| This Week @ York For Week of September 1
Here’s your timely & targeted compilation of key events, noteworthy news and important dates for the remainder of the week.
Note: any information related to changes due to COVID-19 found in this newsletter has already been communicated to the community and can be found at York’s YU Better Together website. All this information is accurate at the newsletter’s time of publication.
If you don’t have time to read This Week @ York, or would like to refer to it again, every edition can be found on the This Week @ York Archive web page.
Here are some other important items to keep in mind this week.
| 1 |
Progress Update: Addressing anti-Black Racism at York. “We have undertaken a series of consultations with students, faculty, instructors, staff and other community leaders at York on anti-Black racism and to identify ways to address systemic barriers within the institution. We are grateful to the community members who have taken the time to share their experiences and thoughts with us.” Read the full message here.
Independent review of the culture in York's Athletics and Recreation varsity teams initiated. York University will always seek to promote an atmosphere of civility, diversity, equity, and respect in our interactions with others, either on or off campus. In response to concerns raised regarding the culture of our Athletics and Recreation varsity teams, York is launching an independent, third party review to explore the culture within York's athletic programs through the lens of the student-athlete’s experiences, and review York Athletics & Recreations’ policies. The review, commissioned by the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion, on behalf of the Vice Provost, Students, has engaged Ethical Associates to lead the review. Anyone who would like to participate is invited to please contact: share@yorkathleticsreview.com. The review will begin immediately. Read the full message here. |
| 2 |
The Creation of York’s new Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change . “I am very pleased to be able to announce the formal creation of the new Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC) which brings together the expertise housed in the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) and the department of Geography in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies. This new Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change is believed to be the first faculty of its kind in the world to bring together a critical mass of physical geographers, ecologists, social scientists, humanities researchers and artists whose innovative, world-renowned research addresses natural, built and social spaces from a global perspective.” Read the full message here. |
| 3 |
Announcement about Moodle/eClass: Effective September 1, your primary course platform, Moodle (for Keele Campus students), has been renamed eClass. eClass has all the same features as Moodle, with some enhancements including improved graphics, functionality, reliability, and an improved interface. Updates also include the ability to change your preferred name on eClass. Continuing students do not have to learn a new system. |
| 4 |
York U Virtual Orientation 2020. York University offers a wide variety of Orientation programming, all online in 2020, for all new and incoming students. It is a great way to meet new people, discover campus resources and learn all about your degree while providing you with a smooth transition into university. The Virtual Orientation Day Ceremony takes place on Tuesday, September 8, from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. and the day continues with the Fall 2020 Virtual Service Fair from 1 to 4 p.m. |
| 5 |
Workshop: Zoom & Moodle Survival Guide. In this session hosted by the Atkinson Centre for Mature & Part-time Students (ACMAPS), you can learn the ins and outs of Zoom and Moodle to prepare for online learning this year. Topics include setting up break-out rooms on Zoom, scheduling meetings, participating in Zoom lectures, navigating Moodle and much more! A mock lecture will be held to provide students with the opportunity to practice skills learned throughout the presentation. Registration required. Session Date: Thursday, September 3, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
ACMAPS Event Schedule. Are you a mature student at York U? Are you interested in meditation or attending a casual, drop-in café hour to meet other mature students or a mature student peer mentor? Check the schedule at the link above and attend any session you wish, via Zoom. |
| 6 |
Student Financial Services (SFS) Workshop: Money for YU: Financing Your Academic Year. Whether you are a first-year student or continuing student, domestic or international student, York is committed to supporting you financially so you can focus on your academic goals and maximize your funding. Join the Student Financial Services team for this one-hour live session, where you will learn how to access various financial resources and other possible sources of funding that you may not have previously explored! Wednesday, September 2, 10 to 11 a.m. and Friday, September 11, 10 to 11 a.m.
If you can't make the event or if you are looking for assistance with your OSAP application, check out #YUBlog’s “Understanding OSAP” series. This two-part series is aimed at helping you understand the OSAP application process and receiving your funds. |
| 7 |
Career Centre Webinar: Interview Preparation. Approach your next interview or networking event with increased confidence. Learn how you can influence the first impression you make and show your best self while answering employers' questions. Wednesday, September 2, 10 a.m. to noon. Registration required at Experience York.
Webinar: Job Search & Networking Strategies. Want to be more effective in getting the job you want? Find out how to uncover and create career opportunities by learning how employers fill job openings. Learn how to uncover hidden opportunities and build relationships that maximize your job search efforts. Thursday, September 3, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Registration required at Experience York.
Webinar: How to Effectively Use LinkedIn. Join this session and learn tips on how to use LinkedIn effectively to enhance your job search. Gain insight on how you can leverage LinkedIn's features to build your professional network. Thursday, September 3, 3 to 4:30 p.m. Registration required at Experience York. |
| 8 |
York International (YI) Session: Q&A for International Students. Are you an international student with questions around all the updates from immigration recently? Register for this session to find out what's new and ask any questions you may have. Thursday, September 3, 9 to 11 a.m. Registration required.
YI’s daily Virtual Coffee Breaks are an online space for international and domestic students from across programs, Faculties, countries and cultures to connect and get to know each other! Student Leaders are on Zoom every weekday with different fun and interesting topics. When you sign up, a confirmation email with the zoom link will be sent to you upon registration. View the York International Events Calendar for the full Virtual Coffee Break weekly schedule. |
| 9 |
Student Accessibility Services continues to meet with students virtually! Students already registered with Student Accessibility Services can connect with their Accessibility Counsellor by email or via sasinfo@yorku.ca. Check out the new Student Accessibility Services Moodle site, which is full of supports and resources to support you in your studies in a remote environment!
Interested in registering with Student Accessibility Services? Visit the New Students page on the SAS website. |
| 10 |
York 101 Video: Exclusive Tips from York Students. In the last video of the series, you’ll hear several useful tips and tricks from upper year students about life at university! If you’ve missed some of the previous videos, check out the StudentLife YU YouTube channel for all the great content they’ve posted this summer.
And don’t miss the #YUBlog’s recap, What You May Have Missed: Summer 2020. This post recaps the blog’s favourite posts from this past summer, including the first few editions of the Remote Learning 101 Series. |
WORTH REPEATING
How York plans to keep students on campus safe this fall. “While the majority of our community will be working and studying from home this fall, there are some important activities that will require a phased return to campus, such as ongoing research and a limited number of in-person courses. The gradual reopening of our campuses will continue to be guided by public health guidelines and the government. Our priority is keeping you safe. Unless have been approved for select in-person activities (e.g. in-person courses, residence) in the Fall term, you do not need to come to campus.”
Information about Winter 2021: “We are now finalizing decisions about Winter 2021 term courses. We are all looking forward to being on our campuses as soon as it is safe to do so but whether your learning will be in-person or online, our instructors are finding innovative ways to provide the high-quality learning experience for which York is known.” Read the full message here. (En français)
Message from Vice Provost, Students, Lucy Fromowitz regarding Student Self-Identification Survey: “In our desire to serve all our students, we must first know more about you. To this end, with collaboration across our campuses, we are committed to implementing a self-identification survey. The survey will be distributed to all students for the Fall 2021 start, and annually thereafter. Your input will inform our policies, practices, programs, and services from an access and inclusion perspective. It will also allow us to communicate directly about services and opportunities designed specifically for specific student populations.” Read the full message here.
When thinking about full-year courses for next year, don’t forget to check out the award-winning C4: The Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom. This unique learning opportunity brings together students at the third-, fourth-, and fifth-year levels to work in interdisciplinary teams on real work challenges with social impact. Learn more about the C4 Program in their weekly webinars, which you can find at the top of this C4 Program #YUBlog Post.
Ideas about how to improve This Week @ York? Email thisweek@yorku.ca. |
