FACULTY OF LIBERAL ARTS AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Department of Equity Studies

Course: AP/HREQ 1700 A 6.00 Women and Human Rights

Term: Fall/Winter 2023-2024
Prerequisite/Co-requisite: None
Course Credit Exclusions: AP/SOSC 1185 9.00, Note: This course will not count for major credit
in HREQ.
Course Instructor: reese simpkins
Email: reeses@yorku.ca
(Virtual) Office Hours: By appointment, immediately following Q&A (lecture)
Office Location: Zoom
Time and Location: This is a synchronous, online course. All interactions will take place online at
the scheduled time via Zoom.
TUT # Time TA TA Email
Tutorial 1 W 9:30-10:30 Patricia Bailey- Brown brown58@yorku.ca
Tutorial 2 W 12:30-1:30 Karla Norona karlan@yorku.ca
Tutorial 3 W 8:30-9:30 Patricia Bailey- Brown brown58@yorku.ca
Tutorial 4 W 12:30-1:30 Nickay Palmer nickaypalmer@gmail.com
Tutorial 5 W 1:30-2:30 Karla Norona karlan@yorku.ca
Tutorial 6 W 1:30-2:30 Nickay Palmer nickaypalmer@gmail.com
Tutorial Zoom classrooms, forums, and TA office hours will be posted on eClass
Land Acknowledgment:
“We recognize that many Indigenous nations have longstanding relationships with the
territories upon which York University campuses are located that precede the establishment of
York University. York University acknowledges its presence on the traditional territory of many
Indigenous Nations. The area known as Tkaronto has been care taken by the Anishinabek
Nation, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Huron-Wendat. It is now home to many First
Nation, Inuit and Métis communities. We acknowledge the current treaty holders, the
Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. This territory is subject of the Dish With One Spoon
Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement to peaceably share and care for the Great Lakes
region.”

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Expanded Course Description:
This course introduces issues related to women and human rights from a critical human rights
perspective. It explores current and historical international women's rights movements, abuses
against women and girls globally (including gender violence, forced labor, and sex slavery,
reviews UN Conventions, and examines how women's rights are human rights.
More specifically, the course uses an intersectional, human rights framework to assess
women’s and gendered human rights in the Canadian context and globally. During the fall term,
the course covers the rise of women’s human rights frameworks and the foundations of human
rights in the international arena, including the International Bill of Rights. The course, then,
situates this discussion in the Canadian context focussing on the construction of women as
rights bearing subjects, the incorporation (or lack thereof) of gender within human rights
frameworks, and the role the Canadian women’s movement has played/plays in achieving
rights. In the winter term, the course surveys the production of rights in various contexts. Here,
the course parses the relationship between human rights and social justice; in so doing, the
course attends to both the significance and limitations of a human rights framework.
Course Format
This is a synchronous, online course. All interactions will take place online (Zoom) and take
place at the scheduled time. In addition to stable, high-speed Internet connection, students will
need a computer with a webcam and microphone, and/or a smart device with these features.
The course involves weekly (1) pre-recorded lectures, (2) general Q&A, (3) tutorial sessions, and
(4) forum posts. Lectures will be supplemented by films and videos. Tutorial meetings will be
the main locus for discussion of required reading and assignments in the course. The required
readings are central to the course. The lectures and tutorials will serve to enrich, clarify, and
illustrate crucial issues from the assigned readings. See eClass for further explanation of the
course’s organization, including expectations around and timing of lectures and tutorials.
Course Learning Objectives:
1. to understand the theoretical and historical foundations of human rights frameworks in
both the international and Canadian contexts;
2. to be familiar with the ways in which human rights are implicated in the production of
intersectional, gendered subjectivities;
3. to explore the role of human rights in various contexts;
4. to develop students’ ability to critically assess human rights frameworks at the
international and national levels;
5. to teach students to think and write critically, conceptually, and theoretically; and,
6. to teach students the stages of academic writing.

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Course Text/Readings:
Course readings are available online through the course’s eClass website or are downloadable
from the library directly. If there is a problem with the posted link or PDF, please use the
bibliographic info provided to find and download the reading from the York library yourself.
Please note: Additional readings may be assigned or recommended during the course.
Course Evaluation:
10 % Tutorial Participation
10% Q&A Participation
10% Video Forum Posts
15% Midterm Exam (due Nov 29)
15% Final Exam (due Apr 3)
40% Research Essay Project
• 5% Stage 1: Paper topic selection and proposal (+ Ac Integrity Quiz, due Oct 4)
• 10% Stage 2: Annotated bibliography & outline (due Nov 15)
• 5% Stage 3: Working thesis and introduction (due Feb 7)
• 20% Stage 4: Final Essay (due Mar 20)
Note: Final course grades may be adjusted to conform to Program or Faculty grades distribution
profiles.
NOTE: The Academic Integrity Quiz must be completed by the due date for the Topic Selection
and Proposal assignment (Due Oct 5). In order to upload your assignment, you must have
completed the academic integrity quiz with 100%. Late marks for your assignment will accrue
until the quiz is completed or 3wks after the due date (see syllabus for late policy).

Technical Requirements

In addition to a stable, high-speed Internet connection, students will need a computer with a
webcam and microphone, and/or a smart device with these features. Several platforms will be
used in this course (e.g., eClass, Zoom, etc.) through which students will interact with the
course materials, the course director/TA, as well as with one another.

Using Zoom

To access Zoom classrooms, students will be required to log in via SSO (yorku) and their
Passport York credentials.

Students shall note the following:

• Zoom is hosted on servers in the United States and Canada. Recordings done since May
4, 2022 are stored in Canada. For more information, please refer to the notes on Zoom
Privacy and Security provided by Information Security at York.

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 • If you have privacy concerns about your data, provide only your first name or a
nickname when you join a session. For attendance purposes, the course director and/or
TA will need to know both your Zoom name and Yorku registered name.
• The system is configured in a way that all participants are automatically notified when a
session is being recorded. In other words, a session cannot be recorded without you
knowing about it.

Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources, and help:
• Student Guide to eClass
• Zoom@YorkU Best Practices
• Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide
• Student Guide to eLearning at York University

To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can
be run. If you need technical assistance, please consult the University Information Technology
(UIT) Student Services web page. For more specific assistance, please write to askit@yorku.ca.

Conduct:
We discuss some difficult topics in this course. All students are expected to conduct themselves
in a way that promotes an atmosphere of civility, diversity, equity and respect in their
interactions with others and in all aspects of the course, including tutorial participation and
writing assignments. Behaviour that is inconsistent with these values may be held accountable
through the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. More information on the student code
of conduct can be found here.

Grading, Assignment Submission, Late Penalty, and Missed Tests:

Grading:

The grading scheme for the course conforms to the 9-point grading system used in
undergraduate programs at York (e.g., A+ = 9, A = 8, B+ = 7, C+ = 5, etc.). Assignments and tests
will bear either a letter grade designation or a corresponding number grade (e.g. A+ = 90 to
100, A = 80 to 90, B+ = 75 to 79, etc.)

(For a full description of York grading system see the York University Undergraduate Calendar -
http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/pdfs/ug2004cal/calug04_5_acadinfo.pdf)

Feedback & Grade Reassessment:

Drafts: Unfortunately, TAs do not have time to read over drafts outside of regular office
hours. However, there are some options available to you. First, visit your TA in their office
hours with your draft. They will be able to spend some time looking it over with you. Second,
use the e-tutor service from the Writing Centre (see
http://www.yorku.ca/laps/writ/centre/etutor.html). If you plan ahead, you can get feedback

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 from your e-tutor before submitting your paper. The third and best option for obtaining the
most thorough feedback is to use both your TA’s office hours and your Writing Centre tutor
before submitting each paper. The fact that your TA and/or tutor has gone over your
assignment with you does not guarantee that you will receive an A grade.

Assignments: One way to improve your written work is through feedback on your
assignments. Although your TA will write some comments on your assignments, the most
important way you will get feedback is in your tutorial when the assignments are returned.
Your TA will detail the kinds of problems with the assignments and what you need to do to
improve. Listen carefully to these comments and then re-read your own assignment. Can
you identify the main revisions you would need to make in order to improve the paper and
your grade?

Meeting with your TA about a Grade: Upon receiving graded feedback, students are
expected to wait 24hrs prior to contacting TAs with questions. If you still have questions
about why you were assigned a particular grade, make an appointment to see your TA. Prior
to that meeting (which should occur within 1 week of receiving your mark), you need to read
over the instructions, your assignment, and the comments from your TA. Write one
paragraph identifying the weaknesses in your paper based on your careful re-reading, TA
comments on your paper, and TA comments to the whole class. Try to explain what
prevented you from getting a better grade. Also write one paragraph on what you see to be
the strengths of your assignment. Doing this self-assessment is a very important step in
learning how to edit and revise. Take this material to your meeting with the TA.

Re-Writes: Re-writing and re-submitting assignments that you have done poorly on is not
permitted in this course. It is expected that you will put the proper amount of energy and
effort into the assignment initially. As re-writes are not permitted, it is important that you
make sure you understand the requirements of an assignment at the outset. Considerable
direction and help is given with assignment preparation in the tutorials, so it is expected that
you attend tutorials and raise any questions that you have about a written assignment
before it is submitted.

Assignment Submission: Proper academic performance depends on students doing their work
not only well, but on time. Accordingly, assignments for this course must be received on the
due date specified for the assignment. The course uses Turnitin for assignment submission, and
all assignments are to be uploaded to the correct activity on the course eClass page.
Late Penalty:
This course follows universal design for learning principles for assignment submission. As such,
individual accommodations (such as extra time for assignments and exams) and minor
extensions (up to one week) have already been accounted for. Do not leave your assignments
until the last minute.
All forum posts, written assignments, and exams should be submitted by the due date.

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Lecture Video Forum posts must be completed before the Wednesday that topic will be
discussed in class, as they relate to specific topics in the course, and are meant to keep you on
track throughout the term.
Q&A Forum posts are due Monday at midnight the Monday before we discuss the topic in the
Q&A. These forums posts are time sensitive and do not count if they are made after the
deadline.
Writing assignments have a one-week grace period in which they can be uploaded without
penalty. Assignments uploaded after the one-week grace period are subject to a late penalty of
5%/day including weekends. Assignments more than 2 weeks late will automatically receive a
zero. (Note: eClass will mark assignments submitted past the due date late and TAs will be
taking off late marks manually.)
For example, the research paper is due March 20. The grace period deadline for this assignment
is March 27. Late marks will begin accruing March 27 @ 10:31am at the rate of 5% per day. An
assignment uploaded April 10 before 10:30am would have a grade reduction of 70%, while an
assignment submitted April 10 after 10:30am would automatically receive a zero.
The writing assignments build on each other, and timely feedback will be necessary for you to
do well on subsequent assignments. Note that if you submit your assignment after the grace
period, you are putting yourself at a disadvantage. Not only will you have incurred a late
penalty, but you will have submitted it after your TA’s scheduled time to grade, meaning it will
be marked separately from the other assignments. As such, you may not have the feedback you
need to do well on the next assignment. Additionally, assignments submitted outside of the
grace period will not receive the same level of feedback as those submitted on time and within
the grace period.
The midterm and final exams must be completed within the time frame allotted. Each exam will
be made available following the final lecture of the term. You will have one week to write the
exam, plus a one-week grace period (in which you can submit the exam late without penalty).
Exams uploaded after the grace period deadline will receive a zero.
Because you have a week to write your exams and an extra week grace period, it is expected that you
complete the exam within the given time frame(s). Do not leave your exam until the last minute.
Unless you are physically incapable of doing so, you must contact the course director and your tutorial
leader within 24 hours of missing the exam deadline. In extraordinary circumstances, permission may
be granted for you to submit at another time. Note: because you have an additional week grace period
to submit the exam without penalty, permission to submit at a later date will not be given in the
absence of extraordinary circumstances.
Missed Tests: Students with a documented reason for missing a course test, such as illness,
compassionate grounds, etc., which is confirmed by supporting documentation (e.g., doctor’s
letter) may request accommodation from the Course Instructor. For more information on
rescheduling an exam for students currently registered with Student Accessibility Services or as
a Religious Accommodation please visit: https://altexams.students.yorku.ca/reschedule-your-

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exam. Please note that permission to reschedule is at the discretion of the course instructor
and is not guaranteed.
Accommodations: See “Important Course Information For Students” below for general
instructions. Please note that this course follows principles of universal design for learning for
assignment submission. As such, a majority of individual accommodations (such as extra time
for assignments, including writing assignments and exam writing) have already been accounted
for and are built into the course’s design. For example, the take home exams are expected to
take students one week to write, but everyone has one week grace period in which to upload
the exam without penalty. Accommodations over and above what have already been
accounted for will require you to make arrangements prior to assignment deadlines.
Use of Generative AI
In this course, all work should be completed by you and you alone. As such, you are not allowed to use
generative artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, to help you complete any of your work in this
course (e.g., tests, papers, assignments, presentations, essay outlines, presentation scripts, etc.). If you
do not know whether an online resource or tool can be used in this course, please contact me for
guidance. Any use of generative AI in this course will be considered a breach of the Senate Policy on
Academic Honesty. For more information, please review AI Technology & Academic Integrity:
Information for Students.

LECTURE AND READING SCHEDULE

Fall Term

Week 1 – Introduction – Sept 6

Unit 1: Introducing Human Rights

Week 2 – Envisioning Women and Human Rights – Sept 13
1. Bunch, C. (1990). Women's Rights as Human Rights: Toward a Re-Vision of Human
Rights. Human Rights Quarterly 12(4), 486-498.
2. McLaren, M. (2019). Chapter 2: Women’s Rights as Human Rights (57-77). Women’s
Activism, Feminism, and Social Justice. Oxford University Press. NOTE: link is for entire
chapter.
Week 3 – Foundations of Human Rights – Sept 20
1. Langlois, A. (2016). Normative and Theoretical Foundations of Human Rights (11-27). In
Goodhart, M. (Ed.) Human Rights: Politics and Practice. Oxford University Press.
2. The United Nations. The Foundation of International Human Rights Law.
https://www.un.org/en/about-us/udhr/foundation-of-international-human-rights-law
3. The United Nations. Illustrated Version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
https://www.un.org/en/udhrbook/
Week 4 – Human Rights and the State – Sept 27
1. McVeigh, S. Sovereignty (221-224). In Valverde, M. et. al. (Eds.) The Routledge
Handbook of Law and Society. Routledge.
2. Özdan, S. (2022). From a State-Oriented To a Human-Oriented Approach (31-36). The
Human Rights Challenge to Immunity in International Law. Palgrave Macmillan.

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Unit 2: Race, Gender, Feminism, and Human Rights
Week 5 – Feminist Perspectives on Human Rights – Oct 4 (Topic Selection and Proposal due)
1. Parisi, L. (2010). Feminist Perspective on Human Rights (pp.1-16 only). The International
Studies Encyclopedia (1st ed., Vol. 4). Wiley-Blackwell. NOTE: link is to entire article.
2. Ackerly, B. (2016). Feminist and Activist Approaches to Human Rights. In Goodhart, M.
(Ed.) Human Rights: Politics and Practice. Oxford University Press.
Week 6 – Human Rights and Gender: Contemporary Understandings – Oct 18
1. Krivenko, E. (2020). Chapter 4. Gender and Human Rights: Expanding Concepts. Edward
Elgar Publishing.
2. Barker, M. (2019). Chapter 2 (50-89 in ebook, 26-47 in hard copy). Gender: a graphic
guide. Icon Books Ltd.
3. Barker, M. (2016). Sections. Queer: a graphic history. Icon Books Ltd.
Week 7 – Human Rights as Intersectional – Oct 25
1. Bond, J. (2021). Foundations of Intersectionality Theory (1-26). Global Intersectionality
and Contemporary Human Rights. Oxford University Press.
2. Atrey, S. (2020). Beyond Universality: An Intersectional Justification of Human Rights. In
Atrey, S. and Dunne, P. (Eds.) Intersectionality and Human Rights Law. Hart Publishing,
pp. 17–38.

Unit 3: Human Rights in Canada

Week 8 – Human Rights and the Canadian State – Nov 1
1. Walker, J. (2013). Decoding the Rights Revolution. In Goutor G. and Heathorn, S. (Eds.)
Taking Liberties A History of Human Rights in Canada. Oxford University Press.
2. Clément, D. (2009). “Rights Without Swords are but Mere Words:” The Limits of
Canada’s Rights Revolution (pp. 43-60). In Miron, J. (Ed.) A history of human rights in
Canada: essential issues. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press.
Week 9 – The Canadian Women’s Movement and Human Rights – Nov 8
1. Janovick, N. and Thomas, M. (2019). Canada: Uneven Paths to Suffrage and Women’s
Electoral Participation (169-185). In Franceschet, S., Krook, M. and Tan, N. (Eds.) The
Palgrave Handbook of Women’s Political Rights. Palgrave MacMillan.
2. Frager, R. and Patrias, C. (2012) Human Rights Activists and the Question of Sex
Discrimination in Postwar Ontario. The Canadian Historical Review 93(4), pp. 583-610.
Week 10 – The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms – Nov 15 (Ann Bib and Outline Due)
1. Majury, D. (2002). The Charter, Equality Rights, and Women: Equivocation and
Celebration. Osgoode Hall Law Journal, 40 (3-4), pp. 297–315. Note: link is for entire
article.
2. Fudge, J. (2001). The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms: Recognition,
Redistribution, and the Imperialism of the Courts. In Campbell, T., Ewing, K., & Tomkins,
A. (Eds) Skeptical Essays on Human Rights. Oxford University Press.

Week 11 – Review and Exam Hand Out – Nov 22

Week 12 – Exam Due – Nov 29

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Winter Term

Unit 4: Colonization and Human Rights

Week 1 – Colonization, Imperialism, and Orientalism – Jan 10
1. Gunn, B. (2019). Bringing a Gendered Lens to Implementing the UNDRIP. In
Borrows, J. et. al. (Eds.) Braiding Legal Orders: Implementing the United Nations
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Centre for International
Governance Innovation.
2. Mawani, R. (2021). Postcolonial Legal Studies (47-52). In Valverde, M. et. al.
(Eds.) The Routledge Handbook of Law and Society. Routledge.
Week 2 – Colonialism, Violence, and Femicide/Feminicide – Jan 17
1. Moral, P. G. et. al. (2023). Femicide and Feminicide and Colonialism (60-69). In
Dawson, M. & Vega, S. M. (Eds.). Routledge International Handbook on Femicide
and Feminicide. Routledge.
2. Bejarano, C. (2023). Witnessing Across Borders (475-484). In Dawson, M. & Vega,
S. M. (Eds.). Routledge International Handbook on Femicide and Feminicide.
Routledge.
Week 3 – Human Rights, Belonging, and Citizenship – Jan 24
1. Edmunds, A. (2021). Precarious bodies: The securitization of the “veiled” woman
in European human rights. British Journal of Sociology 72, pp. 317-327.
2. Syed, I. (2021). Hijab, Niqab, and the Religious Symbol Debates: Consequences
for Health and Human Rights. The International Journal of Human Rights 25(9),
pp. 1420-1435.

Unit 5: Human Rights and Criminalization

Week 4 – Migration, Citizenship, and Human Rights – Jan 31
1. Crawley, H. (2022). Saving Brown Women from Brown Men?. Refugee Survey
Quarterly 41, pp. 355-380.
2. Capurri, V. (2016). Omar Khadr, Hannah Arendt, and the Racialization of Rights’
Discourse. Studies in Social Justice 10(1), pp. 147-166.
Week 5 – Imprisonment and Human Rights – Feb 7 (Working Thesis and Intro due)
1. Van Hout, M.C. (2023). ‘Women’s right to health in detention’: United Nations
Committee Observations since the adoption of the United Nations Rules for the
Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women
Offenders (Bangkok Rules). Journal of Human Rights Practice15(1), pp. 138–155.
2. National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
(2019). Deeper Dive: Criminalizing and Incarcerating Indigenous Women.
Reclaiming Power and Place: The Final Report of the National Inquiry into
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Vol. 1a) (pp. 635-647).
Retrieved from https://www.mmiwg-ffada.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2019/06/Final_Report_Vol_1a-1.pdf
Week 6 – Violence, Violations, and the Regulation of Sex Work – Feb 14
1. Krüsi, A., D’Adamo, K., and Sernick, A. (2021). Criminalised Interactions with Law
Enforcement and Impacts on Health and Safety in the Context of Different

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 Legislative Frameworks Governing Sex Work Globally (121-140). In Goldenberg,
S. et. al. (Eds). Sex Work, Health, and Human Rights. Springer.
2. Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform. (2017). Sections from Safety,
Dignity, Equality: Recommendations for Sex Work Law Reform in Canada (7-9,
20-21, 23-27).

Week 7 – SOGI(ESC), Criminalization, and Transformation – Feb 28

1. Vance, K. et. al. (2018). The rise of SOGI: human rights for LGBT people at the
United Nations (223-245). Envisioning Global LGBT Human Rights : Neo-
colonialism, Neoliberalism, Resistance and Hope. University of London.
2. Kirichenko. (2023). Queer Intersectional Perspective on LGBTI Human Rights
Discourses by United Nations Treaty Bodies. The Australian Feminist Law Journal,
49(1), 55–70.

Unit 6: Right to Health

Week 8 – Gender, HIV, and U=U – Mar 6
1. Ferguson, J. et. al. (2022). Leaving No One Behind: Human Rights and Gender as
Critical Frameworks for U=U. Health and Human Rights, 24(2), 1–12.
2. UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights. (2023) Decriminalisation
and the end of AIDS: keep the promise, follow the science, and fulfill human
rights: A statement from the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human
Rights. Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters, 31(1), 1-12.
Week 9 – Sexual and Gender Based Violence – Mar 13
1. Jakuleviciene, & Bieksa, L. (2022). Trends in the qualification of asylum claims
related to gender-based violence under international and European Law. The
International Journal of Human Rights, 26(5), 833–855.
2. Rossiter, K. (2022). Violence Against Women: Intersections of Health and Justice
(371-390). In Morrow, Hankivsky, O., & Varcoe, C. Women’s Health in Canada:
Challenges of Intersectionality. University of Toronto Press.
Week 10 – Reproductive RightsReproductive Justice and an Ethic of Care – Mar 20
(Research Essay due)
1. Obrien, C. and Newport, M. Prioritizing women’s choices, consent, and bodily
autonomy: From a continuum of violence to women-centric reproductive care.
Social science & medicine 333, pp. 1-14.
2. Salamanca, L. (2017). Reproductive Justice in Canada: Exploring Immigrant
Women’s Experiences (292-312). Stettner, Hay, T., & Burnett, K. (Eds.) Abortion:
History, Politics and Reproductive Justice after Morgentaler. University of British
Columbia Press.

Week 11 – Review and Exam Hand Out – Mar 27

Week 12 – Exam Due – Apr 3

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 IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS
York University seeks to provide for equal rights and opportunities without discrimination for all
students. The overall aim is a climate of understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of
each community member so that each person feels a part of York University and is able to fully
participate in university life.
The following information describes some of your important rights and responsibilities as students,
along with the supports, accommodations and services made available to you by York.
Academic Honesty and Integrity. York students are required to maintain the highest standards of
academic honesty and they are subject to the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty (secretariat-
policies.info.yorku.ca/policies/academic-honesty-senate- policy-on/). The Policy affirms the
responsibility of faculty members to foster acceptable standards of academic conduct and of the
student to abide by such standards. Comprehensive information about academic honesty, along with
information about how to find resources at York to help improve your research and writing skills and
cope with University life, can be found at: www.yorku.ca/academicintegrity/
Conduct in Academic Situations. Students and instructors are expected to maintain a professional
relationship characterized by courtesy and mutual respect. It is the responsibility of the instructor to
maintain an appropriate academic atmosphere in the classroom and other academic settings, and the
responsibility of the student to cooperate in that endeavour. Further, the instructor is the best person to
decide, in the first instance, whether such an atmosphere is present in the class in keeping with the
Senate Policy and Procedures on Disruptive and/or Harassing Behaviour in Academic Situations
(secretariat-policies.info.yorku.ca/policies/disruptive- andor-harassing-behaviour-in-academic-
situations-senate-policy/).
Ethics Review Process. York students are subject to the York University Policy for the Ethics Review
Process for Research Involving Human Participants (secretariat-policies.info.yorku.ca/policies/ethics-
review-process-for-research-involving-human-participants-policy/). Ethics approval must be obtained
prior to the starting any research activities involving human participants, including research conducted
by students in a graduate or undergraduate course, for an undergraduate thesis or project, or for a
Major Research Paper, Thesis or Dissertation. If you are in doubt as to whether this requirement applies
to you, contact your Course Director immediately. More information can be found at:
www.yorku.ca/research/human-participants/
Religious Accommodation. York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices
of all members of the community, and making accommodations for observances of special significance
to adherents. Should any of the dates specified in your course syllabus pose such a conflict for you,
contact the Course Director within 14 days of the date for which accommodation is sought. Other
procedures are outlined in the York University policy, guidelines and procedures on Academic
Accommodation for Students’ Religious Observances (secretariat-
policies.info.yorku.ca/policies/academic-accommodation-for-students-religious-observances-policy-
guidelines-and-procedures/). Please note that to arrange an alternative date or time for an examination
scheduled in the formal examination periods (December and April/May), students must complete an
Religious Accommodation Agreement, which can be found at: registrar.yorku.ca/pdf/exam-
accommodation.pdf
Accessibility Services. Student Accessibility Services (accessibility.students.yorku.ca/) provides academic
accommodations and supports for students with temporary and permanent disability including physical,

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sensory, medial, learning, and mental health disabilities. Students who had an Individualized Education
Plan (IEP) in high school are eligible for support. Please note that registering with disabilities services
and discussing your needs with your professors is necessary to avoid any impediment to receiving the
necessary academic accommodations to meet your needs.
Academic Skills Support. York University Libraries (www.library.yorku.ca) and the Learning Commons
(learningcommons.yorku.ca/) provide students with academic support for their course assignments and
research requirements. The Libraries offer an array of supports, services, workshops, resources and
people available to help ensure continued success during a student’s academic career.
Centre for Human Rights, Equity, and Inclusion. The Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion
(rights.info.yorku.ca/) facilitates confidential processes to discuss allegations of discrimination and
harassment by York Community members. There are also robust training opportunities and workshops
available to the community year round.
Counselling, Health and Well Being. Student Counselling, Health & Well Being
(counselling.students.yorku.ca) supports students in realizing and developing their personal potential in
order to maximally benefit from their university experience and manage the challenges of university life.
Services include: peer-led workshops, certificate training programs, support groups, same-day and
appointment-based counselling, short-term therapy, and more.
Sexual Violence Response and Support. The Centre for Sexual Violence Response, Support and
Education (thecentre.yorku.ca) facilitates support, services and accommodations for those who have
experienced sexual violence. The support offered is based on the needs and wishes of the person
disclosing/reporting.
Student Community Relations. The Office of Student Community Relations (oscr.students.yorku.ca/)
supports students impacted by critical incidents, facing personal crises or multiple complex issues, such
as, but not limited to, critical illness or injury of a student, student death, attempted suicide and sexual
assault. OSCR provides advice, referrals, alternate dispute resolution methods and judicial processes
(local adjudication, tribunals).
Writing Support
Your writing skills will be crucial to your success in the course. You can find a range of writing support
services at The Writing Centre on campus (see: http://writing-centre.writ.laps.yorku.ca/) and the ESL
Open Learning Centre (http://www.yorku.ca/eslolc/keele/default.asp). Please make every effort to take
advantage of the above writing support services.

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