Professional Development Week 2020

Monday, July 20thTuesday, July 21stWednesday, July 22ndThursday, July 23rdFriday, July 24th

Agenda

Professional Development Kick-Off
1 to 3 p.m.
Lisa Philipps, Lucy Fromowitz and Mario Verrilli

Let’s kick-off the week with a welcome from our Provost & Vice-President Academic, Lisa Philipps and our Vice-Provost, Students Lucy Fromowitz.

Keynote Session: The Future of Our Students by Lucy Fromowitz

This session will discuss the future of our students and how this information can inform and influence what we do and how we do it.

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Agenda

Leadership Roles as a Person of Colour
9 to 10:30 a.m.
Darran Fernandez & Vinitha Gengatharan
As people of colour in formal leadership roles (with responsibility for HR, institutional decisions, etc.) for the last 15+ years, Vinitha Gengatharan (Executive Director, York International) and Darran Fernandez (University Registrar) will reflect on their journeys, struggles, intersectionality, benefits and pressures that come with their visible diversity. In this session Vinitha and Darran will share their stories and then open the floor for conversation with attendees. Everyone is invited to the first 40 minutes of this 90-minute session, the remaining time will be only for those who identify as Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour to ensure frank, open and reflective conversations and questions for all groups.
The Role Well-Being & Access Can Play in Addressing 1st Generation Vulnerabilities
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Maureen Barnes & Jennifer Myers

The goal of this presentation is to allow the participant to consider how well-being impacts both first generation students and students with disabilities who often share the same vulnerabilities. Challenges both of these groups of students face along with a framework to address these vulnerabilities will be discussed. Putting in place supports to address the challenges that some of the most vulnerable and at risk students face can also be supportive to the entire student population allowing everyone to flourish.

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Lunch Time Fun
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Coffee Chat with Lucy Fromowitz
Student Service Excellence Level 1: Understanding the Mindset of Service Design (For people managers only. Divisional people managers expected to attend.)
2:30 - 4 p.m.
David Ip Yam

In this interactive workshop you will be introduced to the mindset and process of service design as it applies to student services. You will leave feeling prepared to learn how to design improved services in “student service excellence level 2”. Key activities in this workshop will include: understanding the mindset of service excellence; learning how to influence service systems; and selecting a service design opportunity to develop in “level 2”.

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Agenda

Race & Privilege: An Honest, Overdue Conversation with Ourselves
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Urshian Khalid & Christine Sinclair

If a conversation is hard, it’s probably the one worth having.” Sparked by the recent anti-Black racism protests around the world, this interactive session will utilize a conversational toolkit*, wildcards and a series of dialogue-based questions that will help to empower difficult conversations around race and privilege with one another, but most importantly — with ourselves. The session will also engage participants in gaining perspective on and challenging the assumptions we make about one another based on our personal privileges. This conversation is not easy. It does not end when the hype slows, or after a week of posting on our social media. It is life long work, and it begins with ourselves. So lets connect.

*adapted from We’re Not Really Strangers: Race and Racism Digital Toolkit

What’s in a decision letter? Care, concern, & support
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • Moderated by Lara Ubaldi
  • Panelists: Catherine Salole; Emilie De Oca Sarasua; Michelle Greve; Nadia DiRienzo; Nick Valentino; Rose Ciddio; Victoria Stacey

Like other colleges and universities, York has processes to identify students who are struggling academically and formally notify them about their academic progress. Inspired by research conducted by colleagues at Mohawk College, learn how two different areas at York intentionally redesigned their academic intervention letters in 2019-2020 to be more attuned to students’ feelings and concerns about their academic status.

This presentation will illustrate how to adapt formal communications with students during times of academic difficulty to:

  • let students know that we care and are concerned about their progress;
  • help students get back on track academically; and
  • support students to feel more hopeful.
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    Lunch Time Fun: Guided Meditation Practice
    12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
    Scott Pope
    Get grounded with a guided meditation session facilitated by Scott Pope, Counsellor in our Student Development and Counselling unit. If you plan on joining the meditation practice, please arrive online a few minutes before 12:00pm, as we would like to minimize distractions for an optimal meditation experience.
    Student Service Excellence Level 2: Designing Improved Services (For people managers only. Divisional people managers expected to attend.)
    1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
    Matt Zilli & David Ip Yam

    In this hands-on workshop, you will be guided through a repeatable process to improve a service you deliver in your role and you will leave with initial prototypes of what the improved, future version of the service could look like. In doing so, you will learn how to use elements of the Service Excellence Toolkit along with fundamental human-centered design and innovation skills to improve services on an ongoing basis. Key activities will include: deeply understanding the current experience of your clients; exploring possible opportunities to better serve them; and building out some of the most promising opportunities for feedback.

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    Agenda

    An Introduction to Student Counselling & Development
    8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
    Stephanie Cheung, Lori Walls and Deane Taylor

    How can we support student wellbeing during these times of uncertainty? This presentation introduces Student Counselling & Development, the department in the Division of Students that provides mental health and counselling supports to the Keele Campus. Topics that will be covered include 3 big ideas about mental health, an overview of the department, walk-in counselling, the SCD Service Delivery Model, data collection and evaluation, and referring students to SCD. There will also be time for Q&A. We look forward to seeing you there!

    Download Presentation
    Race & Privilege: An Honest, Overdue Conversation with Ourselves
    9:30 to 11 a.m.
    Urshian Khalid & Christine Sinclair

    If a conversation is hard, it’s probably the one worth having.” Sparked by the recent anti-Black racism protests around the world, this interactive session will utilize a conversational toolkit*, wildcards and a series of dialogue-based questions that will help to empower difficult conversations around race and privilege with one another, but most importantly — with ourselves. The session will also engage participants in gaining perspective on and challenging the assumptions we make about one another based on our personal privileges. This conversation is not easy. It does not end when the hype slows, or after a week of posting on our social media. It is life long work, and it begins with ourselves. So lets connect.

    *adapted from We’re Not Really Strangers: Race and Racism Digital Toolkit

    “It Starts With YU”: Non-Medical Face Covering Tutorial
    10 to 11 a.m.
    Julie Parna

    Featuring our in-house sewing expert Julie Parna from the Office of the Vice Provost Academic, join the Zoom tutorial and learn how to make your own non-medical mouth and nose cover. Help keep our community safe.

    Student Service Excellence Level 1: Understanding the Mindset of Service Design (Open to all staff who are not people managers.)
    11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
    David Ip Yam

    In this interactive workshop, you will be introduced to the mindset and process of service design as it applies to student services. You will leave feeling prepared to learn how to design improved services in “student service excellence level 2”. Key activities in this workshop will include understanding the mindset of service excellence; learning how to influence service systems; and selecting a service design opportunity to develop in “level 2”.

    Download Presentation
    Lunch Time Fun: Snack and Chat
    12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
    Alicia Koebel

    Whip up some healthy snacks with Alisha Koebel, Fitness & Lifestyle Coordinator from our Athletics & Recreation unit. Follow along to make microwave potato chips, farmer and rice salad and stone fruit salad (supplies needed: potatoes, 2 Nectarines, 2 Plums, 2 Peaches, 1 tomato (cook using Heirloom), 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ¼ cup champagne/balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp agave, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, ½ cup olive oil)

    Farmer Rice Salad (2-4 servings): ¾ cup uncooked rice, ¼ cup lime juice, ¼ cup olive oil, ½ tbsp agave, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp cayenne, ¼ tsp cumin, ¼ tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper, ½ red pepper, ½ green pepper, ½ red onion, ½ can black beans, 200g corn, 2 tomatoes, ½ cup coriander.

    Student Service Excellence Level 2: Designing Improved Services (Open to all staff who are not people managers.)
    1:30 to 4 p.m.
    Matt Zilli & David Ip Yam

    In this hands-on workshop, you will be guided through a repeatable process to improve a service you deliver in your role and you will leave with initial prototypes of what the improved, future version of the service could look like. In doing so, you will learn how to use elements of the Service Excellence Toolkit along with fundamental human-centered design and innovation skills to improve services on an ongoing basis. Key activities will include: deeply understanding the current experience of your clients; exploring possible opportunities to better serve them; and building out some of the most promising opportunities for feedback.

    Download Presentation

    Agenda

    An Introduction to Student Counselling & Development
    9 to 10 a.m.
    Stephanie Cheung, Lori Walls and Deane Taylor

    How can we support student wellbeing during these times of uncertainty? This presentation introduces Student Counselling & Development, the department in the Division of Students that provides mental health and counselling supports to the Keele Campus. Topics that will be covered include 3 big ideas about mental health, an overview of the department, walk-in counselling, the SCD Service Delivery Model, data collection and evaluation, and referring students to SCD. There will also be time for Q&A. We look forward to seeing you there!

    Download Presentation
    Lunch Time Fun: Yoga Practice
    12 to 12:50 p.m.
    Hayley Carr
    Stretch it out with other colleagues in a virtual yoga practice with Haley Carr, one of our Yoga Instructors in Athletics & Recreation.
    Wrap Up
    2 p.m.
    Lucy Fromowitz