UN SDG Archives - 91亚色 /blog/tag/un-sdg/ Located in Toronto, 91亚色 is the 3rd largest university in Canada, with a community of 53000 students, 7000 faculty & staff, and 325,000+ alumni Fri, 16 Aug 2024 19:25:41 +0000 en-CA hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Continuing Studies Building recognized for innovative design /blog/2024/08/continuing-studies-building-recognized-for-innovative-design/ Fri, 16 Aug 2024 19:25:41 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357953 Architect Magazine has selected 91亚色 U's School of Continuing Studies Building as a winner of its Architecture & Interiors Award of Merit, recognizing the project's innovative, boundary-pushing design.

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91亚色's School of Continuing Studies Building and Perkins&Will 鈥 the architecture firm that designed it 鈥 have received an from Architect Magazine, recognizing the project's innovative, boundary-pushing design.
School of Continuing Studies Building
School of Continuing Studies Building exterior.

The six-story, 9,012-square-metre, 50-classroom building, which earlier this year for its sustainability and occupant wellness features,聽聽on 91亚色 U鈥檚 Keele Campus. Its twisted appearance is meant to symbolize the school鈥檚 twist on the traditional mission of continuing studies 鈥 that is, to solve Canada鈥檚 most pressing labour challenges by connecting employers to a highly skilled talent pool through its unique program offerings.

"Our new building has been purpose-built to give our learners and instructors what they need to thrive," said Christine Brooks-Cappadocia, assistant vice-president of continuing studies, "whether that鈥檚 excellent teaching and learning spaces, a place to feed your baby, a prayer room, gathering spaces or, most critically, community that welcomes and celebrates your growth."

For the third annual Architecture & Interiors Awards, a three-person jury of U.S. industry experts spent hours reviewing the nearly 200 submissions received from commercial architecture and design firms around the world to determine the 34 winning projects. The School of Continuing Studies Building emerged a standout, with one juror noting its "subtle singularity" and "understanding of the site and relationships."

"This award is a recognition that this is good design for both the physical environment but also in career-focused education," said Brooks-Cappadocia. "We are thrilled to celebrate this win with Perkins&Will and our community of learners and employers."

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91亚色 professor hosts recipient of prestigious Marie-Curie Postdoctoral Global Fellowship /blog/2024/08/york-professor-hosts-recipient-of-prestigious-marie-curie-postdoctoral-global-fellowship/ Wed, 14 Aug 2024 18:08:38 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357831 Faculty of Science Professor Kohitij Kar will welcome award-winning researcher Matteo Dunnhofer to develop artificial intelligence systems that mimic the primate brain in hopes of developing more effective treatment strategies for neurological disorders.

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91亚色 Biology Professor Kohitij Kar, in the Faculty of Science, will host the recipient of a prestigious (MSCA) Postdoctoral Global Fellowship in his lab for two years starting this November to advance cutting-edge work in artificial intelligence and visual tracking.  

The recipient, from the University of Udine in Italy, received a fellowship valued at C$340,000 from MSCA, which empowers researchers wishing to carry out their work abroad.

Dunnhofer is an award-winning researcher at the Machine Learning & Perception Lab in the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, & Physics of the University of Udine.

His fellowship project, titled 鈥淭owards primate-like artificial neural networks for visual object tracking,鈥 will focus on studying algorithms at the intersection of artificial intelligence and neuroscience in the field of visual object tracking. Visual object tracking is the use of algorithms in continuously recognizing objects, such as people and vehicles, and has applications in fields like autonomous driving, robotics and medicine.

Kohitji Kar
Kohitij Kar

The project will draw on Kar鈥檚 expertise as a Canada Research Chair in Visual Neuroscience and his experience leading the Visual Intelligence & Technological Advances Laboratory, which is a core part of the Vision: Science to Technology Application Program, the Centre for Integrative & Applied Neuroscience, and the Centre for Vision Research at 91亚色. His research lies at the intersection of neurophysiological investigations of visual intelligence in non-human primates and artificial intelligence systems. He is using his findings to develop artificial intelligence systems that mimic the primate brain in hopes of developing treatment strategies for neurological disorders.

As typically encouraged by the Marie Curie fellowships, Dunnhofer will augment his expertise in computer vision with Kar鈥檚 lab鈥檚 expertise in studying computations within biological vision systems like non-human primates.

For more information about the fellowship program, visit the .

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Fall REDDI sessions highlight accessibility, accommodations /blog/2024/08/fall-reddi-sessions-highlight-accessibility-proactive-accommodations/ Wed, 14 Aug 2024 18:03:12 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357860 91亚色's Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion is kick-starting the Fall 2024 term by offering staff, faculty and students a four-workshop series that teaches participants how to be more mindful of and challenge forms of ableism.

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91亚色's Centre for Human Rights, Equity & Inclusion (CHREI) is kick-starting the Fall 2024 term by offering staff, faculty and students a new REDDI (Respect, Equity, Diversity, Decolonization and Inclusion) Mini-Series: Promoting Accessibility and Proactive Accommodations. In this four-workshop series, which will run from Oct. 3 to 22, participants will learn important concepts and skills to challenge the various forms of ableism.

The workshops on accommodation provide participants with a deeper understanding of the key principles that guide the accommodation process, and insights into universal design approaches.

CHREI鈥檚 accommodation sessions are offered in partnership with Student Accessibility Services and the Teaching Commons. to earn a REDDI Mini-Series Certificate.

As promised, CHREI is offering more REDDI Core Series sessions throughout November. This fall鈥檚 sessions include:

  • Employment Equity Principles towards Inclusion;
  • Understanding Freedom of Expression at 91亚色; and
  • Advancing Organizational Change to Foster a Culture of Belonging.

Register for all three and earn your REDDI Core Series Certificate. Learn more about our REDDI series certificates on the .

is now available on YU Learn.

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91亚色 prof聽advocates for Indigenous rights,聽climate justice /blog/2024/08/york-university-prof-advocates-for-indigenous-rights-climate-justice/ Fri, 09 Aug 2024 23:44:01 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357743 Angele Alook, a professor in 91亚色's School of Gender, Sexuality & Women鈥檚 Studies, is championing the ethical representation of Indigenous Peoples and their knowledge systems amidst the challenges of climate change.

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In addition to work focused on the political economy of oil and gas in Alberta, Angele Alook 鈥 a professor in 91亚色's School of Gender, Sexuality & Women鈥檚 Studies and a member of Bigstone Cree Nation in Treaty 8 territory 鈥 has been pursuing interdisciplinary projects that underscore how critical Indigenous Peoples鈥 rights and knowledge systems are to developing solutions to the climate crisis and achieving climate justice.

Angele Alook
Angele Alook

Among Alook鈥檚 efforts are serving as an academic delegate for the Indigenous Climate Action organization and as a member of the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council-funded Just Powers project, which looks to create socially just approaches to decarbonizing energy transitions.

Alook鈥檚 projects are often driven by the desire to champion Indigenous voices and knowledge systems. For example, for Just Powers, she directed a documentary called Pikopaywin: It is broken, which examines energy projects in Treaty 8 territory by sharing the perspectives and insights of Indigenous traditional land users, environmental officers and elders 鈥 notably from the Bigstone Cree Nation.

Recently, Alook attended the annual meeting of the United Nations' Local Communities & Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP) Facilitative Working Group, which took place in Bonn, Germany. The event aims to facilitate the integration of diverse knowledge systems, practices, and innovations in designing and implementing international and national actions, programs, and policies in a manner that respects and promotes the rights and interests of local communities and Indigenous Peoples.

By attending the event, organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Alook鈥檚 objective was to produce a series of educational videos showcasing Indigenous climate leaders discussing false solutions, just transition and youth engagement 鈥 all critical elements to understanding climate progress and effectively moving the needle. Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change Professor Martha Stiegman and research assistant Ana Cardoso were also in attendance to support Alook with data collection, filming and note-taking.

"We are actively engaged in the Indigenous Peoples Caucus [of the United Nations] to uphold the principles of safeguarding Indigenous Peoples' rights, promoting ethical and equitable engagement with knowledge systems, ensuring direct access to Indigenous Peoples for climate finance, and advocating for full and effective participation," said Alook.

At the meeting, Alook and her team conducted interviews with youth representatives, elder knowledge keepers, policy experts and members of Indigenous organizations. Their conversations spanned regions, engaging with people from Chad, the Philippines, the Arctic Circle, the Inuit Circumpolar Council, the M茅tis National Council, the Assembly of First Nations in Canada and the Indigenous Environmental Network in the U.S.

Alongside Alook, Stiegman and Cardoso was Indigenous student Ashton Gladue, who is currently pursuing a degree in communications and media studies in 91亚色 U's Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. 

"It was a fantastic learning opportunity for Ashton," said Alook. "He got to be in UNFCCC spaces, learn about Indigenous research methods and film educational videos with Indigenous climate leaders from all over the world, including elders and youth."

She added, "There was a special moment when a well-known knowledge keeper and climate leader spoke directly to Ashton during filming. In that moment, we realized we weren't just filming an interview but experiencing intergenerational knowledge transfer and revitalization of knowledge systems."

Beyond that powerful interaction, Alook believes her team's participation in this event 鈥 and others like it 鈥 is an active demonstration of Indigenous research methodologies in action, and one that she hopes will contribute to the gradual decolonization of climate change policy.

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Writing Department releases new issue of literary magazine /blog/2024/08/writing-department-releases-new-issue-of-literary-magazine/ Fri, 09 Aug 2024 23:42:09 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357728 The latest issue of 91亚色鈥檚 nationally recognized, student-run literary magazine, Existere, features new fiction, non-fiction, art and poetry from some of Canadian literature鈥檚 rising stars.

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The latest issue of 91亚色鈥檚 nationally recognized, student-run literary magazine, Existere, features new fiction, non-fiction, art and poetry from a diverse array of Canadian literature鈥檚 rising stars. Available for purchase now at the 91亚色 Bookstore, Existere, vol. 43 includes work by Francesca Ekwuyasi, who was awarded the Writers鈥 Trust Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers in 2022; acclaimed poet Ellen Chang-Richardson; Saeed Teebi, a finalist for the 2022 Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize; and Fiddlehead Poetry Book Prize winner Fawn Parker. The issue's cover was created by Kate Sinclair, lead designer at Penguin Random House Canada.

Existere, vol. 43 cover.

While previous issues of Existere relied on open calls for international writers, the latest issue presents a curated mix of local and national contributors. The new approach is the result of intentional editorial direction and decision-making by new faculty advisors 鈥 Matthew Bucemi and Christopher Morris, both assistant professors in the Writing Department 鈥 and new student editors currently enrolled in the Writing Department.

Bucemi, whose professional experience in publishing includes serving as a founding managing editor for Sutherland House, wanted to lead the magazine in this different direction. Having taken on the role of faculty advisor in Summer 2023, he leveraged his experience and connections to implement a new approach that prioritized experiential education and community engagement.

With Bucemi鈥檚 guidance, students reimagined the magazine鈥檚 mandate to emphasize dynamic art that reflects Canada鈥檚 equally dynamic communities. Students actively identified local and national artists and directly solicited submissions that fit the new mandate.

Morris, a published poet and former technical writer, also lent expertise to Existere鈥檚 student editors who implemented the magazine鈥檚 reimagined vision. 鈥淲ith Dr. Bucemi鈥檚 insights from his time as an editor and with student leaders who truly love art, literature and collaboration, Existere has quickly become a unique professional development opportunity for 91亚色 students, as shown by the high quality of this latest issue," said Morris.

Earlier this summer, the magazine's student leadership team hosted a launch party on 91亚色 U's Keele Campus to celebrate the release of the new issue. Held at Founders Assembly Hall, more than 50 guests were in attendance to hear readings from contributors and to help the magazine raise over $400 for future publications.

Reflecting on their achievement, the student leadership team expressed gratitude and pride. 鈥淲e know how difficult it can be to navigate school and Existere,鈥 they said, 鈥渆specially while we found our footing with the revamp鈥 We truly feel we鈥檝e made something amazing this year.鈥

Existere was founded and first published at Vanier College in 1978. The journal is currently stewarded by 91亚色鈥檚 Writing Department as a venue to showcase emerging and established Canadian talent 鈥 and as a place for 91亚色 students to gain valuable, hands-on, pre-professional experience in editing and publication production.

To support the magazine, visit .

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Profs receive Lassonde Innovation Fund support for cutting-edge research /blog/2024/08/researchers-receive-lassonde-innovation-fund-support-for-cutting-edge-research/ Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:10:32 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357581 Three 91亚色 researchers have received support from the Lassonde Innovation Fund for interdisciplinary projects that will explore green roofs, planetary skies and how cells respond to biological signals.

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Three researchers from the Lassonde School of Engineering at 91亚色 have received support for innovative interdisciplinary research projects from the Lassonde Innovation Fund (LIF), an initiative that helps advance work that addresses global challenges and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

This year鈥檚 LIF initiatives focus on a range of topics, spanning from green roof innovation to exploring planetary skies. Through these projects, faculty members are committed to advancing scientific research and creating solutions for a more just and sustainable world.

Learn more about this year鈥檚 LIF projects below.

Project: 鈥淎ssessing Hydraulic and Thermal Performance of Green Roof鈥 by Magdalena Krol

Magdalena Krol
Magdalena Krol

Krol, an associate professor of civil engineering, will leverage her expertise, and that of civil engineering Professor Usman Khan, as well as the testing capacity of the , to compare the performance of conventional roofs against green roofs.

Green roofs have the ability to both mitigate flood risk by retaining storm water and reduce energy costs of buildings and homes. Currently, there is limited research that critically evaluates the performance difference between conventional and green roofs, creating a significant knowledge gap in urban sustainability.

This project 鈥 a first of its kind 鈥 aims to bridge the gap by constructing modules of both roof types and monitoring their behaviour under realistic conditions such as fluctuating temperature, precipitation and humidity. Using various tools and technologies, data will be collected over time to analyze specific performance indicators, including storm water retention and energy dissipation.

Establishing a thorough understanding of green roof efficiency is crucial for further development of design guidelines and encouraging the adoption of these systems in urban areas.

Project: 鈥淚nterpretable Learning of Bio-signaling Systems via Data-driven Graph Analysis鈥 by Gene Cheung

Gene Cheung
Gene Cheung

A professor of electrical engineering and computer science, Cheung鈥檚 initiative will build on existing research exploring the use of a graph-based tool to evaluate and classify biological signals, as well as evaluate the response of cells, in the eye.

In collaboration with Andrew Eckford, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, as well as Yuji Nakatsukasa, an associate professor at the University of Oxford, the researchers will apply their expertise to refine the graph-based classifier to determine exactly which cells are responding to particular visual information.

This advanced tool has the potential to increase understanding of the visual system, helping inform the development of assistive technologies for visual impairments. The project also serves as a foundation for future work that aims to extend analyses to more diverse and complex biological signals.

Project: 鈥淧erceiving Planetary Skies through Space, Time, and Experience鈥 by John Moores

John Moores
John Moores

Moores, an associate professor in the Department of Earth & Space Science & Engineering, will pursue a project that blends art and science to create space-themed immersive experiences inspired by data gathered from planetary skies. This research is driven by the idea that engaging with planetary data in a more captivating way can help reshape our understanding of other planets.

Moores will work in collaboration with Sarah Rugheimer, an associate professor in the Faculty of Science; Jennifer Steeves, a professor in the Faculty of Health; and Ian Garrett, an associate professor in the School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design.

The project includes three objectives: utilizing radiative heat transfer techniques to model alien skies, developing immersive exhibits that simulate exotic space environments, and analyzing individuals鈥 psychological and physiological responses to these space-themed displays.

This interdisciplinary research promises to investigate, inform and inspire, fostering a deeper connection between space and humanity, while advancing understanding of planetary skies.

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91亚色 U professor builds international alliances among community-led media archives /blog/2024/08/professor-builds-international-alliances-among-community-led-media-archives/ Wed, 07 Aug 2024 18:59:43 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357602 Through initiatives like the recent Global Audiovisual Archiving Conference, Professor Janine Marchessault is helping facilitate alliances between institutional and community-led media archives from around the world.

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Janine Marchessault 鈥 a professor in 91亚色's School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design and the 91亚色 Research Chair in Media Arts and Community Engagement, who recently 鈥 is building alliances between institutional and community-led media archives from around the world through efforts like the Global Audiovisual Archiving (GAVA) Conference and more.

The GAVA Conference was conceived by the Eye Filmmuseum, a unique Dutch museum dedicated to film preservation and education, in 2021 as an international forum to forge connections and identify challenges within the field of media archiving. Smaller collections, in particular, are vulnerable to disappearance and inaccessibility and, according to Marchessault, are in urgent need of care as a matter of social justice and human rights.

Janine Marchessault
Janine Marchessault

鈥淭he problems that smaller archives face include a lack of storage space, funds to access digitization technologies, specialized labour and formal archival training," says Marchessault, the principal investigator of Archive/Counter-Archive, a project and research network dedicated to activating and preserving audiovisual archives created by Indigenous Peoples, Black communities and people of colour, women, 2SLGBT2QIA+ and immigrant communities. "Often, these kinds of 鈥榖est practices鈥 are defined by richer institutions, without due consideration of or engagement with the contexts, resources and politics of other regions.鈥

Among the possible solutions is international collaboration, which GAVA looked to foster with the conference鈥檚 鈥淏uilding Alliances鈥 theme this year. Gathering an interdisciplinary assortment of over 200 archivists, artists, filmmakers, scholars and activists from around the world at the TIFF Lightbox in downtown Toronto, GAVA provided a space for new collaborations and partnerships to develop. The conference laid the foundation for a new global research network of community-based archives to work with and support one another.

鈥淲e gathered an impressive group of presenters whose innovative engagements are redefining what archives are, where they exist and how they are experienced,鈥 explains Marchessault. The goal is to build a platform that is more inclusive and accessible for smaller archival organizations and projects, which makes it different from other large international archiving conferences.

Supported through a Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council Partnership Grant and Connections Grant, GAVA was co-organized by the 91亚色-based project Archive/Counter-Archive: Activating Canada's Moving Image Heritage, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Eye Filmmuseum. All three organizations are united by their dedication to generating new archival film methodologies and the preservation of precarious and marginalized media archives.

To extend the conference鈥檚 goal of sharing knowledge and resources between established and underfunded media archives, Marchessault is currently working with the Eye Filmmuseum to develop a new international platform for archivists, artists, activists, and scholars from around the world to share information and resources. She will also co-edit a special issue of the journal Public: Art/Culture/Ideas with other members of the GAVA advisory board to capture the cutting-edge ideas presented at the conference.

According to Marchessault, creating alliances with international archives 鈥 focusing on community-based organizations 鈥 is critical at this time. With the world facing shared ecological and political challenges, a global perspective on archives fosters important solidarities through shared resources and co-created knowledge.

Those alliances also underscore the driving premise of the GAVA Network, which is that community-based archives defined by social movements and shared identities can create forms of knowledge that challenge social and political inequities.

The outcome, says Marchessault, can lead to 鈥渄esigning practices of care and pedagogical approaches for the next generation of archivists, artists, activists, humanists and historians in ways that are inclusive, expansive and liberatory.鈥

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91亚色 SDG toolkit earns prestigious nomination聽 /blog/2024/08/york-university-sdg-toolkit-earns-prestigious-nomination/ Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:09:42 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357554 Following the SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit being named an international finalist for the Green Gown Awards, which recognizes exceptional sustainability initiatives, the team behind the resource share how the toolkit was created.

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The 91亚色 SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit, designed to assist the interdisciplinary infusion of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in academic curriculums, recently earned a prestigious spot as an international finalist for the Green Gown Awards, which recognize exceptional sustainability initiatives. It serves as culmination of the pioneering journey to create it.

The seed of the SDG toolkit began in 2021 with Provostial Fellow and Professor Cheryl van Daalen-Smith. She wanted to create shared practices to promote and enable the infusion of all 17 SDGs into classrooms across 91亚色 campuses and disciplines.

Nitima Bhatia
Nitima Bhatia
Tracy Bhoola
Tracy Bhoola

A community of practice was formed with over 60 educators and the decision was made that a toolkit could be a useful communal resource. Tracy Bhoola, a SDGs project coordinator and manager in the Graduate Supervisory Support Hub and former ESL instructor, as well as doctoral student and research assistant Nitima Bhatia, were enlisted to create a comprehensive online tool that would help faculty across 91亚色 better integrate SDGs into learning environments through discussions, lessons or curriculums.

But what should that toolkit look like?

Bhoola and Bhatia first turned to faculty, creating a survey asking participants what they would want out of the SDG toolkit, how they would use it, and what would make it most user-friendly.

鈥淲e wanted to know how we can make things easier and simpler for everybody so that they can access it,鈥 says Bhatia.

The survey provided two guiding principles: faculty wanted relevant resources to be accessible in three clicks or less, and that they be organized by discipline and individual SDG.

鈥淭hat forced us to make sure we were organized and ask, 鈥楥ould we get people what they wanted,鈥欌 says Bhoola.

The pair began researching what toolkits may already exist at other academic institutions to gain inspiration from how they were organized. They found nothing comparable to what they had in mind for 91亚色. As for possible resources to include in the toolkits, most were only applicable to elementary education 鈥 not college or university.

It fell then to Bhatia and Bhoola to be something of pioneers, investing uncountable hours to not only find existing resources and materials, but then adapt them for the university level curriculums. Along the way they leveraged their unique experiences and perspectives as teacher and student to aid the project, assessing resources based on how they might use them.

The pair also continued to draw on faculty feedback, not just from the survey but ongoing collaborations. 鈥淭hey needed to be involved because if people are asked questions and are involved in each step of the process, they're invested more,鈥 Bhoola says.

After six months of work, the SDGs-in-the-Classroom Toolkit launched in June 2022, featuring lesson plans, case studies, classroom support materials, reports, course design guidance and more.

Since its launch, the toolkit has been accessed by educators and students from over 50 countries, expanding its pool of collaborators along the way. Within Canada, for example, George Brown College reached out to partner on expanding the toolkit鈥檚 experiential education section, the University of Calgary鈥檚 Haskayne School of Business added to the business section, and the University of British Columbia contributed to the wellness section. International institutions have reached out to provide content as well.

鈥淚t's nice to have that collaboration and build on that community, so it's not just the 91亚色 community 鈥 it鈥檚 beyond,鈥 says Bhoola.

The external collaborations following the toolkit鈥檚 launch have been important too in contributing to one of the team鈥檚 major ongoing goals. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just that we got these resources and we created this toolkit and that鈥檚 it,鈥 says Bhatia. 鈥淲e wanted it to be a living and breathing thing.鈥

As the toolkit moves forward and evolves, that鈥檚 something Bhoola and Bhatia want to remind internal collaborators too, urging faculty to continue sharing how they鈥檙e using the toolkit, what resources they like and if there鈥檚 something missing that they would like to see.

As Bhatia and Bhoola reflect on the year since the tool launched 鈥 and the recent Green Gown Awards finalist nomination 鈥 they feel grateful for the engagement. 鈥淚t validates our efforts, and the hours upon hours that we've put into it,鈥 says Bhoola.

It also gives them a push, says Bhatia. 鈥淚t keeps inspiring us, giving us the motivation and encouragement to keep going.鈥 Bhoola agrees: 鈥淚t reinforces our commitment towards the SDGs and our toolkit.鈥

That commitment remains strong, especially as both are very cognizant of the stakes and potential impact the SDGs can have.

鈥淚f we can help bring those to them, or put them into the classroom, that's what's going to drive the change in the future,鈥 says Bhoola. 鈥淲e need to make sure that we're constantly there for teachers and students so that they can right the future.鈥

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2023 Employment Equity Report now available /blog/2024/08/2023-employment-equity-report-now-available/ Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:06:45 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357539 The latest iteration of the annual report details the analysis of equity-identified groups at 91亚色 from the period of Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023.

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As part of its obligations under the , the University is required to conduct a workforce analysis to identify areas of under-representation of equity-deserving group members in its workforce. Each year, 91亚色 presents this analysis in the Annual Employment Equity Statistical Report. The report covering January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, is now available.

The report highlights representation at 91亚色 for the four federally designated groups under the Employment Equity Act (women, Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, and persons with disabilities) and community members identified as 2SLGBTQIA+. It also highlights some of the employment equity initiatives undertaken in 2023.

This year, the data revealed some improvements, including the year-to-year increase in representation of racialized persons and persons with disabilities among total employees over the last three years (2021 to 2023).  

In general, the data showed that while the overall representation rates for women continue to exceed the external availability data, numbers for Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, and persons with disabilities show a general trend of representation rates falling below the external availability data provided by Statistics Canada. 

Recently, there has been a notable increase in awareness of the potential uses of employment equity data within the University community, as requests for employment equity data by units and Faculties have increased. Responding to this need, a new 91亚色 University employment equity dashboard will launch later this year. The dashboard aims to increase access to data for the entire community in order to assist in the implementation of some of the recommendations highlighted in the Decolonizing, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

Because it is important to obtain accurate data for the dashboard to be truly useful in supporting evidence-based decision making, community members鈥 participation in the Employment Equity Survey is critical to ensure the report and the new dashboard are being truly representative of the community.

Those who have not yet completed the improved version of the employee self-identification survey yet, or would like to change their responses, can access it via within your 鈥淧ersonal Details鈥 tab. The more people who complete the survey, the more accurate the data will be for both the Annual Report and the soon to be launched dashboard.

To find out more about Employment Equity at 91亚色 and to view past reports, visit the Employment Equity and Diversity website.

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Report on Black Inclusion Action Plan shows momentum /blog/2024/07/report-on-black-inclusion-action-plan-shows-momentum/ Wed, 31 Jul 2024 17:33:41 +0000 https://yfile.news.yorku.ca/?p=357532 The 91亚色 community is invited to read the third Annual Report on Black Inclusion, which features a look at what progress has been made on 86 calls to action aimed at shifting institutional culture towards the inclusion and affirmation of Black lives and experiences.聽

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The third Annual Report on Black Inclusion is now available. The latest annual report features a comprehensive look at all 86 calls to action items, offering a clear account of progress on each item. It also provides a robust assessment of efforts to advance the action items, as well as insight into what more is needed to substantially shift institutional culture toward the inclusion and affirmation of the vibrance, diversity and depth of Black lives and experience.

鈥淚t is meaningful that over 70 per cent of action items have been completed or are on track. We should celebrate this and thank those who have made it happen鈥 said Laina Y. Bay-Cheng, vice-president Equity, People & Culture. 鈥淗owever, these achievements shouldn鈥檛 be treated as endpoints. I hope we鈥檒l use the progress evident in the report to keep up momentum and engage even more 91亚色 community members in advancing Black inclusion initiatives.鈥

Some completed activities to date include: 

Action Item: As part of our commitment to review campus security and explore alternative models for community safety, ensure that the lens of equity, diversity and inclusion is central, and that the process will include community consultation (e.g., townhalls, focus groups) with Black community members.

Results: The Security Services Review has been completed and recommendations for changes in service provision and community engagement are already being implemented.

Action Item: Support the development of a Black staff affiliation group and support ongoing activities.

Results: The 91亚色 Black Staff Network (YUBSN) was formed in 2021, with membership open to all Black people of African descent who occupy non-academic staff roles at the University.

Action Item: Hire a minimum of 12 new Black faculty over the next two years (2021-2023). Support departments鈥 readiness and develop their capacity to support Black colleagues.

Results: In fact, 35 Black Faculty members have been hired since 2021, with considerable effort and programming going into ensuring they encounter colleagues and a larger University community ready to support their success. 

Action Item: Support the development of the Black Alumni Network, created in 2020, and its ongoing activities.

Results: The 91亚色 Black Alumni Network (YUBAN) continues to embody Black excellence with an energetic group of graduates, enthusiastic about mentorship and inspiring the minds of emerging thinkers and leaders.

Many additional items are progressing well but are still underway and so are listed as 鈥渙n track鈥 in the report. Some activities were postponed but remain active parts of this strategy. 

Several themes emerged from the progress updates, and the report shares these insights. For instance, those who take on important initiatives often feel burdened by requests to report on it. This is a challenge that Equity, People & Culture and others across the university will try to address.

鈥淚t is important to continue to acknowledge and centre the voices of people from the Black community, some of whom have wondered whether this strategic effort will bring perceptible, meaningful change across 91亚色 campuses for Black students, staff, and scholars,鈥 said Lisa Cocketts, strategy and engagement specialist - Black Inclusion. 鈥淚t is through a dynamic and evolving Action Plan as well as honest, full reporting that 91亚色 can demonstrate its commitment to creating actual, positive change towards Black inclusion,鈥 added Cocketts.

Community members are asked to join together in recognizing the hard work of the many contributors to the work of Black Inclusion and the progress the University has made, as updates such as this report are not possible without the efforts of many.

The 91亚色 community is encouraged to review the Annual Report to learn more. Feedback can be provided by email to epcinfo@yorku.ca.   

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