York University continues to make significant strides in its commitment to long-term financial sustainability and workforce support through the HR Initiatives project - one of 17 strategic projects under the Forward Action Plan. This comprehensive initiative, aligned with the University Academic Plan, is helping to shape a more resilient and responsive institution through enrolment, academic and administrative efforts.
The overarching aim of the Forward Action Plan is to return the University to a balanced position by bolstering student enrolment, academic offerings and additional revenue streams, while also curbing administrative expenses. Although the plan's HR Initiatives project is primarily focused on finding savings through workforce-related reductions, these steps have been guided by three principles: maintaining the integrity of the University's diverse workforce; preserving operations central to the University's core mission; and honouring collective agreements and equitable labour practices.
Reflecting these priorities, the HR Initiatives project has largely relied on temporary and voluntary measures. For instance, in 2025, Confidential, Professional & Managerial (CPM) employees experienced a one-time deferral of any across-the-board (ATB) increases and all managerial employees (including the president, vice presidents, deans and relevant CPM) experienced a 25 per cent reduction in the performance-based component of compensation. These two initiatives yielded a savings of approximately $5.3 million in 2025-26.
The greatest savings have been found through voluntary exit programs for various employee groups. This included programs for employees represented by YUSA, CUPE 1356 and CUPE 1356-1 collective bargaining units as well as CPM employees, which saw 173 participants exit the University over the 2024-25 fiscal year, resulting in savings of approximately $15.5 million in 2025-26 and $16.4 million in 2026-27. More recently, the University offered a Voluntary Separation Agreement (VSA) opportunity for post-retirement-age full-time faculty, which 13.6 per cent of eligible faculty elected. The exits of those 29 faculty colleagues, to occur between July 2025 and July 2026, will result in savings of approximately $8 million in 2027-28 (following payouts in 2025-26 and 2026-27).
These initiatives, along with one-time savings of $3.3 million yielded by a renegotiated contract for the University's robust benefits and Employee and Family Assistance programs, and modest savings from a prior VSA offering to faculty in 2024, have led to substantial results. Projected total savings from HR Initiatives is expected to total $22.9 million in 2025-26, $14.9 million in 2026-27, and $24.6 million in 2027-28.
President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton emphasizes the positive momentum generated by these outcomes. "Through the HR Initiatives project and the broader work of the Forward Action Plan, we are ensuring York University continues to excel in a rapidly changing post-secondary landscape by aligning efficiency measures with plans for enrolment growth and other top priorities in our academic plans, fulfilling our vision to drive positive impact and enhance our reputation as a leader in higher education."
Narin Kishinchandani, vice-president finance and administration, notes "these temporary and voluntary measures have allowed us to progressively reduce long-term costs while limiting the number of involuntary role closures. While these savings alone have not solved the University's budget problems, they are enabling steps, which when combined with other initiatives, are intended to help shape the journey towards a path to balance."
Laina Bay-Cheng, vice-president equity, people and culture, points out that the success has not come easily. "We should feel good about what we've been able to achieve, but we cannot treat it lightly, either. This success has not come easily, but it's been made possible through hard work and through hard decisions, whether saying goodbye or making changes in how people work. We need to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of all our colleagues."
Recognizing the importance of supporting employees through organizational changes, HR Initiatives has also included resources offered by the Organizational Learning & Leadership (OLL) team. OLL launched the well-received "Be Well in Change" learning series for all employees and for people managers, which engaged nearly 900 employees, including close to 200 people managers. The series is comprised of 10 unique elective courses focused on leadership, change management and teamwork, with topics ranging from balancing workload and time to improving processes with artificial intelligence (AI), and will be relaunched in Fall 2025.
In addition to learning programs, OLL also offers customized services to help teams navigate change, including team effectiveness surveys, change management consultations, organizational design support, coaching services and facilitated sessions focused on team well-being. More information about available support, services and guidance can be found on the HR Initiatives FAQ.
As the University continues to implement the Forward Action Plan, faculty, staff and students are invited to stay engaged, explore available resources and contribute to shaping a strong and sustainable future for York.
This story was originally featured in YFile, York University's community newsletter
