President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri has issued the following message to the York University community:
Dear Members of the York Community,
I am writing to update you on the Academic and Administrative Program Review (AAPR) and, in particular, to share some information on the next phase of the process.
With the release of the task force reports to the community on Nov. 7, the analysis & assessment phase of AAPR is now complete. The reports mark the completion of over 18 weeks of work by the Academic and Administrative Task Forces. Members of the task forces carefully reviewed 409 program information forms, supporting data, and engaged in critical discourse surrounding program quality and sustainability in order to evaluate each academic and administrative program using consistent methodology. The reports are a culmination of this hard work. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the considerable work undertaken by our task force colleagues and to thank them for their dedication, commitment and service to the University. As a reminder to the community, the names of the Academic and Administrative Task Force member are listed at the end of this letter.
Two task force reports are being released. One report for academic programs, Academic Task Force Report, and one for administrative programs, Administrative Task Force Report, will be available to the York community on Friday, Nov. 7, via the AAPR YU Link site, Task Force Reports page. The reports highlight themes and observations, as well as discuss the institutional scatter plots, which show each program in its location relative to cumulative program scores for quality and sustainability.
The release of the task force reports marks the beginning of the response phase of AAPR. The overarching goal in the next few months is to engage the community in important discussions that will inform future decisions on how the University will achieve its academic mission. The external landscape for higher education is undergoing significant change, with continuing focus on fiscal constraint, differentiation and accountability.
Working in collaboration with strong leadership across the University, I am confident that we are putting in place processes to encourage open dialogue on the task force reports, and more generally, on the challenges and opportunities we face in maintaining the progress we have made thus far in advancing our shared vision for York as a leading, engaged institution of higher education.
I encourage each of you to review the reports when available and to attend one of three upcoming AAPR community information sessions to begin the collegial dialogue about the reports:
Friday, Nov. 14 – 12 to 1:30pm, Winters Dining Hall, Keele Campus
Thursday, Nov. 27 – 12 to 1:30pm, BMO Conference Centre, Glendon College
Friday, Dec. 5 – 12 to 1:30pm, Winters Dining Hall, Keele Campus
In addition to these sessions, APPR Committee is hosting a forum to discuss planning priorities following the release of the task force reports. This event is scheduled for Nov. 13, from 9am to 12pm, in Founders Assembly Hall, Founders College. Throughout the month of November, we are encouraging dialogue at the local and institutional level to discuss the implications of the reports and consider strategies and opportunities to address our challenges and to enhance our quality. A framework and time frame on response plan development will be circulated shortly.
As we move through this final phase of AAPR, we are reiterating our commitment to a transparent and inclusive process, one that incorporates valued input from our community, involves evidence-based decision-making, and is shaped to suit our institution’s unique needs. Please continue to visit the AAPR YU Link site regularly for access to task force reports, updates and response phase documentation.
Sincerely,
Mamdouh Shoukri
President and Vice-Chancellor
Academic Task Force
Lisa Philipps, Task Force chair & professor, Osgoode Hall Law School
Janet Walker, professor, Osgoode Hall Law School
Elizabeth Asselstine, chair & associate professor, Department of Theatre, Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA)
Rene Fournier, associate professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Eileen Fischer, graduate program director & professor, Business Administration, Schulich School of Business
Richard Irving, associate professor, Management Science Specialization, Schulich School of Business
Barbara Rahder, PhD program coordinator & professor, Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES)
Jimmy Huang, director & professor, School of Information Technology, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (LA&PS)
Ananya Mukherjee-Reed, chair & professor, Department of Political Science, LA&PS
Jonathan Warren, chair & associate professor, Department of English, LA&PS
George Tourlakis, undergraduate program director & University Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Lassonde School of Engineering
Andrew Clifford, graduate program director & associate professor, Conference Interpreting & School of Translation, Glendon College
Alison Macpherson, associate professor, School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health
Stan Shapson, University Professor, Faculty of Education
Mikhaela Gray, undergraduate student, Department of English, Glendon College
Erin Yunes, graduate student, Department of Visual Art & Art History, FFA
Administrative Task Force
Carol Altilia, Task Force chair & executive officer, FFA
Donna Smith, associate director, Employee Relations, Department of Human Resources
Steve Sicluna, director, Maintenance, Campus Services & Business Operations
Steve Pottle, director, Risk Management Services, Finance Department
Alison Collins Mrakas, senior manager & policy adviser, Office of Research Ethics, Vice-President Research & Innovation
Andrea Della-Rossa, executive officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, University Information Technology
Leanne Kipfer, director, Advancement Services, Vice-President Advancement
Carolyn Heald, director, Information & Privacy Office, Office of the University Secretariat & General Counsel
Josephine Campanelli Zeeman, director, Office of Student Affairs Services, FES
Tom Scott, librarian & department head, Reference, Scott Library
David Mutimer, chair & professor, Department of Political Science, LA&PS
Don Sinclair, coordinator & associate professor, Digital Media Program, FFA
David Dimick, associate professor, Department of Organizational Behaviour & Industrial Relations, Schulich School of Business
David Cappadocia, graduate student, School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health
Marva Milo, graduate student, School of Gender, Sexuality & Women’s Studies, LA&PS