{"id":404402,"date":"2026-03-04T14:16:50","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T19:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/yfile\/?p=404402"},"modified":"2026-03-09T08:52:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T12:52:17","slug":"passings-john-mahaffy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yorku.ca\/yfile\/2026\/03\/04\/passings-john-mahaffy\/","title":{"rendered":"Passings: John Mahaffy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Retired ¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ staff member John Mahaffy<\/strong> died on Jan. 22.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The former senior academic advisor, who during his time at the University counselled thousands of students, was 72.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"John
John Mahaffy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Mahaffy worked in the Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies<\/a>, serving for many years as a campus leader focused on student development. In his role as academic advisor, he offered individual and group advising services and worked on the design, delivery and evaluation of programs and initiatives that support student success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His experience with ¿ì²¥ÊÓƵ began before his career as an administrator; Mahaffy was an alum and earned a bachelor of arts in philosophy and religious studies in 1981 and an MA in 1986. He began his undergraduate studies in 1972, but took some time off to work in the mines in the Yukon before returning to finish his degree. He also earned a bachelor of education from the University of Toronto in 1989.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He went on to pursue a PhD in social and political throught, but left the program to become a full-time employee at York's Advising Centre in the then-Faculty of Arts. He worked in that role until his retirement in 2017, and also served as a teacher of business ethics at York's Schulich School of Business<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He leaves behind his spouse, Dianne Piaskoski, and his two sisters and their families. He will be remembered for his love of reading and learning, and his enjoyment of great discussions with family, friends, colleagues and students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A former senior academic advisor at York's Department of Philosophy, John Mahaffy supported thousands of students during his decades at the 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