York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri has launched a series of round-table discussions to provide a venue for members of the York community to discuss ideas about how to move the University forward into its next 50 years. The 90-minute round tables, which begin on Monday, March 23, will continue through the winter semester into July.
Left: President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri will hold the first round table on March 23 and continue through July
The initiative is the second implemented by the president in as many days as he delivers on his commitment to build trust and relationships on campus. The first initiative was the implementation of the Task Force on Student Life, Learning & Community, announced Monday, March 16, by Shoukri. The task force will review concerns about the student environment on the York campus. It will examine the broad spectrum of student life, the learning environment and student community at York University, with special attention to the relationships between and among students, as well as between students and other parts of the community. It will report back to the president by Aug. 31. (See YFile, March 16.)
"No other university in Ontario – maybe in Canada – has the potential that York has," said Shoukri. "But before we can realize that potential, before we can build the York University of the future, we must address the shared challenges we face. We need to build trust, deal with each other in good faith and communicate in an open and honest way."
The round-table discussions with the president will give members of the York community an opportunity to speak directly with the president. No media will be present, in order to allow for an open and informal dialogue. Participants will be asked to register for the round table and to identify the topics of interest for discussion.
The schedule for the round tables is as follows:
- Monday, March 23, from 11am to 12:30pm – Round table for students
- Monday, March 30, from 1:30 to 3pm – Round table for faculty
- Monday, April 6, from 1:30 to 3pm – Round table for students
- Monday, April 13, from 11am to 12:30pm – Round table for staff
- Monday, May 4, from 10 to 11:30am – Round table for Glendon students, staff and faculty
- Monday, May 11, from 4 to 5:30pm – Round table for students
- Wednesday, June 17, from 3 to 4:30pm – Round table for faculty
- Tuesday, July 7, from 11am to 12:30pm – Round table for staff
For more information and to register for a round table, visit the Office of the President Web site.