Dear students and colleagues,

Yukon University is thrilled to be welcoming students, employees and the public back to campus this month. Despite the collective challenges of this worldwide pandemic these past 17 months, enrolments across all three semesters last year ended up on par with the previous year and heading into this new semester enrolments are up 9% over this time last year.

This semester, 60% of credit classes are in-person (or contain an in-person component) and 40% are online. A significant number of Continuing Education classes will be in-person at the main campus as well.

Science, and our lived experience of the pandemic thus far, has shown us that vaccinations—alongside other measures like masking and physical distancing—are the most effective ways to protect against COVID-19 and keep each other safe.

**UPDATED AUG 17: Effective immediately, masks must be worn by all persons present on all YukonU campuses. Masks are required in all hallways and public areas, as well as in all classrooms or meeting rooms where physical distancing is not possible. Anyone not wearing a mask will be asked to comply or leave the premises. 

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WHITEHORSE--Yukon University students can expect many of their fall semester classes at Ayamdigut campus in Whitehorse to be in-person this September. Student support services will continue to be available both in-person and virtually.  

 Joint news release with Mitacs, Yukon University, the University of Alberta North and ArcticNet.  

Research funding has been extended for another year to support Yukon’s understanding of the social, cultural, economic, environmental and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mitacs Student Internship Program, which also supports innovation-related research that will benefit the Yukon economy, was launched last year through a partnership between Mitacs, the Government of Yukon, Yukon University, University of Alberta North, and ArcticNet. 

Current research projects include a host of areas important to the North ranging from food and clean water to women’s mental health, with the potential to support other areas with research-based solutions. 

WHITEHORSE, YT—  Yukonstruct and Yukon University’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship will provide entrepreneurship support to Yukon communities thanks to a $740,512.50 funding investment from the government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre (FSC). This funding will establish the Yukon Skills Research and Engagement project and the Northern Entrepreneur Development Network aimed at helping rural Yukon respond to the pandemic and prepare for the workforce of the future.

WHITEHORSE, YT—The Yukon University Board of Governors is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Lesley Brown as president and vice chancellor of Yukon University, Canada’s first university north of 60. Brown takes up her new role August 16.

Brown was most recently provost and vice president, Academic, at Mount Royal University (MRU) in Calgary. In this role, she oversaw all facets of educational programming and research at MRU, which evolved into a university in 2009. Under her leadership, Mount Royal University experienced significant growth in student enrolment, faculty research success, and academic programming, including the establishment of a long-anticipated Bachelor of Social Work program.

WHITEHORSE, YT— A Two-Eyed Seeing Research Program has been established in collaboration between the Government of Yukon, University of Alberta North, and Yukon University. This program honours different ways of knowing and doing, and aims to uphold Indigenous values and practices in research, training, and knowledge sharing throughout Yukon as it braids Indigenous and western knowledge throughout the program.

The Government of Yukon is generously contributing over $700,000 to this Yukon-focused Two-Eyed Seeing Research Program which includes establishing a Research Chair in Indigenous Knowledge at Yukon University, and a series of research activities conducted jointly between YukonU and UAlberta North. This four-year commitment builds on previous collaboration between the three partners.

Five-year, $400,000 commitment will promote critical research and innovative solutions to address climate change challenges in Canada’s North

WHITEHORSE, YT, June 7, 2021— Yukon University has received a $400,000 donation from BMO Financial Group to support the establishment of a permafrost institute at the YukonU Research Centre (YRC). This five-year commitment enables continued innovation in YukonU’s permafrost research and contributes to the development of forward-thinking solutions to address the challenges permafrost thaw is bringing to Canada’s North.

WHITEHORSE, YT— Power Corporation of Canada has donated $100,000 to support the development of an Institute of Indigenous Self-Determination (IISD) at Yukon University.

This investment will support the design and development of a mentorship program aimed at building capacity of participants engaged in Human Resources, Lands or Finance within their First Nations government.

“The Institute of Indigenous Self-Determination at YukonU will support First Nations governments in their implementation of their self-government agreements through research and capacity development and will share the important stories of the struggle for and achievement of self-determination. This significant investment by Power Corporation of Canada will be used to design programs supporting the professional development of individuals serving their communities in Canada’s North,” said Chùsi Robin Bradasch, associate vice president Indigenous Engagement and Partnerships.

DAWSON CITY, YT—The Yukon School of Visual Arts (SOVA) received a record 32 applications for the upcoming school year from across Canada and as far afield as Japan and Taiwan.  

Program director, Aubyn O’Grady has sent out 20 acceptance letters and is hopeful all 20 students sign up when registration opens on May 31. 

O’Grady credits several reasons for SOVA’s growing success, including more actively sharing aspects of Dawson City life on their social media platforms and their ability to hold in-person studios and classes within COVID-19 safety measures.  

In addition, a pilot project with Northern Vision Development and the Downtown Hotel is providing housing to students arriving at the end of the summer.