From York University Gazette, August 15, 2001

                          Atkinson deemed "visionary" by Chair of new school
                          By Cathy Carlyle

                          Because the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and
Professional Studies
                          was sharp-eyed in spotting a trend in the health
field, York now has a
                          new School of Health Policy and Management. The school
 now offers
                          an undergraduate program, which is unique in Canada.

                          Marcia Rioux, the school's Chair, has enthusiastically
 credited the
                           Faculty with having a "visionary" outlook. "For
Atkinson, for York, to
                           have set up the school when other universities are
cutting programs,
                           is an indication that this University wants to stay
on top of what
                           students need and what employers want."

                           The health field has changed dramatically, Rioux
pointed out. "Society is looking at health in a
                           different light, as a state of well-being and as an
issue of quality of life. Our students will have the
                           advantage of undertaking a critical analysis of the
health care system. This new program will address
                           the challenge of the changing and increasingly
complex health system. It will be examining health
                           initiatives across the campus - women's health,
kinesiology, nursing and so on - with a view to
                           cooperating with them. We see this new school as part
 of the health interest at York," she explained.

                           Students will be taught by faculty who have a wide
range of specialties - from political science,
                           epidemiology and medicine to economics, jurisprudence
 and information technology. "In addition, the
                           faculty has wide experience in academic study as well
 as advocacy, in areas of pharmaceuticals,
                           community health, marginalization, disability, human
rights and equality issues," said Rioux.

                           The School of Health Policy and Management houses
three integrated programs: Health Policy,
                           Health Management and Health Informatics, all leading
 to a specialized honours bachelor of health
                           studies. The school's work-study component (co-op
placement) is evolving as Rioux and others make
                           contact with possible employers, such as health
institutes, businesses, non-governmental
                           organizations, government ministries, public health
offices, long-term care facilities etc. "We'll also be
                           working with students themselves to ascertain what
kinds of co-op opportunities interest them."

                           Some examples of the many career opportunities for
the school's graduates are: health policy
                           analyst, health systems planner, community health
worker, researcher, health care advocate, health
                           administrator, health information specialist, systems
 designer and system integration specialist.

                           For more information on the School of Health Policy
and Management, check the Web site at:
                           http://atkinson.yorku.ca/frschhstm.htm.