A proposal has been put forward to add a new wing to the Schulich School of Business, according to a memo included in the Board of Governor’s agenda package this past summer.
The proposal was for BOG to approve-in-principle, a new project on condition of the successful fundraising of 75 per cent of the anticipated $40-million project.
The expansion will be designed to accommodate the growing number of MBA and PhD students, many of whom arrive from international destinations and have different social, cultural, and intellectual needs.
According to the BOG memo, “Internal growth pressures are severely taxing the current building and external pressures are derived from several sources, including increased competition from top international business schools at the graduate level.”
Since the Seymour Schulich Building opened in 2003, the undergraduate population has grown by 25 per cent beyond what was originally planned.
Upwards of 60 per cent of MBA students now come from outside of Canada. As stated by the memo, The Schulich School of Business, India, when opened will further accelerate this trend.
“I’ve never felt that’s been an issue,” says Jessica Gill, a third year international bachelor of business administration student.
“I think Schulich has done a pretty good job of accommodating all students. I do believe there has been an increase in incoming students, so perhaps it’s getting difficult for them to manage it.”
York administration provided a signal that they will endorse the proposed expansion with the approval-in-principle, and according to the memo, they will fully collaborate with the project.
It’s expected that enabling the site plan approval in parallel with the fundraising exercise will shorten the project’s path by an estimated eight months.
The Schulich student body remains largely unaware of the proposed building expansion.
“I’m not sure exactly what resources the expansion will bring, but I’m sure it will definitely enhance the MBA program,” says Gill
According to York advisor and deputy spokesperson Janice Walls, “It’s very preliminary at this point so there’s no more information available beyond what is in the Board of Governors’ package.”
Ryan Moore, Assistant News Editor
Photo by Kinga Szymczyk.
