Dear York community,
As of Friday, April 19, CUPE 3903 – the union representing teaching assistants, contract instructors and graduate assistants – and the University ratified the tentative agreements reached after many months of collective bargaining, ending the labour disruption.
I would like to express my thanks to the bargaining teams for both parties for their efforts to successfully achieve the three-year renewal collective agreements that also address Bill 124 retroactive payments with consideration to the pressing financial challenges faced by the University.
As we resume full academic operations our attention must necessarily be focused on our students and supporting their learning goals – whether they are completing the spring term, beginning the summer term, or graduating. This goal includes both our undergraduate and graduate students.
Ensuring their success is central to the realization of the University’s Academic Plan, which includes building on our well-established reputation for teaching excellence, high-quality academic programs, leading interdisciplinary research and innovation, engaged local and international collaboration, and a welcoming and inclusive campus experience.
While the higher education sector in Ontario continues to navigate significant challenges, York is well-positioned to seize the opportunities before us to continue investing in our future.
We have achieved so much together and have a great deal to be proud of as reflected in our steadily improving world rankings. The recently released 2024 QS World Rankings placed York among the top 100 in the world in three subject areas: education, English language and literature, and philosophy.
We have government approval to create a School of Medicine as a further extension of York’s commitment to meet the health care needs of Ontario and our Markham Campus opens this fall creating more opportunities for multiple Faculties to provide much needed talent in newly emerging fields being reshaped by entrepreneurship and technology.
I trust you will join me in welcoming the return to full academic operations and in coming together as a community to further the realization of our vision to provide our diverse students with a positive learning experience for all.
Sincerely,
Rhonda Lenton
President and Vice-Chancellor