Ryerson University to be known as Toronto Metropolitan

Board of Governors at Ryerson University recently decided to change the name of the School to Toronto Metropolitan University. According to the board, the new name will represent the values and aspirations of the institution in a more positive way.

On this regard, Mohamed Lachemt, President and Vice- Chancellor said, “Metropolitan is a reflection of who we have always been – an urban institution dedicated to excellence, innovation, and inclusion and who we aim to be – a place where all feel welcome, seen, represented and celebrated.”

Ryerson University was originally named after Egerton Ryerson, a preacher, educator and colonialist and one of the primary founders of the residential school system. But recently his legacy has been under criticism and the University set up a task force by the name of Mash Koh Wee Kah Pooh Win (Standing Strong) to further investigate the matter and propose suitable course of action.

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Recent discovery of burial sites at Residential Schools in Saskatchewan and British Columbia intensified discussions on Ryerson's problematic past. Following the discovery of the burial sites, protesters also toppled a statue of Egerton Ryerson located on the Toronto Campus. 

The renaming of the Institution was included within the 22 recommendations made by the Standing Strong Task Force. The Committee proposed not to reinstall, restore or replace” the statue of Ryerson and rehome remaining pieces of a toppled statue to “promote educational initiatives”. The University was also advised to reconside the name of the mascot, ‘Eggy’ the Ram.

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The University Renaming Committee received responses from around 30,000 people and analysed approximately 2,600 potential names. Jennifer S. Simpson, URAC chair and provost and vice-president, Academics observed that, “Through our community engagement we learned that there was a strong desire – across all groups of students, faculty, staff and alumni – for the new name to reference our place or location.”

She also added that, “Toronto Metropolitan University reflects the feedback we heard and is in line with our values and our accomplishments that define who we are as an institution.” 

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