Memo To: Robert Haché, Vice-President Research and Innovation From: Dawn R. Bazely, Professor of Biology and Director, Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability (2012-13) York Institute for Research and Innovation Date: Friday November 1, 2013 in Sustainability (IRIS) 349 YORK LANES Subject: Senate Rechartering Application for the Institute for Research and Innovation in 4700 KEELE ST Sustainability TORONTO ON CANADA M3J 1P3 T 416 736 5784 Please find attached the Senate Rechartering Application for IRIS, the Institute for the [email protected] www.iris.info.yorku.ca Research and Innovation in Sustainability, as a university-wide (Institutional) Senate- Chartered Organized Research Unit, which I am respectfully submitting on behalf of those faculty named herein. In submitting this proposal, please may I draw your attention to the following points: 1. The majority of IRIS Executive members and IRIS-affiliated and engaged researchers have expressed the opinion, that since sustainability research has such a broad definition, that the research interests of the university would be best served by a cross-cutting, institution wide ORU viz. IRIS in its current institutional format. This view was expressed at numerous Executive meetings from 2012-13, along with the concern that the shift, within the university to activity-based budgeting may be likely to create barriers to interdisciplinary collaborations that cut across faculties, and may also provide disincentives in the future, to the kind of signature collaborative research in sustainability, that IRIS has striven to develop, champion and support, since 2004. 2. The rechartering proposal concepts and ideas were developed by a core group of PIs, Executive members and engaged researchers, in consultation with, collectively and individually, members of the York University professoriate and the broader York University community (staff and student), who have stated, at some point in the last 5 years, an interest in sustainability research. Myself, Annette Dubreuil, Steve Alsop and Darnel Harris (GA, MES student) comprised the main writing and editing team, and the Rechartering Application was circulated to all interested parties, earlier this week for edits and comments. 3. At this point in time, this rechartering application constitutes the IRIS response to the recent annual review letter, from the newly constituted Board of selected Deans and their representatives. Following receipt of the letter, the Executive discussed its content and tone in several meetings, and voted that the immediate response to it would be provided by the attached Rechartering Application. However, the view of the Executive was that this should not preclude a discussion of the content of the letter in more detail, perhaps directly with the Board committee. Finally, thank you, again, for meeting with Prof. Wood and myself to discuss aspects of the rechartering process. Your clarification of various points was tremendously helpful. IRIS Charter Application 1 Charter Application Template For Organized Research Units Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation Please see the accompanying Guide for instructions on completing this template. Application for ORU Charter 2013-14 1. ORU Name: Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability (IRIS) 2. Plain Language Abstract (75 words): Vision IRIS leads the shift to an evidence-based culture of sustainability through practical, collaborative and interdisciplinary research and innovation. Mission Sustainability is an “intolerably complex problem”, requiring that IRIS engages in transdisciplinary research. Research-based sustainability solutions encompass environmental, social and economic dimensions at local, regional and global scales. Operating as a leading edge interdisciplinary university-wide research institute, IRIS is a hub for sustainability-related research at York University, bridging internal and external interests, through a policy of inclusivity. 3. Category (check one): ✓ Institutional • Faculty Based 1 IRIS Charter Application 5. Co-applicant(s), if any (add rows if needed): Name Title Affiliation Signature All Asgary Associate Disaster & Emergency Professor Management, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies Colin Coates Associate Multidisciplinary Studies, Glendon Professor Costas Associate Earth & Space Science & Armenakis Professor Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering Dana Craig Librarian Scott Research and Collections, York University Libraries Ng^ Darryl Reed Professor Social Science, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies David V J Professor FES, Faculty of Environmental Bell Emeritus Studies and Former Dean, FES Don Dippo Professor Education, Faculty of Education Gunho Sohn Associate Earth and Space Science and Professor Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering Hassan Associate School of Administrative Studies Qudrat-Ullah Professor Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (^o^\ Ian Garrett Assistant Theatre, Faculty of Fine Arts Professor Idil Boran Associate Department of Philosophy, Faculty Professor of Liberal Arts and Professional \j±AJkP>»-A----y Studies Irene Professor Schulich School of Business Henriques IRIS Charter Application 5 6. Executive Committee Current members (if applicable) Proposed members (name/title/affiliation (name/title/affiliation Nicole Arsenault, CSBO Dawn Bazely (ex officio) David Bell, LSF/FES Colin Coates, Glendon Annette Dubreuil (ex officio) William Denton, Librarian Sheila Embleton, LA&PS Jose Etcheverry, FES Ian Garrett, Fine Arts Arlene Gould, Core Faculty, IRIS Irene Henriques, Schulich Kaz Higuchi, FES Carla Lipsig-Mummé, LA&PS Michael John Long, PhD Student, Osgoode Ellie Perkins, FES Andrew Plunkett, President’s Office Helen Psathas, CSBO Pam Schwartzberg, Learning for a Sustainable Future Gabrielle Slowey, Political Science, LA&PS Nancy Sutherland, Schulich Stepan Wood, Osgoode *add rows as needed 5 IRIS Charter Application 6 7. Board Current members (if applicable) Suggested members (name/title/affiliation) (name/title/affiliation) Naomi Adelson, Associate Dean Lorne Sossin, Dean, Osgoode Hall Law Research, LA&PS School Shawn Brixey, Dean, Faculty of Janusz Kozinski, Dean, Lassonde Fine Arts School of Engineering Robert Hache, Vice President Ron Owston, Interim Dean, Faculty of Research and Innovation Education Donald Hastie, Interim Dean, Faculty of Science Bryan Husted, Erivan K. Haub Chair in Business and Sustainability, Schulich School of Business Mario Roy, Associate Principal Academics Research Glendon Noël Sturgeon, Dean, Faculty of Environmental Studies *add rows as needed 8. Advisory Committee Current members (if applicable) Proposed members (name/title/affiliation) (name/title/affiliation) *add rows as needed 6 IRIS Charter Application 7 9. Proposed Membership Full members (for each name tick boxes to indicate the nature of the member’s intended involvement) Name, Will Will join Will Will help Will obtain Will have Will be Will join a Would title, attend in ORU- encourage design or research admin external actively committee like office affiliation multiple supported grad or deliver support at ORU research involved in or sub- or other of full- events of research undergrad programs for grant funding other ways committee space at time the ORU projects students to offered applicants, administered (please of the ORU the ORU faculty or be involved by ORU events or other by ORU specify) if member clusters available (provide details of space request) Example: Example: Example: Example: Example: Example: Example: Example: Example: Example: Robert Promote Give Grant List the Promote the Will New Smith active examples applications name of mandate of participate Grant participation should grant the ORU in , student that will YES YES of Grad include an applications with wide outreach be students in admin that will range of events, or hosted in ORU support require ORU network new the ORU, events and component support. connections, recruitment requires activities and or etc. for the office allow institute space or overheads lab space *add rows as needed Other members (name, title, affiliation) *add rows and categories of membership as needed See Appendix F for proposed members’ confirmations. 7 IRIS Charter Application 8 Name/Affiliation Attendance Projects Encourage Stdnts Programming Admin Support External Funding Other Involv. Committees Office Faculty of Education Don Dippo, Yes Maybe Yes Maybe Maybe Maybe Maybe Other No Professor Steve Alsop, Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Steering, Yes Professor Policy Faculty of Environmental Studies William Found, Yes, I will Maybe, I would be Yes, I recently co- No Maybe Maybe Maybe No University attend, in interested in ORU- authored a book Professor Emeritus, particular, supported research chapter on Geography (LAPS) activities in the Caribbean (my Resilient related to regional specialty). Landscapes of the resilience and Caribbean with a sustainability. York Ph.D. My specific student with interest is in whom I am resilient working. I'm also landscapes. co-authoring a book with another. Where appropriate I will encourage graduate students to work on IRIS- sponsored activities. Anna Zalik, Maybe, As Maybe, Certainly if Yes Yes, I would Maybe, This is Maybe, As per Yes, In terms Other, At Maybe, This Associate much as is related to support in certainly above, if related of the moment could be very Professor, Graduate possible with overlapping areas of coordinating possible. It to global or coordinating