Noting that Facebook's governance structure is less than friendly to women, even though they form the majority of the social media giant's users, some investors have urged the company to diversify its board, wrote Aaron Dhir, professor in York's Osgoode Hall Law School, in an opinion piece for The Globe and Mail March 7. "Board diversity is quickly becoming one of the hottest issues in corporate governance," wrote Dhir. "The numbers show it is time to move beyond voluntary initiatives and begin a serious exploration of regulatory options." Read full story.
Abecedarianism gone to the dogs
Richard Teleky, a teacher, novelist, critic and poet, also happens to be a proud and committed dog lover, wrote The Globe and Mail March 6, in a review. It noted that Teleky, a York professor in the Department of Humanities, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, starts the preface to his recent book, The Dog on the Bed: A Canine Alphabet, by pointing out that he was born in the Chinese year of the dog, “which may account for the sympathy I have for dogs.” Read full story.
Happy Birthday Irving
Irving Layton, that unforgettably flamboyant Canadian poet, specified in his will that there were to be no memorial sites or even a grave, and his ashes were scattered anonymously around a tree, wrote the Toronto Star's Martin Knelman March 7. But the former York professor didn’t forbid birthday parties. The centenary of his birth is being celebrated in all 10 provinces and Torontonians will get a chance to pay tribute on March 14 with a salute set for Harbourfront Centre. Read full story.
Toronto FC: How Toronto’s investment in BMO Field can be a win (even if the team keeps losing)
York University sports marketing instructor Vijay Setlur, who teaches a course at the Schulich School of Business, says Toronto’s investment in BMO Field, home of the Toronto FC soccer team, pays off in ways that don’t immediately show up on the city’s balance sheet, reported the Toronto Star March 7. Setlur said the presence of high-visibility pro teams adds an invaluable boost to a civic pride and helps a city brand itself, an effect that’s magnified when the team succeeds on the field. Read full story.
Ontario nuclear project’s multi-billion dollar question goes unanswered
The province's plan to refurbish nuclear power plants by awarding multiple contracts to different companies may not protect taxpayers from cost overruns, wrote the Toronto Star March 7. Mark Winfield, a professor in York's Faculty of Environmental Studies, worries that by carving the job into slices, the province risks spending billions before the final cost becomes clear. At that stage, it may have spent too much to back out. Read full story.
Election profile: NDP's Craig Scott
As a political science student in the 1980s, Toronto-Danforth NDP candidate Craig Scott was often asked if he’d seek a career in public office, wrote mytowncrier.ca March 6. “Back then I said ‘no way'," Scott said, adding, "Maybe in my late 40s when I’ve accomplished something.” It turns out the now 49-year-old law professor in York's Osgoode Hall Law School was predicting his own future. Read full story.
Urban Outfitters courts controversy with provocative St. Patrick's Day gear
Urban Outfitters is raising the ire of the Irish with a selection of St. Patrick’s Day merchandise that stereotypes the country’s natives as drinkers, wrote the Toronto Star March 7. “It’s either incompetence or insensitivity, or they’re doing it on purpose,” said Alan Middleton, a marketing professor at York University’s Schulich School of Business, of the company’s cultural missteps. Read full story.
Student nurses dig for healthy solutions
For the past few weeks, eight third- and fourth-year nursing students from York University have been conducting interviews, asking residents a variety of questions on quality of life topics, collecting stories about the quality of life in Innisfil and what supports healthy living, reported Simcoe.com March 6. Read full story.