a significant number live in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta, New York, and Washington, D.C. York also has over 25,000 alumni internationally.
Glendon
Glendon CollegeGlendon College
Glendon College is one of the two campuses of York University, Canada's third-largest university, in Toronto, Ontario. A bilingual liberal arts college with 84 full-time faculty members and a student population of about 2400, Glendon is located in midtown Toronto's Lawrence Park neighbourhood...
, a bilingual liberal arts faculty which conducts its own recruitment and admissions and hosts its own academic programs, is also housed on its own campus on Bayview Avenue in North Toronto. Glendon is the only university-level institution in central Southern Ontario that offers university courses in both French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
; others elsewhere in Ontario include the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
and Laurentian University
Laurentian University
Laurentian University , was incorporated on March 28, 1960, is a mid-sized bilingual university in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada....
in Sudbury. A shuttle bus runs regularly between the Glendon and the Keele campuses. Glendon students are free to take courses at the Keele campus (and vice-versa). However, there are students who feel getting from one campus to the other to be inconvenient thus the attractiveness of this option is not universal.
Satellite Campuses
Student life
York has more than 50,000 students enrolled. Many students come from the Greater Toronto Area, but there is a sizeable population of students from across Canada and abroad, making York one of the most international universities in Canada. To serve this large population, there are 290 student clubs and organizations; six student-run publications and three broadcast programs; six art galleries; 33 on-campus eateries; and a retail mall. Undergraduate students at York are represented by the York Federation of StudentsYork Federation of Students
York Federation of Students represents over 45,000 students at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The York Federation of Students is a member of the Canadian Federation of Students .-History:...
, a student-elected body that sponsors most of the clubs and engages in lobbying with the university administration and the provincial
Government of Ontario
The Government of Ontario refers to the provincial government of the province of Ontario, Canada. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
and federal
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
governments.
Residences
Residential college
A residential college is an organisational pattern for a division of a university that places academic activity in a community setting of students and faculty, usually at a residence and with shared meals, the college having a degree of autonomy and a federated relationship with the overall...
s:
| Colleges of York University | ||||
| Name (Founded) |
Motto/Mandate | Academic Affiliations | Undergrad Population | Namesake |
| Calumet (1970) |
"Technology and the Arts" | Schulich School of Business Schulich School of Business The Schulich School of Business is York University's business school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is an internationally-ranked business school. Schulich offers undergraduate and graduate programs in business administration, finance, public administration and international business as... , Economics Economics Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"... , Business Business A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit... and Society Society A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations... , Cognitive Science Cognitive science Cognitive science is the interdisciplinary scientific study of mind and its processes. It examines what cognition is, what it does and how it works. It includes research on how information is processed , represented, and transformed in behaviour, nervous system or machine... , Communication Studies Communication studies Communication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass... , Urban Studies, Psychology Psychology Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society... |
4806 | Norman Norman language Norman is a Romance language and one of the Oïl languages. Norman can be classified as one of the northern Oïl languages along with Picard and Walloon... -French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... for pipe or pipestem. |
| Founders (1965) |
"Self, Culture & Society" | Anthropology Anthropology Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German... , Environmental Studies Environmental studies Environmental studies is the academic field which systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It is a broad interdisciplinary field of study that includes the natural environment, built environment, and the sets of relationships between them... , French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... , Geography Geography Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes... , Italian Italian language Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia... , History History History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians... , African studies African studies African studies is the study of Africa, especially the cultures and societies of Africa .The field includes the study of:Culture of Africa, History of Africa , Anthropology of Africa , Politics of Africa, Economy of Africa African studies is the study of Africa, especially the cultures and... , East Asian studies East Asian studies East Asian Studies is a distinct multidisciplinary field of scholarly enquiry and education that promotes a broad humanistic understanding of East Asia past and present... , Social Work, Latin America Latin America Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area... n and Caribbean Caribbean The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north... Studies, South Asia South Asia South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east... n Studies, International Development International development International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development — the development of greater quality of life for humans... , Women's Studies Women's studies Women's studies, also known as feminist studies, is an interdisciplinary academic field which explores politics, society and history from an intersectional, multicultural women's perspective... |
4185 | Those who founded York University and are not otherwise recognized. |
| Glendon (1966) |
Bilingual Liberal Arts | Liberal Arts Liberal arts The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy... , English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... , French French language French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts... , Public Policy Policy A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol... |
approx. 3000 | A combination of "glen" meaning "valley" and "Don" for the Don River. |
| McLaughlin (1968) |
Public Policy & Social Sciences | Political science Political science Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior... , Sociology Sociology Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity... , Law Law Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus... and Society, Criminology Criminology Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society... , Public policy Policy A policy is typically described as a principle or rule to guide decisions and achieve rational outcome. The term is not normally used to denote what is actually done, this is normally referred to as either procedure or protocol... , Health Health Health is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain... and Society, Labour Labour economics Labor economics seeks to understand the functioning and dynamics of the market for labor. Labor markets function through the interaction of workers and employers... Studies |
5128 | Colonel Samuel McLaughlin Samuel McLaughlin Colonel Robert Samuel McLaughlin, CC, ED, CD was an influential Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He started the McLaughlin Motor Car Co... , businessman and philanthropist. |
| New College (2009) |
Professional Studies | Human Resources Human resources Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations... , Administrative Studies, Information Technology Information technology Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications... |
unknown | Newest college at York University. |
| Norman Bethune (1972) |
"Science and its Place in the World" | Natural Sciences, Engineering Engineering Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of... , Science and Technology Studies (formerly Science and Society) |
6261 | Dr. Norman Bethune Norman Bethune Henry Norman Bethune was a Canadian physician and medical innovator. Bethune is best known for his service in war time medical units during the Spanish Civil War and with the Communist Eighth Route Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War... , Canadian doctor and Chinese hero. |
| Stong (1969) |
Language and Sport | English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... and other Languages, Kinesiology Kinesiology Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational... , Health Science |
4336 | The Stong family lived on the land now occupied by the Keele campus. |
| Vanier Vanier College at York University Vanier College, founded in 1966, was the second college to come into existence on the Keele Campus. The College is proudly named after General The Right Honourable Georges P. Vanier, one of the most respected Canadians of the 20th century... (1965) |
Humanities | Children's Studies, Classical Studies & Classics Classics Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or... , Culture and Expression, Hellenic Studies, Individualized Studies, Jewish Studies Jewish studies Jewish studies is an academic discipline centered on the study of Jews and Judaism. Jewish studies is interdisciplinary and combines aspects of history , religious studies, archeology, sociology, languages , political science, area studies, women's studies, and ethnic studies... , Liberal Studies, Philosophy Philosophy Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational... , Religious Studies Religious studies Religious studies is the academic field of multi-disciplinary, secular study of religious beliefs, behaviors, and institutions. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing systematic, historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.While theology attempts to... , Social and Political Thought, all Undecided Majors in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies |
6909 | Georges Vanier Georges Vanier Major-General Georges-Philéas Vanier was a Canadian soldier and diplomat who served as Governor General of Canada, the 19th since Canadian Confederation.... , Governor-General of Canada. |
| Winters (1967) |
Fine Arts | Fine Arts | 2574 | Robert Winters Robert Winters Robert Henry Winters, PC was a Canadian politician and businessman.Born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, the son of a fishing captain, Winters went to Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, and then to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to complete his degree in electrical engineering... , Canadian Cabinet Minister and York's first chairman. |
| Glendon College Glendon College Glendon College is one of the two campuses of York University, Canada's third-largest university, in Toronto, Ontario. A bilingual liberal arts college with 84 full-time faculty members and a student population of about 2400, Glendon is located in midtown Toronto's Lawrence Park neighbourhood... acts as both a faculty and a college of the university. New College was created in 2009 to accommodate the creation of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies. |
||||
The different houses that make up Founders Residence are actually named after the Group of Seven
Group of Seven (artists)
The Group of Seven, sometimes known as the Algonquin school, were a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920-1933, originally consisting of Franklin Carmichael , Lawren Harris , A. Y. Jackson , Franz Johnston , Arthur Lismer , J. E. H. MacDonald , and Frederick Varley...
(Varley House, Harris House, etc.), or as the plaque at the building says, 'The Founders of Canadian Art."
The Village
The Village at York off-campus student housing area has become a popular area of accommodation for many upper-year and post-graduate students, and the area has had a large amount of attention particularly for large parties hosted by students, including the annual Battle of the Village kegger held in March. There have also been many reports of the level of noise pollution from late-night parties from students living in the area. Safety has also been a pressing issue.The Village is a residential neighbourhood within the City of Toronto, occupying about 130 acres beyond the south boundary of York University's property. Residential dwellings in The Village are privately owned, and homeowners in this community are City of Toronto taxpayers. York University participates in the Village At York Town and Gown Committee, with representatives of residents of The Village; the York Federation of Students; Toronto Police Service and Toronto Fire Service, as well as other key municipal agencies and the local Councillors' office. This committee addresses concerns of residents, students, the City and the University, such as community safety and by-law enforcement and compliance.
Newspapers and other publications
ExcaliburExcalibur (newspaper)
Excalibur is a community newspaper of York University, Toronto. It has been serving the York University community since 1964 and autonomous since 1966. Its main focus is to serve the student population at York....
has been the university's autonomous student newspaper since 1966. In 2008, the YU Free Press was formed as an alternative campus newspaper.
Colleges and some programs also have individual newspapers or magazines. They include: The Flying Walrus (Stong College), MacMedia (McLaughlin College), The Pipe (Calumet College), Winters Free Press (Winters College), SOFA (Spotlight On Fine Arts), The Lexicon (Norman Bethune College), The Vandoo (Vanier College
Vanier College at York University
Vanier College, founded in 1966, was the second college to come into existence on the Keele Campus. The College is proudly named after General The Right Honourable Georges P. Vanier, one of the most respected Canadians of the 20th century...
), The Phoenix (Founders College), Pro Tem (Glendon College), Obiter Dicta (Osgoode Law School), and The Insider (Schulich School of Business).
Existere
Existere
Existere - Journal of Arts & Literature is a Canadian magazine, that publishes twice a year at York University's Vanier College in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
– Journal of Arts and Literature (est. 1978) is a national publication with local and international contributors. It is financed by Vanier College Council. The journal publishes short fiction, poetry, non-fiction and art from novices and seasoned veterans. Several major writers got their early start in Existere.
YorkU Magazine (est. 2003) is the official magazine of York University. It publishes five times per year in hard copy and digital editions.
Sport
The University is represented in Canadian Interuniversity SportCanadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
by the York Lions
York Lions
The York Lions is the official name for the athletic varsity teams that represent York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's varsity teams compete in the Ontario University Athletics conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport and, where applicable, in the east division...
. Beginning in 1968 York's sporting teams were known as the "Yeomen", after the Yeomen Warders
Yeomen Warders
The Yeomen Warders of Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress the Tower of London, and Members of the Sovereign's Body Guard of the Yeoman of the Guard Extraordinary, popularly known as the Beefeaters, are ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London...
, the guardians of the fortress and palace at the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, otherwise known as Beefeaters. Later, the name "Yeowomen" was introduced to encourage women to participate in sports. Popular sentiment ran against this name scheme, however, as many students were fond of noting that a "Yeowoman" was fictitious, neither a real word nor having any historical merit. In 2003, after conducting an extensive internal study, the University replaced both names with the "Lions", as part of a larger renaming effort, and a new logo, now a white and red lion, was brought into line with the university's new visual scheme. The name change also brought York University in line with the 92% of other Canadian universities which use a single name for both sexes' sports teams. Ironically, students often refer to the female Lions teams as the "York Lionesses", even though the name "Lion" is intended to apply to both sexes.
York offers 29 interuniversity sport teams, 12 sport clubs, 35 intramural sport leagues, special events and 10 pick-up sport activities offered daily.
York University has several athletic facilities, some of which are used for major tournaments. These include a football stadium, 4 gymnasia, 5 sport playing fields, 4 softball fields, 9 outdoor tennis courts, 5 squash courts, 3 dance/aerobic studios, 6 ice arenas, a swimming pool, an expanding fitness centre and the new Rexall Centre
Rexall Centre
Rexall Centre is a tennis stadium in Toronto, Ontario. Rexall Centre is the venue for the professional Canada Masters tournament, held annually. The facility also is a year-round tennis training facility. The main stadium is occasionally used for seasonal concerts...
(home of the Rogers Tennis Cup
Canada Masters
The Canada Masters , currently sponsored as the Rogers Cup, is an annual tennis tournament held in Canada. The men's competition is a Masters 1000 event on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour. The women's competition is a Premier 5 tournament on the Women's Tennis Association tour...
).
In 2005, plans were made to build a new football and soccer stadium to host the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
and future football tournaments. These plans were scuttled, however, when a deal was signed by the Argos to remain at the Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
.
Fight song
Notable among a number of songs commonly played and sung at various events such as commencementGraduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
and convocation
Convocation
A Convocation is a group of people formally assembled for a special purpose.- University use :....
, and athletic games are: "York Song", sung to the tune "Harvard".
At sporting events, and in a host of frosh week events on campus, students are often heard singing and chanting the cheer "Deep in the Heart":
- Deep in the heart of the York U Jungle,
- You can hear the Lions rumble,
- Oo Oo, YU YU, Oo Oo, YU YU
Another York Fight song that is used at Homecoming games is:
- The red and white are waving over the field
- Our team is fighting with the spirit that will not yield
- Rah rah rah!
- Hail to thee O York U
- We'll fight for you
- Once again the Lions will reach victory!
There are also college songs, particularly from the friendly feuds between Stong College and Bethune College, and the infamous Winters College and Vanier College
Vanier College at York University
Vanier College, founded in 1966, was the second college to come into existence on the Keele Campus. The College is proudly named after General The Right Honourable Georges P. Vanier, one of the most respected Canadians of the 20th century...
cheer songs.
Fraternities and Sororities
Over the years, two fraternities and two sororities have operated, unofficially, on campus:Fraternities:
- Alpha Epsilon PiAlpha Epsilon PiAlpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
(ΑΕΠ) - (Eta Pi Chapter) - Phi Delta ThetaPhi Delta ThetaPhi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
(ΦΔΘ) - (Ontario Delta Chapter)
Sororities:
- Delta Pi (ΔΠ) - (local organization)
- Delta Psi DeltaDelta Psi DeltaDelta Psi Delta can refer to several current and historical fraternities and sororities in Canada and the United States:* Delta Psi Delta , Canadian National sorority at Carleton University, York University, Ryerson University, and University of Windsor* Delta Psi Delta, a local sorority at Ripon...
(ΔΨΔ) - (Gamma Chapter)
Phi Delta Phi
Phi Delta Phi
Phi Delta Phi, ΦΔΦ, is the world's second largest legal fraternity. Phi Delta Phi is the second oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States and third oldest in North America...
(ΦΔΦ) international legal fraternity, at Osgoode Law School, was given special dispensation when the law school became part of the university, as the fraternity's history with the law school dated back to 1896, and is recognized at York.
Global rankings
- The 2010 QS World University Overall Rankings ranked York 333rd out of 660 institutions. This was down 60 spots from the 2009 rankings and York has a three-year average rank of 286.
- The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2010, which conducts an annual ranking of the World's Top 12,000 Universities, ranked York at 120th out of 12,000. That was up 14 places compared to the 2009 ranking.
Specialized rankings
- Maclean'sMaclean'sMaclean's is a Canadian weekly news magazine, reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events.-History:Founded in 1905 by Toronto journalist/entrepreneur Lt.-Col. John Bayne Maclean, a 43-year-old trade magazine publisher who purchased an advertising agency's in-house...
2011 University Rankings placed York 9th in Canada in its "comprehensive" university category. - The 2011 4ICU Ranking of the Top 200 Colleges and Universities of the World ranked York 93rd. The aim of the 4ICU Web site is to provide an approximate popularity ranking of universities based upon the popularity of their websites.
- The 2010 QS World University Rankings ranked York 4th in Canada and 110th in the world for Arts & Humanities and 6th in Canada and 116th in the world for Social Sciences.
- York University's overall grade was 'B+', one of the highest grade amongst Canadian universities, on the 2010 College Sustainability Report Card of the Sustainable Endowments Institute.
Transit
Close to fourteen hundred buses move people through the campus each day. A proposed extension of the Yonge-University-Spadina line of the Toronto Subway
Toronto subway and RT
The Toronto subway and RT is a rapid transit system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, consisting of both underground and elevated railway lines, operated by the Toronto Transit Commission . It was Canada's first completed subway system, with the first line being built under Yonge Street, which opened in...
is currently under construction. It would run directly under the campus, creating new stations at Keele Street
Keele Street
Keele Street is a north-south road in Toronto and York Region in Ontario, Canada. It stretches 47km, running from Bloor Street in Toronto to the Holland Marsh. South of Bloor Street, the roadway is today known as Parkside Drive, but was originally part of Keele Street...
and Finch Avenue
Finch Avenue
Finch Avenue is an arterial thoroughfare and concession road which travels east–west through the city of Toronto. The road also has short extensions into Peel and Durham Regions as Peel Regional Road 2 and Durham Regional Road 37.-History:...
(as Finch West station
Finch West (TTC)
Finch West is a future station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which is under construction. It will be at the corner of Keele Street at Finch Avenue West, and it is expected to open in 2015.-Description:...
), at the centre of campus (as York University station
York University (TTC)
York University is a planned station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. When built, it will be located on the grounds of York University’s main Keele campus, near Ian Macdonald and York Boulevards, and it's expected to open in late 2015...
), and at Steeles Avenue, interfacing with York Regional Transit (as Steeles West station
Steeles West (TTC)
Steeles West is a planned station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to be built on its western branch, the Spadina line. If built, it would be a temporary terminus, until the line is extended further to Vaughan Corporate Centre...
).
York University's Glendon and Keele campuses are served by the TTC. The Keele site is also served by York Region Transit
York Region Transit
York Region Transit is the public transit operator in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Its headquarters are in Richmond Hill, at 50 High Tech Road....
buses (both regular and Viva
Viva (bus rapid transit)
Viva is a bus rapid transit service operating in York Region, Ontario, Canada. Viva service is integrated with York Region Transit's local bus service to operate as one regional transit system providing seamless transit service across York Region and connections to northern Toronto.Viva was...
) from the immediate north, GO Transit
GO Transit
GO Transit is an inter-regional public transit system in Southern Ontario, Canada. It primarily serves the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area conurbation, with operations extending to several communities beyond the GTHA proper in the Greater Golden Horseshoe...
express buses from several other Toronto suburbs and colleges or universities and Greyhound buses
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
for regional transportation. Transportation Services operates a shuttle service to GO Transit's York University train station on its Barrie corridor. As of November 20, 2009, express buses on the highly frequent 196 York University Rocket Toronto Transit Commission
Toronto Transit Commission
-Island Ferry:The ferry service to the Toronto Islands was operated by the TTC from 1927 until 1962, when it was transferred to the Metro Parks and Culture department. Since 1998, the ferry service is run by Toronto Parks and Recreation.-Gray Coach:...
(TTC) bus route now use the dedicated York University Busway
York University Busway
The York University Busway is the collective name for a series of bus lanes and bus only roadways leading from Downsview station to York University, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is used by the Toronto Transit Commission's 196 York University Rocket and York Region Transit's Viva Orange bus...
to transport students from Downsview station
Downsview (TTC)
Downsview is a station of the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the Toronto subway and RT. It is located at the intersection of William R. Allen Road and Sheppard Avenue West. The station is currently the northern terminus of its western branch, the Spadina line. It is also a ‘Vivastation’ on the...
to York Lanes in about 15 minutes. It consists of bus-only lanes on Allen Road and Dufferin Street, and bus-only roadways through a hydro corridor north of Finch Avenue West, and along the east side of the campus. As of September 20, 2010, the Züm
Züm
Züm is a bus rapid transit system for the suburban city of Brampton, Ontario, Canada, northwest of Toronto owned and operated by Brampton Transit. The first phase calls for three corridors operating in mixed traffic, similar to York Region Transit's Viva network...
Route 501 provides service from Bramalea Terminal
Bramalea Terminal
Brampton Transit - Bramalea Terminal is a bus station serving the community of Bramalea in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. It is located at the south west corner of Peel Centre Drive and Central Park Drive on the north side of the Brampton Civic Centre. The customer service centre building is situated...
in Brampton
Brampton
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.Brampton may also refer to:- Canada :* Brampton, a city in Ontario** Brampton GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the city- United Kingdom :...
to York University.
Campus safety
York University Department of Security Services provides security services on the university's campuses. York Security Services provide uniformed security staff which consist of campus liaison officers (community services unit) and the Investigative Unit which works closely with the Toronto Police Services. The investigative unit and Toronto Police Investigative Units and 31 Division work jointly on serious investigations. Patrols are conducted on foot, bicycle and vehicle. The security service is a member of the Ontario Association of College and University Security Administrators (OACUSA) and the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA). The campus community is over 55,000 people.The department uses marked Ford Crown Victorias which are clearly identifiable with low-profile LED roof lights. The department responds to all calls for service, however incidents of a criminal nature should be reported to Toronto Police.
Uniform security staff can be clearly identified by their dark cargo-style pants, red shirt (York University colour) and black exterior body armour (bulletproof vest covers).
Residence watch staff are also posted nightly at all undergraduate residence buildings to provide an extra level of protection.
As part of the campus safety system a student escort service is available to all members of the community. The escort staff are students hired on a part-time basis. In an emergency escort staff have immediate communication with Security Services.
In June 2008, the university announced it had commissioned an external safety audit after a string of rapes on the university campus.
During frosh week 2007, two men entered a campus dormitory and raped two students.
The victims were 17 and 18 years old at the time.
A lawsuit filed claims that "the entrance door to the college and to the residential room areas of the college were virtually wide open to the public at large".
The next year, in January 2008, another student was sexually assaulted in the stairwell of a campus building.
In May 2009, a contract security guard was shot at a York University campus pub, The Underground.
In April 2010, a 20-year-old student was sexually assaulted while walking to her apartment, located minutes away from the main campus.
The incident, described by police as "particularly severe" and resulting in "very serious" injuries for the victim, was particularly notable as it occurred just a week after Daniel Katsnelson was sentenced for the 2007 rape on the university campus.
The incident further reignited criticism against the school for continued delays in releasing the campus safety audit, which was first announced nearly 2 years prior.
On March 31, 2010, less than a month prior to the April 2010 incident, the campus newspaper, Excalibur
Excalibur
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
published an article lambasting the school administration for delays in releasing the audit.
A spokesman for the university responded that the school is still "anxiously awaiting" the report.
In April 2011, campus security was temporarily increased following the murder of a 23-year old, the university hired paid duty Toronto Police Officers to patrol the campus. Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
overseas student
International student
According to Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development , international students are those who travel to a country different from their own for the purpose of tertiary study. Despite that, the definition of international students varies in each country in accordance to their own national...
in the York University Village.
On August 26, 2011, York University announced that in response to recommendations in the METRAC Safety Audit, the University will be modifying the service delivery model for York Security Services (YSS) personnel. Members will be trained and issued with handcuffs and batons. Cruisers are to also be equipped with "silent partners" for transporting arrested persons.
Presidents
- Murray G. RossMurray G. RossMurray George Ross, OC, O.Ont was a Canadian sociologist, author, and academic administrator. He was the founding president of Toronto's York University and served in that role from 1959 to 1970....
, academic 1959–1970 - David SlaterDavid W. SlaterDavid Walker Slater was a Canadian economist, civil servant and former President of York University.Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he received a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1942 from the University of Manitoba...
, economist and civil servant 1970–1973 - H. Ian MacdonaldH. Ian MacdonaldHugh Ian Macdonald, OC, KLJ is a Canadian economist, civil servant, and was President of York University from 1974 to 1984....
, economist and civil servant 1973–1984 - Harry W. ArthursHarry ArthursHarry William Arthurs, is a Canadian lawyer, academic, and academic administrator. He is one of Canada's leading labour law scholars....
, lawyer and academic 1985–1992 - Susan MannSusan MannSusan Mann Trofimenkoff, CM, FRSC is a Canadian historian and was president of York University from 1992 to 1997.Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Mann received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1963 from the University of Toronto, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1965, a Ph.D....
, historian and academic, 1993–1997 - Lorna MarsdenLorna MarsdenLorna Marsden, CM, O.Ont is a Canadian sociologist, academic, and former politician. She is the former President and Vice-Chancellor of both Wilfrid Laurier University and York University, and a former senator.-Career:...
, academic and politician 1997–2007 - Mamdouh ShoukriMamdouh ShoukriMamdouh Shoukri, BSc, MEng, PhD, was appointed the seventh President and Vice-Chancellor of York University on July 1, 2007. On April 25, 2011, the Board of Governors of York University announced Dr. Shoukri's renewal for a second term.-Biography:...
, academic, 2007–present
Chancellors
- Wilfred A. CurtisWilfred CurtisAir Marshal Wilfred Austin "Wilf" Curtis, OC, CB, CBE, DSC & Bar, ED, CD was a Canadian airman and Chief of the Air Staff of the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1947 until 1953.-Early years:...
, RCAF air marshal, 1959–1968 - Floyd S. ChalmersFloyd ChalmersFloyd Sherman Chalmers, was a Canadian editor, publisher and philanthropist.Born in Chicago, Illinois, to Canadian parents he was raised in Orillia, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario....
, publisher, 1968–1973 - Walter L. GordonWalter L. GordonWalter Lockhart Gordon, PC, CC, FCA was a Canadian accountant, businessman, politician, and writer.-Education:...
, federal cabinet minister, 1973–1977 - John P. Robarts, premier of Ontario, 1977–1982
- John S. Proctor, banker, 1982–1983
- J. Tuzo Wilson, geophysicist, 1983–1986
- Larry ClarkeLarry ClarkeLarry Denman Clarke, OC is a Canadian businessman and the founder, president, chief executive officer, and chairman of SPAR Aerospace Limited, the designer of the Canadarm...
, founder of SPAR AerospaceSpar AerospaceSPAR Aerospace was a Canadian aerospace company. It produced equipment for the Canadian Space Agency to be used in cooperation with NASA's Space Shuttle program, most notably the Canadarm remote manipulator system....
, 1986–1991 - Oscar PetersonOscar PetersonOscar Emmanuel Peterson was a Canadian jazz pianist and composer. He was called the "Maharaja of the keyboard" by Duke Ellington, "O.P." by his friends. He released over 200 recordings, won seven Grammy Awards, and received other numerous awards and honours over the course of his career...
, jazz piano great, 1991–1994 - Arden HaynesArden HaynesArden Haynes, is a Canadian businessman and the ninth Chancellor of York University .Born in Saskatchewan, he attended the University of Manitoba, where he was admitted to the Zeta Psi fraternity, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1951.He was the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of...
, businessman, 1994–1998 - Avie J. BennettAvie BennettAvie Bennett, is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist.-Work History:In 1986, he acquired the Canadian publishing company, McClelland & Stewart Inc. In 2000, he donated his shares, 75% of the company, to the University of Toronto...
, businessman, 1998–2004 - Peter deCarteret Cory, jurist, 2004–2008
- Roy McMurtryRoy McMurtryRoland "Roy" McMurtry, OC, OOnt is a judge and former politician in Ontario, Canada and the current Chancellor of York University.-Early life:McMurtry was born in Toronto and educated at St. Andrew's College, graduating in 1950...
, politician and judge, 2008–Present
Noted alumni and faculty
- Louise ArbourLouise ArbourLouise Arbour, is the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and the Court of Appeal for Ontario and a former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda...
, Supreme Court of CanadaSupreme Court of CanadaThe Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
justice and United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
High Commissioner for Human Rights (2004–2008) - Robert W. CoxRobert W. CoxRobert Cox is a former political science professor and United Nations officer. He is cited as one of the intellectual leaders, along with Susan Strange, of the British School of International Political Economy and is still active as a scholar after his formal retirement, writing and giving...
, International Labor Organization Chief of Program and Planning Division, Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
professor, a leading Gramscian scholar and expert on International Political Economy - Orville Lloyd DouglasOrville Lloyd DouglasOrville Lloyd Douglas is a Canadian, feminist, poet, and writer.-Biography:Orville Lloyd Douglas was born in Toronto, Ontario to Jamaican-Canadian parents. He graduated from York University with two Bachelor of Arts degrees. He completed his first Bachelor's degree in History and the second...
Poet and Writer - Ernie EvesErnie EvesErnest Lawrence "Ernie" Eves was the 23rd Premier of the province of Ontario, Canada, from April 15, 2002, to October 23, 2003.-Beginnings:...
, former Ontario premier (2002–2003) and former finance minister - Jim FlahertyJim FlahertyJames Michael "Jim" Flaherty, PC, MP is Canada's Minister of Finance and he has also served as Ontario's Minister of Finance. From 1995 until 2005, he was the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby—Ajax, and a member of the Progressive Conservative Party caucus...
, Federal Minister of Finance, (2006–) - Jian GhomeshiJian GhomeshiJian Ghomeshi is a Canadian broadcaster, writer, musician and producer of Iranian descent who was raised in Thornhill, Ontario. Now based in Toronto, he is the host of the national daily cultural affairs talk program, Q, on CBC Radio One and Bold TV...
, CBCCanadian Broadcasting CorporationThe Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
host, musician, writer and producer - Coenraad BloemendalCoenraad BloemendalCoenraad Bloemendal is a Canadian cellist, who has performed, taught and recorded primarily in the field of classical music during a career that has spanned more than four decades.-Formal Training:...
, cellist and pedagogue. Recorded with Glenn GouldGlenn GouldGlenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known and most celebrated classical pianists of the 20th century. He was particularly renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach...
. - Barbara HallBarbara HallBarbara Hall is a Canadian lawyer, public servant and former politician. She was the 61st mayor of Toronto, the last to run before amalgamation. She was elected mayor of the pre-amalgamation City of Toronto in 1994, and held office until December 31, 1997...
, former Toronto mayor (1994–1997) - Kardinal OffishallKardinal OffishallJason D. Harrow , better known by his stage name Kardinal Offishall , is a Canadian rapper and record producer. He is often credited as Canada's "hip-hop ambassador", and is best known for his distinctive reggae and dancehall-influenced style of hip-hop.-Life and career:Harrow was born in...
, rap music artist and producer - Bruce LabruceBruce LaBruceBruce LaBruce is a Canadian writer, filmmaker, photographer and underground gay porn director based in Toronto, Ontario.-Biography:...
, underground filmmaker and icon of the gay arts community - Ringo LamRingo LamRingo Lam Ling-Tung , born in 1955 is a Hong Kong film director, producer and scriptwriter.He is known for gritty, dark and realistic action thrillers. He was born in Hong Kong and studied film at York University film school in Toronto...
, Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
action film director - Jack LaytonJack LaytonJohn Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
, Federal NDPNew Democratic PartyThe New Democratic Party , commonly referred to as the NDP, is a federal social-democratic political party in Canada. The interim leader of the NDP is Nycole Turmel who was appointed to the position due to the illness of Jack Layton, who died on August 22, 2011. The provincial wings of the NDP in...
leader from 2003-2011 - Nigel LockyerNigel LockyerDr. Nigel Lockyer is a Professor of Physics at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of TRIUMF. He was educated at York University in Toronto, Canada....
, Director of TRIUMFTRIUMFTRIUMF is Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics. Its headquarters are located on the south campus of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia. TRIUMF houses the world's largest cyclotron, source of 500 MeV protons, which was named an IEEE Milestone...
, Canada's National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics located at the University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British ColumbiaThe University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley... - Jay ManuelJay ManuelJay Manuel is a Canadian make-up artist, fashion photographer, and model. He is most recognizable as the director of photo shoots on the popular reality television show America's Next Top Model...
, makeup artistMakeup artistthumb|[[Michelle Camaclang]], an international-certified professional makeup artistthumb|Special effects makeup techniquesA Make-up artist is an artist whose medium is the human body, applying makeup and prosthetics for theatrical, television, film, fashion, magazines and other similar productions...
, fashion photographer and creative director of the America's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top ModelAmerica's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry....
and Canada's Next Top ModelCanada's Next Top ModelCanada's Next Top Model is a Canadian reality show in which female contestants compete for the title "Canada's Next Top Model" and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry...
TV shows - Rachel McAdamsRachel McAdamsRachel Anne McAdams is a Canadian actress. After graduating from a theatre program at York University, Toronto in 2001, she worked steadily as an actress until finding fame in 2004 with starring roles in teen comedy Mean Girls and romantic drama The Notebook...
, Hollywood actress known for her roles in Mean GirlsMean GirlsMean Girls is a 2004 American teen comedy-drama film directed by Mark Waters. The screenplay was written by Tina Fey and is based in part on the non-fiction book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, which describes how female high school social cliques operate and the effect they can have...
, The NotebookThe Notebook (film)The Notebook is a 2004 romance film directed by Nick Cassavetes, based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who fall in love during the early 1940s...
, Wedding CrashersWedding CrashersWedding Crashers is a 2005 American comedy film directed by David Dobkin. It stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, with Christopher Walken, Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Bradley Cooper, Diora Baird, Jane Seymour, and an uncredited Will Ferrell....
, Red EyeRed Eye (film)Red Eye is a 2005 thriller film directed by Wes Craven and starring Rachel McAdams as a hotel manager ensnared in an assassination plot by a terrorist while aboard a red-eye flight to Miami. The film score was composed and conducted by Marco Beltrami.-Plot:Lisa Reisert fears flying...
, Sherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes (2009 film)Sherlock Holmes is a 2009 action-mystery film based on the character of the same name created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The film was directed by Guy Ritchie and produced by Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey and Dan Lin. The screenplay by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham and Simon...
and The Time Traveler's WifeThe Time Traveler's Wife (film)The Time Traveler's Wife is a 2009 romantic film based on Audrey Niffenegger's 2003 novel of the same name. Directed by Robert Schwentke, the film stars Eric Bana as Henry DeTamble, a Chicago librarian with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel randomly as he tries to build a romantic... - John McNeeJohn McNeeJohn McNee is a Canadian career diplomat. McNee was Canada's Ambassador to the United Nations from 2006 to July 2011.McNee earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from York University in Canada in 1973 and a Master of Arts in History from Cambridge University in 1975.He joined the Department of...
, Canada's Ambassador to the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace... - Jeffrey MorganJeffrey MorganJeffrey Morgan is a Canadian writer, musician, photographer, and poet who lives in Toronto, Ontario. Morgan is best known for being the authorized biographer of both Alice Cooper and The Stooges.-CREEM:...
, authorized biographer of both Alice CooperAlice CooperAlice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
and The StoogesThe StoogesThe Stooges are an American rock band from Ann Arbor, Michigan first active from 1967 to 1974, and later reformed in 2003... - Steven PageSteven PageSteven Jay Page , is a Canadian musician. Along with Ed Robertson, he was a founding member, lead singer, guitarist, and a primary songwriter of the music group Barenaked Ladies ; he left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career....
, musician, former lead singer for the Barenaked LadiesBarenaked LadiesBarenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto... - Joseph PivatoJoseph PivatoJoseph Pivato is a Canadian writer and academic who first established the critical recognition of Italian-Canadian literature and changed our perception of Canadian writing.-Biography:...
, writer, researcher in Italian-Canadian literature, Professor at Athabasca University, Edmonton - Roger PulwartyRoger PulwartyRoger S. Pulwarty is a scientist from Trinidad and Tobago and Nobel laureate as one of the winners of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change . He is the director of the US National Integrated Drought Information System at the National Oceanic &...
, is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeIntergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeThe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific intergovernmental body which provides comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and...
which received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize - Pat QuinnPat Quinn (ice hockey)John Brian Patrick Quinn , is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Edmonton Oilers. Known by the nickname "The Big Irishman",...
, former coach of the Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
NHL hockey team - Sandie RinaldoSandie RinaldoSandie Rinaldo is a Canadian television journalist and anchor for CTV News.-Youth and education:...
, award-winning national TV anchor for CTV NewsCTV NewsCTV News is the news division of the CTV Television Network in Canada. The name CTV News is also applied as the title of local and regional newscasts on the network's owned-and-operated stations , which are closely tied to the national news division... - Nino RicciNino RicciNino Ricci is a Canadian novelist who lives in Toronto, Ontario. He was born in Leamington, Ontario to Italian immigrants, Virginio and Amelia Ricci, from the province of Isernia, Molise....
, two-time Governor General's Award-winning author (for a novel in English) - Peter RobinsonPeter Robinson (novelist)Dr. Peter Robinson is an English crime writer, based in Canada. He is best known for his crime novels set in Yorkshire featuring Inspector Alan Banks...
, award-winning detective fiction novelist - Jacob ScheierJacob ScheierJacob Scheier is a Canadian poet. His debut poetry collection, More to Keep Us Warm, was published by ECW Press in 2007 and was named the winner of the 2008 Governor General's Award for English poetry....
, Governor General's Award-winning poet (for a collection in English) - John SewellJohn SewellJohn Sewell, CM is a Canadian political activist and writer on municipal affairs; he was the mayor of Toronto, Ontario from 1978 to 1980.-Background:...
, former Toronto Mayor (1978–1980) - Malin ÅkermanMalin AkermanMalin Maria Åkerman is a Swedish–Canadian actress and model. She was born in Stockholm, Sweden and moved to Canada at the age of two. As a child, she appeared in several television commercials before going on to win a modelling contract at age sixteen...
, Hollywood actress known for her roles in 27 Dresses27 Dresses27 Dresses is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher and written by Aline Brosh McKenna. The film stars Katherine Heigl and James Marsden. The film was released January 10, 2008 in Australia and opened in the United States on January 18....
, "WatchmenWatchmen (film)Watchmen is a 2009 superhero film directed by Zack Snyder and starring Malin Åkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Patrick Wilson. It is an adaptation of the comic book of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons...
" - Trish StratusTrish StratusPatricia Anne Stratigias , better known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and television personality currently signed with WWE. She is also a former fitness model....
, former World Wrestling Entertainment professional wrestler/personality - Joel A. SutherlandJoel A. SutherlandJoel A. Sutherland is a Canadian author and editor of thriller, horror and fantasy short stories and novels, anthologies and children's books. His notable works include Frozen Blood and Be a Writing Superstar Sutherland's writing has been nominated for the Bram Stoker Award and the Black Quill Award...
, Bram Stoker AwardBram Stoker AwardThe Bram Stoker Award is a recognition presented by the Horror Writers Association for "superior achievement" in horror writing. The awards have been presented annually since 1987, and the winners are selected by ballot of the Active members of the HWA...
-nominated author of Frozen Blood - Scott ThompsonScott ThompsonScott Thompson is a Canadian television actor and comedian, best known for his time as a member of the comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall.-Personal life:...
, television comedian, best known for his time as a member of the comedy troupe The Kids in the HallThe Kids in the HallThe Kids in the Hall is a Canadian sketch comedy group formed in 1984, consisting of comedians Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, and Scott Thompson. Their eponymous television show ran from 1988 to 1994 on CBC in Canada, and 1989 to 1995 on CBS and HBO in the United States... - John ToryJohn ToryJohn Howard Tory is a Canadian businessman, political activist, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, former Member of Provincial Parliament and broadcaster...
, former leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of OntarioProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioThe Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
(2004–2009) - Ria Scott, lead singer of novelty pop group, the "Fast Food RockersFast Food RockersThe Fast Food Rockers were a British pop group known for their novelty music. The band claim to have met at a fast-food convention in Folkestone.-Career:...
". - Melyssa FordMelyssa FordMelyssa Savannah Ford is a Canadian model and actress. She attended York University and studied in the field of forensic psychology. Ford's father is Afro-Barbadian and her mother is Russian and Norwegian...
, model, actress - Ronnie Vannucci Jr.Ronnie Vannucci Jr.Ronald Dante "Ronnie" Vannucci, Jr. is the drummer of the American rock band The Killers. He is also involved in a side project called Big Talk.-Personal life:...
, drummer and percussionist of Las VegasLas Vegas metropolitan areaThe Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
-based rock band, The Killers. - Nicole StoffmanNicole StoffmanNicole Stoffman is a Canadian actress and jazz singer. She is most famous in Canada for her role on Degrassi Junior High as Stephanie Kaye....
, singer and actress known for her roles in Degrassi Junior HighDegrassi Junior HighDegrassi Junior High is a Canadian CBC Television teen drama series that was produced from 1987-1989 as part of the Degrassi series. The show followed the lives of a group of students attending the titular fictional school...
and Learning The RopesLearning the RopesLearning the Ropes is a Canadian-produced sitcom that aired on CTV in Canada and in syndication in the United States from September 1988 to March 1989. The series stars Lyle Alzado as Robert Randall, a teacher who works as a professional wrestler in the evening. Although his children knew about...
. - Melissa Grelo, News Reporter/Television Host for Toronto news station CP24.
Violation of academic freedom
In the aftermath of an academic conference that took place in 2009, titled "Israel/Palestine: Mapping Models of Statehood and Paths to Peace", which explored the possible models of statehood for Israel/Palestine, including the one state model, concerns were raised about the way the York Administration has handled the political pressure. Some of the organizers accused the York administration, mainly the then Dean of the Osgoode Hall Law School and the Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation, of putting undue pressure on the organizers in order to force them to change the content of the conference, invite or disinvite some speakers. The accusations were supported by documents and emails that were obtained through the Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act.The York administration appointed former Supreme Court of Canada Judge to review the issue, but the Iacobucci Review was problematic, and the terms of reference for the review were seen as an attack on academic freedom. The whole issue is being investigated by the Canadian Association of University Teachers.
In response to the allegations made, a University spokesperson said that the University should be judged the fact that event took place despite the pressure not to hold it, and that there is always internal discussion as part of the planning of all events. He added that "In the end, this conference did go on and we do not feel that academic freedom was breached." Vice President and Provost, Patrick Monahan, said, about these allegation that "Justice Iacobucci has looked at that and he doesn’t see any purpose in conducting further inquiries. Obviously there are a lot of different views about it.” Yet, it seems that the Iaccobucci Report is seen by many faculty members at Osgoode as controversial. In a letter from the Osgoode Hall Faculty Association, the Association said that it "considers the Iacobucci Report to be unsound and unreliable." The Association also said that "the Report both jeopardizes academic freedom and fails to consider the troubling conduct of the York officials."
Intimidation of Jewish Students and Pro-Israel Groups
On February 11, 2009, approximately 100 pro-Palestinian students reportedly initiated a near-riot against a group of Jewish students during a news conference where speakers called for the impeachment of the York Federation of Students (YFS) executive. According to witnesses, the demonstrators, which reportedly consisted of members of the YFS and Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA), shouted “Zionism equals racism!” and “Racists off campus!” One witness stated that “a riot broke out. They [YFS supporters] started banging the door and windows, intimidating Jewish students and screaming antisemitic slurs.” The students barricaded themselves inside the Hillel offices, where protesters reportedly banged on the windows and attempted to force their way in. Eventually police were called to escort Jewish students through the protesters.Krisna Saravanamuttu, York Federation of Students' vice-president of equity, who took part in the protest, denied that the protesters shouted anti-semitic slogans, stating that "That is categorically false. I heard nothing of that nature at all." He did however, confirm that the protesters shouted "racism off campus" and "students united will never be defeated."
In May 2009, York adjudicator Janet Mosher, who is an associate dean at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School, ruled that two York students, Krisna Saravanamuttu and Jesse Zimmerman, had violated the Student Code of Conduct due to their behaviour at the protest, which she described as “exclusionary and offensive” and which promoted an atmosphere of “hostility, incivility and intimidation.” Mosher noted that both students participated in the protest which pursued a group of Jewish students to Hillel’s lounge in York’s Student Centre, and swarmed outside shouting taunts. On a video of the incident, Saravanamuttu was shown clapping and apparently leading a chant of “Whose campus? Our campus!” as well as participating in a chant of “Racists off campus." Saravanamuttu was fined $150 and both he and Zimmerman were given an official reprimand and human rights training.
In February 2010, the campus group the Christians United for Israel (CUFI) and My Canada applied to use university space to host the Imagine With Us coalition event consisting of pro-Israel speakers. The University replied that the event could only proceed under certain conditions (which ultimately led to the event's cancellation when the organizers declined to comply with the terms):
- the organizers would be required to pay for security, including both campus and Toronto police;
- the organizers must provide an advance list of all program attendees and advance minute-by-minute summaries of all the speeches; and
- No advertising for the program would be permitted on campus.
These conditions drew criticism because they were not imposed on the organizers of Israel Apartheid Week which was being held on campus the same month. York's decision drew sharp criticism from David Frum
David Frum
David J. Frum is a Canadian American journalist active in both the United States and Canadian political arenas. A former economic speechwriter for President George W. Bush, he is also the author of the first "insider" book about the Bush presidency...
who wrote in the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
that "Since the anti-Israel people might use violence, the speech of the pro-Israel people must be limited. On the other hand, since the pro-Israel people do not use violence, the speech of the anti-Israel people can proceed without restraint." A York University spokesman subsequently told Frum that "all student groups that request university space" must meet "precisely same requirements" but that while the “process” and the “protocols” that were the same, a “needs-based assessment” of each particular case is necessary. Frum subsequently criticized the "utterly arbitrary ad hoc decision-making of a fathomlessly cowardly university administration." Frank Dimant, CEO of B'nai Brith Canada
B'nai Brith Canada
B'nai Brith Canada is the Canadian section of B'nai Brith . It was founded in 1875 and is the country's oldest Jewish service organization.-Members:...
also sharply criticized York's justification, arguing that "York’s continued appeasement of anti-Israel agitators at the expense of Zionist Christians and Jews is unacceptable.”
Professor Ed Morgan
Ed Morgan (professor)
Edward M. "Ed" Morgan is a professor of international law at the University of Toronto.-Education:Morgan attended Northwestern University , the University of Toronto , and Harvard Law School ....
of the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
criticized York, citing a 1992 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down a county government's increased fee for police protection for a controversial speaker because "speech cannot be financially burdened, any more than it can be punished or banned, simply because it might offend a hostile mob." Regarding the situation at York, Morgan wrote that "It's bad enough that there are "hostile mobs" on our campuses; making others pay for that hostility only rubs salt in our wounded freedoms." Prof. Howard C. Tenenbaum, also of the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, wrote that York "has lost all stature as an academic institution whose remit is to provide for full academic discourse, freedom from hatred on campus and freedom of speech, unless of course that freedom only includes unabashed hatred for the State of Israel." David Murrell of the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
wrote that "Everyone has a supposed right to free speech at York University – so long as groups can afford to pay security against leftist intimidation."
Strikes
York University has a history of faculty and teaching assistant strikes. In 1997, there was a faculty strike by YUFA that lasted seven weeks. At the time, this was the second longest strike in Canadian University history. Key issues in the strike included retirement, funding, and institutional governance. In 2001, teaching assistants and contract faculty went on strike for 11 weeks, when the university broke its own record. The central issue in the 2001 disruption was the administration's proposed attempts to remove tuition indexation language.A strike beginning on November 6, 2008 concerned a variety of institutional grievances, including job security for contract professors, elimination of the Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct, creation of whistleblower protection, and fund indexation. On January 20, 2009, CUPE 3903 defeated a forced ratification vote that would have ended the strike. On January 24, Ontario premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
announced a rare Sunday recall of the provincial legislature
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
in order to pass back-to-work legislation mandating an immediate end to the strike. On January 29, the York University Labour Disputes Resolution Act was passed in the provincial parliament on a count of 42–8 ending the long 85-day strike and setting a precedent for future university strikes in Ontario.
See also
- List of Ontario Universities
- York University ObservatoryYork University ObservatoryYork University Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by York University. It is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It owns two telescopes housed in two domes, a Schmidt-Cassegrain and a Cassegrain , and other smaller portable telescopes.Telescopes 1 and 2 are located...
- Ontario Student Assistance ProgramOntario Student Assistance ProgramThe Ontario Student Assistance Program is a financial aid program delivered by the government of Ontario, Canada, for post-secondary education students...
- Higher education in OntarioHigher education in OntarioHigher education in Ontario includes postsecondary education and skills training regulated by the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities and provided by universities, colleges of applied arts and technology, and private career colleges. The current minister is Glen Murray who assumed the...
- Canadian Interuniversity SportCanadian Interuniversity SportCanadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
- Canadian government scientific research organizationsCanadian government scientific research organizationsExpenditures by federal and provincial organizations on scientific research and development accounted for about 10% of all such spending in Canada in 2006...
- Canadian university scientific research organizationsCanadian university scientific research organizationsExpenditures by Canadian universities on scientific research and development accounted for about 40% of all spending on scientific research and development in Canada in 2006....
- Canadian industrial research and development organizationsCanadian industrial research and development organizationsExpenditures by Canadian corporations on research and development accounted for about 50% of all spending on scientific research and development in Canada in 2007....
Histories
}}}}}}}}}}}}- UPACE (1963) Master Plan for the York University Campus.
- York University (1998). York Campus Master Plan.