To ensure that York maintains the significant momentum that the community has achieved in realizing the University Academic Plan, the Forward Action Plan identified opportunities for addressing the significant challenges affecting the entire postsecondary education sector across Canada.
These challenges include the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflict and instability and new restrictions on international students. These circumstances - along with the 2019 provincial tuition cut, subsequent tuition freeze and the lowest per-student grant revenue in the country - have resulted in coinciding declines in both enrolment and revenue. Meanwhile, costs have increased substantially due to inflation and rising labour costs.
The Forward Action Plan consists of 17 interconnected projects across three streams: Program Enhancement and Sustainability, Enrolment Recovery and Administrative Projects with the goal of tackling the projected $100-million deficit in 2024-25 by reducing costs and driving new revenue.
The HR Initiatives project (Project 16), which aims to increase administrative effectiveness, is guided by three key principles: maintaining the integrity of York's diverse workforce; preserving operations central to the University's core mission; and honouring collective agreements and equitable labour practices.
Several initiatives have been implemented under the project, including an essential hiring policy, adjustments to Confidential, Professional & Managerial employee (CPM) and voluntary separation programs designed to respect employee choice while achieving organizational goals. Together, these initiatives are projected to generate $24.4 million in savings for the 2025-26 fiscal year, with additional savings expected in future years.
The Voluntary Exit Program (VEP) for employees who are represented by YUSA, CUPE 1356 and CUPE 1356-1 collective bargaining units saw 132 participants exit the University in December 2024. A similar program for CPM has resulted in 41 exits taking place this spring. The initial net cost of exit payments ($9 million) will be completed this fiscal. When the new fiscal year (2025-26) begins on May 1, the programs will start to deliver savings of about $13 million annually.
"It is important to recognize that these are not simply organizational changes, they are relational and personal ones that affect everyone: those who leave the University and those who remain," says Laina Bay-Cheng, vice-president equity, people & culture. "Even as we respond to financial circumstances, we need to stay focused on community members' experiences and well-being. We can do this by helping those who leave York feel valued and remain connected (through the YU Retirees Association, for instance) and by supporting those still at York in continuing to serve our University's students and mission."
Human Resources has developed resources to assist managers with reorganizing work and teams. Available on yu link, resources include a core services assessment tool, a critical role identifier and a skills inventory tool, all of which are designed to help units identify essential services, roles and available skills. Additionally, along with the customized services available to leaders and teams, Employee Learning and Development offers courses and programs to help individuals and teams successfully navigate change, including the Be Well in Change programs.
As York University continues to adapt to external pressures including provincial funding constraints and enrolment fluctuations, the University remains committed to identifying sustainable organizational change while maintaining its academic mission.
This story was originally featured in YFile, York University's community newsletter.
