TORONTO, March 5, 2003 -- The York Business and Professional Alliance (YBPA) has made a $500,000 commitment to the York University Foundation in support of the new Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Building, a state-of-the-art teaching and research facility that integrates technology into the classroom to enhance both the "virtual" and "non-virtual" learning experience.
"We are very grateful to our friends in the YBPA for making this tremendous commitment to York University," says Dr. Lorna Marsden, president and vice-chancellor of York University. "This new gift builds upon the YBPA’s historic support of our students."
The YBPA links York University to a network of business professionals, through events, programs and fundraising initiatives.
"The YBPA is committed to investing in leaders of tomorrow through its support of the TEL building initiative. As business leaders in the GTA, we recognize the net benefit will come in the form of an employment pool of highly skilled York graduates," says YBPA chairs, Robert Martellacci, president of MindShare Learning, and Gregory G. Stack, vice-president of Kenaidan Contracting Ltd.
The TEL Building is a joint project between Seneca College and York University and, at a cost of $88 million, it is the largest SuperBuild project in Ontario. Scheduled to open in September 2003, the structure is an important part of York’s plan to manage growth in four faculties, which will include the arrival of the double cohort class in September. It will house 2,000 York students and 2,000 Seneca students in a 360,000 square-foot space, with the potential for many more "virtually," through Internet-based learning programs. York faculty will benefit from innovative facilities that enable research, testing and implementation of pedagogically sound technology learning solutions; and students will have access to integrated, high-tech teaching and learning areas, ‘experimental’ classrooms and video conferencing facilities.
The TEL Building will allow for interdisciplinary learning opportunities across four faculties: the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies, the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Education, and include other members of the York University community.
Created in 2002, the York University Foundation is an independent organization dedicated to raising funds for the University community in the areas of teaching, research, student support and infrastructure.
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For further information, please contact:
| Shannon Robertson |
| Manager: Marketing Communications and Events |
| York University Foundation |
| York University |
| 416-650-8223 |
| roberts@yorkfoundation.yorku.ca |
