The York Centre for Asian Research (YCAR) is based at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It reports to the Vice-President, Research & Innovation and organizes its financial, administrative and human resources according to York University policies and practices. The Centre has a Director and Associate Director as well as an Executive Committee, External Advisory Council and an Annual General Meeting of members.
Click here to view YCAR’s Constitution.
Director
The Director is appointed on a fixed term to provide overall leadership and academic direction for the Centre. (S)he/They have day-to-day administrative responsibility for the Centre, including its staff, financial operations, fundraising, promotion and programs. The Director is Shubhra Gururani (Anthropology).
Associate Director
The Associate Director assists the Director in administering the work at the Centre. (S)he/They also serves as the Director’s deputy in his absence. The Associate Director is also the Coordinator of the Graduate Diploma in Asian Studies. The Associate Director is Mihyon Jeon (Languages, Literatures and Linguistics).
Coordinator
The Coordinator handles day-to-day operations at the Centre, is responsible for budgeting and personnel matters related to research projects and the Centre's research activities, and serves as the administrator of the Graduate Diploma in Asian Studies (GDAS). The Coordinator is Alicia Filipowich.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee meets regularly, usually at least twice per academic term. The committee makes all major decisions affecting the Centre and has sub-committees to make decisions concerning the allocation of awards, space and membership.
The 2023–2024 Executive Committee:
- Nga Dao, Social Science, Faculty Associate Representative
- Mehraneh Ebrahimi, English, Faculty Associate Representative
- B. Michael Frolic, Asia Business and Management Program
- Mihyon Jeon, DLLL, Associate Director and GDAS Coordinator
- Ali Kazimi, Film, Faculty Associate Representative
- Seulsam Lee, Sociology, Graduate Associate Representative
- Ethel Tungohan, Politics, Faculty Associate Representative
- Cary Wu, Sociology, Faculty Associate Representative
- Qiang Zha, Education, Interim Director (ex-offico)
External Advisory Council
The York Centre for Asian Research's External Advisory Council (EAC) was established in 2013 to provide strategic advice and facilitate outreach to various segments of the non-academic community.
In particular, the EAC:
a) Contributes their wisdom and experience as YCAR considers new initiatives and strategic directions for its Asia and Asian Diaspora‐focused research taking place at York;
b) Advises on fundraising possibilities that will realize or further advance the new initiatives;
c) Projects YCAR activities and York‐based research into spheres in which they work to reach a wider off-campus audience.
Our EAC:
Sonny Cho, President and CEO, Canada-Korea Business Council
Samira Kanji, President and CEO, Noor Cultural Centre in Toronto
Keith Lowe, Hakka community leader
Julie D.T. Nguyen, International Business, Centennial College; Co-founder and Director, Canada Vietnam Trade Council
Yuen Pao Woo, Canadian Senator (independent representing British Columbia)
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of YCAR Associates is normally held in April. Its purpose is to discuss the Centre's annual report, including budgets, to ratify nominees for membership on the Executive Committee, to ratify proposed amendments to the Centre’s Constitution, celebrate achievements from the past year, and discuss plans for the coming year.
Minutes of the YCAR Executive Committee meetings and its Annual General Meeting are available upon request. Please email us at: ycar[at]yorku.ca.