Current and prospective Glendon students and community members, please be advised that there are no planned changes to Glendon’s courses, organizational structure or location. This proposal is only for consideration. There are no plans or timelines regarding implementation. The proposal is being shared here to ensure equal access to consistent and correct information.
York University is beginning a broad institutional conversation about how best to sustain and strengthen our commitment to bilingual education, French-language services and Francophone communities.
This mission is currently carried out at Glendon, a Faculty set on a campus of the same name, an undeniably beautiful setting in its natural and built environments. Its embrace not only of French but of multilingualism creates a distinctly intercultural social environment. Taken together, Glendon offers an experience that is rare – if not totally unmatched – on any other campus in the region.
Despite this, undergraduate enrolment at Glendon has decreased by almost 50 per cent over the past decade, from 2,645 in 2016—17 to 1,343 in 2025—26. The consequent drop in revenue has resulted in a growing deficit despite significant efforts by Glendon leadership, faculty and staff to reduce expenses and grow new sources of revenue. The financial challenges of Glendon, in the context of financial pressures on the University as a whole, have implications that further hamper Glendon’s ability to increase its enrolment. This includes limited faculty renewal and growth, mounting deferred maintenance, reduced course offerings, and diminished services and amenities. The demoralizing effect of this protracted and worsening state is openly acknowledged by faculty and staff.
Another challenge that involves Glendon – but is not Glendon’s alone – is course duplication between different Faculties’ programs. In addition to duplication, a fundamental disconnect between some Faculties often obstructs students from taking courses in other Faculties in order to meet requirements. Glendon students, in the midst of reduced course offerings on their own campus, are particularly disadvantaged by this lack of coordination and the inaccessibility of courses at the Keele campus. Those who do take courses at both campuses contend with logistical challenges related to transportation and schedules.
In light of these challenges, Glendon Faculty Council requested that the University administration formulate and share options for Glendon’s revitalization. The interim provost presented one possible proposal at a Special Meeting of Glendon Faculty Council on May 20 for colleagues’ consideration and discussion. The meeting was a starting point for a full and multifaceted assessment of the proposal’s merits, viability and long-term potential.
The proposal offers an option for revitalizing York’s French-language and bilingual mission and for making the best use of the University’s resources. Rather than focus only on Glendon, the proposal suggests a comprehensive, institutional approach to York’s bilingual mission that promises to expand access to high-quality French-language and bilingual education and help ongoing efforts that reduce academic duplication and/or disconnection across Faculties.
The proposed model's key components include:
- The relocation of French-language academic offerings, services and community to the Keele Campus, where an estimated 70 per cent of current Francophone students at York are based.
- Glendon College would transition from a Faculty to a University-wide college responsible for anchoring – and amplifying and integrating – bilingual education, Francophone community and French-language services. Glendon College would serve as the physical, administrative, operational and social home to Francophone, Francophile and multilingual communities and services at York.
- The proposal imagines that Glendon’s academic programs and faculty members would merge with cognate units in other Faculties (programs unique to Glendon would transfer to a Faculty at Keele). Faculty members would maintain affiliations with Glendon College and hold formal appointments in other Faculties.
- Rather than offer independent – and potentially duplicative – academic programs, Glendon College, under the leadership of the principal and in coordination with academic units, would develop and coordinate the integration of French-language courses, credentialing and student cohort experiences across other Faculties.
- Centring bilingual curricula and communities at Keele would open up possibilities for enrolment growth as well as the creation and integration of bilingual academic pathways and credentials across Faculties and throughout the entire University.
- Future exploration of opportunities for external partnerships and programs that could facilitate French-language credentialing, continuing education and labour market alignment.
- Glendon College would also play a leading role in student recruitment, student services and supports, offering Francophone and bi- and multilingual programming and community-building, and engaging externally in order to raise the profile of York’s bilingual mission and pursue opportunities to strengthen it.
With regard to the physical location of Glendon College on Keele Campus:
- To provide an attractive, distinctive and central setting for French-language services and Francophone, Francophile and multilingual communities, the building currently housing the School of Continuing Studies would be converted to become the home of Glendon College.
- The building is one of the newest on Keele Campus and was designed with enhancing student experience in mind. It therefore includes diverse spaces for studying, small groups, large events and socializing.
- It is located in a convenient student-facing site directly next to the Bennett Centre (and across the street from future student housing), meaning that French-language services would be closely connected to other key student services and resources.
- Should the proposal proceed, the University is committed to investing in thoughtful placemaking to ensure the building’s spaces and design reflect not only Glendon College’s Francophone and bilingual emphasis, but also its deeper dedication to the value of multilingualism and intercultural competency.
The University views the preservation and strengthening of learning and community-building related to our official languages as a core public responsibility and is committed to upholding it. The proposal has been drafted with specific attention to maintaining York University’s partial designation under the French Language Services Act. Relevant government offices are aware that the University community is considering this proposal; they also appreciate that it will only progress if there is the requisite collegial support and that its progress will conform to collegial governance processes.
Community members are invited to share their feedback online and through individual or group meetings, and other planned community engagement. Colleagues may also wish to convene and join working groups to develop further the academic and operational aspects of the plan.
As discussions continue, York University will provide updates regarding the proposal and any future decisions through established governance processes, including discussions with Keele Faculties, Senate and the Board of Governors.
It is important to reiterate that no decision has been made. The proposal shared with Glendon Faculty Council is a basic outline, not a detailed or fully developed plan. It has been offered for colleagues to consider, assess, improve through their expertise and insight, and it is ultimately for them to determine whether it is worth pursuing. University administration has no intention of overriding York’s collegial governance framework and culture.
Glendon College has been a cornerstone of York University since its founding and the College’s bilingual academic mission is embraced by the entire University. We recognize that even in preliminary form, this proposal may elicit a wide range of reactions from current York students, staff and faculty as well as alumni, donors, community partners and others invested in bilingual and Francophone education and culture.
It is our hope that even those who may disagree with the proposal’s value and viability will nevertheless recognize its intention to sustain and strengthen York’s bilingual mission. Far from withdrawing from Glendon’s academic mission, the goal is to ensure it thrives across York and into the future.