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Back to Campus 1999/2000: Stories in the Making at York University
LOOK WHO's COMING TO CAMPUS . . .
Nino Ricci Joins York -- The prose of Nino Ricci, winner of the Governor General's Award for Fiction and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for his debut novel, Lives of the Saints, has been compared to that of Borges and Flaubert. His second work, In a Glass House, was also widely praised, and Where She Has Gone completed beautifully the trilogy of the journey of an Italian Canadian into his family's past. Now York students will benefit directly from Ricci's powers of observation, story telling and creative writing during his tenure as writer-in-residence under the auspices of the Mariano A. Elia Chair in Italian-Canadian Studies, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Ricci, who graduated with a B.A. (English) from York University in 1981, was born in 1959 in Leamington, Ontario and resides in Toronto.
SGI RealityMonster to dwell in York's Virtual Reality Lab -- York's Centre for Vision Research has just acquired an SGI RealityMonster, which generates virtual reality images at extremely high speeds, and the centre is now building a virtual reality lab with a CAVE system in the Chemistry and Computer Science Building. The completed lab will enable researchers to further probe how people and animals see in real and virtual reality situations. York scientists have already developed training devices for astronauts to aid in the understanding of space sickness and disorientation, and are developing new forms of training based on virtual reality. Researchers are also working on improved user interfaces for virtual reality systems for applications in industrial and interior design, architecture and urban planning. A much larger CAVE virtual reality system will be installed in the new computer science building, which will be Canada's first "cold climate" green university building, scheduled for completion in 2001.
A view of Asia Hot Spots by Japan's foremost expert on international security -- Missile test launches on the Korean peninsula, India's nuclear tests and border clashes with Pakistan, political upheaval in Indonesia, and the escalating war of words between China and Taiwan -- all these events are raising the spectre of a nuclear arms race in Asia and leading to growing concerns about the region's future peace and stability. Japan's foremost expert on international security, Masashi Nishihara, will be at York University November 8 to speak to invited guests about global security issues in the Far East and Japan's desire to tap Canadian expertise in the areas of peace building and peace keeping. The event is sponsored by York's Centre for International and Security Studies, the Joint Centre for Asia Pacific Studies, and the department of Political Science. It will be followed by a dinner hosted by York, the Japan Society and the Canadian Institute for International Affairs.
A who's who of writers/historians/archeologists enrich York's Millennial Wisdom Symposium -- Susan Swan, celebrated novelist, York professor, and the Chair of The Robarts Centre in Canadian Studies, has assembled a stellar lineup of writers, archeologists and historians to address a series of eight public events (October through April) designed to look at history from the perspective of the creative mind and to answer fundamental questions about who we are, and what we have learned about ourselves on the eve of the 21st century. Featured guests include internationally acclaimed writers Alberto Manguel, Anne Michaels, Ronald Wright, Guy Vanderhaeghe, Carol Christ, Tomson Highway, Rosalind Miles, Karen Connelly and Dionne Brand. The first event, featuring Manguel, Brand, and near Eastern expert Dr. Edward Keall on "Is the Past a Fiction?", is on Mon., Oct. 4, 7 p.m. at the Royal Ontario Museum Theatre.
Eminent U.S. Scholar Heads Canadian Centre for German and European Studies at York -- Prof. Jeffrey M. Peck of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. is the new Director of the Canadian Centre for German and European Studies / Le Centre canadien d'Ètudes allemandes et europÈennes at York and the Universite de Montreal. Peck will deliver his inaugural address in the York Senate Chamber September 14. A scholar whose work combines the fields of literary criticism, cultural studies, and anthropology, Peck says that a Canadian Centre--bi-provincial, trilingual, and multidisciplinary--creates a unique environment for studying Germany and Europe. Peck helped build up a similar Centre at Georgetown. He was chosen to direct the Canadian Centre following an international search by a committee of experts from four Canadian universities. With his interests in the impact of globalization and technology on educational policy and cultural identity, he was eager to come to Canada because of the unique role Canadian universities can play in redefining international and global studies in North America.
Objects of Concern? Children and Divorce --York University is hosting a visit by the distinguished UK sociologist, Dr. Carol Smart, on Tuesday, October 26, at 3:30 p.m., sponsored by the Institute for Feminist Legal Studies at Osgoode Hall Law School and the School of Women's Studies. A respected scholar on the subject of the family, and a dynamic speaker, Smart is founding director of the Centre for Research on Family, Kinship and Childhood at the University of Leeds. She will be speaking about her latest research on children and divorce.
Canadian Artist Liz Magor-- Major international artist Liz Magor is known for her large-scale installations, including the "Sleeping Rough", an exhibit of sleeping bags and cushions inside giant, hollowed-out log and tree trunk forms, and her original pioneer cabin in the sculpture garden on King Street East in Toronto. Magor is now creating a new, permanent installation at York, a massive weeping willow tree trunk made out of bronze. The mould is ready and the pouring imminent for those keen to watch the artist in action. The finished work will be shown at her retrospective exhibit in May 2000 at the Art Gallery of York University, the culmination of a productive and inspiring stint as artist-in-residence at York this past summer.
Touring Japanese Chefs-- A distinguished group of Japanese chefs is touring Canada this fall, and one of their stops in early October will be at the University Club in Toronto where they will prepare a special feast in honour of the 25th anniversary of the Joint Centre for Asia Pacific Studies at York University and the University of Toronto. The tour is sponsored by the Canadian embassy in Tokyo, a city that is one of the dining capitals of the world where television programs devoted to restaurants and cooking cram the air waves. Some of the touring chefs have appeared on the wildly popular Friday night cooking show Ryori no Tetsujin or Iron Man Chef, which Torontonians can now watch too, every Friday night at 10 p.m. on the Food Channel. Donald Rickerd, President of the Zavikon Foundation and a research associate at York, is facilitating the Toronto visit. The tour aims to promote Japanese tourism to Canada and expand Canadian food exports to Japan. York Professor Bernard Frolic is director of the Joint Centre.
YORK EXPERTS OFFER CONTEXT/COMMENTARY ON CRUCIAL, CURRENT ISSUES
Practical Ethics in the Age of Political Correctness --"Ethical Issues in the Academy" is the theme of a series of symposia this fall organized by The Centre for Practical Ethics at York under the (new) directorship of political scientist David Shugarman. Tackling some of the major ethical issues of the day in higher education, the series
begins in October with the topic, Conflicts of Interest at the University, featuring Prof. Ian Greene, Associate Dean of Arts and co-author of Honest Politics: Seeking Integrity in Canadian Public Life. In November, Shirley Katz of York's Office of the Counsel will lead off discussions on Consensual Sexual Relations in the University. In January, Corporatization of the University will feature Prof. H.T. Wilson of the Schulich School of Business and Osgoode Hall Law School; February's topic will be International Research Settings and Human Rights, featuring Prof. Peter Penz, Director of York's Centre for Refugee Studies. The centre also plans to activate an Ethical Consulting Service in the new year, offering ethical audits, professional workshops and training sessions for ethics practitioners.
Liberal Arts still the Core of Learning -- A study of universities and the labour market by York's Centre for Research on Work and Society shows that liberal education is still the core of higher learning, in good economic times and bad, and enhances the abilities of graduates in both applied and professional fields by broadening their knowledge base. Authored by York sociologist Paul Anisef, York historian Paul Axelrod, and Ph.D candidate Zeng Lin of Lakehead University, the report states that the university must not be permitted to raze its own intellectual and cultural foundation in response to ever-changing market trends.
Europe's Emerging Extreme Right -- Political Scientists at York are inviting the public to a discussion with international scholars October 28 about the rising popularity of the extreme right in European politics and its threat to democracy. Toronto is home to a wide variety of ethnic groups with roots in Russia and western and central Europe, and the conference aims to inform the public as well as scholars and students about recent research on emerging far right and fascist movements and their effects on mainstream political parties. York's European specialists, Prof. Sergei Plekhanov and Prof. Harvey Simmons will chair the discussions.
The Rise and Fall (out) of Family Businesses: Anne and Max Tanenbaum Chair in Family Enterprise -- The demise of the Eaton's Department Store and the rise of the large scale U.S. retail chain in Canada has raised questions about the viability of the small business and family business entrepreneur. Yet small businesses continue to underpin the national economy, and the vast majority are family-run enterprises, many of which are now looking to daughters, instead of sons, to take the helm. To keep family business vital in Canada, Anne Tanenbaum has endowed the Anne and Max Tanenbaum Chair in Family Enterprise at York's Schulich School of Business to develop the specialized skills, techniques and programs needed to assist family businesses and encourage business school education and training among its members.
Girlhood Aggression: A symposium -- York University's LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution and The Earlscourt Child and Family Centre are presenting a Symposium on Girlhood Aggression, Oct. 22-23, at the Mt. Sinai Hospital. Experts from universities and centres across North America will cover off such issues as girl gangs and female violence, risk and protective factors, and the risk for the next generation. Dr. Debra Pepler -- York professor, Director of the LaMarsh Centre, and award-winning psychologist -- will open and close the event.
NEW PROGRAMS FOR CHANGING TIMES
Ballet and Design Firsts -- York's Faculty of Fine Arts, furthering its reputation as a superior educator in the theory and practise of art, is offering the first Honours Bachelor of Design Degree in Ontario this fall, in cooperation with the School of Animation, Arts and Design at Sheridan College, with the first year group of 110 students selected from over 2,000 applicants. A new joint diploma/degree in Dance with the National Ballet School of Canada is also a first. And music enthusiasts can look forward to the world premiere of a new English version of Rimsky-Korsakov's chamber opera Mozart and Salieri, based on the Pushkin play, as well as saxophonist David Mott in a solo recital, and percussionist Trichy Sankaran.
Techno-peasants Rise Up -- York students can now combine their education in the arts and humanities with a solid grounding in computer studies at the outset, via the ITEC Information Technology option. The response to the new initiative has exceeded course planners targets with 250 to 300 students enrolled. Undergraduates in political science, economics, women's studies, psychology and other traditional disciplines can include an ITEC component, and Atkinson College students taking courses toward a Bachelor of Administrative Studies can do the same. Glendon College students can major in ITEC. Admissions to Atkinson's business program is also up, 37 per cent, and Internet Courses are increasingly popular. The college is now working on offering full business and liberal arts degrees on line.
Attending to the Nursing Shortage -- York expects to attract greater interest in the profession of nursing with a new program, unique in Ontario, whereby students take their first two years of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at a community college and the last two years at York. The program is radically different from the traditional, "articulated" study method because York and the participating colleges have collaborated on all four years of the curriculum, showing what can be achieved when colleges and universities make a commitment to work together.
Seneca@York -- A new campus officially opens Sept. 9 at York University: a beautiful, state-of-the-art building nestled in the corner of York's Keele campus is home to Seneca College's schools of Communications Arts, Computer Studies, Biological Science and Applied Chemistry. It is also home to York's Math, Science and Technology teacher education programs. Thanks to an innovative partnership between York U. and Seneca College, about 3,000 students a year will enrol in joint college/university programs that provide them with both theoretical and practical understanding of their disciplines and allow them to earn a college diploma and university degree in just three years, instead of four or five.
AMAZING BRAINS
Amazing Brains -- Among the many outstanding students entering York this year:
G'abor Luk'acs, at the tender age of 16, is embarking on his Ph.D in mathematics. Born in Budapest, Luk'acs moved to Israel at the age of eight, and completed his B.A. and Master's Degree in pure mathematics at the Israel Institute of Technology. He particularly enjoys teaching large groups of students in a lecture hall setting, and says it is the "world class" algebra team of professors at York that brought him here. "I see my love for them (my students) and the teaching being reflected in their looks," he said. His goal is to become a researcher and lecturer.
Joshua Deitz, a graduate from Grady High School in Atlanta, Georgia, enters the Faculty of Arts with a 94.4 per cent average. He is a recipient of York's top award for international undergraduate students -- the Global Leader of Tomorrow Award. He is a National Merit semi-finalist and was part of the Georgia Governor's Honors Program. He has written for the theatre; he acts, directs and stage manages; has been a model UN delegation leader; a writer for the school newspaper; captain of the Forensics Team and co-founder of the Latin Club. Joshua says he chose to study at York and in Canada because "education in other countries provides an even greater opportunity to fully understand the beliefs, views, and understandings different from my own."
Mihnea Dumitru is a Romanian who graduated from the International Christian School in Seoul with a 94 per cent average and the Global Leader of Tomorrow Award. He is enrolled in the International Studies program at Glendon College, York's bilingual campus. Demonstrating his personal conviction and a clear gift for leadership, Dumitru was president of the student council, a member of the Pacific-wide model United Nations, an active participant in the International Youth Forum, vice editor of the student newspaper, and school yearbook editor. "I expect my love for international relations to grow. It is vital for us to understand the different relations between nations. We do not need our elders to teach us that, we must learn it ourselves. That is why I think York, in its multicultural environment, is the best place to spend my next four years," said Dumitru.
Konata Lake, 18, is graduating from Westview Centennial School with a 96 per cent average and a string of scholastic, athletic and community awards to his credit. Co-founder of the Harriet Tubman Youth Club, an organization that aims to empower black youth in the Jane-Finch community, Lake has served as a motivational speaker for the African Heritage Educators Network. He has been actively involved as an editor and writer with the Young People's Press and the Jamaican Weekly Gleaner. Said Lake, who immigrated from Kingston, Jamaica in 1993 and now lives in the Jane/Finch area: "I want to ensure that no one is throwing out a steak dinner while others are dying of hunger. My long-term goal is to use my life as a vehicle through which the lives of those less fortunate will be made better. I believe that an education, which allows me to fully understand people and the economy, will greatly aid me in the attainment of my goal." Lake, who will be joining York's Schulich School of Business this fall, has also been twice named to North York's Champion Athletic Achievement circle, and has earned four silver medals in sprint and relay events at provincial track and field competitions.
Megan Crewe, 18, an outstanding scholar who graduated from Riverdale Collegiate Institute in Toronto with a 96 per cent average, is a talented writer, dedicated community activist and athlete. Her writing has been published in New Canadian Voices and In 2 Print as well as in the Toronto School Board's poetry and prose periodicals. Crewe's analytical prose was described by one referee as "economical, fluid and penetrating," and her literary work as "captivating". One Riverdale teacher recalled the day when the grade-nine Crewe submitted "a readable 120-page novel" for her two-page assignment. Among her community leadership roles, Crewe has served as Secretary of Riverdale Against Discrimination, been a leading organizer for Women's Remembrance Day candlelight vigils, and Black Heritage Month. A member of her school's swim and synchronized swimming teams, she won two MVP awards. She writes for the school newspaper and acts as a tutor. Crewe, who is joining York's Faculty of Arts, hopes to pursue a career as an elementary school teacher.
For more information, please contact:
Sine MacKinnon
Susan Bigelow
Ken Turriff |
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