York students were nowhere to be seen as university big-wigs decided the future of academic policy.
The event, held in Founders College Assembly Hall last Thursday, was designed to be a platform for discussion of academic planning priorities and processes for 2015-2016.
The focal point of the forum was the Institutional Integrated Resource Plan, developed by the provost and the vice-president finance and administration, which identifies opportunities and initiatives that require an institutional approach to the growth of the university.
The draft IIRP was released in June. The document will be brought to the senate for endorsement this month.
Deans, vice-presidents, and the president met on retreat last April to consider the fiscal challenges the university is facing.
Over the past several years, institutional attention has been directed to an increasingly pressing budget situation.
“The simple fact is that York’s costs exceed its revenues,” reads the draft IIRP.
“Combined with enrolment declines, this has led to significant institutional and faculty deficits within a constrained provincial funding and policy-context where differentiation and accountability are major drivers.”
York is calling for a pan-university strategy to be implemented.
“These realities necessitate major change and innovation in academic matters and administrative services to support them. The Board of Governors has mandated that the university set in motion plans to address its financial situation within a four-year time frame.”
The draft IIRP is meant to form the basis for discussions with the community regarding the creation of the next University Academic Plan, which will be undertaken this Fall.
“It should be noted that the IIRP initiatives do not specifically align with each of the academic priorities espoused in the White Paper and University Academic Plan 2010-2015, nor does the IIRP cover all of the priorities articulated in those documents,” the report reads.
Ryan Moore, News Editor
With files from Alex Kvaskov, Assistant News Editor
Featured image courtesy of Michael Zusev, Photo Editor
