March 2020

WHITEHORSE, YT—Yukon College announced today that it is postponing the annual May Convocation Ceremony and planned Yukon University transition celebration. New dates will be announced once they have been determined. 

“Given the serious health implications of COVID-19 and protective measures in place at the present time, we have made the difficult decision to postpone these events for the health and safety of our graduates, their families, guests, faculty and staff,” said Karen Barnes, Yukon University president and vice chancellor. 

The 2020 Convocation Ceremony will be the first Yukon University convocation and feature the first graduates of the new institution crossing the stage.  

WHITEHORSE, YT—The Yukon University Board of Governors is pleased to announce Dr. Mike DeGagné as president and vice chancellor of Yukon University, Canada’s first university north of 60.

DeGagné will begin a five-year term on July 1, 2020. He will be the eighth president of Yukon’s only post-secondary institution, succeeding Dr. Karen Barnes, who has served two terms since 2011 and will retire June 30.

DeGagné comes to YukonU from Nipissing University, in North Bay, Ontario. He was appointed Nipissing president and vice chancellor in 2013, as one of the first Indigenous presidents of a Canadian public university.

While president of Nipissing, DeGagné dedicated much of his life to Indigenous issues and ensuring Nipissing University took a leading role in the Indigenization of the post-secondary education sector.

WHITEHORSE, YT—Following the request from Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health to limit gatherings and support working from home, Yukon College is moving to alternative service and class delivery for the foreseeable future. 

In an email sent late yesterday, students are told not to return to campus on Monday, March 23 following Reading Week. 

During Reading Week there are no classes and reduced services at all campuses. Faculty and staff are using this time to work out the details of this change in service in the next few days and shifting to working from home this week wherever possible.  

For the remaining six weeks of the Winter Term, it is anticipated that some classes may wrap up early, or students can access class materials and their instructor remotely at the usual class time via Zoom software or access materials and video lectures at any time via the Moodle platform.