Skip to main content

The College System – McLaughlin College

Français | Print
Location: 226 McLaughlin College, Tel.: 416-736-5128
Web site: Master's Office: http://www.yorku.ca/mclaughlin/
Student Council: http://www.mclaughlincollege.com/
Master: David Leyton-Brown, e-mail: dlbrown@yorku.ca

Founded in 1968, McLaughlin College was named in honour of the late Colonel R. S. McLaughlin, business pioneer and philanthropist and first honourary degree recipient at York. Public policy is the academic mandate of the college. The college is dedicated to fostering knowledge and critical attitudes about public policy. Students with the following majors are affiliated with McLaughlin College:

  • Sociology
  • Political Science and Global Political Studies
  • Social Science and programs in Law & Society, Criminology, and Work & Labour Studies
  • Public Policy and Administration
  • All Tatham Hall residence students are also McLaughlin students, regardless of major

McLaughlin College is a home away from home for its students. There is plenty of student space, such as the student lounge (016 MC), which has a large video screen and frequent coffee houses with entertainment. The College hosts more than 20 very active student clubs, including a club for each of the academic disciplines affiliated with the College. Social and cultural activities include trips to special musical and theatre events in Toronto organized by the McLaughlin College Student Council (145 MC). Experience on the College Council presents an amazing leadership opportunity. Its athletic program is oriented to winning the York Torch. Social activities include talent nights, special Halloween and Valentine’s Day dances, a year-end dinner formal, ski trips and visits to Ottawa, Montreal and other destinations. A well-equipped weight room, Dyna-Macs, is available to students on a membership basis. Locker rooms with showers are adjacent.

Special attention is given to inviting policy analyses and review aimed at improving our society - the local community, the province, Canada and the global commons. A full range of cocurricular and extracurricular activities fills the college public policy program: panel discussions, lectures and noon-hour lunch talks on issues of the day. Public policy concerns that are either national or international in scope are included in the series of symposia.

Each year McLaughlin features an annual public policy address by a person of distinction in the field of public policy. Other forums on matters important to student life - gender concerns, academic integrity, aboriginal issues, study and life skills - enhance the varied cocurricular program. We try to carry on the ideal of the college’s first master, George Tatham, by providing an environment for the development of the all-round, “whole person”. The college sponsors a University-wide poetry contest at our annual Burns Night, welcomes student and faculty performers in our monthly coffee houses and encourages students to become active in intramural and intercollegiate athletics. We also organize special art shows in our gallery.

Through our affiliation with the Faculty departments, student associations representing majors in law and society, labour studies, political science, public policy and administration, global political studies, social science, and sociology are invited to make McLaughlin College their base of activities. These groups work with the master and with McLaughlin College Council to develop cocurricular programs for students majoring in those fields and for the wider community.

The college provides offices for Fellows from a wide variety of York’s departments. Fellows are available to students for advice about courses and careers.

McLaughlin College serves both non-residence and residence students. McLaughlin’s 13 storey Tatham Hall offers single and double-room accommodation in six houses for men and women. Each house has a common recreation room. The residence life coordinator and dons work closely with house presidents and an active residence council. A full calendar of residence events provides a rounded social and cultural life on campus. The master of McLaughlin, the academic advisor and their administrative staff have an open door policy. They warmly welcome students who drop by for information, advice or a social visit. Tatham Hall hosts a living, learning, “themed house” on the fourth and fifth floors, where students interested in politics, law and public policy issues participate in activities such as visits to Parliament, Queen’s Park and courts, as well as social and academic events.