This Week @ York for Week of December 1, 2020

Announcement

  • 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Participate in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence as we honour those we have lost and reflect on renewing our commitment to take action on ending gender-based violence. Participating in community events and conversations such as these helps to increase public awareness and eliminate gendered violence. November 25 to December 4.

  • National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women Virtual Memorial. December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women, a day declared by Canada's Parliament as the National Day of Remembrance and Action following the murder of 14 women at L'Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal on December 6, 1989. Join the pan-University memorial ceremony to reflect on this tragedy and remember the 14 victims while recognizing that this systemic issue continues to plague our society. Friday, December 4, 11 a.m. to noon. YouTube livestream link will be available to watch on the main page.

  • An End of Year Message from Board of Governors Chair Paul Tsaparis. "In March, when it became clear that the safest way for us to complete the 2019-20 academic year was to do so at a distance, the University immediately put new supports and resources in place to help our community succeed. From introducing a laptop loan program to emergency bursaries, new online supports at the Teaching Commons, to new virtual mental health and learning supports for students, the efforts were outstanding – all with the aim to ensure all students, faculty and staff had access to the tools and resources they needed to stay safe." Read the full message.

Connect with Community

  • Community Forum on Sustainable Development Goals. The President's Sustainability Council in partnership with the Office of the Provost is pleased to invite you to attend the first Community Forum on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In the summer, we adopted a new University Academic Plan (UAP) 2020-2025 Building a Better Future. The new UAP includes a university-wide challenge to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and this meeting is intended as an initial opportunity for discussion and engagement. Thursday, December 3, 9 to 11 a.m. Registration required.

  • Call for student volunteers: The Office of Student Community Relations (OSCR) is accepting applications for student members on the York University Tribunal (UT). UT student, faculty and staff members sit on hearing panels to adjudicate breaches of York's non-academic Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities and review appeals of Local Adjudication and Tribunal Hearing decisions. This appointment is for a two-year term. Read the full posting and application instruction on the OSCR website. Application Deadline: Tuesday, December 15.

  • Leadership Workshop: Principles for Effective Leadership. Are you interested in learning what makes an effective leader or want to be an effective student leader yourself? Join this workshop and learn about leadership principles most commonly seen as vital to success. Wednesday, December 2, 11 a.m. to noon. Registration required.

  • The President's Creative Writing Awards. Get writing! The Creative Writing Department, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies and The Office of the President are looking for original pieces in the following genres: poetry, short fiction, screenplay and stage-play. Open to all undergraduate students, you can submit work to more than one category, but may only submit one work per genre. Best entry for each genre gets $400! Submission deadline: Monday, January 18, 2021.

International Connections

  • York International Information Session: Exchange Q&A. Students interested in participating in a York International exchange program must attend at least one Exchange Q&A. The session will recap the key points from the Information Session video, answer your questions and give the submission code for the Exchange Application. Wednesday, December 2, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration required.

  • Additional Dates & Registration Links:

    • Exchange Q&A. Thursday, December 3, noon to 1 p.m. Registration required.
    • Info Session: Global Internships Q&A. Curious about participating in a funded international internship? Register for this Zoom session to find out more about program requirements and application process. Wednesday, December 2, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration required.
    • Additional Dates & Registration Links:
    • Global Internships Q&A. Monday, December 7, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Registration required.
    • Ins & Outs of Remote Learning: Challenges & Strategies. Take part in this event hosted by the Global Peer Program, where they would like to hear about some of the challenges you have faced with working in a remote environment, as well as some of the strategies you have implemented to overcome them. The event will begin with a Q&A panel and will also include a fun stress management workshop hosted by Athletics & Recreation. Friday, December 4, 10 a.m. to noon. Registration required.
    • Info Session: Short Term and Summer Programs Q&A. Curious about Summer Abroad courses offered by York faculty members and York partners that will help you gain an international perspective while working towards your degree? Join this information sessions to find out more about the benefits of international education, which program is right for you and how to apply. Friday, December 4, 1 to 2 p.m. Registration required.

    View the York International Events Calendar for the full Virtual Coffee Break weekly schedule. When you sign up, a confirmation email with the zoom link will be sent to you upon registration.

Learning Skills

  • Learning Skills Services (LSS) Workshop: Memory. Learn techniques to help you transfer course work information into your long-term memory, and gain strategies you’ll need to retrieve the information when you most need it. Wednesday, December 2, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registration required.

  • Workshop: Exam Prep. Join this session and learn tips to effectively prepare for all types of exams, including multiple choice, short answer, calculations, essay-style and more. If you feel like you could use some help preparing for exams, whether it’s a midterm or a final, then this workshop is for you. Wednesday, December 2, 5 to 6 p.m. Registration required.

  • Additional Dates & Registration Links:

    • Exam Prep. Friday, December 4, 10 to 11 a.m. Registration required.
    • Workshop: Learning Power. Looking for ways to become a better student and boost your learning power? This workshop will help you "learn how to learn", explore your own learning preferences, and introduce you to the top, research-supported learning strategies. Thursday, December 3, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Registration required.
    • Workshop: Motivation & Productivity: Being Present With Yourself & Others. Join this workshop and explore the relationship between motivation and productivity and what to do when you feel either of those slipping. Gain tools to motivate yourself towards achieving both short- and long-term goals. Friday, December 4, 11 a.m. to noon. Registration required.
    • LSS Peers Help You Prep for Exams: Top Five Things You Need to Do. Exams are right around the corner, but don't worry, the #YUBlog and LSS have got you covered. In addition to attending one of the sessions listed above, the #YUBlog partnered up with LSS Peer Academic Coaches Cindy and Aleeza to give you some top tips for how you can effectively prepare for and ace those exams.

Mature Student Support

  • ACMAPS Peer Mentoring Program. This time of year is considered “crunch time” and if you are a mature student who would like to speak with a mature student peer mentor regarding strategies and tips to be successful or just a general chat/check-in, please email acmaps@yorku.ca to arrange an appointment via zoom. ACMAPS has peer mentors available for one-to-one appointments on Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesdays from noon to 2 p.m. and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

  • Mature Student Event Schedule. Check the schedule at the link above and attend any session you wish, via Zoom.

Careers Support

  • Career Centre Webinar: Resumé & Cover Letter Writing. Learn tips on how to effectively target your resumé and cover letter. Present your experiences, education and skills in a way that showcases your assets and piques employers' interest in you. Thursday, December 3, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Registration required at Experience York.

Academics

  • Writing Centre One-to-One and Drop-in Appointments. The Writing Centre invites you to bring any writing related to academics and book a 50-minute one-to-one appointment with a writing expert. They’re open Mondays to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Not enough time for a full appointment? Then join for a 15-minute appointment with drop-in support to have a question answered. Theyr’e always happy to help.