Student life at York is deeply embedded in one's experience with their university, and since its emergence Vanier College has sought to ensure that life at York University involves more than just academics.
Vanier College Constitution
The Vanier College Constitution outlines the roles and responsibilities of students and faculty that make up the Vanier College Council who over see the administration of money, decision making, coordinating of activities, room use, and college related affairs, and act as an advisory committee to the Master of the College.
Members of College Council will be composed of following elected officials:
Members of College Council will be composed of following elected officials:
- 8 student representatives
- 2 senior fellows
- 2 faculty members
- 2 students elected from freshman body.
- A chairman who will act as a spokesman for the council and help with the organizing of Council meetings
- A treasurer who will keep count of all money coming in and out of the College and prepare a budget for the year
- Act as complimentary body to the College Council
- Ensure that university wide student interests and activities are handled in best possible manner
VANDOO
Images taken from the scanned copies of the Vandoo in York University's Microtext library.
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The Vandoo is the Vanier College newspaper that was established in 1966. It is named after the Royal 22nd regiment of the Canadian army that the Late Governor-General Georges Vanier organized and commanded - 22 in French is "vingt-deux" = "Vandoo". This is main mode of communication with Vanier College students and members. It is a student run newspaper that operates for the Vanier College students and members. Job postings, movie reviews, upcoming Vanier College and cross-college events, advertisements for pub nights, Council meetings, poetry, editorials, and a range of diverse content are included within each issue. In November 1977, the Vandoo newspaper featured an article that informed all students and members about the proposed renovations that were occurring in the Junior Common Room so they were aware of the changes coming. Sports news is also featured in every issue of the newspaper as they are pivotal to student life at York. This was a form of email announcements before email. The Vandoo staff consisted of an editor, associate editor(s), photographers, columnists, and technical specialists. Other staff positions were fulfilled by members of Vanier College Council, for example the sports editorship was the sports rep on council that year. It also addresses real world issues on top of college related ones. Throughout its early days, the Vandoo was published every Friday during the academic year. However, in 1970 it was being published every second week with an overall circulation of over 2000. But more recently, it is only published every month with an approximate circulation of 2000.
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Student Handbooks
Handbooks were given to students every year at the beginning of the academic year that had information about anything associated with student life. They began with a tribute to the Late Governor-General Georges Vanier and the most recent version of the constitution every year. They also included the Vanier College council and residence dons. Rules and regulations of the college were also outlined yearly. When Vanier College first opened there were no student clubs, but that later changed in the following years with the emergence of music, chess, ceramics, photography, and ice boating clubs.
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Open End Pub
The Open End Pub was once called the Vanier College Shop until a contest among students renamed it in 1970. It was located on the ground floor between the Junior and Fellow Common Rooms. Every Wednesday night there used to be a film played that was a college-wide event. This was a place where students, faculty, and fellows could gather for fun, and downtime. There used to be ads for events at the Open End in the Vandoo newspaper. It underwent renovations in 1976; however, today the Open End Pub does not currently exist.
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Images taken from the scanned copies of the Vandoo in York University's Microtext library.
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Vanier College Productions
Vanier College Productions (VCP) was founded by Fredrick H. Thury in 1972 and is still currently active. It is associated with Vanier College but offers students in all disciplines at York University an opportunity to partake in a theatre production in various ways. Students perform, produce, and create various productions based on classics, popular musical theatre, and original plays. Tickets for these plays are inexpensive to accommodate for low-income students and so that all students can partake in the enjoyment of these productions. There are usually around 100 students in the program each year that practice in the Fred Thury Studio Theatre to put on these stellar performances. Information pertaining to this program was also featured in the Vanier College Handbooks distributed at the beginning of each academic year. Since the early 1980s, five different awards have been established to recognize students and alumni part of this program. THE GOLD TICKET is given to returning VCP alumni who continue to strengthen the fine traditions of the VCP experience. THE GOLD FROG is a VCP participant who has shown sensitive and caring commitment and dedication above and beyond the expectations of others. This manifests itself in the many hours spent (on costumes, sets, lighting, acting, publicity) and in comradeship, thus contributing to the positive environment required by the theatrical experience. THE FRED THURY AWARD is a grant award approved by the Senate in 1992 which recognizes a graduating student whose work with VCP has contributed to the life and many facets of Vanier College. THE GOLDEN EAGLE is given to those who have shown outstanding and compelling commitment to VCP in the Vanier College Studio setting. THE GOLD HEART is awarded to a member for being a positive role model, showing excellence in leadership, and being supportive of the VCP community experience both in and out of the theatre. In 2015, a Vanier College Productions Alumni Network was formed, providing the opportunity for alumni to participate with the VCP through events like alumni night, holiday parties, BBQs and much more.
The main purposes of VCP, as outlined on their website, are:
Click here to go to the current Vanier College Productions website
The main purposes of VCP, as outlined on their website, are:
- To help students develop a love of theatre/theatrical things in an educational setting
- Provide an opportunity to develop skills and the ability to work in a team setting
- To give students a creative outlet and provide a source of personal development
- To provide a community-based experience through which students can build friendships
Click here to go to the current Vanier College Productions website