By Andrew McRae

York's football stadium is to receive a facelift which will put it into the foremost category of university stadiums in Canada. Approval was recently granted to enhance the existing structure by constructing dressing rooms, improving fan amenities and upgrading the press box. In 1995 the current stadium was built, bringing the Yoemen and Yoewomen back to York's main campus after a decade of absence.

The stadium's state of the art natural playing surface is already the envy of football teams across the country, as its drainage system dries the field in under thirty minutes.

This Fall, construction will commence on a structure that will house a permanent dressing room exclusively for the Yeomen football team, together with four other dressing rooms to be used by visiting teams and other Yeomen and Yeowomen varsity teams.

An equipment and meeting room will also be built, along with new washroom facilities and concessions. By the end of the 1999 season, the stadium seating capacity will have grown from 2,500 to 3,500. The final part of the project will be the expansion of the existing press box facility.

This season's Yeomen Homecoming game is against the Western Mustangs. Coach Tom Arnott urges the York community to show their support at this game and fill the stadium with York colours, "If I have one request of every alumnus, parent and fan, it is to attend that game. Fill the stadium with red, drown out the large contingent that travels from London, to help us celebrate York's 40th birthday with the best Homecoming ever!"

By Nishat Karim

Caitlin Fisher

York University has four categories of annual University-Wide Teaching Awards that it presents for excellence in teaching. Over the next few weeks, this series will continue to showcase each of the 1999 recipients from the categories of senior full-time faculty, full-time faculty, contract/part-time faculty, as well as teaching assistants. Presented during convocation, these awards are sponsored by the York Parents' Association and the recipients are selected by the Senate Committee on Teaching and Learning.

Always accessible, supportive and encouraging to her students, Caitlin Fisher has earned their respect as an outstanding teacher, and has been selected as a co-recipient of the 1999 Parents' Association University-Wide Teaching Award for Teaching Assistants. As a PhD student with the social and political thought program for five years, Fisher has an impressive record of scholarly publications, presentations and research. She is best known for her work in information technology, cyberculture and feminist theory.

Fisher is noted by all as an excellent instructor, providing well organized and stimulating lectures and thought provoking tutorials. She is also recognized for her ability to clearly and concisely illuminate complex theoretical structures in a positive learning environment that encourages critical thinking and intellectual risk tasking. Taking learning beyond the classroom walls, she incorporates information technology into her teachings, encouraging extended dialogue and communication via e-mail.

By Nishat Karim

Varpu Lindström, Chair of York's School of Women's Studies (right) presenting a token of appreciation to Brenda Jean Lycett of the Motorola Foundation

For the third consecutive year, the Motorola Foundation provided financial support to York University's School of Women's Studies. This year, in August, a considerate gift of $18,500 US was presented to the new Bridging Program for Aboriginal Students.

"This truly is a gift from the heart," said Varpu Lindström, Chair of the School of Women's Studies at York as she presented a token of appreciation to Brenda Jean Lycett of Motorola.

The new program will teach both male and female Aboriginal students academic skills, self-esteem and self-awareness within the context of Aboriginal culture. As the only University in the Greater Toronto Area offering such a bridging program, York recognizes the considerable Aboriginal population in the community, including 65,000 people in the City of Toronto alone.

The funding will help in the development of new curriculum for this innovative program and the staffing of a coordinator, possibly from the Aboriginal community or an Aboriginal student at York, to oversee the program's organization.

Started in 1983 by the Women's Studies Program at York's Atkinson College, the bridging program's goal is to give adults the skills, experience and confidence to aid in their goal of enrolling in post-secondary education courses. The School of Women's Studies at York is the largest in Canada, and one of the most diversified university-based programs of its kind in North America.

Fifteen years and more than 1,000 mature students later, the bridging program, with Motorola's generous help, has become a saviour to refugee women and domestic workers from South Africa, Sudan, Cuba, the Philippines and the Caribbean. This year's program, which ran from March to June, had the highest enrolment ever with 26 people eager to learn.

"Women, especially, are able to feel free to speak in an environment where there are no men," said Leslie Sanders, coordinator for the Atkinson Women's Studies Program.

As a global leader in providing integrated communications solutions and embedded electronic solutions, Motorola's ongoing relationship with York's School of Women's Studies demonstrates their commitment to establishing partnerships to encourage educational opportunities within the aboriginal community. During previous years, Motorola provided $10,000 for the bridging program at The Donwood Institute, an addiction treatment centre in Toronto and $15,000 last Fall to give refugee women and domestic workers the opportunity to participate in the program.

By Cathy Carlyle

Members of the York University Outing Club enjoy a variety of activities.

You're a York student from out-of-town and you want to have some fun; you want to DO something - but not alone. You're a faculty or staff member at the University and you love camping, hiking, cycling and, hmmm, let's see - watching "Air Farce" being taped. You don't enjoy activities by yourself or even with just a friend or family member. Or, perhaps you have found York University's Web site for the Outing Club, and have been bitten by the urge to lead an outdoor life with other like-minded people.

The Outing Club can be an answer to a variety of interests. It has as many activities as its members have imagination. "We encourage members to organize events for others; any style of outing they want," says Helen De Luca, a York alumna and member of the club since 1987. Now a teacher with the Toronto District School Board, she still enjoys the lighthearted camaraderie of the club and now acts as its membership officer, after holding other positions on the club executive.

Bart Verheggen, now a graduate student in York's Centre for Atmospheric Chemistry, hooked up with the club when he first arrived at York from The Netherlands three years ago. "I like the wilderness experience, especially coming from where I do, where it is heavily populated," he says. "There is nature here, beautiful nature. It is a good way for foreign students, like myself, to enjoy the outdoors and meet people. I do things that I have never done before, and now they are my favourite activities - like canoeing and skiing."

The club is open to people who enjoy anything from canoeing, dining at a restaurant, going to a street festival, horseback riding, skiing - and what has become a regular Outing Club event - watching the taping of the television program, "Air Farce". Although the majority of members are York students, any York employee, friend or interested "outsider" is welcome. Sign-up fees are $5 for students, $10 for other individuals and $15 for families.

Available at the Outing Club office are maps, outdoor information, a water purification filter, saws, backpacks, pots and pans, tenting equipment, skiis, skates and many other provisions. Some articles come with a modest rental charge. On organized trips, costs are shared by participants and are kept at an absolute minimum. No one makes any money on an outing. Typical expenses on a weekend trip would be for campsite fees, canoe rentals, gas and food.

Information on the Outing Club can be obtained at their York Web site http://www.yorku.ca/ org/yuoc, by contacting the club office at Room 348 Bethune College or by e-mailing them at yuoc@yorku.ca

The 40th Anniversary Steering Committee continues a call for nominations for awards honouring the founders of York University.

The 40th Anniversary Founders' Society may include students, faculty, staff, administrators, board members, and community and provincial representatives who made a major contribution to York during its founding years (1957-1965). These awards will be presented on numerous occasions during the 40th anniversary celebrations until March 25, 2000.

Nominations for this award should include the name of the candidate, with a brief description (3-5 short paragraphs) outlining the contributions made to the founding of York University. Nominations will be reviewed by the steering
committee and forwarded to the Sub-Committee for Honorary Degrees and
Ceremonials for consideration and approval.

Please send nominations to:

Gary J. Smith
Vice-President (University Advancement)
Chair, 40th Anniversary Steering Committee
Suite 280, York Lanes
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3

By Paul Evans

We are all aware of the current and growing shortage of information technology (IT) professionals being reported in news media across North America. Designations such as Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE), Certified Lotus Professional (CLP) and Certified Web Designer are increasingly appearing in help wanted ads, making those who have achieved them even more prepared to benefit from this trend.

Preparation for exams such as the CLP, Certified Web Designer and MCSE is now provided by the new York University Preparatory Program in Information Technology Certification (YUPPITC) at Atkinson College. Even the acronym is quite a mouthful, so around Atkinson it has simply become known as the PPI program.

PPI, however, is used to refer to both the programs and Productivity Point International. This leading international corporate trainer is collaborating with the Division of Continuing Education (DCE), Atkinson College, to provide a bridge between professional designations in IT and the degree programs provided by York and other universities. PPI brings expertise in offering IT courses as well as close ties with the large corporations (Microsoft included!) who are accustomed to having PPI fill their computer training needs.

The DCE/PPI collaboration programs prepare candidates for professional specializations in the Web, Internet networks, advanced networks, database networks and groupware. Some classes will be given on campus and will involve use of a renovated microlab in the basement of Atkinson College. A computer testing facility will also be provided at Atkinson. PPI is making available some of its classrooms in Mississauga and downtown Toronto so that we will soon be able to offer all five programs, each in a full- and part-time format. Typically full-time programs last from three to five months and part-time programs can take as long as nine months.

Curriculum for the programs has been developed with the assistance of an advisory committee, which includes several York faculty. Given that these are entry level programs where graduates will subsequently be embarking on an IT career, it is most likely that success will be evaluated based on performance indicators such as student satisfaction, graduate satisfaction, employer satisfaction, student success and graduate employment. It is this which is causing DCE/PPI to add employment skills to the purely technical material which is characteristic of many competitive programs.

Vendor certification training costs a lot more than the normal degree-credit course and there are no subsidies. Fees are thus higher although exam vouchers are included and the programs are designed to be very competitive with the best offered by other trainers. It is going to be a challenge for many prospective students to come up with fees and living expenses. OSAP is not available but recently arrangements have been made with the Royal Bank to assist by providing loans to those who qualify. Alternatively, the part-time program will enable students to continue earning while taking the program.

The programs are targeting university graduates and senior students in any discipline. They also cater to those who have relevant work experience and are seeking to upgrade. The rewards of taking the program and obtaining a computing designation can be substantial; the average salaries of those with one of the growing designations was recently found to be over $100,000 per year worldwide!

Paul Evans is director of the Division of Continuing Education at Atkinson College.

By Nishat Karim

Few of us would ever attempt a visit to an unfamiliar land that has no roads leading into it. Professor Peter Homenuck, along with his graduate students and alumni, decided to take up the challenge. They flew there.

When a York graduate of the Kashechewan First Nations Training Institute approached the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) about developing training modules for their community Kashechewan, Homenuck gladly agreed to become involved. During the past academic year (September 1998 to April 1999)York received $80,000 which covered travel expenses and the cost of developing modules as well as funding to the Native/Canadian Relations Theme Area Resource Centre staff.

Kashechewan is a fly-in community located on the west coast of Hudson Bay, approximately three hours from Toronto by plane. The community's population is approximately 1,000 people, over half of which are under the age of 18.

By the end of April, FES developed eight modules along with proposals covering tops such as establishing board structures (housing), internal reporting and communications, and proposals for obtaining funding for economic development, business development and human resource policy and procedures. Currently the Chief Council and staff of the institute including First Grand Chief Treaty #9 Andy Rickard (MES grad.'92), and Project Manager Tom Rochon (MES grad. '92) are reviewing the materials and contemplating the possibility of additional training.

"In the early part of the 21st century, the issues and relationships between First Nations and government will be an ever-increasing area of activity," says Homenuck. "More effort needs to be made in capacity building and economic development. York is well-positioned to play a significant role in that."

With more than 20 years of involvement with First Nations' communities, York is recognized as a university than can readily address the upcoming issues of First Nations' people. The University's background knowledge and capacity to remain in the forefront of issues, allows it to provide students with up-to-date course material. With the increasing number of First Nations students at York - especially in FES, they are able to apply their education, working on projects such as Kashechewan, directly to their home communities.

The Native/Canadian Relations Theme Area Resource Centre opened 20 years ago and has been staffed by graduate students during the year. York students, as well as students from universities across Ontario, come to utilize more than 4,000 resources that pertain to First Nations.

Peter Homenuck has taught in the Centre of Indigenous Environmental Resources in Winnipeg at the University of Manitoba as one of the few non-First Nations persons. He has also been an advisor to many First Nations communities and organizations.

By Susan Scott

In the shadow the Group of Eight (G8) economic summit in Germany earlier this summer, a group led by a York business and ethics professor met before that event, in Toronto for a day, to focus on international debt from an economic and business ethics perspective.

The day-long workshop also came in the midst of a world-wide campaign by religious and social action groups under the banner of Jubilee 2000 to call on leaders at the summit to end what's been described as a "crippling" debtload of more than 40 developing nations, mostly in Africa. The G8 consists of the world's leading industrialized countries - the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Russia. In the meantime, G8 leaders did approve a resolution at the summit to help reduce the debtload of developing nations.

Wesley Cragg, professor of business ethics at York's Schulich School of Business, moderated a panel that included representatives from the Royal Bank of Canada, the North-South Institute, World Vision and the federal government's finance department.

Cragg explained he initiated the idea of the workshop when elders at his church in Aurora expressed interest in the issue. Cragg then contacted several economists and government officials as potential participants while members of the Aurora church organized the logistical details of the workshop.

"We started planning it in March and wanted to target the workshop prior to the summit in Germany to get input from our panellists," said Cragg. The objective was to provide input to federal government officials who were preparing a report on behalf of the Canadian government to present at the summit. While no concrete resolutions were made at day's end, Cragg said the approximately 70 participants came away "with a better understanding of why debt is an issue, and of debt forgiveness." He added the Canadian government had already taken a leadership role and comments from the workshop were valuable to strengthen this country's role as part of the G8.

"Our main conclusion was that Canada needed to be involved in this issue and should continue as a leading nation to help put forward ways to solve this problem," he said.

The Jubilee project advocates making debt forgiveness a millennium issue, noting that the poorest developing countries, mostly in Africa, are now spending more on annual principal and interest debt payments than on basics such as education and health.

The more than 30 organizations in the Jubilee have taken as their mantra a phrase from Leviticus, from the Old Testament: "You shall hallow the fiftieth year and proclaim liberation in the land for all its inhabitants. You shall make this your year of Jubilee." (Leviticus 25:10).

By David Finestone

As an "academia nut", September aways marks the beginning of the new year for me: new faces, courses and programs. It's a time of promise, hope, homecoming (99!), discovery and renewal. York's students all have a sporting chance at the dean's list, the Blue Jays are heading south and the Leafs have yet to fall. This is the most invigorating time on campus (apart from the annual "queue-fest"). Everyone can avoid some of those long lines by first checking out what they need to know on any number of York Web sites. It seems to me that there is a direct relationship between the quality of information in the sites and the shortness of the lines.

As a case in point, the lineups at Recreation York are always easily managed considering that the entire York community (more than 50,000 staff, faculty and students, as well as alumni) has access to its myriad facilities and programs. Could this be partly due to their amazing Web presence?

Located at http://www.yorku.ca/dept/physed/recreate/ the Recreation York site is thoroughly comprehensive and refreshingly informative. All the programs you'd expect from a top-notch facility and others that might surprise you: