The York University Retirees' Association is a voluntary group which represents retired employees from all employee groups -- faculty, staff and managers -- who wish to maintain contact with the University and each other.

Members of the 2025 YURA Executive Committee

JOINING THE RANKS OF YORK RETIREES?

If you are a York retiree or planning to retire and you would like to receive an "info page" about the Retirees’ Association (without having to surf this website), please e-mail yura@yorku.ca

WELCOME.... DIANE BEELEN WOODY & STEVE DRANITSARIS, YURA CO-PRESIDENTS

Head and shoulders photo of Diane Woody — Diane Beelen Woody

As YURA co-presidents we welcome you to the YURA website; here you will find information about our organization and its events and activities, and a wealth of information about social outings as well as learning and volunteer opportunities. We strive to provide relevant information about wellness and well-being during retirement; we all strive for the goal of “thriving in retirement”, while simultaneously learning to navigate the inevitable challenges. We are proud to have one of the most active university retirees’ associations in Canada, with over 450 retired staff and faculty/librarian members.

YURA has a “home” on campus in the form of our office space in the Lorna Marsden Honour Court. We invite YURA members to come and see our office with its abundance of natural light, during office hours (Tues/Wed/Thurs between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., Sept to June). We thank our office volunteers who assist us with communications, membership processing and record-keeping. We are deeply grateful to our co-officers, Secretary Marla Chodak and Treasurer/Registrar Melody King, and to all the members of our hard-working Executive Committee for their...
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Head & shoulders photo of Steve Dranitsaris — Steve Dranitsaris

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YURA Office Closes for a Summer Break

To give our loyal and hardworking office volunteers a well-deserved summer break, the YURA office in the Lorna Marsden Honour Court at the Keele campus closed on Thursday, June 19th and WILL re-open on Tuesday, September 9th. During the office closure, e-mail and telephone messages will be monitored and we will respond to messages as soon as possible. Membership renewal for 2025-26 will commence in July with the next membership year to begin October 1st.

The 2025 YURA Challenge

Support Student Success and Secure a Legacy for York Retirees!

The York University Retirees’ Association will be holding another 5 km walk in October – this year to support student academic success by raising money to acquire “study pods” for the York University Libraries. These self-contained soundproof booths will offer students privacy, comfort, and power outlets in the Libraries and will make a real and lasting difference in their success. The pods are also ideal for virtual classes, online or oral exams, job interviews, mentorship calls and for students with sensory stimulation concerns.

YURA can ensure that York students enjoy the same advantages as their peers at U of T and McGill, where study pods have already been introduced and are in high demand. By supporting this innovative initiative in the Libraries, YURA can continue its tradition of supporting student success.

YURA members are being recruited to take part in the walk and/or to canvass for donors to sponsor the team. This year, for fundraising participants, there is no complicated registration process and no registration fee; for donors, there are no administrative fees. Donations are sought to sponsor the team and all donations are being handled directly by the University.

If you wish to become a member of our 2025 YURA Challenge Team or have questions, please e-mail yura@yorku.ca or leave a voicemail message at 416.736.2100 ext 70664. We encourage all YURA members to get involved in this worthy cause.

This year’s fundraising walk will take place on campus on Tuesday, October 7th (with a rain date of Thursday, October 9th). For more information and to donate, please visit our YURA Challenge page by clicking here.

Members of the 2024 YURA Charity Challenge team that raised $16,000 for student food support initiatives. More photos from the 2024 walk, please click here.

YURA 2025 Annual General Meeting
Guest Speaker announced

The 2025 Annual General Meeting of the York University Retirees’ Association will take place at 10 a.m. on Friday, November 21^st as a virtual meeting, via Zoom.

Our guest speaker will be Dr. Christine O’Kelly of Dublin City University in Ireland who is Co-ordinator of the Age Friendly University Global Network. Dr. O’Kelly is an accomplished network coordinator and strategic leader with over 35 years’ experience in the community, voluntary, and higher education sectors. Since 2014, she has spearheaded the global Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative, leading a network of more than 100 universities across five continents. Her expertise spans organisational strategy, institutional transformation, and inclusive education policy, with a particular focus on embedding age-friendly practices in higher education.

A committed advocate of servant leadership, Dr. O’Kelly holds a Master’s in Community and Voluntary Leadership and a Doctorate in Education (Leadership), with her research exploring how universities become and remain age-friendly. She is a published author and international consultant, dedicated to advancing social justice, intergenerational solidarity, and transformative change in lifelong learning. Full biographical notes about Christine. O'Kelly are available by clicking here.

The topic of Dr. O’Kelly’s talk will be “Positive Ageing, Intergenerational Solidarity, and the Role of Higher Education.”

The business meeting portion of the AGM will begin at approximately 11 a.m., following Dr. O'Kelly's talk and a few minutes for questions and answers. Documents pertaining to the business meeting will be posted on the YURA website at least seven days in advance.

Retirees Sought for Research Studies at York University

One of the most important contributions retirees can make to the University is through participation as research subjects in projects that focus on older adults. This is especially meaningful for York University, which has a Faculty of Health as well as the Centre for Aging Research and Education (YU-CARE). Participation of YURA members is crucial for the doctoral students who are undertaking studies that will contribute to discovery and new knowledge.

YURA members are encouraged to take part in the studies described below for which University ethics approval has been obtained. Participation in these studies is not limited to retired employees. Spouses, other family members and friends who meet the participant criteria are also welcome to contact the doctoral students leading these studies, which are continuing through the spring and summer of 2025.

Research Study on Aging

Adults over age 60 are being sought for a research study on how decision-making and memory change with age. The study, which has received University ethics approval, is being conducted in the Cognitive Neuroscience & Neuro-Intervention (CNN) Lab under Dr. Gary Turner, associate professor of Psychology in the Faculty of Health.

The study involves:

a 1-hour in-person session at York University where participants will complete a computer-based decision-making task (like a game) and some brief cognitive assessments
A 30-minute online follow-up task, completed from home the next day.
For those who are eligible and interested, there is also an optional MRI scan, which helps us look at brain activity while participants perform similar tasks.

Participation is entirely voluntary and nominal compensation will be provided. Those who are interested in participating should contact research assistant, Sophia Bryan-Carbonell at sophiabc@my.yorku.ca

Exploring Retirees' Perceptions of the Age-Friendly University Initiative

YURA members are invited to take part in a research study titled “Exploring Retirees’ Perceptions of the Age-Friendly University Initiative”, being conducted by Brad Meisner, Deanna Vervaecke, and Aliza Maqsood at York University. This study has received ethics approval from York’s Office of Research Ethics (Certificate: e2023-358).

Interviews are being conducted (via Zoom or telephone) to explore retirees’ experiences, opinions, and insights related to the Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative. You do not need to be familiar with the AFU initiative beforehand, it will be defined and explained during the interview. The Zoom or telephone interview will take approximately 45 to 60 minutes. It will follow a set of semi-structured questions and, with your consent, will be audio-recorded. All recordings and responses will be anonymized, and your privacy and confidentiality will be strictly maintained.

If you are interested in participating or have any questions about the study, please contact research assistant Aliza Maqsood, e-mail alizamaq@yorku.ca or Brad Meisner, associate professor of kinesiology and health science, e-mail meisnerb@yorku.ca

Lifespan Play Perspectives

This study, being conducted conducted by Nicole Faull, Deanna Vervaecke, and Dr. Brad Meisner, Associate Professor in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science, explores why “play” is often seen as a type of physical activity for children rather than a lifelong pursuit. Individuals aged 40 years and greater are being sought to learn about how they have engaged in play in their lives so far, and if/how play may be a way to promote well-being across the lifespan. For this study, “play” includes the physical movement of one’s body, but is otherwise open and broad. This approach welcomes the interpretation and description of play in your own terms. One-on-one interviews are being conducted through Zoom or over the phone. The interview will last approximately 45 to 60 minutes and will be guided by a few general questions to guide the discussion. All information will be anonymized and kept private, confidential, and secure. The project has received ethics approval from the University. If you are interested in participating in this project, or have any questions about it, please reach out to Nicole Faull, Research Assistant, faull@my.yorku.ca

Brain Study on Neural Correlates of Audiovisual Integration

YURA members are invited to join a research study at York University exploring how the brain processes auditory and visual information. The study is being conducted by Viquar Unnisa, a PhD candidate in Health Science at the University of Waterloo in collaboration with Dr. Jennifer Steeves, associate professor of psychology at York University. The study has received ethics approval from both York University and the University of Waterloo.

What's involved: A 60-90 minute session including MRI scan of your brain and auditory and visual tests. A copy of your anatomical MRI scan will be provided if you are interested.

Prospective volunteer subjects are to be age 40 to 80, with normal or corrected-to-normal hearing and vision. Persons with the following are ineligible: lazy eye (amblyopia); neurological or psychiatric conditions (e.g., epilepsy, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, depression); implantable devices such as pacemakers, metalic prosthesis, hip or knee replacements; or those on medications affecting brain chemistry (e.g., antidepressants, antipsychotics, muscle relaxants).

Nominal compensation ($50 - $100) will be provided.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Viquar Unnisa, e-mail: vunnisabegum@uwaterloo.ca

Macular Degeneration Study

People with age-related macular degeneration as well as healthy individuals without eye disease are being sought to participate in a neuroimaging study at the Perceptual Neuroscience Lab, under the supervision of Dr. Jennifer Steeves (Professor of Psychology). The study is approximately 2 hours long and compensation will be provided. If requested, participants will also receive their brain images. Please note that people who have had cataract surgery are assessed to see if they can be added to the pool of healthy participants because having the surgery has been shown to reverse the visual brain changes that occur due to cataracts. If you are interested in helping with this study, please reach out to the study leader, Aysha Kinakool (PhD candidate), by e-mail at: ayshak@yorku.ca To view for the poster for this study, please click here.

Shoulder Pain Study

This study will explore whether shoulder pain Influences muscle health and movement quality. Forty adults 55 years and older with and without existing shoulder pain (20 with pain and 20 without) are being sought, hopefully with an even balance across both genders. Exclusion criteria include having metal present in the body, current pregnancy and any other contraindications to MRI. The study will take place in the Sherman Health Science Research Centre on the Keele campus. Participants will be asked for a commitment of approximately 3 hours where they will undergo MR imaging of their right shoulder, ultrasound imaging of the same shoulder, movement analysis during multiple elevations and activities of daily living, and a series of force exertions. The study leader is Stephen Boulanger, PhD candidate in Kinesiology and Health Science, supervised by Dr. Jaclyn Hurley. The attached poster provides an overview of the project. If you are interested in participating in this study, please reach out to Stephen by e-mail at: sbou11@yorku.ca To view for the poster for this study, please click here.

Memberships for 2025-2026

YURA membership renewal forms for the 2025-2026 year (October 1 through September 30) are now available by clicking here.

YURA members receive quarterly issues of the YURA Newsletter and ongoing bulletins and e-mail communications with information about YURA and activities available to our members. This website includes links to key websites for retirees (“Retiring at York”) as well as information about member privileges, events, and YURA’s role in representing retirees' interests with York University.

Retired York employees who wish to join YURA are most welcome to do so. For more information, instructions and the membership application form, please click here.

Join in the Conversation at the YURA Café

The YURA Café resumed on Tuesday, January 14th. Hosted by Fran Wilkinson, professor emerita of psychology, these sessions provide an opportunity for members to share concerns and information, and to discuss topics of importance to retirees.

The January session focused largely on recent political developments and our reactions -- from the proroguing of our federal Parliament and the resignation of Prime Minister Trudeau, to the Trump inauguration and tariff threats and other menacing actions being directed at Canada, to the possibility of an Ontario election before the upcoming federal one. We also introduced the element of story telling at the end of the session where a couple of interesting experiences were shared.

On February 11th, the YURA Café discussed the six dimensions of "resilience in retirement" as presented by Dr. Donald Meichenbaum at the CURAC conference held in May 2024 (click here, then scroll down to watch the video recording). The March 11th session was an open discussion about current political developments, ranging from Doug Ford's re-election in Ontario to the launch of the tariff war with the US, to international concerns following Trump and Vance’s ambush of Zelensky, and the resurging popularity of the federal Liberals here at home, and the emergence of Mark Carney as successor to Justin Trudeau as Canadian prime minister.

The final session of the YURA Café for the 2024-2025 cycle was held via Zoom on Tuesday, April 8th. Our guest was Professor Susan Murtha of the Faculty of Health who reported on her course dealing with seniors learning new technology, in which some YURA members had participated. The outcomes and observations of her students' work were particularly interesting and will inform future studies.

We hope to resume the monthly YURA Café in the Fall 2025. YURA members will be notified on this website and by e-mail of the dates for the Fall sessions.

Re-cap of Fall 2024 sessions:

At the September 10th session, the new editors of the YURA Newsletter, Steve Glassman and Richard Weisman, shared some of their plans for the publication and participants offered comments and suggestions. {The Fall issue of the YURA Newsletter, the first produced by Steve and Richard, was circulated in late September.} Ideas for topics for future Café sessions were raised and discussed.

On October 8th, Shayne Dunkley, from the University's Pension & Benefits office, attended to answer questions and provide information about post-retirement benefits and pension administration. The session was well attended and there was a helpful exchange of comments and information. Toward the end of the session, Diane Woody, YURA Co-President and events chair, sounded out participants about possible future outings and events for YURA members. Those YURA members who indicated an interest in helping with events on their membership form will be contacted about a forthcoming planning meeting.

At the Café session on November 12th, participants shared their perspectives on the results of the US election. Much commentary focused on the likely set-back for progress that has been made on environment concerns and the impact of four years of environmental neglect on future generations.

The final YURA Café for 2024 held on December 10 offered a mix of topics ranging from libraries and artificial intelligence to resilience and hopefulness. Ideas for the Café sessions early in 2025 were also discussed.

Overviews of the eight sessions of the YURA Café during the 2023-2024 year can be read by clicking here.

College and University Retiree Associations of Canada (CURAC)

CURAC is the national organization of the postsecondary retirees' associations across Canada. It speaks for the collective on a variety of public policy issues. It provides a number of important services to its members, including an annual conference that highlights best practices among its member associations and promotes collaboration. YURA was among the founders of CURAC.

All YURA members should check out the CURAC website to learn about the initiatives in which it is involved and the services and activities it offers to all retiree association members, including members of YURA. Also on the website are links to health bulletins and discussion papers on issues relating to seniors.

Of particular interest to YURA members may well be the videos of the key presentations at the annual CURAC Conference. Sessions from the 2024 conference held at the University of Waterloo are now available to view by clicking here. Sessions from the 2025 conference held at McGill University in Montreal in May will be available in the near future.

CURAC's affinity partners belairdirect and Johnson Travel Insurance offer contests from time to time open to members of all CURAC member associations, including YURA. belairdirect also initiated a scholarship program this year for which progeny of YURA members may be eligible. More info...

"The Curious Incident of the Nobbled College and University Retiree Associations"

Walter Archer, President of CURAC, the College and University Retiree Associations of Canada, has published an article in University Affairs with the title "The Curious Incident of the Nobbled College and University Retiree Associations." YURA members are encouraged to read this article. Please click here.

Membership Survey Results Summarized

More than 60% of YURA members participated in a survey conducted in 2022 by the Association's Executive Committee to learn about what members thought about current activities and how YURA could better support its members in the future. A summary of survey results, prepared by professor emeritus and former YURA co-president Ian Greene, can be found by clicking here.

Donations for 2025

YURA members are encouraged to consider a tax-deductible donation to the one or more of the YURA sponsored student awards or other worthwhile YURA-sponsored projects at the University. Among these are the YURA Graduate Student Award, the William Small Award, the YURA Mature Student Bursaries, the Food Insecurity Fund for Students, the York Camps Subsidy Fund (for local kids from disadvantaged families) or the Access to Postsecondary Program (aimed at middle school youth from the local Black Creek community). Charitable tax receipts for such donations are provided by York University.

To make an on-line donation or to arrange monthly contributions, please click here.