Initiatives

The University has appointed a Policy Working Group, tasked with the development of a policy and accompanying procedures. With insight from a Policy Advisory Group and targetted consultation with key stakeholders across campus, the Working Group will develop guidelines and clarify responsibilities that operationalize the principles of commemoration

Once approved by the Board of Governors, the policy will establish a standing committee that:

• Reviews proposals and makes recommendations to decision-makers about commemoration and naming at the university; and,
• Reviews existing forms of commemoration when necessary to ensure they are aligned with the principles of commemoration.

Initiatives

Recognizing the harm experienced by the ongoing commemoration of Egerton Ryerson and the impossibility of upholding our institutional values while commemorating a colonial figure, the university has been renamed, the remains of the statue of Egerton Ryerson will be rehomed, and the mascot will be reconsidered. 

In Fall 2021, the  renaming process  began. The  University Renaming Advisory Committee  led an  engagement period  that heard from over 30,000 community members who shared their perspectives and ideas about what the new name could be. To reach a shortlist of possible names, the committee developed community-informed parameters by which to consider the proposed names and checked to ensure they were legally ownable and passed a series of linguistics and digital asset checks that consider how the name might be perceived in different languages and at an international level. The shortlist was presented to President Lachemi who selected a name to recommend for approval. Following approval from the Board of Governors, the  new name was announced  on April 26, 2022. 

The university will determine a process to identify a new home for the remains of the Egerton Ryerson statue. 

The university will now proceed with a review and consultation process to reconsider the university mascot.

Initiatives

The university has a responsibility to ensure that there are opportunities for community members to educate themselves through the dissemination of scholarly material, and to engage in discussions

Building on materials and contents that are housed by the university archives, physical and digital installations will be developed to disseminate comprehensive and accessible information about the PDF file life and legacy of Egerton Ryerson . Content will include but is not limited to, his relationship with Indigenous Peoples, his contributions to the Ontario public school system and other long-standing institutions across the province, the context within which his work was done, and the impact of decisions made under his leadership. 

As we transition to a new name, we will continue to connect with our past by working with university archives, alumni, and community members. We will generate and share stories that tell the rich history of our university. 

Working with faculty and leaders across all academic programs, and in accordance with the appropriate university policies and procedures, we will explore options to establish opportunities for students to learn about Indigenous history and Indigenous and colonial relations in meaningful ways.

The university will also establish learning programs to equip faculty and staff with knowledge of Indigenous history, Indigenous and colonial relations and the Indian Residential School System.

Initiatives

Following the announcement of the soon-to-be-launched Black Studies minor , the university continues to explore the feasibility of academic units for Indigenous Studies and Black Studies. 

Data collected through the Staff Applicant Diversity Self-ID (launched in May 2021) will help the university to identify where barriers exist in our recruitment process, create strategies to address them and measure our success over time. The university will continue to strengthen efforts to recruit, retain and promote faculty and staff who self-identify as Indigenous and/or Black.

The university has made dismantling all forms of anti-Black racism and oppression a strategic priority. In February 2022, the Confronting Anti-Black Racism website has been launched to serve as a hub for updates and resources on the implementation progress of the 14 recommendations of the Anti-Black Racism Review Report. 

In recent years a number of new funding opportunities have been established to increase access to higher education and to recognize the excellence of Indigenous and Black students across the university. Some notable additions include the Black and Indigenous Engineering Fellowships (launched in 2021), The Julie Patel Foundation Award (launched in 2022) and the Johnson Scholarship Foundation grant (announced in 2021). University Advancement will continue to pursue new funding sources for additional scholarships, awards and bursaries for Indigenous and Black students and fellows. 

Initiatives

Working with the university’s existing Public Art Committee and the Indigenous Space Sub-Working Group, the university will determine a location on campus for a community-based, interactive public art installation space. 

In addition to previously initiated projects on campus such as the Urban Farm Indigenous Foodways Pilot and Ted Rogers School of Management Indigenous Healing Garden , the Indigenous Space Sub-Working Group and the Urban Farm will continue to provide guidance and direction towards the further establishment of spaces on campus where accessible gardens can be planted for the long-term growth of traditional Indigenous medicines.

As we return to campus, a series of ceremonies will be planned for community members to come together at the former site of the statue of Egerton Ryerson. 

Initiatives

Through a process of community engagement with key stakeholders including the Aboriginal Education Council , Indigenous students and employees, and external partners, we will embark on critical conversations about the university-wide protocol for land acknowledgments and related education.

Initiatives

To repair relationships with Black and Indigenous community members, the University must demonstrate its commitment to advancing Truth and Reconciliation and addressing Anti-Black racism. 

By the end of the winter 2022 term, an update will be shared regarding the progress of implementing recommendations put forward in the 2018 Truth and Reconciliation Community Consultation Summary Report .   

In February 2021 an update from the Presidential Implementation Committee to Confront Anti-Black Racism shared the progress made in addressing the recommendations from the  PDF file Anti-Black Racism Campus Climate Review Report .

The university has made dismantling all forms of anti-Black racism and oppression a strategic priority. In February 2022, the Confronting Anti-Black Racism website has been launched to serve as a hub for updates and resources on the implementation progress of the 14 recommendations of the Anti-Black Racism Review Report. 

Initiatives

The university fulfilled the commitment to share the action plan that outlines the implementation initiatives for all Task Force recommendations. 

Regular updates will be provided on this website about the progress and plans of the implementation work. Annual update reports will be shared with the community beginning in September 2022.