This Week @ York for Week of December 8

This Week @ York for Week of December 8

Here’s your timely & targeted compilation of key events, noteworthy news and important dates for the remainder of the week. All posted event times are in Eastern Standard Time.

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 Update on the progress of the student equity and diversity census: York is on track for distribution of the Student Equity and Diversity Census in Fall 2021. To date, York has brought together a working group composed of students, staff and faculty, completed an environmental scan to understand the best practices of other postsecondary institutions who have done/are doing a similar Census and have developed a first draft of the Census. Learn more about the census and next steps by reading the latest update.
2 An End of Year Message from Board of Governors Chair Paul Tsaparis. "In March, when it became clear that the safest way for us to complete the 2019-20 academic year was to do so at a distance, the University immediately put new supports and resources in place to help our community succeed. From introducing a laptop loan program to emergency bursaries, new online supports at the Teaching Commons, to new virtual mental health and learning supports for students, the efforts were outstanding – all with the aim to ensure all students, faculty and staff had access to the tools and resources they needed to stay safe." Read the full message.
3 Call for student volunteers: The Office of Student Community Relations (OSCR) is accepting applications for student members on the York University Tribunal (UT). UT student, faculty and staff members sit on hearing panels to adjudicate breaches of York's non-academic Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities and review appeals of Local Adjudication and Tribunal Hearing decisions. This appointment is for a two-year term. Read the full posting and application instruction on the OSCR website. Application Deadline: Tuesday, December 15.
4 York International Information Session: Q&A for International Students. If you are an international student and you have questions around immigration and all the updates coming out, attend this session to hear about recent updates and ask any questions you may have. Thursday, December 10, 9 to 11 a.m. Registration required.

Drop-In Advising for International Students. Drop in to speak with York International's immigration specialists who can help answer your quick questions regarding study permit, work permit, visas, SIN, quarantine and travel information, and more. If you have a question that you think will take longer than five to 10 minutes, please book an appointment instead. YI cannot advise on permanent residency during drop-in advising as these questions require more time to discuss. Wednesday, December 9, 1 to 3:30 p.m. Registration required.

Additional dates and registration links:

Drop-In Advising for International Students. Friday, December 11, 1 to 3:30 p.m. Registration required.

View the York International Events Calendar for the full Virtual Coffee Break weekly schedule. When you sign up, a confirmation email with the zoom link will be sent to you upon registration

5 LSS Peers Help You Prep for Exams: Top Five Things You Need to Do. Exams are right around the corner, but don't worry, the #YUBlog and LSS have got you covered. In addition to attending one of the sessions listed above, the #YUBlog partnered up with LSS Peer Academic Coaches Cindy and Aleeza to give you some top tips for how you can effectively prepare for and ace those exams.
6 Zoom/eClass Student Tutorial. All students are welcome to join this session and learn the ins and outs of Zoom and eClass in preparation for your virtual classes this Winter. These sessions will cover mechanics of York's primary online learning platforms with an emphasis on the student experience. You'll learn some key information as well as tips and strategies from senior students on Zoom lectures, breakout rooms, online testing evaluations and more! Monday, December 14, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or Wednesday, December 16, 1 to 2:30 p.m. Registration required.

Mature Student Event Schedule. Check the schedule at the link above and attend any session you wish, via Zoom.

7 Career Centre Webinar: On the Job Success. Attend this session and learn tips on how to create great first impressions and what to expect the first few days on the job. You'll also learn how to increase your chances of workplace success, how to communicate assertively and handle difficult situations effectively. Wednesday December 9, 10:30 a.m. to noon. Registration required at Experience York.

Webinar: Personality and Career Choice. Join this webinar and get an introduction to the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), one of the most widely used assessment tools for personality and career choice. Wednesday, December 9, 10 to 11:30 a.m. Registration required at Experience York.

Webinar: Ways to Make Money While Studying. If you're looking for ways to make some extra $$$ this Winter, attend this session and learn about a variety of sources for on- or off-campus employment and understand how to tap into the "hidden" job market. Thursday, December 10, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Registration required at Experience York.

Webinar: Resumé & Cover Letter Writing. Join this session and find out how to effectively target your resumé and cover letter. Present your experiences, education and skills in a way that showcases your assets and piques employers' interest in you. Friday, December 11, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Registration required at Experience York.

8 The President's Creative Writing Awards. Get writing! The Creative Writing Department, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and The Office of the President are looking for original pieces in the following genres: poetry, short fiction, screenplay and stage-play. Open to all undergraduate students, you can submit work to more than one category, but may only submit one work per genre. Best entry for each genre gets $400! Submission deadline: Monday, January 18, 2021.
9 Stay tuned for a special edition of This Week @ York next week, where we will go over all the resources that are available to students over the Winter Break, as well as some scheduled events open to everyone!

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