York University
York University
is a public research university in Toronto,
Ontario,
Canada.
It is Ontario's second-largest graduate school and Canada's third-largest university. York has a student population of approximately 55,000, 7,000 faculty
and staff, and 250,000 alumni worldwide. It has eleven faculties,
including the Faculty of
Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, Faculty of Science, Schulich School of Business, Osgoode Hall Law School, Glendon College, Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Fine
Arts, Faculty of Health, Faculty of
Environmental Studies, Lassonde School of Engineering, and 28
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
ranked among the top schools in Canada and the world.
History
York University Faculty Members, 1961
York University was established in 1959 as a non-denominational
institution by the York University Act.
which received Royal Assent in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
on 26 March of that year.
Its first class was held in 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 modelled 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, 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.
In 1972, Canada Post featured the nascent institution on
8¢ stamps, entitled York University Campus, North York, Ont.
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.
Academics
York has educated some of the current and past directors and CEOs of Canada's major banks (Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of Montreal), 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 a former Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Appeal of Canada, the Minister of Finance of Canada and the former 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.
The Harry W. Arthurs Common
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, York received 41,527 undergraduate
applications; approximately 11,000 students accepted admission offers
and were enrolled, maintaining a high school entrance average of 81.6%
(A-). The average GMAT score for candidates admitted to York
University's business school is 664.
The average LSAT score for candidates admitted to York’s law school is 162.
Graduate Admissions
Steps to Apply
- To complete the online graduate admission application, click "Apply Now" and follow the instructions.
- To apply to the Schulich School of Business, please visit the Schulich School of Business Web site.
- Time limit 30 minutes: The application will time out after 30 minutes. Ensure you have all necessary documentation at hand when you begin the application.
- Application fee $100 CDN: Pay the application fee by Visa or MasterCard. If you do not wish to submit your credit card online, or if you do not have a Visa or MasterCard, please contact the Office of Admissions at 416-736-5000. We will process your application when we have received the fee payment in full. Application fee is non-refundable.
- Full name required: Use your full legal name (found on your birth certificate or passport) on all application forms and, if applicable, include any hyphens. Provide all previous names used as a York student to ensure we have one comprehensive student file for your documents.
- Supporting documentation: Varies according to program. Refer to the specific program details page for requirements and deadlines. Supporting documentation may include a Supplementary Program Information Form; official transcripts; letters of recommendation; and official language test scores if required. Submit all required documentation by the program deadline.
- Transcripts: You must send two official transcripts for every postsecondary institution you have attended. To be considered "official", it must be evident that you have had no direct access to the transcripts. Transcripts must come directly from, and bear the seal of, the issuing institution. If the institution issues transcripts directly to you, the envelope must be sealed by the institution and remain sealed until opened by York University to be considered official. Photocopied or faxed transcripts are not accepted. If transcripts are in another language, an official English translation is required. If the name on your transcript differs from the legal name that you currently use, please make sure that you include your former name on your application form.
- All documentation submitted becomes the property of York University and cannot be returned.
The Office of Admission, York University,
sends official communication about application and admission via e-mail.
You will receive acknowledgement of your application as well as
information about financial aid, on-campus events, offers of admission
and your next steps after acceptance. It is important that you open,
read and take action (if required) upon receipt of an e-mail.
Fees & Funding
Fees
Academic fees are approved each year by York's Board of Governors. Once you have enrolled in your course/program requirements for an academic session, you can view any fee charges (or fees owing) on your student account online.
Making International Payments
Pay your account by telephone or Web banking. This is the easiest and
quickest way to ensure your student account is paid on time. Student
Client Services does not accept personal payments such as cash, credit
card, cheque or debit. York University will only accept international
payments that cover transactions on your student account via Travelex. For
more details visit the paying your fees link on the Student Financial
Services Web site(http://sfs.yorku.ca/fees/paying/index.htm).
Questions?
Contact the Student Affairs Office of the Faculty of Graduate Studies
at 416-736-5329.
Fees & refunds
Student Financial Services (SFS) publishes fees(http://sfs.yorku.ca/fees/courses/index.php)
and refund
tables for each academic session.
Funding
York offers competitive funding to all qualified graduate students
York University is committed to promoting excellence in research and
teaching for graduate students. Training opportunities and funding are
provided through research assistantships in the student's field of
study, teaching assistantships with relevant undergraduate programs
and/or graduate assistantships with faculty members or research units.
At the time of offer of admission, qualified graduate students are
provided with a guaranteed funding package for the duration of their
program. Students are also strongly encouraged to apply for major
external awards (please see below). York graduate students have a very
high success rate in attracting these scholarships.
Reputation
York University has consistently ranked both nationally and internationally. The 2011–2012 Times Higher Education World University Rankings placed York 276-300 in the world, placing 16-17 in Canada. The 2011 QS World University Rankings ranked the university 364th in the world. According to the 2011 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) rankings, the university ranked 401-500th in the world. In terms of national rankings, Maclean's ranked York 9th in their 2011 comprehensive university rankings. The Higher Education Strategy Associates ranked York 8th nationally in Social Sciences and Humanities. Several of York's programs had also gained notable recognition both nationally and internationally. In the Corporate Knights 2011 ranking of teacher education programs in Canada, York had placed fifth. York's Osgoode Hall Law School ranked second in Canada, in Maclean's 2012 ranking of Canadian common law schools. In the Corporate Knights ranking of law programs in Canada, Osgoode Hall had also placed second. In the QS ranking of law programs, York had placed 42nd in the world, and fifth in Canada. The Schulich School of Business had also gained national and international accolades. In the Corporate Knights 2011 rankings of MBA programs in Canada, the school had placed first. In the same year, the Corporate Knights had also ranked the school third in Canada for undergraduate business programs. In Beyond Grey Pinstripes 2011 rankings of MBA programs, York had placed second in the world, and first in Canada. In Bloomberg Businessweek's 2010 rankings of the best business schools outside the United States, Schulich had ranked seventh, the second highest of any Canadian business school. In Forbes 2010 rankings of the best two-year MBA program outside the United States, Schulich had ranked 10th in the world, the highest out of any Canadian business school. In CNN Expansion's ranking of MBA programs, the school had ranked 18th in the world, placing first in Canada. In the Financial Times 2011 ranking of MBA programs, Schulich had ranked 49th in the world, and third in Canada. In The Economist's 2011 full-time MBA rankings, Schulich had ranked ninth in the world, and first in Canada.
Faculties
York University has eleven 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), Science 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 program 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.
View of Vari Hall from Harry W. Arthurs Common
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 Studies
- 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 Park is a research facility in Costa Rica donated by Dr. Woody Fisher in 1998
- Interactive Systems Research Group (ISRG)
- The Mariano Elia Chair for Italian-Canadian Studies
York U was involved with NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research
Satellite
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.
Faculties
Among the finest anywhere, York's Faculties introduce students to a
broad perspective of the world that results in original thought and
theory. Our flexible interdisciplinary approach provides students with
an amazing variety of academic opportunities where learning and debate
are not only valued; they are encouraged. Plus, to complement
interdisciplinary thinking, students can combine majors in completely
different fields.
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Environmental Studies
- Faculty of Fine Arts
- Glendon
- Faculty of Graduate Studies
- Faculty of Health
- Lassonde School of Engineering
- Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies
- Osgoode Hall Law School
- Schulich School of Business
- Faculty of Science
Seneca@York
The Keele campus is host to a satellite facility of Seneca College,
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
Programs
- Accounting Certificate
- Administrative Studies BAS
- Advanced Gender & Women's Studies Certificate
- African Studies BA
- Anthropology BA, iBA
- Anti-Racist Research & Practice Certificate
- Applied Mathematics BA
- Athletic Therapy Certificate
- Biblical Studies Certificate
- Biochemistry BSc
- Biology BSc, iBSc
- Biomedical Science BSc
- Biophysics BA
- Biotechnology BSc
- Business & Society BA
- Business Administration BBA
- Business Economics BA, iBA
- Canadian Studies BA
- Certificat en rédaction professionnelle Certificate
- Certificate in Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages (TESOL) Certificate
- Certificate in the Discipline of Teaching English as an International Language (D-TEIL)Certificate
- Certificates in Language Proficiency Certificate
- Chemistry BSc
- Children's Studies BA
- Classical Studies & Classics BA
- Cognitive Science BA
- Communication Studies BA, iBA
- Community Arts Practice Certificate
- Computational Math BSc
- Computer Engineering BASc
- Computer Science BA, BSc, iBA, iBSc
- Computer Security BA, BSc
- Creative Writing BA
- Criminology BA
- Culture & Expression BA
- Dance BA, BFA
- Dance Science Certificate
- Design BDes
- Digital Design Certificate
- Digital Media BA
- Disaster & Emergency Management BDEM
- Drama Studies BA, iBA
- Earth & Atmospheric Science BSc
- East Asian Studies BA
- Economics BA, iBA
- Ecosystem Management BES
- Education BEd
- Electrical Engineering BASc
- Emergency Management Certificate
- Engineering and International Development Studies BA, BASc
- English BA
- English & Professional Writing BA
- English Studies BA, iBA
- Environmental & Health Studies (Multidisciplinary Studies) BA, iBA
- Environmental Biology BSc
- Environmental Science BSc
- Environmental Studies BES
- European Studies BA, iBA
- Film BA, BFA
- Financial & Business Economics BA
|
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 Libraries, plus
the Archives of Ontario and the library of Osgoode Hall Law School.
Libraries
house books, print periodicals, theses, archival materials, microforms,
maps, films and music CDs. We have more than 2.5 million books and
subscribe to 16,000 electronic journals. Each year, we answer more than
150,000 in-person reference questions and host guest lectures, library
workshops and research seminars for close to 16,000 students. We provide
access to 350 Internet workstations throughout the libraries. Always
looking to increase our holdings, we collect original papers and
archival material to support research on Canadian women, writers, the
arts, social issues and multiculturalism.
Support YUL
Excellent libraries are at the heart
of excellent universities. Gifts to York University Libraries help carry
out York’s mission to advance teaching, learning and research. Your
contributions help as we:
- Build extensive collections and acquire unique materials that will provide unlimited opportunities for discovery and learning through original research and course assignments.
- Make the library the best place on campus for learning outside the classroom by connecting students to world-class collections and providing more spaces in the library for private and group study that are comfortable and safe.
Library Hours
| SCOTT LIBRARY | ||||
| Monday – Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| Circulation | 8 am – 11 pm | 8 am – 8 pm | 10 am – 8 pm | noon -11 pm |
| Research Desks | 9 am – 8 pm | 9 am – 5 pm | noon – 5 pm | noon – 5 pm |
| Information Desk | 10 am – 4 pm | 10 am – 4 pm | noon – 5 pm | noon – 5 pm |
| Resource Sharing | 8:30 am – 5 pm | 10 am – 5 pm | closed | closed |
| Accessibility Services | 8:30am – 8 pm | 8:30 am – 8 pm | closed | closed |
| 24/5 Study Space (1st Floor) | Resumes October 15, 2012 | |||
| Clara Thomas Archives and Special Collections | ||||
| Monday – Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| 10 am – 4:30 pm | 10 am – 4:30 pm | closed | closed | |
| Library Accessibility Services (new hours effective October 9, 2012) | ||||
| Mon/Wed/Thu | Friday | Tues/Sat/Sun | ||
| 8:30 am – 5 pm | 8:30 am – 7 pm | closed | ||
| Map Library | ||||
| Monday – Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| 10 am – 9 pm | 10 am – 5 pm | noon – 5 pm | noon – 5 pm | |
| Sound and Moving Image Library | ||||
| Monday – Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| 9 am – 9 pm | 9 am – 8 pm | noon – 5 pm | noon – 5pm | |
PETER F. BRONFMAN BUSINESS
LIBRARY
| Monday – Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| Circulation | 9 am – 10 pm | 9 am – 6 pm | 10 am -6 pm | noon – 8pm |
| Reference | 9 am – 7:30 pm | 9 am – 6 pm | 10 am – 6pm | noon – 8pm |
LESLIE FROST
LIBRARY (at Glendon)
| Monday – Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| Circulation | 8:30 am – 11 pm | 10 am – 8 pm | 10 am – 6pm | noon – 8 pm |
| Reference | 9:00 am – 7 pm | 10 am – 5 pm | closed | noon – 5 pm |
OSGOODE HALL LAW
SCHOOL LIBRARY
| Monday – Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| Circulation | 8 am – 10 pm | 8 am – 5 pm | 10 am – 6 pm | 10 am – 6 pm |
| Reference | 10 am – 5 pm*Thursday evening extended Reference hours till 7pm | 10 am – 5 pm | closed | closed |
STEACIE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING LIBRARY
| Monday – Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
| Circulation | 8 am – 11 pm | 8 am – 8 pm | 10 am -6 pm | noon – 8 pm |
| Reference | 9 am – 8 pm | 9 am – 6 pm | 10 am -6 pm | noon – 5 pm |
Library Workshops
| Friday, Oct 26, 2012 | |
| 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm | Library Workshop for Graduate Students in Scott Library |
| 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm | Reading and Note-taking |
| Monday, Oct 29, 2012 | |
| 10:00 am - 11:30 am | Citing & Referencing Workshop at Scott Library |
| 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm | Exam Prep |
| 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Essays Made Easy: Academic Writing Workshop in the Writing Centre |
| Tuesday, Oct 30, 2012 | |
| 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm | Library Workshop for Undergraduate Students in Scott Library |
| 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Refworks Workshop in Scott Library |
| 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm | Library Workshop on Refworks |
| Wednesday, Oct 31, 2012 | |
| 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm | Ace that Assignment - a Collaborated Learning Commons Workshop by Learning Skills & Scott Reference |
| Thursday, Nov 1, 2012 | |
| 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm | Developing Your Researching & Writing Skills - a Learning Commons Collaborative Workshop |
| Thursday, Nov 8, 2012 | |
| 10:30 am - 12:30 pm | Five Easy Steps to Finding the Job for You - a Learning Commons Workshop in Scott Library |
| 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm | Library Workshop for Graduate Students in Scott Library |
| Monday, Nov 12, 2012 | |
| 10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Getting Started: What Can I Do With My Degree? Workshop (at Scott Library) |
| Tuesday, Nov 13, 2012 | |
| 10:00 am - 11:30 am | Library Workshop for Graduate Students in Scott Library |
| Wednesday, Dec 5, 2012 | |
| 10:00 am - 11:30 am | Getting Started: What Can I Do With My Degree? Workshop (at Scott Library) |
Research
York's researchers tackle real-world challenges with real-world
solutions in areas such as Health,
Environment
and Sustainability, International
Studies, and Culture
& Entertainment.
York's
interdisciplinary and collaborative focus enables researchers to push
beyond traditional research methods and develop truly unique solutions,
earning our researchers many awards and
honours.
Researcher Support Centre
The Researcher Support Centre provides researchers with
easy access to the information and assistance they need to conduct
world-class research. Use this section to access essential
information on how to identify funding sources, obtain funding, spend it
appropriately, and report your expenses. Complying with York
University's policies and procedures is critical to obtaining,
retaining, and building our research funding while maintaining
confidence among our partners, funding bodies, and wider research
community partners.
Research by Faculty
Research Centres and
Institutes
Campuses
Keele Campus
An outdoor art exhibit outside of Scott Library, Keele Campus
York's primary campus ("The Keele Campus") is located in the north of
the City of Toronto and bordering York Region. It is the largest
post-secondary campus in Canada at 457 acres.
Most of the University's faculties reside here, including Liberal Arts,
Fine Arts, Business, Law, 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 overseas.
Glendon Campus
Glendon College, 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.
Satellite Campuses
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.
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 Students, a
student-elected body that sponsors most of the clubs and engages in
lobbying with the university administration and the provincial and federal governments.
Colleges & Residences
| Colleges of York University | ||||
| Name (Founded) | Motto/Mandate | Academic Affiliations | Undergrad Population | Namesake |
| Calumet (1970) | "Technology and the Arts" | Schulich School of Business, Economics, Business and Society, Cognitive Science, Communication Studies, Urban Studies, Psychology | 4806 | Norman-French for pipe or pipestem. |
| Founders (1965) | "Self, Culture & Society" | Anthropology, Environmental Studies, French, Geography, Italian, History, African studies, East Asian studies, Social Work, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, South Asian Studies, International Development, Women's Studies | 4185 | The Group of Seven, often referred to as "The Founders of Canadian Art" |
| Glendon (1966) | Bilingual Liberal Arts | Liberal Arts, English, French, Public Policy | approx. 3000 | A combination of "glen" meaning "valley" and "Don" for the Don River. |
| McLaughlin (1968) | Public Policy & Social Sciences | Political Science, Sociology, Law and Society, Criminology, Public Policy, Health and Society, Labour Studies | 5128 | Colonel Samuel McLaughlin, businessman and philanthropist. |
| New College (2009) | Professional Studies | Human Resources, Administrative Studies, Information Technology | unknown | Newest college at York University. |
| Norman Bethune (1972) | "Science and its Place in the World" | Natural Sciences, Engineering, BSc. Kinesiology, Science and Technology Studies (formerly Science and Society) | 6261 | Dr. Norman Bethune, Canadian doctor and Chinese hero. |
| Stong (1969) | Language and Sport | English and other Languages, BA. Kinesiology, Health Science | 4336 | The Stong family lived on the land now occupied by the Keele campus. |
| Vanier (1965) | Humanities | Children's Studies, Classical Studies & Classics, Culture and Expression, Hellenic Studies, Individualized Studies, Jewish Studies, Liberal Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Social and Political Thought, all Undecided Majors in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies | 6909 | Georges Vanier, Governor-General of Canada. |
| Winters (1967) | Fine Arts | Fine Arts | 2574 | Robert Winters, Canadian Cabinet Minister and York's first chairman. |
| Glendon College 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. | ||||
Founders Residence
Vanier Residence
Winters Residence
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
Excalibur 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 TemObiter
Dicta (Osgoode Law School), and The Insider (Schulich School
of Business). (Glendon College),
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 is published 3 times a year in both a print and digital
format.
Sport
The University is represented in Canadian Interuniversity Sport
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.
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 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 Chinese overseas student
in the York University Village.
The university temporarily hired paid duty Toronto Police Officers to
patrol the campus.
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. Ross, academic 1959–1970
- David Slater, economist and civil servant 1970–1973
- H. Ian Macdonald, economist and civil servant 1973–1984
- Harry W. Arthurs, lawyer and academic 1985–1992
- Susan Mann, historian and academic, 1993–1997
- Lorna Marsden, academic and politician 1997–2007
- Mamdouh Shoukri, academic, 2007–present
Chancellors
- Wilfred A. Curtis, RCAF air marshal, 1959–1968
- Floyd S. Chalmers, publisher, 1968–1973
- Walter L. Gordon, 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 Clarke, founder of SPAR Aerospace, 1986–1991
- Oscar Peterson, jazz piano great, 1991–1994
- Arden Haynes, businessman, 1994–1998
- Avie J. Bennett, businessman, 1998–2004
- Peter deCarteret Cory, jurist, 2004–2008
- Roy McMurtry, politician and judge, 2008–Present
Noted alumni and faculty
Steve MacLean, BSc '77, PhD '83
Jack Layton, MA '72, PhD '83
Rachel McAdams, BFA '01
Jim Flaherty, LLB '73
Controversies
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.
The claims of anti-Semitic slurs were not reported by the media that
were present at the time, and some have suggested that this accusation
lacks credibility.
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."
Some York faculty and students have rejected these claims of
anti-Semitism as media spin and exaggeration
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 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."
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 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.
Photo
of University
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