

Paul Johnston and Codi Wilson, CP24.com





Some classes at York University will resume Wednesday, according to a statement issued by the school late Tuesday night.

The statement, released shortly before 10 p.m., identifies five specific 'academic units' where courses will resume:

Lassonde School of Engineering

Schulich School of Business

School of Nursing

School of Administrative Studies in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies

School of Human Resources Management in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies

A full list of courses can be found here.

“We recognize how concerning this situation is for our students, their parents and for other members of our learning community,” Rhonda Lenton, York University vice-president academic and provost, said in the release.

“That is why our most immediate priority is to finalize plans to allow as many students as possible to return to their studies in order to complete their terms.”

Tutorial and labs may be affected, the release said, with additional details provided by the relevant programs.

Senate executives will meet Thursday to "review the faculty-specific plans" about how to resume the balance of courses on Monday, March 16, the release adds.

A number of full-time faculty members, however, are urging the university not to resume classes.

In an open message to the senate executive, 197 faculty members expressed “extreme concern” at the possibility that some classes would resume while some union members are still on the picket lines.

“We urge you not to allow this to happen, and to continue the full suspension of classes until there is a settlement with Units 1 and 3 and a back-to-work protocol,” the message reads.

“An immediate return to classes would introduce significant hazards and distress for all members of the university. Recall the chaos that ensued in our university in the context of a similar situation in 2000-01.”

On Monday night, two of three bargaining units of CUPE Local 3903, which represent the school’s teaching assistants, graduate assistants and research assistants, rejected the university’s latest contract offer.

The bargaining unit that represents the university’s contract faculty, however, voted 65 per cent in favour of accepting York’s offer.