Vice-President Research & Innovation Robert Hach茅 invites the 91亚色 community to share their thoughts and perceptions with respect to research at 91亚色 by participating in an online survey as part of the broader consultation process. The data gathered will help to inform the development of the new Strategic Research Plan: 2013-2018.

The survey seeks input on the importance of various forms of research support, explores the core research values at 91亚色, the availability of research tools and infrastructure, and other research-related information. All members of the 91亚色 community are invited to participate and responses will remain confidential.

Robert Hach茅

鈥淭he online survey provides members of the 91亚色 community with an additional opportunity to share their thoughts and feedback in a manner that is convenient and easily accessible,鈥� said Hach茅. 鈥淥ne of our goals for the Strategic Research Planning consultation process is to ensure that all members of the 91亚色 community have an opportunity to engage. I encourage all members of the 91亚色 community to participate in the consultation process. We are interested in hearing your thoughts and suggestions about the development of the new plan.鈥�

To participate in the survey, .

Strategic Research Plan Consultation workshops are scheduled for Oct. 26 and Nov. 1. The workshops are open to all members of the 91亚色 community and seek to engage the research community in examining 91亚色鈥檚 core values with respect to research, probing our perceptions and seeking to prioritize our commitments to the support of research.

To register, .

Members of the 91亚色 community can also drop in to have a discussion about the development of the new Strategic Research Plan with Hach茅 during community chats. To view the schedule, .

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin to research stories on the research website.

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Join Robert Hach茅, vice-president research & innovation, as he conducts a series of workshops with University community members to probe values and perceptions听regarding research at 91亚色.听 The feedback and discussion arising from these workshops will be used to inform the Strategic Research Plan: 2013 鈥� 2018.听 All 91亚色 students, staff and faculty are invited to participate.

Robert Hach茅

"These workshops are an important and valuable feedback tool in the construction of the new plan,鈥� said Robert Hach茅, vice-president research & innovation. 鈥淚 look forward to continuing the discussion with members of the 91亚色 community, as we shape the future of 91亚色 research together, and to 听developing a new plan that each member of the 91亚色 research community can see themselves a part of.鈥�

During the workshops, participants will be asked to share their hopes and concerns with respect to the new Strategic Research Plan, highlight what they feel are the current and future core research values for 91亚色 as an institution, provide their feedback on areas of research excellence and identify future areas for continuous improvement.听 Participants will have an opportunity to share their thoughts in small groups and each group will present their feedback to the larger audience.

The workshops will be facilitated by Celia Haig-Brown, professor, Faculty of Education and Gary Miller, instructor,听Schulich School of Business MBA program and the Schulich Executive Education Centre.

Workshop dates are available below.听To RSVP for the workshops, .

The workshops will be held on:听

Hach茅 will also be hosting Community Chats to invite the 91亚色 community to participate in discussion on elements they feel are important for the development of the new plan.听 Meeting dates and times are available below.听 Please drop-in.

Community chats with the VPRI will be held on:

For more information on the development of the new .

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Robert Hach茅

鈥淚 am pleased to announce the members of the Strategic Research Plan Advisory Committee,鈥� said Hach茅.听 鈥淚 am looking forward to working together with the members of the committee and the University community to develop a new strategic research plan that articulates our values and vision for 91亚色 research and provides direction for accelerating strategic research planning initiatives across the University over the next several years.鈥� 听

The committee has a mandate to听advise the VPRI on all aspects of the consultation with the 91亚色 Community and in the development of the plan, which will articulate a vision and aspiration for 91亚色 research over the next five years. The goal is to provide the community with a draft reflecting the discussion near the end of 2012, with听a final version going to the Senate of 91亚色 for approval in spring 2013.

The Strategic Advisory Plan Advisory Committee planning and consultation process is being facilitated by Gary Miller, Instructor in the MBA Program at the Schulich School of Business, as well as at the Schulich Executive Education Centre听and Celia Haig-Brown, Professor, Faculty of Education.

The advisory committee members include:

• Robert Hach茅, vice-president research & innovation, Chair of the SRP Advisory Committee
• Walter Tholen, associate vice-president research, vice-Chair of the SRP Advisory Committee
• Celia Haig-Brown, professor, Faculty of Education and Strategic Research facilitator of the SRP Advisory Committee.听
• Thaddeus Hwong,听professor, cross-appointed to the School of Administrative Studies and School of Public Policy听& Administration.听
• Mark Lievonen, Member of 91亚色's Board of Governors and president of Sanofi Pasteur Ltd.
• Doug Lindeblom, director of Economic Strategy听& Tourism, Regional Municipality of 91亚色
• Rhonda Lenton, vice-provost
• Janine Marchessault,听professor, Department of Film, Faculty of Fine Arts, and Canada Research Chair in Art, Digital Media & Globalization
• David Mutimer,听professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), director of 91亚色 Centre for International & Security Studies and Chair, Academic Policy, Planning and Research Committee
• Laurie Wilcox,听professor of psychology and biology, member of 91亚色鈥檚 Centre for Vision Research
• Danielle Zanotti, CEO, United Way of 91亚色 Region, external member
• Joanna Pearce, PhD candidate, Department of History, LA&PS
• Martin Singer, dean, LA&PS
• Joan Steigerwald, professor, Department of Humanities, and the graduate programs in Science & Technology Studies,听Humanities and Social听& Political Thought. 听
• Jim Whiteway, Canada Research Chair in Space Engineering听& Atmospheric Science and听professor of Space Engineering in the Faculty of Science & Engineering.听
• Georg Zoidl, professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Department of Biology, Faculty of Science听& Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Molecular听& Cellular Neuroscience.
• A member from Glendon College is still being sought

Hach茅, in collaboration with the Strategic Research Plan听Advisory Committee, invites all members of the听University community to be an engaged part of a comprehensive consultation process that will help 91亚色 continue to move forward in research excellence and scholarship.

To share your thoughts on the Strategic Research Plan consultation process, click .

To view committee member鈥檚 biographies,听.

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VPRI will be advised in the consultation process by a Strategic Research Plan听Advisory Committee comprised of individuals from the University and community, whose membership will be announced shortly.听The goal is to engage the community in a discussion of听goals and values to provide shape to听a听strategic research plan听that will set the vision for the continuing development of research at 91亚色 for the next several years. The expectation is to provide the community with a draft of the plan before the end of 2012, with听a final version going to Senate for approval in spring 2013.

鈥淭he establishment of a new strategic research plan will help to advance research intensification broadly at 91亚色 and identify areas of opportunity for growth and development,鈥� said听Robert Hach茅 (left), vice-president research & innovation. 鈥淭he plan will help to foster the support of research excellence across the University while providing a strategic framework for driving our research reputation forward in areas of opportunity.鈥�

In order to create a document with the broadest possible support, VPRI听is inviting听all members of the 91亚色 community to contribute to the development of the strategic research plan by sharing their points of view throughout the consultation and development process.听 The听University community is invited to participate in workshops, focus groups, town hall meetings and other events being organized or through听an online form that is available .

Through an extensive process of broadly-based consultations, VPRI will arrive at a plan that sets well-defined goals within an aspirational vision that is strongly supported by the University academic community, as represented by Senate.

The goals of the strategic research plan听consultation process are:

• To engage in a collaborative, University-building exercise that articulates a clear valuation and appreciation of research at 91亚色听and its integration into all aspects of the听fabric of the University;
  听
• To build a strong, broadly accepted aspirational vision听for听the development of research based on a comprehensive consultation process with the University community and external stakeholders;
  听
• To appropriately identify and articulate areas of opportunity in the strategic development of research across the institution.

Hach茅, in collaboration with the Strategic Research Plan听Advisory Committee, invites all members of the听community to be an engaged part of a comprehensive consultation process that will help 91亚色 continue to move forward in research excellence and scholarship.

For more information,听click .

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The fair showcases a diverse range of vendors selling fair and sustainable products, including arts and crafts, clothing, coffee and chocolate. The event also serves as a forum for faculty, staff and students who are interested in learning more about fair trade. 听

What is fair trade?

On its website, describes fair trade as a 鈥渨ay for all of us to identify products that meet our values so we can make choices that have a positive impact on the world.鈥�

Over the years,听the University has pursued a number of fair trade endeavours. 听听

91亚色's own Las Nubes coffee (fair trade, organic and shade grown) is served at听nine locations on both campuses. To know more about the Las Nubes project, visit the website.听

Right:听91亚色's Las Nubes coffee is听shade grown in Costa Rica

Fair trade coffee and Rainforest Alliance tea is served at most coffee shops at 91亚色 and can be ordered for catering. A number of campus locations serve fair trade coffee. The locations are:听the Central Square Cafeteria, TEL Building Caf茅, Winters Cafeteria, Stong Cafeteria, Freshii, the Osgoode Bistro, Glendon Caf茅, Glendon Eurobaguette, and the Graduate Student Lounge.

The 91亚色 Bookstore now sells fair trade 91亚色 t-shirts (which is a first for Canadian universities).听The bookstore will be selling t-shirts at the fair.听To learn more about the Bookstore's fair trade t-shirt initiative,听see YFile, Oct. 11, 2011.

Left: The 91亚色 Bookstore sells fair trade t-shirts

91亚色 students have also demonstrated leadership in fair trade. The 91亚色 Federation of Students Is committed to the Canadian Federation of Students Students for Sustainability campaign and is an active participant in many social justice and sustainability events and campaigns. As well, the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) is a co-sponsor of听Thursday's Fair Trade Fair and can be contacted by sending an e-mail to opirg@yorku.ca.

Coming in early 2012, 91亚色听 University will also be launching its听new Sustainability Ambassadors program. To learn more, visit the President's Sustainability Council website or e-mail sustainability@yorku.ca.

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鈥淚t鈥檚 a dream come true,鈥� says Virmani, the writer and star of the new Masala-flavoured hockey movie Breakaway, which gets its world premiere tonight [Sept. 10] at 9pm at the Elgin.听

Virmani plays Rajveer Singh, a Sikh-Canadian with a slight identity crisis who defies both his father鈥檚 traditional Indian rules and hockey norms by forming his own South Asian team. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about our values as Canadians,鈥� boasts Virmani, who not too long ago was an actor struggling for work.听

After graduating from 91亚色 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business & society, Virmani took lessons at the Lee Strasberg Institute of Theatre and Film in New 91亚色 City. Returning to Toronto, he found there weren鈥檛 too many roles waiting for him. 鈥淚 was auditioning and reading for scripts and nothing was connecting to me.鈥澨�

That鈥檚 when he decided to create his own opportunity by pulling a Matt Damon (or a Ben Affleck, take your pick). Like the Good Will Hunting scribes, Virmani wrote his own role by conceiving his own movie. For inspiration, Virmani drew on his life 鈥� from his love of hockey to the generational, cultural and identity issues that trouble most young South Asian Canadians.

Fortunately, getting the movie made wasn鈥檛 too difficult for Virmani, who practically grew up in the film industry. Not only is his father, Ajay Virmani, a producer on Deepa Mehta鈥檚 Bollywood/Hollywood and Water, but Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is a close family friend. 鈥淎kshay is like my older brother,鈥� Virmani says. 鈥淗e is somebody that I have grown up with.鈥澨�

With his father, Kumar and even comedian Russell Peters (another family friend) all on board as producers, Virmani had no trouble populating his movie with actors like Rob Lowe and Camilla Belle (whom the writer conveniently cast as his romantic interest) and musicians like Drake and Ludacris. That鈥檚 some major company for Virmani鈥檚 first stroll down the red carpet.听听

And if Breakaway does well, it certainly won鈥檛 be his last.听听

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