TORONTO, March 16, 2009 -- York University President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri today appointed a Task Force on Student Life, Learning and Community to review concerns about the student environment on the York campus. Half of the task force will be composed of students. The task force will report back to the President by the end of August with concrete measures to improve the learning atmosphere and relationships on campus.
“We are committed to ensuring that our students can pursue their studies free of harassment or intimidation”, said Dr. Shoukri. “This task force will take a hard look at the current environment on campus, and explore ways that we can promote open debate and the free exchange of ideas.”
The Task Force on Student Life, Learning and Community will be chaired by Patrick Monahan, the dean of Osgoode Hall Law School, who was recently appointed to the post of vice-president academic and provost which he will assume on July 1, 2009. Other members of the Task Force include:
· Paul Delaney, Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering
· Seth Feldman, Professor, Faculty of Fine Arts
· Saeed Rahnema, Professor, Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies
· Sylvia Schippke, Assistant Vice-President (Student Community Development)
· Rob Tiffin, Vice-President Students
· Sandra Whitworth, Professor, Faculty of Arts
The seven student members of the Task Force will be selected through an open application process, in which interested students will be invited to submit a short essay outlining what they could contribute and what they hope to see produced by the task force.
“As I outlined in my speech to Senate on February 26, we have to find ways to repair our relationships on campus if we are to fulfill our academic mission to the communities that we serve”, said Dr. Shoukri. “This task force is the first step in that process, and I look forward to receiving their report in time to ensure that we will be able to make a fresh start when students return in the fall.”
Click here to read the terms of reference of the task force. The application deadline for the Task Force has been extended to Friday, April 3. To learn how to get involved, click here.
York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as more than 200,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 26 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.
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Media Contact:
Alex Bilyk, Director, Media Relations, York University, 416-736-5603, bilyk@yorku.ca
