Four members of the York University Senate and a member of the York University Academic Planning and Research Committee are seeking a judicial review of the university’s unilateral decision to suspend enrolments in 19 academic programs. The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) is co-counsel for the applicants.

In a filing dated March 17, the applicants requested the Ontario Divisional Court quash the admission suspensions and require administration to follow the collegial process and respect the statutory authority of Senate.

Academic policy is under the authority of the Senate in the bicameral governance structure of the university.

“It is vital that academic governing bodies make decisions on matters of an academic and educational character,” said CAUT executive director David Robinson. “The decision to seek a judicial review affirms the York Senate’s responsibility for academic policy.”

Robinson noted that the administration’s decision to suspend enrolments without consulting the Senate is running roughshod over principles of collegial governance.

On February 20, CAUT called on the university to reverse the suspensions and criticized its top-down approach to decision-making.