More York University classes to resume on Tuesday

Classes will resume within multiple faculties at York University on Tuesday, with more to follow next week.

The university says classes in the following faculties will resume tomorrow:

• School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design
• Faculty of Education
• Glendon
• Faculty of Health (beyond those that have not already resumed)
• Faculty of Science

On March 23, classes will resume in the Faculty of Environmental Studies. That day, classes not already resumed in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies will start back up.

The university says that more than 300 courses have already resumed prior to Monday.

In a statement, the university's provost, Rhonda Lenton, says York’s priority "must now be finalizing plans to allow as many students as possible to return to their studies in order to complete their terms."

Members of CUPE 3903 went on strike earlier this month. One of the three units later ratified a three-year contract, but the other two units remain on strike.

The units that are on strike include the university's teaching assistants and graduate assistants.

"York highly values the significant contributions its teaching assistants and graduate assistants make to the university. We are committed to reaching a fair and competitive settlement that continue to position them as among the best compensated in Canada, so we can welcome them back to campus soon," Lenton said.

Earlier in the day, CUPE condemned the idea of resuming more classes in a news release.

"The best way to avoid chaos on campus is not to open classes before the strike ends, but to negotiate a fair deal," the statement said.

The CUPE release said the remaining issues are funding levels for graduate and research assistants, employment equity language for LGBTQ members and tuition indexation — which would ensure if the university raises tuition for LOCAL 3903’s graduate students it also adds the same amount to their compensation.