Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU or Toronto Met) is a
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
research university
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...
located in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada. The university's core campus is situated within the
Garden District, although it also operates facilities elsewhere in Toronto. The university operates seven academic divisions/faculties, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Community Services, the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, the Faculty of Science, The Creative School, the Lincoln Alexander School of Law, and the Ted Rogers School of Management. Many of these faculties are further organized into smaller departments and schools. The university also provides
continuing education
Continuing education (similar to further education in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland) is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United ...
services through the
G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education
The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is the school responsible for continuing education within Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto.
The school is named for the late G. Raymond Chang, OC, third Chancellor of Toronto Metr ...
.
The institution was established in 1948 as the ''Ryerson Institute of Technology'', named after
Egerton Ryerson
Adolphus Egerton Ryerson (24 March 1803 – 19 February 1882) was a Canadian educator, author, editor, and Methodist minister who was a prominent contributor to the design of the Canadian public school system.
A renowned advocate against Christ ...
, a prominent contributor to the design of the Canadian public school system. His views later influenced the development of the
Canadian Indian residential school system. In 1964, the institution was reorganized under provincial legislation, and renamed ''Ryerson Polytechnical Institute''. Under that name, the institution was granted limited degree-granting powers during the 1970s. The institution was reorganized into a full-fledged university in 1993, and renamed ''Ryerson Polytechnic University''. In 2002, several years after the university's school of graduate studies was established, the university adopted the name Ryerson University. In 2022, the university was renamed ''Toronto Metropolitan University'', in recognition of Egerton Ryerson's involvement in the residential school system, and the latter's adverse effects on indigenous cultures.
The university is a
co-educational institution, with approximately 44,400 undergraduates and 2,950 graduate students enrolled there during the 2019–20 academic year. As of 2017, TMU had nearly 170,000 alumni. The university's athletics department operates several varsity teams that play as
TMU Bold
TMU Bold (known as the Ryerson Rams prior to August 2022) are the varsity athletic teams that represent Toronto Metropolitan University (previously known as Ryerson University) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto Metropolitan University operates ...
, competing in the
Ontario University Athletics conference of
U Sports
U Sports (stylized as U SPORTS) is the national sport governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree-granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is the Ca ...
.
History
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
,
Howard Hillen Kerr
Howard Hillen Kerr (December 25, 1900 - June 16, 1984) was the first principal of the Ryerson Institute of Technology (now Toronto Metropolitan University).
Kerr was born on a farm near Seaforth, Ontario. He graduated from the University of Toront ...
, the director of the Training and Re-Establishment Institute, along with other members of the
Toronto Board of Education
The Toronto Board of Education (TBE; commonly known as School District 15), officially known as the Board of Education for the City of Toronto, is the former secular school district serving the pre-merged city of Toronto. The board offices were l ...
, saw a need for specialized institutes to provide educational and vocational training for specific jobs for returning veterans. After a trip to the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the ...
(MIT) in 1943, Kerr envisioned a similar institute in Canada spanning "the gap" between
secondary education
Secondary education or post-primary education covers two phases on the International Standard Classification of Education scale. Level 2 or lower secondary education (less commonly junior secondary education) is considered the second and final pha ...
and
universities
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
. Kerr's effort led to the ''Vocational Education Act'' and the creation of
vocational schools and technological institutes in Ontario. Although several institutes had been planned during the war, their establishment was delayed by the advent of the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
and the potential need to remobilize. However, with the prospect of another war diminished greatly by 1948, the decision was made to open the Ryerson Institute of Technology, with class calendars hastily issued in August 1948.
![Egerton Ryerson - Statue on Ryerson Campus 20051208](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Egerton_Ryerson_-_Statue_on_Ryerson_Campus_20051208.JPG)
The school was named after
Egerton Ryerson
Adolphus Egerton Ryerson (24 March 1803 – 19 February 1882) was a Canadian educator, author, editor, and Methodist minister who was a prominent contributor to the design of the Canadian public school system.
A renowned advocate against Christ ...
, who established the
Toronto Normal School in 1847 on the future site of the Ryerson Institute of Technology. He also helped develop education in
Canada West as the region's chief superintendent of education, creating a model for publicly funding the training of teachers and working on Canada West's ''Education Act, 1846''. The site of the normal school eventually developed into several buildings used by the
province's Department of Education and what became the
Ontario Agricultural College,
Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a museum of art, world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest in Canada. It attracts more than one million visitors every year ...
,
OCAD University, and
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. Later, the grounds were used by the
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
as a training centre during the Second World War.
The Ryerson Institute of Technology was officially opened on September 16, 1948,
with approximately 250 students enrolled.
Kerr served as the institution's first principal until 1966, when he became the head of the Council of Regents for Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. The initial aim for the institute to serve as a career training and vocational school was reflected by its early enrolment, with the majority of its early students being enrolled in
continuing education
Continuing education (similar to further education in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland) is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United ...
part-time night school programs, as opposed to a full-year academic stream. Initially the institute only offered two-year career training and vocational programs; its program catalogue was later expanded to include three-year diplomas by the early 1950s.
[ Kerr mandated that English, physical education, and history be mandated in the school's curriculum in 1952.
Initially, plans were made to house the institute entirely within the Toronto Normal School building but the rapid growth of the student population made such plans impossible. Therefore, work on the first building built specifically for the institute began in 1958; Kerr Hall was completed in 1963. Several buildings had to be razed, including temporary barracks used during the Second World War and the Toronto Normal School (though its portico façade was kept). A number of other buildings were later built surrounding the courtyard.
]
The ''Ryerson Polytechnical Institute Act'' was passed by the provincial government in 1963 to reorganize the institution. The institution was provided with its own board of governors and renamed ''Ryerson Polytechnical Institute'' in 1964. The nursing programs of three hospitals were transferred to the institution, the first one to be offered in a post-secondary institution in Canada.[ In 1971, the institute received limited degree-granting authority: Bachelor of Applied Arts and Bachelor of Technology,] then Bachelor of Business Administration in 1977.[
In 1993, the institute became a full polytechnic university and renamed ''Ryerson Polytechnic University,'' expanding the mandate of the institution to include scholarly research. The school of graduate studies was formally established in 1997.][ In June 2002, the institution shortened its name to ''Ryerson University'' to reflect its new scope.][ The beginning of the 21st century saw another construction boom on its campus.][
After the ]Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC; french: Commission de vérité et réconciliation du Canada []) was a truth and reconciliation commission active in Canada from 2008 to 2015, organized by the parties of the Indian Reside ...
released its report in May 2015, the university acted on several recommendations made out to post-secondary institutions in the report. As a result of Egerton Ryerson's association with the establishment of the Canadian Indian residential school system, the institution faced several calls to reevaluate the namesake of the university in 2017. In 2018, a university faculty member, Denise O'Neil Green, led the community-wide consultation to formulate a response towards the Commission's report.[ She was later appointed the university's first vice-president for equity and community inclusion; the first vice-president position with this mandate in a Canadian post-secondary institution. In 2018, a plaque that describes Egerton Ryerson's role in the residential school system was placed next to the ]statue of Egerton Ryerson
A statue of Egerton Ryerson by Hamilton MacCarthy was installed on the grounds of Ryerson University in Toronto, now known as Toronto Metropolitan University, until 2021.
History
The novelist Graeme Gibson draped the flag of the United States ...
.[ After the discovery of 215 unmarked graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, some students and professors started using the name "X University" in May 2021 as part of a demand to have the university's name changed.] In June 2021, the statue of Egerton Ryerson was toppled; its decapitated head was thrown into Toronto Harbour. The university stated that the statue will not be restored or replaced. On August 26, 2021, the university announced that it would accept the 22 recommendations of an internal task force, including the renaming of the university. On April 26, 2022, the university announced it would be renamed to Toronto Metropolitan University. The name change was formalized on December 2022, after the provincial legislature passed an amendment to the institution's governing legislation.
Campus
The university's central campus primarily lies within the Garden District of downtown Toronto. The campus is "interwoven" with the rest of the downtown core, with few entrance markers delineating the campus from the rest of the city. Most of the campus is designated as a mixed-use institutional area, although portions of the campus are situated in areas zoned for commercial and residential use. In addition to zoning by-laws, the height of the university's buildings is also limited by ordinances that protect the flight paths of air medical services to St. Michael's Hospital and the Hospital for Sick Children.
Gerrard Street to the north, Jarvis Street
Jarvis Street is a north-south thoroughfare in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, passing through some of the oldest developed areas in the city. Its alignment extends from Queens Quay East in the south to Bloor Street in the north. The segment s ...
to the east, Dundas Street East
Dundas Street is a major historic arterial road in Ontario, Canada. The road connects the city of Toronto with its western suburbs and several cities in southwestern Ontario. Three provincial highways— 2, 5, and 99—followed long sectio ...
to the south, and Yonge Street to the west, serve as the perimeter for the campus core; although the university also operates facilities beyond the core campus. Kerr Hall
Kerr Hall is a series of four buildings in a square, surrounding Ryerson Community Park, on the campus of Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) in Toronto, Canada. Kerr Hall is on the site of the former Toronto Normal Sc ...
serves as the "campus heart," while Gould Street to the south of Kerr Hall serves as the university's main east–west corridor, connecting it with the other areas of the campus.
Most of the streets and laneways throughout Toronto Metropolitan University's campus are considered a part of the public realm. These include connector streets open to vehicular traffic and pedestrian-only streets. Victoria Street south of Gerrard Street is designated as a pedestrian-only zone, having been closed to vehicular traffic since 1978. In 2010, a one-year pilot program was approved by the municipal government that closed off Gould Street to pedestrian traffic, an initiative that was later extended by six months. In February 2012, the city moved to permanently close Gould Street to car traffic, from O'Keefe Lane to Bond Street; with the closed pedestrian-only portions of Gould Street designated as Ryerson Square.
Most of the parks, plazas, and green spaces on the university's campus are owned by the university, although access to these spaces is also open to the public. These spaces include Devonian Square, and Kerr Hall's quadrangle. Devonian Square was designed by Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation (PFR) is the division of Toronto's municipal government responsible for maintaining the municipal park system and natural spaces, regulation of and provision of urban forestry services, and the delivery of recre ...
, and was partly funded by the Devonian Group of Charitable Foundations of Calgary—who also lent the park its name.[ The space features a reflecting pool, and large ]Precambrian
The Precambrian (or Pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pꞒ, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of the ...
igneous
Igneous rock (derived from the Latin word ''ignis'' meaning fire), or magmatic rock, is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or ...
and metamorphic rocks that are approximately two billion years old from the Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield (french: Bouclier canadien ), also called the Laurentian Plateau, is a geologic shield, a large area of exposed Precambrian igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks. It forms the North American Craton (or Laurentia), the anc ...
. In addition to green spaces, a green roof
A green roof or living roof is a roof of a building that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. It may also include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage ...
and urban farm, initially known as the Andrew and Valerie Pringle Environmental Green Roof, was built atop George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre in 2003. The urban farm operates on a five-year crop rotation, and contains 30 different crops and hundreds of cultivars.[
Several undeveloped properties also exist on the campus, with the university having acquired two parking lots from Infrastructure Ontario in 2013 for $32 million; a at 202 Dundas Street East and a at 136 Dundas Street East.] The university plans to continue to operate them as parking lots until enough capital is raised to develop the sites.[ In 2019, the university submitted a rezoning application for a 41-storey tower at 202 Jarvis Street, which will include an 11-storey academic base with classrooms, labs, and research space intended for the Faculty of Science, along with a student residence in its upper levels.
]
Buildings
The university operates more than 40 buildings. As of 2019, the university's buildings account for over of gross floor area. The campus includes an assortment of buildings from different architectural periods; Oakham House
Oakham House is a historic building in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The house is located at the southwest corner of Gould and Church streets. It was designed by architect William Thomas as his own residence and office, and completed in 1848. Today, i ...
dating back to 1848, and the university's newest building, the Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex, opened in 2019. Many of the earliest buildings built specifically for use by the university were designed during the mid-20th century in a Brutalist architectural-style. The university campus saw significant expansion during the early 21st century, with the university's total floor area nearly doubling in size from 2000 to 2019.
Several buildings operate as shared spaces between the university and other tenants. Along with university-owned properties, the university also leases or holds strata titles for a number of properties surrounding the central campus.
Library and museum
Toronto Metropolitan University Library
Toronto Metropolitan University Library is the library of Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto, Canada. The library collection consists of over 500,000 books, and over CAD$3 million is spent annually to acquire electronic resources, includ ...
serves as the main academic library for the university, and is housed in an 11-storey Brutalist-style structure that was completed in 1974. As of 2012, the library's collection held over 522,000 books, over 836,000 microform units, and provide access to electronic resources including e-books, serial titles, and databases. In 2015, the Student Learning Centre was completed adjacent to the library building. The Student Learning Centre was designed by the architectural firm Snøhetta, and was built to augment the library by providing additional study space; although no books from the university's collection are stored in the Student Learning Centre.[
The Image Centre is a complex located on campus that serves as a photography museum and houses School of Image Arts.] The Image Centre includes several galleries, with one dedicated for exhibit works from students of the School of Image Arts.[ The centre also holds offices, screening rooms, and storage facilities for the university's photographic collection; stored in special climate-controlled rooms.][ The Image Centre dates back to the 1969, although the building was not completed until 2012, after the university was gifted 292,000 photographs of the Black Star collection.] In total, the centre's collection contains approximately 375,000 objects, including historical photographs, photographs from contemporary artists, as well as the archival collections from publications like ''Life
Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energ ...
'' and ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''.[ The centre is housed in a building that was renovated by ]Diamond Schmitt Architects
Diamond Schmitt Architects is a Canadian architectural firm founded in 1975. It is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. The firm was founded by architects Jack Diamond and Donald Schmitt.Robinson, John. "Architecture for the People." ''Toronto ...
during the early 2010s.
Housing and student facilities
The university operates three student residences with approximately 1,144 beds on campus including the Daphne Cockwell Complex, the International Living & Learning Centre, and Pitman Hall. The International Learning Centre was built in 1987 and is oldest student residence, housing approximately 256 residences.[ Pitman Hall was completed in 1991 and holds 565 rooms.][ The Daphne Cockwell Complex was completed in 2019, and holds 332 rooms.][ The latter building is a multi-purpose structure, with the lower levels of the Daphne Cockwell Complex holding academic facilities; whereas its residential component is housed in its upper levels.][ The majority of university students do not live on campus, with only 5.2 per cent of students having lived on campus during the 2017–18 academic year.] However, approximately 17.9 per cent of the university's first year students lived on campus.[ The university operates themed-residence floors in an effort to complement the academic studies of residents; such as the "fashion floor," a themed-residential floor reserved for students of Toronto Metropolitan University's school of fashion.
In an effort to increase the number of residences available for students, the university entered into a ]public–private partnership
A public–private partnership (PPP, 3P, or P3) is a long-term arrangement between a government and private sector institutions.Hodge, G. A and Greve, C. (2007), Public–Private Partnerships: An International Performance Review, Public Administ ...
in 2012 to construct the HOEM residence on Jarvis Street. However, as opposed to the university's other residences, the HOEM residence is not owned and operated by the university.[ ]O'Keefe House
O'Keefe House is the former mansion of businessman Eugene O'Keefe, which served as a residence for Toronto Metropolitan University. It is located at 137 Bond Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building was a student residence from 1964 to 201 ...
was also another student residence operated by the university prior to the opening of the HOEM residence in 2018. O'Keefe House was repurposed for other university uses after the HOEM residence was opened in 2018.[
Dining services are also provided by the university, although the number of dining facilities remains limited when compared to other Canadian post-secondary institutions given the campus' location in downtown Toronto; with an estimated 275 food service providers situated within a five-minute walk of the campus in 2017.
Toronto Metropolitan University's Student Campus Centre serves as the centre of student governance and student directed cultural, social, and recreational activities.] The Student Campus Centre contains the offices of a number of student organizations, including the Toronto Metropolitan Students' Union, ''The Eyeopener
''The Eyeopener'' is one of two weekly student newspapers at Toronto Metropolitan University. It has a circulation of 10,000 copies per week during the school year.
''The Eyeopener'' is published by Rye Eye Publishing Inc., owned by the studen ...
'' student newspaper
A student publication is a media outlet such as a newspaper, magazine, television show, or radio station produced by students at an educational institution. These publications typically cover local and school-related news, but they may also repor ...
, and other student groups.[ In addition to office space, the centre also houses student lounges, study areas and computer labs, and restaurants.][ The building is operated by the Palin Foundation, an organization whose governing structure is made up of elected representatives from the Toronto Metropolitan University Students' Union, and the Continuing Education Students' Association at the university.][
]
Off-campus facilities
The Toronto Metropolitan University Aerospace Engineering Centre is a research centre situated within a repurposed helicopter manufacturing facility at Downsview Park. Opened in 2018, the centre was formed in partnership between the university's Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, Bombardier, and the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research Consortium (DAIR). The centre provides a collaborative research environment for the university's faculty and graduate students with its industry partners.[ The centre forms a part of DAIR's larger research and development park.][ The university's varsity soccer program also makes use of sports facilities at Downsview Park.
In 2018, the university announced plans to open a new campus in the neighbouring municipality of ]Brampton
Brampton ( or ) is a city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Brampton is a city in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a List of municipalities in Ontario#Lower-tier municipalities, lower-tier municipalit ...
, in partnership with Sheridan College, in 2022. The provincial government allocated approximately $90 million in order to fund the development of the campus. However, provincial funding for the project was later withdrawn in October 2018 by a new provincial government, effectively cancelling the planned development. In 2022, the university announced plans to open a medical school in Brampton as soon as 2025.
Sustainability
The university's Facilities Management and Development maintains a sustainability office that is charged with implementing green initiatives and sustainable operating practices throughout the university's facilities. The university is a signatory of the Talloires Declaration {{Short description, Declaration for sustainability
The Talloires Declaration is a declaration for sustainability, created for and by presidents of institutions of higher learning. Jean Mayer, Tufts University president, convened a conference of 22 ...
, a declaration for sustainability created for presidents of post-secondary institutions around the world. In 2009, the university, along with the other members from the Council of Ontario Universities, signed a pledge known as ''Ontario Universities Committed to a Greener World'', with the objective of transforming its campus into a model of environmental responsibility.
Administration
The university operates under a bicameral system with a board of governors and a senate empowered by provincial legislation, the ''Toronto Metropolitan University Act''.[ The university's board of governors is charged with the management of university's affairs, including assets and property, as well as revenues.][ The board of governors has 24 members, including the university chancellor, the university president, three members elected by the university's alumni, three members elected by the university's teaching faculty, three members elected by the student body, and two members elected by administrative staff. The other eleven members of the board of governors are appointed, nine of whom by the provincial Lieutenant Governor-in-Council.][
The senate is responsible for the educational policies of the university.][ The senate is made up of 52 elected representatives of the university community, including its faculty, student body, and alumni.][ Additionally, the chancellor, president, vice-presidents, deans, the chief librarian, and university registrar are also considered members of the senate.][
The ]chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
serves as the titular head of the university, and is primarily charged with the conferment of degrees, as well as honorary degrees from the institution.[ The chancellor of the university is appointed by the board of governors on a three-year term;][ with the current chancellor, Janice Fukakusa, having been appointed in October 2018.][ The board of governors is also empowered to appoint a university president; who serves as the chief executive officer of the university and acts on behalf of the board with respects to operational management and control of the university.][ The president is the chair of the senate and a member of the board of governors by virtue of their office.][ Additionally, the president also serves as the vice-chancellor of the university, assuming the duties of the chancellor in the event they are unable to, or when the office is vacant.][ Mohamed Lachemi is the current president of the university, having been appointed in September 2016.]
Finances
Toronto Metropolitan University is a publicly funded university. The university completed the 2019–2020 academic year with $833.17 million of revenue, and $854.7 million in expenses.[ Government grants make up the largest source of revenue for the university, followed by student fees and tuition.][ Salaries make up more than half of the university's expenses at $515.7 million.][ As of April 2020, the university's endowment is valued at $136.285 million.][
]
Academics
The university's academic year functions on a three-term system, fall, winter, and spring/summer. The university's academic programs are administered by seven faculties, the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Community Services, the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science, the Faculty of Science, The Creative School, the Lincoln Alexander School of Law and the Ted Rogers School of Management; the latter academic division serving as the university's business school
A business school is a university-level institution that confers degrees in business administration or management. A business school may also be referred to as school of management, management school, school of business administration, o ...
. The Lincoln Alexander School of Law is the newest academic faculty formed at the university, having taken its first cohort of students in September 2020.
Most faculties are further organized into smaller departments and schools.[ The Faculty of Arts is made up of ten humanities and social science departments. The Creative School is an academic division made up of nine schools focused on media, design, and creative industries; including the RTA School of Media. The Faculty of Science is composed of four departments.
Graduate programs are coordinated by the Yeates School of Graduate Studies.][ Toronto Metropolitan University also jointly administers several academic programs with two other post-secondary institutions based in Greater Toronto, Sheridan College and ]York University
York University (french: Université York), also known as YorkU or simply YU, is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's fourth-largest university, and it has approximately 55,700 students, 7,0 ...
. Continuing education
Continuing education (similar to further education in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland) is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United ...
at the university is managed by the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education
The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is the school responsible for continuing education within Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto.
The school is named for the late G. Raymond Chang, OC, third Chancellor of Toronto Metr ...
; which offered over 400 courses as of February 2021.
The university's has 909 full-time faculty members during the 2019–20 academic year. In the same year, the university had an enrolment of 28,800 full-time undergraduate students, and 2,600 full-time graduate students. In the 2019–20 academic year, the university also saw 5,951 people enrol in a G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education course; more than half of which were degree-credit course.[
In 2018, the university conferred 7,199 bachelor's degrees, 1,084 master's degrees, and 75 doctoral degrees. More than a quarter of the bachelor's degrees awarded that year were conferred to students in business and commerce programs. The majority of master's and doctoral degrees conferred by the university in 2018 were to students in engineering or social science-related programs. The graduation rate for students that entered the university in 2011 is 74.2 per cent.
The university holds membership in a number of national and international post-secondary organizations, such as Universities Canada and the ]International Association of Universities
The International Association of Universities (IAU) is a membership-led non-governmental organization working in the field of higher education. It comprises more than 600 higher education institutions and organizations in over 130 countries. IAU ...
. The university's business school is also accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, also known as AACSB International, is an American professional organization. It was founded as the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business in 1916 to provide accreditation to ...
.
Reputation
In ''Maclean's
''Maclean's'', founded in 1905, is a Canadian news magazine reporting on Canadian issues such as politics, pop culture, and current events. Its founder, publisher John Bayne Maclean, established the magazine to provide a uniquely Canadian perspe ...
'' 2023 Canadian university rankings, the university was ranked eighth in the magazine's comprehensive university category, tied with the University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick (UNB) is a public university with two primary campuses in Fredericton and Saint John, New Brunswick. It is the oldest English-language university in Canada, and among the oldest public universities in North Americ ...
; and 19th in its reputational survey. The university has also placed in several global university rankings. In the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities
The ''Academic Ranking of World Universities'' (''ARWU''), also known as the Shanghai Ranking, is one of the annual publications of world university rankings. The league table was originally compiled and issued by Shanghai Jiao Tong University ...
, the university ranked 901–1000 in the world. The 2023 QS World University Rankings
''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for the ...
ranked the university 801–1000 in the world. The 2023 Times Higher Education World University Rankings
The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' (often referred to as the THE Rankings) is an annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' (THE) magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarelli ...
placed the university 801–1000 in the world. In the '' U.S. News & World Report'' 2022–23 ranking, the university placed 1,452 in the world.
The university also placed in rankings that evaluated the employment prospect of graduates. In the ''Times Higher Educations 2022 global employability ranking, Toronto Metropolitan University placed 192nd in the world, and tenth in Canada.
Research
The university engages in a number of scholarly research activities. As of February 2021, there were 37 research centres and institutes operated by the university and its faculties. In the 2018–19 year, the university published 1,369 academic publications, and formed over 303 research funding partnerships.
During the 2018-19 year, Toronto Metropolitan University's allocation of Canada Research Chair
Canada Research Chair (CRC) is a title given to certain Canadian university research professors by the Canada Research Chairs Program.
Program goals
The Canada Research Chair program was established in 2000 as a part of the Government of Canada ...
s was 23, with the university receiving $17.1 million from the Tri-Council for research support; most of which was provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC; french: Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada, CRSNG) is the major federal agency responsible for funding natural sciences and engineering rese ...
. The university also managed to raise $49.6 million for research support from various levels of government. In the same year, the university managed to raise $13.2 million for research support from various related industries and non-governmental sources.
In 2020, Research Infosource ranked Toronto Metropolitan University 23rd out of 50 Canadian research universities; with the university having a sponsored research income of $79.574 million during the 2019 fiscal year. In the same year, the university's faculty averaged a sponsored research income of $95,200, while graduate students averaged a sponsored research income of $28,900 in 2019.[ Toronto Metropolitan University's research performance has also been noted in several ]bibliometric
Bibliometrics is the use of statistical methods to analyse books, articles and other publications, especially in regard with scientific contents. Bibliometric methods are frequently used in the field of library and information science. Bibliom ...
rankings that use citation analysis to evaluate the impact
Impact may refer to:
* Impact (mechanics), a high force or shock (mechanics) over a short time period
* Impact, Texas, a town in Taylor County, Texas, US
Science and technology
* Impact crater, a meteor crater caused by an impact event
* Impact ...
a university has in the academic field. In the University Ranking by Academic Performance 2020–21 rankings, the university placed 737th out of 3000 universities.
Notable research projects and endeavours associated with the university includes hitchBOT
hitchBOT was a Canadian hitchhiking robot created by professors David Harris Smith of McMaster University and Frauke Zeller of Ryerson University in 2013. It gained international attention for successfully hitchhiking across Canada, Germany and t ...
, a hitchhiking
Hitchhiking (also known as thumbing, autostop or hitching) is a means of transportation that is gained by asking individuals, usually strangers, for a ride in their car or other vehicle. The ride is usually, but not always, free.
Nomads hav ...
robot created by university faculty member, Frauke Zeller, and David Smith of McMaster University. HitchBOT formed a part of the larger Smart Robots for Health Communication project, a joint research initiative between the two universities to study social robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-to-robot interactions; especially in a clinical environment.
Business incubator
The university operates a business incubator
Business incubator is an organization that helps startup companies and individual entrepreneurs to develop their businesses by providing a fullscale range of services starting with management training and office space and ending with venture ca ...
for early-stage technology start-ups called The DMZ. The incubator assists start-ups by connecting them with investors and researchers, as well as provide them access to mentors from industry-related experts. The business incubator was established in 2010 as the Digital Media Zone, before changing its name to DMZ. As of 2019, the DMZ has assisted approximately 400 start-ups and raised over $625 million in funds since 2010.[ As of 2019, there were 72 start-ups developing at the DMZ.][ Notable start-ups supported by the DMZ includes ]500px
500px (pronounced "five hundred pixels") is a global online photo-sharing platform that is a subsidiary of Visual China Group. It is based in Toronto, Canada. It was co-founded by Oleg Gutsol and Evgeny Tchebotarev on October 31, 2009.
History
E ...
.[ In 2018, UBI Global named The DMZ as the world's best university-based business incubator.][
]
Admissions
The requirements for admission differ between students from Ontario, students from other provinces in Canada, and students based outside of Canada, due to the lack of uniformity in marking schemes. In addition to academic records, the university requires applicants whose first language
A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...
is not English to present proof that they are proficient in the language. The mean secondary school average for a newly admitted students from an Ontario-based secondary school institution in the 2018–19 academic year was 85.4 per cent.[
In the beginning of the 2019–20 academic year, the university saw 81.9 per cent of its students continue in the same program after their first year of study at the institution; although these figures vary depending on the faculty and program.] The retention rate for the university's first-time, full-time first-year students in any program was 88 per cent.[
]
Student life
In the 2019–20 academic year, the university's student body included 44,400 full-time and part-time undergraduate students, and 2,950 full-time and part-time graduate students. The student body is primarily made up of Canadians, with over 93 per cent of the student body originating from Canada.[ Nearly 80 per cent of undergraduate students originated from the ]Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area, commonly referred to as the GTA, includes the City of Toronto and the regional municipalities of Durham, Halton, Peel, and York. In total, the region contains 25 urban, suburban, and rural municipalities. The Greater T ...
.
According to a survey conducted in 2015, approximately 54 per cent of Toronto Metropolitan University's students travelled to the campus using local transit systems like the Toronto Transit Commission. Approximately 23 per cent of students travelled to campus using GO Transit
GO Transit is a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, Canada. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto, GO Transit's green-and-white trains and buses serve a population of more than seven millio ...
, 14 per cent walked, and the remaining 5 per cent biked.
Organizations
The university full-time undergraduate population is represented by the Toronto Metropolitan Students' Union (TMSU); whereas the university's graduate student body is represented by the Toronto Metropolitan Graduate Students' Union. Part-time students, students taking distance education programs, and students of the G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education are represented by the Continuing Education Students’ Association of X University. All three student union
A students' union, also known by many other names, is a student organization present in many colleges, universities, and high schools. In higher education, the students' union is often accorded its own building on the campus, dedicated to social, ...
organizations are members of the Canadian Federation of Students
The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) is the largest student organization in Canada, representing over 530,000 students from across Canada. Formed in 1981, the stated goal of the Federation is to represent the collective voice of Canadian st ...
. Funds for RSU operations is collected from students through the university. Services provided by the RSU includes academic advocacy, legal services, and medical insurance.
There exist several academic societies that fulfills the needs of student engagement, professional development, mental health, and student life, including the Ted Rogers Students' Society; the Faculty of Community Services Society; the Society of The Creative School; the Metropolitan Undergraduate Engineering Society; the Architectural Science Student Society; the Society of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, Undergraduate Science Society of Toronto Metropolitan; and the Lincoln Alexander Law Students' Society. All student societies are incorporated within the university, and their retrospective Dean's Offices. All the faculty student societies plan their faculty's frosh week
Student orientation or new student orientation (often encapsulated into an orientation week, o-week, frosh week, welcome week or freshers' week) is a period before the start of an academic year at a university or tertiary institutions. A variety ...
s and other events.
Most academic program at Toronto Metropolitan University has a course union that are third party to the university, and funded by the RSU. A number of cultural, social, and recreational social groups are also accredited by the RSU. Formally, fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America.
Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradu ...
are not recognized by the university, or accredited as student organizations by the university's student unions. Fraternities and sororities are not accredited by the RSU given the union's requirement for accredited groups to have inclusive membership, and for them to be free of organizational levies. However, several fraternities and sororities operate in an unofficial capacity at Toronto Metropolitan University; with 10 fraternities and sororities operating as of 2016. Some of these fraternities and sororities operate as city-wide chapters, whose membership is open to various post-secondary student bodies throughout Toronto.
Media
There exists several student-operated media outlets at the university, including student newspaper
A student publication is a media outlet such as a newspaper, magazine, television show, or radio station produced by students at an educational institution. These publications typically cover local and school-related news, but they may also repor ...
s and a campus radio
Campus radio (also known as college radio, university radio or student radio) is a type of radio station that is run by the students of a college, university or other educational institution. Programming may be exclusively created or produce ...
station. CJRU, also known as Ryerson Radio, has served as a non-profit campus and community radio station for Toronto Metropolitan University since 2016. CJRU serves as the successor to CJRT-FM
CJRT-FM (91.1 MHz) is a Canadian public radio station and charitable arts organization in Toronto, Ontario, known as JAZZ.FM91. The studios are on Pardee Avenue in the Liberty Village neighbourhood of Toronto. The station describes itself as Can ...
and CKLN-FM, two public radio stations formerly operated by the university.
''The Eyeopener
''The Eyeopener'' is one of two weekly student newspapers at Toronto Metropolitan University. It has a circulation of 10,000 copies per week during the school year.
''The Eyeopener'' is published by Rye Eye Publishing Inc., owned by the studen ...
'' is a student newspaper that has operated at the university since 1967; initially established by students of the RTA School of Media. The newspaper is operated by Rye Eye Publishing, a student-owned non-profit corporation.[ The newspaper's operations is funded through levies paid for by the university's student body.][ Students of the School of Journalism also publishes a journal and newspaper, the '' Review of Journalism'', and '' On the Record''; both publications are staffed by School of Journalism students in their final year.] Additionally, ''On the Record'' also produces a newscast known as OTR TV.[ The ''Review of Journalism'' was established by the School of Journalism in 1984 and probes the quality of journalism in Canada.][
]
Athletics
The university's sports teams are known as TMU Bold, and participates in U Sports
U Sports (stylized as U SPORTS) is the national sport governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree-granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is the Ca ...
' Ontario University Athletics conference for most varsity sports. Varsity team
In most English-speaking countries, varsity is an abbreviation of the word ''university''. In the United States and Canada, the term is mostly used in relation to sports teams.
Varsity in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, varsity team ...
s includes badminton, basketball, fencing, figure skating, ice hockey, soccer, and volleyball. The university's athletic department also maintains several other sports clubs for baseball, crickets, cross country, curling, dragon boat, esports, rugby, table tennis, track and field, ultimate frisbee, and wrestling. The university fielded its first sport teams in 1948, shortly after the institution was established.
The university operates three athletic facilities in and around its campus, the Recreation and Athletic Centre, Kerr Hall Gymnasium/West, and the Mattamy Athletic Centre. The Recreation and Athletic Centre serves as the central hub for the university's athletics department, with the facility housing a fitness centre, gymnasiums, a indoor track, a pool, and squash courts. Kerr Hall Gymnasium is another athletic facility on campus that includes two gymnasiums. The Mattamy Athletic Centre
Maple Leaf Gardens is a historic building located at the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building was initially constructed in 1931 as an arena to host ice hockey games, though it has sinc ...
is an athletic centre that forms the upper portions of Maple Leaf Gardens. The Mattamy Athletic Centre includes a cardio room, a court for basketball and volleyball, an ice-hockey rink, a fitness centre, and dance studio.[ Toronto Metropolitan University's varsity clubs and athletics programs primarily play their games at Mattamy Athletic Centre, or Kerr Hall Gymnasium; although the university's varsity soccer program is based at Downsview Park.
The university's athletics program adopted its first mascot in 1961, when students from the Student Administrative Council purchased a live ram and decorated him with pendants for an ice hockey game. A total of five live ram mascots were used from 1961 to 1991.][ A costumed mascot was introduced during the 1980s, and became the university's athletic teams' only mascot after use of a live mascot ended in 1991.][ The ram mascot, was named ''Egerton the Ram'' or ''Eggy the Ram'', after the school's namesake.] The mascot was changed to a falcon in 2022, coinciding with the varsity teams' name change from the Ryerson Rams to the TMU Bold.
Insignias and other representations
When the university was initially founded, a crest was used to identify the school.[ In addition to the original crest, the university also had a seal that was used on university documents and its yearbooks, although its design drew criticism.][ The crest was later replaced by an official coat of arms, granted by the ]College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...
, in 1966.[ In addition to the coat of arms, the university also uses a logo that includes the official colours of the university, ]azure
Azure may refer to:
Colour
* Azure (color), a hue of blue
** Azure (heraldry)
** Shades of azure, shades and variations
Arts and media
* ''Azure'' (Art Farmer and Fritz Pauer album), 1987
* Azure (Gary Peacock and Marilyn Crispell album), 2013
...
and gold; with azure intended to represent loyalty and truth, and gold representing generosity and elevation of the mind.
The university also has an official seal to authenticate documents. A new seal was introduced in 2022, and features the Student Learning Centre in its centre. The seal was designed by a Ted Rogers School of Management student, who entered the design in a student competition.
Motto and song
The university's Latin motto that appears on the coat of arms, ''Mente et Artificio'', translates to "With Mind and Skill".[ The motto was derived from the Latin motto used by MIT, ''Mente et Manu'', which translates to "With Mind and Hand".][ MIT's motto was adopted as Toronto Met's first motto, with the latter's first principal having modelled his institution after the former.][ However, the motto was changed to its present form in 1950.][
The university also has a song called ''The School Song''. Created during the 1950s, the lyrics for the school song were drafted by Rennie Charles, while the music was composed by Al Sauro.
]
Coat of arms
The university was granted a coat of arms by the College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...
in 1966.[ In June 1999, the university's coat of arms were officially registered with the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
Elements used on the coat of arms includes ram/]aries
Aries may refer to:
*Aries (astrology), an astrological sign
*Aries (constellation), a constellation of stars in the zodiac
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Aries'' (album), by Luis Miguel, 1993
* ''Aries'' (EP), by Alice Chater, 2020
* "Aries" ...
supporter
In heraldry, supporters, sometimes referred to as ''attendants'', are figures or objects usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up.
Early forms of supporters are found in medieval seals. However, unlike the coro ...
s, representing creative impulses.[ The torches on the ram supporters symbolizing light, education, liberty, and increasing knowledge.][ Elements on the ]escutcheon
Escutcheon may refer to:
* Escutcheon (heraldry), a shield or shield-shaped emblem, displaying a coat of arms
* Escutcheon (furniture), a metal plate that surrounds a keyhole or lock cylinder on a door
* (in medicine) the distribution of pubic ha ...
includes the Lamp of Learning to symbolize intelligence; and a set square on the bottom portion escutcheon to represent construction.[ The coat of arms is officially reserved exclusively for the use of the office of the chancellor and the university president, although its informal use has proliferated to a number of items of other university items, such as jackets and pins.][
]
Notable people
A number of individuals are associated with the university either as alumni, or members of its administration or faculty. As of 2017, there were nearly 170,000 Toronto Metropolitan University alumni worldwide. All graduates of the university are members of the Ryerson University Alumni Association. Alumni and faculty of the university have received a number of academic awards, such as the Commonwealth Scholarship and the Gates Cambridge Scholarship
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation established the Gates Cambridge Scholarships in 2000 with a $210 million donation to support outstanding graduate students' study at the University of Cambridge. The scholarship is one of the most competitiv ...
.
Alumni of Toronto Metropolitan University have assumed notable roles in a wide range of fields and specialties. Alumni that were in prominent positions in business includes Patrick Dovigi
Patrick Dovigi is a Canadian former hockey goaltender, entrepreneur, businessman and founder, president and chief executive officer of Canadian environmental services company, Green For Life Environmental Inc. (GFL). Under Dovigi's leadership, G ...
, founder and CEO of GFL Environmental
GFL Environmental Inc. (also known as Green For Life or GFL) is a waste management company with headquarters in Toronto, Canada. GFL operates in all provinces in Canada, and currently employs more than 8,850 people. The company provides enviro ...
; Tony Gagliano
Tony Gagliano LL.D. (; born June 13, 1958) is a Canadian businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the executive chairman and CEO of St. Joseph Communications, Canada's largest private communications company. St. Joseph is the publisher ...
, chairman and CEO of St. Joseph Communications
St. Joseph Communications is a Canadian communications company based out of Toronto.
It is one of Canada's largest privately owned communications and media companies. The company currently has three divisions:
* The print business - SJC Print
* Th ...
; John Galt, president and CEO of Husky Injection Molding Systems; Isadore Sharp
Isadore "Issy" Sharp, (born October 8, 1931) is a Canadian hotelier and writer. He is founder and chairman of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.
Early life and education
Sharp was born in Toronto, the son of Polish Jewish immigrants. His father, ...
, founder and chairman of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts; Klaus Woerner, founder and CEO of ATS Automation Tooling Systems
ATS Automation Tooling Systems is a Canadian company based in Cambridge, Ontario, that designs and builds factory automation systems. It is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
History
ATS was founded by Klaus Woerner in 1978. Woerner, who imm ...
; and Michal Prywata, co-founder of Phantom Space. A number of alumni have also found success in the arts. Notable actors and actresses that have attended the university includes Nina Dobrev, Mena Massoud
Mena Mansour Massoud ( ar, مينا منصور مسعود; born September 17, 1991) is an Egyptian-born Canadian actor known for starring as the title character in the Disney fantasy film ''Aladdin'' (2019). He also starred as Jared Malik in the C ...
, Eric McCormack, Hannah Simone
Hannah Simone (born 3 August 1980) is a British-Canadian actress, television host, and former VJ and fashion model. She is known for portraying Cece on the Fox sitcom ''New Girl''.
Early life
Simone was born in London to an Indian father and ...
, Nia Vardalos
Antonia Eugenia Vardalos (born September 24, 1962) is a Canadian actress, director, producer and screenwriter. She is best known for starring in and writing the romantic comedy film ''My Big Fat Greek Wedding'' (2002), which garnered her nominati ...
, and Jacqueline MacInnes Wood. Notable alumni in the literary arts includes Louise Penny
Louise Penny is a Canadian author of mystery novels set in the Canadian province of Quebec centred on the work of francophone Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sûreté du Québec. Penny's first career was as a radio broadcaster for the Can ...
and Robert J. Sawyer.
A number of notable individuals have also served as a part of the university's administration or as a member of its faculty. Notable lecturers and professors include David Crombie
David Edward Crombie (born April 24, 1936) is a Canadian former academic and politician who served as the 56th mayor of Toronto from 1972 to 1978. Crombie was elected to Parliament following his tenure as mayor. A member of the Progressive Conse ...
, the Secretary of State for Canada; Jack Layton, the former leader of the official opposition in Canada; and Margaret MacMillan, an academic and historian. G. Raymond Chang, the chairman and president of CI Financial, also served as the chancellor of the university from 2006 to 2012.
See also
* Education in Toronto
* Higher education in Ontario
* List of Canadian universities by endowment
This list of Canadian universities by endowment groups the universities in Canada according to their endowments. As of the end of the 2021/2022 fiscal year, the total value of endowments at Canadian universities was nearly $21 billion. Some uni ...
* List of colleges and universities named after people
Many colleges and universities are named after people. Namesakes include the founder of the institution, financial benefactors, revered religious leaders, notable historical figures, members of royalty, current political leaders, and respected tea ...
* List of universities in Ontario
* Open College (Toronto) Open College was a radio-based university-credit distance education provider based in Toronto, Canada; it primarily served listeners in Ontario.
Founded in 1971, the courses were accredited by Toronto Metropolitan University (then known as Ryerson ...
Notes
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toronto Metropolitan University
1948 establishments in Ontario
Business schools in Canada
Naming controversies
Educational institutions established in 1948
PATH (Toronto)
Universities in Ontario