The former Ryerson University starts a 'new chapter' with name change, says president

Story Transcript

The president of Toronto Metropolitan University says the school's new name perfectly encompasses everything the institution is and aspires to be. 

The university's board of directors voted last August to drop the name Ryerson University amid pressure from students and staff. The school's former namesake Egerton Ryerson was an educator and Methodist minister who is considered one of the primary architects of Canada's residential school system.

Between the 1870s and the 1990s, Canada's federal government took more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children from their families and forced them to attend church-run residential schools designed to assimilate them by stripping them of their own languages and cultures. Thousands of children died at the schools. 

Mohamed Lachemi, Toronto Metropolitan University's president and vice-chancellor, says the new name marks "a new chapter" for the downtown Toronto campus. Here is part of his conversation with As It Happens guest host Dave Seglins.

What is this new name, Toronto Metropolitan University, meant to represent?

The name Toronto Metropolitan University is a name that fits us perfectly because it describes not only who we are, but also who we want to be.

A metropolis is a place where many people, cultures, ideas and experiences come together to create new opportunities. And we think that's happening already on our campus. We are located in the heart of our country's biggest and most diverse city. Our university represents all that is to be metropolitan.

We are gathering place for people from all around the world, from all walks of life, with broad and diverse perspectives, lived experiences and aspirations. And on our campus, our university, this is where it all happens. Our energy, creativity, innovation and commitment to welcoming and accepting all who come here is what makes us this vibrant community.

What do you think it will mean to people who are connected to the university to finally see the old name gone?

The decision was really based on a lot of consultation, a lot of debate, a lot of dialogue and exchange of ideas. 

I would say this change marks the start of a new chapter for our university, as we move forward with a name that better reflects our values and aspirations.

But we are also very proud of our history during the last 73 years. We're very proud of our contributions to this great city. We're very proud of what we have done to prepare leaders in many facets of life. So this is not about really erasing our history. It's really defining a new chapter.

And I can tell you, the renaming committee heard from over 30,000 ... community members. And it was a very strong desire from the majority of people who participated that we needed a new name to embrace the university's place in the heart of Canada's busiest city.

I understand you had 2,600 possibilities and nominations for new names. How difficult was it to land on this one?

That was at the beginning, and that also tells the level of engagement from this very diverse and vibrant community. The renaming advisory committee did an excellent job. They really started with a long list of 2,600 potential names. But, also, they really wanted a name that will unite us.

Last August we spoke with Sarah Dennis-Kooki, an Indigenous social work student at your university about this, we asked her what she was hoping for in a new name. [She said]: "It would be cool if it was named after, like a prominent Indigenous figure or even a name that is in a local Indigenous language, like Anishinaabemowin, Wendat or any of the Onkwehonwe languages." So that's clearly not the direction that you've taken here. Why?

The decision, based on the input from those 30,000-plus members of our community, was really to come up with parameters to define the new name that would be a name, first of all, not to commemorate any individual. That was very clear.

They wanted the name really to tell the story about our location. But also, they wanted a name that could be welcoming and inclusive for all members of our community, rather than centred or centric on one group of people.

And by identifying a name that we can all connect to, regardless of our backgrounds and identities, we are laying the foundation for the continued work of truth and reconciliation on our campus.

As a university, we have a lot of work ahead of us to heal the relationship with Indigenous people, and we are committed to do this work. It's an ongoing work and it's part of the 22 recommendations that came out of the work done by the Standing Strong Task Force.

How does the university, in its bid for reconciliation with the history of Egerton Ryerson, take it beyond a name change?

We do have 22 recommendations from the work of the Standing Strong Task Force. Our university has accepted all the 22 recommendations, and the work will continue. 

But what kind of concrete changes are we talking about here?

In terms of concrete examples of the action plan, out of the 22 recommendations is to offer more support for Indigenous and Black people in terms of scholarship, in terms of guiding them to be successful. Also, the hiring of more Indigenous faculty and staff, because the Indigenous youth are also in need of role models for them to be successful. And a number of other initiatives that we are implementing as part of our commitment to the 22 recommendations.

There are those who've questioned the university's commitment to reconciliation. I know that there was an Indigenous student on that committee, Miranda Black. She quit last year saying that the university was taking the easy approach by focusing on the name. How will you ensure that voices like hers are heard, and how will you measure your success at reconciliation?

I don't think that the university is just focusing on the name. Of course, today we announced the new name, but also we have announced this year our commitment to make sure that all those recommendations are implemented with time. 

Written by Sheena Goodyear. Interview produced by Kate McGillivray. Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

Support is available for anyone affected by their experience at residential schools or by the latest reports.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected. People can access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.