��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

The University of Toronto will mark Remembrance Day across its three campuses on Nov. 11 – including a ceremony on the St. George campus that will commemorate the 100th anniversary of Soldiers’ Tower.

The 44-metre tower, which houses a 51-bell carillon, was erected beside Hart House in 1924 to honour soldiers and members of the ��˾��ֱ�� community who fell in the First World War.

The monument was later expanded to include the names of 1,185 people who fell during either the First or Second World Wars, while the annual Service of Remembrance that takes place at its base honours those who served in both the Great Wars as well as other conflicts.

“The most important aspect of this day is drawing the community together,” says Peter MacLaurin, chair of the Soldier’s Tower committee and a retired lieutenant-colonel in the Canadian Army.

Beginning at 10:25 a.m., the St. George campus service will include carillon recitals before and after the ceremony – and will be followed by a free public reception in the Great Hall of Hart House. The Memorial Room in Soldiers’ Tower will be open until 4 p.m.

Meanwhile, at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough, the community will honour alumni, students, faculty and staff who fell in the First and Second World Wars, as well as other conflicts. The in-person ceremony begins at 10:45 a.m. at The Meeting Place, Science Wing, and features the UTSC Concert Band, Concert Choir & String Orchestra.

At ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga, an in-person ceremony will take place at 10:45 a.m. in front of the Davis Building, near the flagpole. The UTM Indigenous Centre is also hosting a poppy-beading workshop on Nov. 8.

Flags on all three campuses will be flown at half-mast on Nov. 11.

Soldiers’ Tower

The 44-metre tower, erected beside Hart House in 1924, houses a 51-bell carillon (photo by Laura Pedersen)

Between 1923 and 1924, the University of Toronto ��˾��ֱ�� Association raised $397,141 to build a war memorial and establish scholarships to honour community members who served in the Great War – the equivalent of more than $7 million in today’s currency.

The tower’s carillon is played by three different carillonists, who use their hands and feet to play a keyboard that sounds the bells during spring and fall convocations and other special ceremonies, including on Remembrance Day.

The ranks, names and units of those lost to the university in the First World War are etched in stone on the memorial screen. Other features of the monument include the memorial arch and the Garden of Remembrance.

In the Staircase of Honour, stained-glass windows depict men and women who contributed to the war effort.

Portraits of several illustrious graduates are on display in the tower. They include: Lt.-Col. John McCrae, who wrote In Flanders Fields; Maj. Thain MacDowell, who earned the Victoria Cross in the battle of Vimy Ridge, the only member of ��˾��ֱ�� to receive the honour in the Great War; Maj. Fred Tilston, awarded the Victoria Cross for his efforts in Hochwald Forest (Germany), 1945; and the co-discoverers of insulin, Sir Frederick Banting and Charles Best. Both men served in the Canadian Army in the First World War.

In photos: ��˾��ֱ�� graduates celebrate fall convocation 2024

davidlee — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 18:08:02 +0000

In photos: ��˾��ֱ�� graduates celebrate fall convocation 2024

davidlee Tue, 11/05/2024 - 13:08

Cutline

Graduates capture their big day from every angle on ��˾��ֱ��'s Front Campus (photo by Polina Teif)

Topic

Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work

St. George

��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

As the leaves changed colour across the University of Toronto’s three campuses, more than 4,000 members of the Class of 2024 embarked on a new chapter in their lives by crossing the stage inside Convocation Hall.

They were among more than 5,700 ��˾��ֱ�� graduates to receive their ��˾��ֱ�� degrees this fall and among more than 21,500 to graduate this year – many having begun their studies during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are some of the highlights of fall convocation ceremonies as captured by ��˾��ֱ�� photographers:

(photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)

With the autumn leaves providing a burst of colour overhead, graduates gather outside Convocation Hall with their friends and families.

(photo by Shauna Rempel)

Eagle Feather Bearer Kaitlin Phillips, Indigenous student support specialist at ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga, leads the chancellor’s procession into Convocation Hall.

(photo by Polina Teif)

Graduates from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work’s master of social work, Indigenous trauma and resiliency program pose for a group shot on Front Campus.

(photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)

New beginnings: A smiling grad shakes the hand of Wes Hall, who was officially installed as ��˾��ֱ��’s 35th chancellor at the outset of this year’s fall convocation ceremonies.

(photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)

Smartphone-toting friends and family members strain to capture graduates’ big moments inside Convocation Hall.

(photo by Mac Pattanasuttinont)

Eagle Feather Bearer Adrianna Lewis, left, a master’s student in the Faculty of Information, shares a laugh with Sheree Drummond, secretary of ��˾��ֱ��’s Governing Council.

(photo by Marc Alolod)

Proud ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough graduates celebrate their achievement with a photo op outside of Convocation Hall.

(photo by Polina Teif)

A graduating student gets a helping hand in making a heart-shaped gesture following his convocation ceremony.

(photo by Polina Teif)

��˾��ֱ�� convocation celebrations are often family affairs. This joyful embrace, with the tiniest family member joining in, says it all.

For this ��˾��ֱ�� grad from Sri Lanka, giving up was never an option

rahul.kalvapalle — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:08:09 +0000

For this ��˾��ֱ�� grad from Sri Lanka, giving up was never an option

rahul.kalvapalle Tue, 11/05/2024 - 11:08

Cutline

Rashmi de Silva Wijeyeratne graduated with an honours bachelor of science in psychology from ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough after a tumultuous start to her post-secondary education (photo by Don Campbell)

Topic

International Students

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

Rashmi de Silva Wijeyeratne spent three years pursuing an illegitimate degree in Sri Lanka, before starting over at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

Rashmi de Silva Wijeyeratne was only two months away from completing an undergraduate program in Sri Lanka when she found out that the degree she’d spent years working towards wasn’t accredited.

Wijeyeratne had studied at an institution affiliated with a British university and was told that she would earn a degree from that university – but when she visited the U.K. and toured the campus, she found out that wasn’t the case.

A devastated Wijeyeratne dropped out of the program, but soon turned her energy towards starting over with her undergraduate studies, applying to the University of Toronto Scarborough’s Arts & Science Co-op program.

On Oct. 29, eight years after she first set out in pursuit of post-secondary education in Sri Lanka, Wijeyeratne crossed the stage at Convocation Hall, graduating with an honours bachelor of science in psychology.

“A lot of people ask me, ‘How did you restart?’ I think so many of us are capable of so much more in terms of resilience,” said Wijeyeratne, now 27. “When we are faced with a situation, you don't just give up, you want to fight, you want to try again.

“It was hard, but I didn't see giving up as an option.”

It’s an ethos that Wijeyeratne espoused throughout her time at ��˾��ֱ��. Although the setback in Sri Lanka was behind here when she arrived in Canada, there were more challenges lying in wait.

Starting her ��˾��ֱ�� studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, Wijeyeratne had to do the first month of her studies remotely from Sri Lanka. When she finally got to Canada, she spent two weeks in quarantine in a Toronto hotel, and then, right when she was allowed to leave, her grandfather died.

Wijeyeratne had to miss the funeral, as there was no way for her to make it to Sri Lanka on time, and she would have had to quarantine again upon her return to Canada. She couldn’t see her family for two years due to ever-changing travel restrictions and the fear of being trapped outside of Canada.

Despite being alone in Canada, Wijeyeratne threw herself into academics as well as extra-curricular opportunities, albeit on her computer screen. Once vaccines became available and restrictions eased, she got to work reviving multiple campus groups, including as vice-president and, eventually, president of the UTSC Glee Club. She was also finally able to welcome her parents to Canada.

A self-described arts kid – she hails from a family of prominent performers in Sri Lanka’s musical theatre scene - Wijeyeratne nevertheless developed a love of biology, clinical medicine and health care at ��˾��ֱ��.

An avid musician, Wijeyeratne hails from a family of musical theatre performers in Sri Lanka (supplied image)

She volunteered in several labs and completed a co-op placement at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in the lab of senior scientist Jeffrey Meyer, a professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine’s department of psychiatry. Her work led to her being listed as a co-author in the first study to find a natural supplement that reduces post-partum depression.

She also completed a work-study position as a research assistant in the TEMPO Lab, headed by Assistant Professor Laura Cirelli – who also supervised her undergraduate thesis – and went on to work as a lab coordinator there. The lab combines several of Wijeyeratne’s interests: it’s dedicated to investigating the psychological impact that music has on babies and children.

With Cirelli’s encouragement, Wijeyeratne presented her thesis – an investigation into how grandparents connect with their grandchildren over Zoom – at the Society for Music Perception and Cognition conference in Banff, Alta. in July.

“One of the most rewarding parts of being a professor at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough is working with and getting to know passionate students like Rashmi,” Cirelli says. “It was especially inspiring to see Rashmi shine at the conference this summer. She presented with clarity and pride.”

For her part, Wijeyeratne says being a member of the TEMPO Lab and getting mentored by Cirelli was “life-changing.”

Outside the research realm, Wijeyeratne also found time to pick up hands-on skills, working her way up ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough’s Emergency Medical Response Group to become a trained emergency first responder.

She's now looking forward to her next chapter: working as a research analyst in CAMH’s emergency department starting in November.

“It's been such a non-traditional trajectory towards getting here,” Wijeyeratne says. “But my proudest achievement is being able to make my family proud. I’m so grateful for their love and support and I would not be where I am without them.”

Missing a deadline has a bigger impact than you might think: Study

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 15:22:40 +0000

Missing a deadline has a bigger impact than you might think: Study

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 11/04/2024 - 10:22

Cutline

(photo by Envato Elements)

Alexa Battler

Topic

Breaking Research

Research & Innovation

Rotman School of Management

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

Subheadline

People who were told work was submitted late considered it to be of lower quality than the same work submitted early or on time

Missing a deadline has more complex consequences than you might think.

Researchers at the University of Toronto found that if you submit a piece of work late, people will think it’s lower in quality than if you were to submit the exact same work on time or early.

This is because missing a deadline can prompt others view you as less competent – and therefore your work must also be lacking, according to the study.

“All the research that we could find looked at how deadlines impact the minds and actions of workers,” says study co-author Sam Maglio, a professor of marketing in the department of management at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough and the Rotman School of Management.

“We wanted to know how a deadline impacts the minds and actions of others when they look at those workers.”

Researchers surveyed thousands of people in the U.S. and U.K. across 18 experiments and studies, including managers, executives, human resources personnel and others whose jobs included evaluating others.

They presented participants with the same examples of work, including advertising flyers, art, business proposals, product pitches, photography and news articles – and then asked them to rate it. But first, they mentioned whether it was either submitted early, right at the deadline or late. Respondents who were told it was late consistently rated the work as worse in quality than those who were told the same work was early or on time.

“Everyone saw the exact same art contest entry, school submission or business proposal, but they couldn't help but use their knowledge of when it came in to guide their evaluation of how good it was,” says Maglio, who co-authored the study with alumnus David Fang.

The study, published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, also finds there isn’t much benefit to submitting work early since evaluators tended to rank work submitted before and at the deadline as the same quality, meaning there’s no boost in an evaluator’s opinion of an employee who submits work early.

Late submission made evaluators rate work about as negatively as work that had objective shortcomings in quality such as not meeting a word count. Furthermore, it didn't matter how late the work was submitted. Work submitted one week after the deadline caused both the employee and the work to be viewed just as negatively as work that was one day late. That remained the case if the employee gave their manager advance warning that they would miss the deadline. Even for an employee with a history of getting their work in on time, one missed deadline still damaged their competence and integrity in evaluators’ eyes.

A missed deadline also led evaluators to believe an employee had less integrity, and they reported they’d be less likely to ask that employee to do other tasks in the future. The researchers note this could limit an employee’s opportunities to prove themselves and earn promotions.

However, the reason behind the missed deadline mattered, researchers found. If it was due to forces beyond an employee’s control, such as jury duty, evaluators didn’t end up with as negative a view of the employee or their work as they did when the reason was one within their control. Researchers also found the negative effects weren’t as severe if the deadline or work were framed as not particularly important.

“Communication around deadlines is vital. If it's a hard, and not a soft, deadline, you as the manager should let your employees know. If the reason why you missed the deadline was beyond your control, you as the employee should let your manager know,” Maglio says. “That seems to be one of the few instances in which people cut you a break.”

The results persisted across language, age and culture. A field experiment was conducted in a high school in China that had students grade pieces of art in a staged contest. The art was on a piece of paper that also included the date it was submitted, showing that one version came in after the deadline and the other was in early. Even though the kids were explicitly told to ignore all other details on the paper other than the art itself, the version submitted after the deadline received lower grades.

“That study breaks down the power imbalance that usually characterizes boss-employee relationships. These judging kids didn’t set the deadline. This is a peer-to-peer evaluation. But the effect holds,” Maglio says. “It also makes the broader point that it doesn't really matter who set the deadline. In the eyes of the evaluator, any miss is a meaningful miss.”

Congratulations Class of 2024! ��˾��ֱ�� prepares to celebrate graduates at fall convocation

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 16:02:24 +0000

Congratulations Class of 2024! ��˾��ֱ�� prepares to celebrate graduates at fall convocation Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 10/23/2024 - 12:02

Topic

Subheadline

More than 4,000 students are expected to attend ceremonies in Convocation Hall between Oct. 28 and Nov. 1 - while more than 5,000 students are expected to graduate in total

The autumn air at the University of Toronto is filled with excitement as students prepare to don hoods and gowns to cross the stage at Convocation Hall, marking the end of an academic journey and beginning of a new chapter.

Between Oct. 28 and Nov. 1, more than 5,700 students will graduate from ��˾��ֱ��, with more than 4,000 of them expected to cross the stage at Convocation Hall during 10 scheduled ceremonies.

Students graduating this fall represent 77 countries, including Canada, and range in age from 18 to 77. By the conclusion of the final ceremony, more than 21,500 students from across ��˾��ֱ��’s three campuses will have graduated this year – and most of them began their studies just as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold.

“On behalf of the University of Toronto, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the members of the Class of 2024,” said ��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler. “You have persevered in the face of an extraordinary challenge – and the strength, creativity and determination you have shown in your pursuit of excellence have inspired all of us.”

Throughout this week, staff and faculty will be putting the final touches on preparations, checking the printed parchments and placing them into envelopes, and readying Convocation Hall for the arrival of graduating students and their guests – up to two family members or friends per student. The convocation readers, meanwhile, will be practising and preparing to read aloud the names of each student who crosses the stage.

Fall convocation kicks off with the Faculty of Arts & Science on Oct. 28, with the installation of the new chancellor – Wes Hall. At the morning ceremony on Nov. 1, students from the School of Graduate Studies, the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, and the Faculty of Arts & Science will be joined by honorary degree recipient Jane Corkin, an internationally renowned gallerist.

The ceremonies wrap up on Nov. 1 with ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga students the last to cross the stage, for what will mark the final convocation ceremony for John Tuttle, who is retiring after serving as the official organist for the university for 45 years.

All ceremonies will be livestreamed throughout the week on ��˾��ֱ��’s Convocation Hub with archived versions of each ceremony available for later viewing. Viewers in mainland China can watch the broadcasts on MyMedia a day or two after the original ceremony date.

The ceremonies will feature numerous traditions, some dating back more than a century. They include colourful hoods and flowing gowns, a bedel carrying ��˾��ֱ��’s gold-plated mace, a 51-bell carillon ringing out from atop Soldiers’ Tower, and the chancellor’s procession.

The procession will be led by an Eagle Feather Bearer carrying a ceremonial Eagle Feather – a tradition that symbolizes the university’s deep respect for Indigenous Peoples and cultural traditions and was first introduced to ��˾��ֱ��’s convocation ceremonies in spring 2022.

The beaded stole worn by the Eagle Feather Bearer, which symbolizes the enduring partnership between the university and Indigenous Peoples, made its inaugural appearance in convocation ceremonies this past spring.

Throughout the week, the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation and Entrepreneurship will serve as the main hub for students before the ceremonies, with graduands collecting their gown and hood from the lobby of the building. At ��˾��ֱ�� Plaza outside Convocation Hall, there will be designated gathering spaces for graduates and their guests, as well as pin giveaways and contest draws. Diploma and portrait framing services and a photobooth will be available at the ��˾��ֱ�� Bookstore. More information is available in a list of FAQs on the Convocation Hub.

Chancellor Hall expressed his enthusiasm at presiding over convocation for the first time in his new role.

“I’m excited to confer the degrees and to see the joy on the graduates’ faces as they cross the stage,” he said. “It’s a tremendous honour and privilege.

“On behalf of the university community, I want to congratulate each and every member of the Class of 2024 for achieving this important milestone. I’m immensely proud and I can’t wait to see what they will accomplish in their lives and careers.”

'Labour of love': ��˾��ֱ�� prof takes multifaceted approach to exploring Black history in Canada

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:57:15 +0000

'Labour of love': ��˾��ֱ�� prof takes multifaceted approach to exploring Black history in Canada

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 10/04/2024 - 11:57

Cutline

Afua Cooper, a ��˾��ֱ�� alumna and professor in ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough’s department of historical and cultural studies, is an expert on Black Canadian slavery and Black Canadian studies (supplied image)

Topic

Subheadline

Afua Cooper, an expert on Black Canadian slavery and Black Canadian studies, recently joined ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

Afua Cooper still vividly recalls being a recent immigrant to Canada in the 1980s and considering waitressing jobs at local restaurants in Toronto.

“You would walk into a place looking for work, and they wouldn’t even try to hide it,” she says. “The woman just looked at me and said, ‘I'm sorry, but we just don't want Jamaicans. You’re not the kind of people we want to hire.’”

During that time – and even today – Canada was considered by many to be what Cooper describes as “post-racial-nice,” having avoided the same depth and lasting racism found across the United States.

But the reality was often very different.

“These things still happened here – not that long ago and even today – though the language has changed so the actions don’t appear nearly as racist,” says Cooper, an expert on Black Canadian slavery and Black Canadian studies who recently joined the department of historical and cultural studies at the University of Toronto Scarborough as a professor.

Cooper was raised in the Whithorn district of Westmoreland, Jamaica, in the post-independence era. Her parents, by comparison, had grown up under British colonialism.

“I guess the people at the Ministry of Education decided that little Black children should learn about themselves,” says Cooper, who later became a founding member of an African Studies Club at Camperdown High School in East Kingston. “So, I thankfully grew up with a strong notion of who I was.”

By late 1980, having migrated to Toronto to pursue higher education, Cooper was fully dedicated to exploring history and the African diaspora as a ��˾��ֱ�� undergraduate student – a time when the concept of Black studies was rare on Canadian university campuses.

"When I was a student, the university resisted Black-focused curricula, and hiring Black faculty therefore felt superficial,” says Cooper. “Now, with the Black Research Network, Black faculty caucus, and dedicated programs for Black students, the commitment to diversity feels genuine – and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Cooper, a scholar fluent in different mediums, is an award-winning author who has published 13 books spanning genres that include history, poetry, children’s literature and fiction.

Cooper likens her educational approach to making gumbo: “I put everything into it – though as a vegan, it’s strictly plant-based – representing the Black diaspora,” she says. “Teaching isn’t a single trajectory, it’s about sharing the joys of Black culture and the multifaceted nature of our struggles.”

For example, in 2021 Cooper led a three-year project, A Black People’s History of Canada, that received over $1 million in grant funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage. The aim is to cover Black Canadian history from 1604 onward with the help of 13 researchers who have catalogued records across Canada, from British Columbia to Newfoundland.

"Teachers often say, 'I'd like to teach Black history, but I can't find anything,' which is frustrating," says Cooper. "Now there are no excuses; we're writing curricula and guides with school boards, and we've partnered with government agencies responsible for education. It’s been a true labour of love."

For Cooper, returning to ��˾��ֱ�� is as much an opportunity to share her work with like-minded visionaries as it is a homecoming.

“I went into labour twice at Robarts library, once with each of my daughters,” she says with a laugh.

“They both spent a lot of time there when they were younger, so I’m thrilled to be back to showcase a history of African and Black people that has been so trampled upon and denied. For me, this is my purpose – to restore and share that history.”

��˾��ֱ�� community commemorates Orange Shirt Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

mattimar — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 15:32:22 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� community commemorates Orange Shirt Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

mattimar Mon, 09/30/2024 - 11:32

Cutline

Attendees wear orange shirts during a ��˾��ֱ�� tri-campus event, held at Hart House, to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (photo by Polina Teif)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Subheadline

“Reconciliation cannot be an afterthought”

Shirley Cheechoo doesn’t want to be recognized as a residential school survivor, a term commonly used to describe Indigenous Peoples who were subjected to Canada’s horrific residential school system.

“We should be identified as residential school warriors,” said the Cree actor, artist, filmmaker and founder of Weengushk Film Institute.

“Calling us warriors, you empower us. You empower our children and you empower communities across the country.”

Shirley Cheechoo, Cree actor, artist, filmmaker and founder of Weengushk Film Institute, shared the horrors and abuse she endured in Canada’s residential school system (photo by Polina Teif)

Cheechoo delivered the keynote address at a University of Toronto event to commemorate Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The tri-campus event, held at Hart House on the St. George campus, was streamed live on YouTube.

She shared the horrors and abuse she endured after being kidnapped from her parents at age six and placed in a residential school. With a long-standing passion for working with young people, Cheechoo encouraged universities like ��˾��ֱ�� to partner with Indigenous leaders to fund and support Indigenous students and youth.

Jay-Daniel Baghbanan, a student at the Faculty of Music and vice-president of student life at the faculty’s undergraduate association, said “Reconciliation cannot be an afterthought” (photo by Polina Teif)

Benji Jacob, a fourth-year psychology student from ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga, introduced Cheechoo at the event, while Jay-Daniel Baghbanan, a student at the Faculty of Music and vice-president of student life at the faculty’s undergraduate association, emphasized the critical nature of the work ahead.

“There are 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. ��˾��ֱ�� has 34 of their own published,” said Baghbanan. “Reconciliation cannot be an afterthought.”

Benji Jacob, a fourth-year psychology student from ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga, was among the speakers at the event (photo by Polina Teif)

Attendees also heard remarks from several ��˾��ֱ�� leaders, including ��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler and William Gough, acting vice-president of ��˾��ֱ�� and acting principal of ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough.

President Gertler, for his part, said the ��˾��ֱ�� community is committed to advancing reconciliation across its three campuses, including by: expanding the presence of Indigenous students, staff, faculty and librarians; incorporating Indigenous content into ��˾��ֱ��’s curriculum; supporting Indigenous research programs; and creating physical spaces that honour Indigenous Peoples’ tradition and histories.

Flags were lowered to half-mast across ��˾��ֱ��’s three campuses on Sept. 30 for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which is formally recognized across Canada.

��˾��ֱ�� community members attend the ceremony in Hart House’s Great Hall while others tuned into the livestream (photo by Polina Teif)

Hart House Warden David Kim thanked ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga student MJ Singleton for designing the orange shirts worn by many at the ��˾��ֱ�� event, which depicts a mother holding hands and walking forward with her two children beneath the words “Every child matters.”

After the ceremony, a sacred fire was held for ��˾��ֱ�� community members at the newly opened Ziibiing, an Indigenous landscape project near Hart House.

��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler and Chancellor Wes Hall deliver remarks to attendees in Hart House’s Great Hall (photo by Polina Teif)

Earlier this month, ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough hosted a reflective walk for reconciliation from the ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough flagpole to the Ma Moosh Ka Win Valley Trail. In addition, Orange Shirt Beading Workshops were held across the three campuses, while ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga live-streamed the Hart House event in the Grand Hall at Maanjiwe nendamowinan.

In his closing remarks at Hart House, ��˾��ֱ�� Chancellor Wes Hall encouraged the audience to continue sharing their stories, no matter how difficult, to ensure we do not repeat the past.

��˾��ֱ�� prepares to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 13:06:56 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� prepares to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 09/27/2024 - 09:06

Cutline

The Survivors' Flag, raised at ��˾��ֱ�� Varsity Stadium on Sept. 20, will be lowered to half-mast on Sept. 30, when the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is observed across Canada (photo by Jill Clark)

Jelena Damjanovic

Melinda Mattos

Topic

Our Community

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Orange Shirt Day

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

The Survivors’ Flag, which honours Indigenous lives and communities impacted by the residential school system in Canada, has been raised across the University of Toronto’s three campuses as the community prepares to mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Sept. 30.

On the St. George campus, the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE), in partnership with First Nations House and the ��˾��ֱ�� Office of Indigenous Initiatives, raised the Survivors’ Flag at Varsity Stadium earlier this month.

It will be lowered to half-mast on Sept. 30 when the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is formally recognized across Canada.

��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga (photo by Julia Le)

Flags have also been raised at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough and ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga.

“Recognizing the painful history of Canada’s residential school system, and the tragic consequences that are still being felt today, is a vital component of the reconciliation process,” said Professor Gretchen Kerr, dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education.

“It’s also a time for settlers to reflect on what they can do to strengthen relationships with Indigenous Peoples in order to build a better future together.”

The ��˾��ֱ�� community is invited to honour the experiences of residential school survivors by joining a tri-campus event being held in the Great Hall at Hart House on Sept. 30 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Participants will have the option to register to attend the event in person or register to watch the live-stream on YouTube.

The event will feature a keynote address by Shirley Cheechoo, Canadian Cree actor, artist, filmmaker and founder of Weengushk Film Institute, who will be introduced by Benji Jacob, a fourth-year psychology student from ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga. There will also be a land acknowledgement by Jay-Daniel Baghbanan, a student at the Faculty of Music and vice-president of student life at the faculty’s undergraduate association, welcoming remarks from David Kim, warden of Hart House and remarks by ��˾��ֱ�� President Meric Gertler and William Gough, acting vice-president of ��˾��ֱ�� and acting principal of ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough. ��˾��ֱ�� Chancellor Wes Hall will deliver closing remarks.

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough (photo by Harry Xu)

While wearing any orange shirt is a show of solidarity, the Office of Indigenous Initiatives has partnered with the ��˾��ֱ�� Bookstore on a limited supply of orange t-shirts that feature an award-winning design by MJ Singleton, an Ojibwe, two-spirit student from Migisi Sahgaigan First Nation who is studying at ��˾��ֱ�� Mississauga. All proceeds from the sale of the shirts will be directed to the Orange Shirt Society.

Members of the ��˾��ֱ�� community are also encouraged to use the Orange Shirt Day virtual background and profile icon, featuring Singleton's design.

Harmony Commons becomes Canada's largest building with passive house certification

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:57:52 +0000

Harmony Commons becomes Canada's largest building with passive house certification

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 09/25/2024 - 12:57

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��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough’s Harmony Commons residence is the largest passive house-certified building in Canada and the largest passive house dormitory in the world (photo by Ruilin Yuan)

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough Staff

Topic

Our Community

Sustainability

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

Subheadline

The 746-bed student residence at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough touted as “an example to the world of what Canada is doing in high-performance buildings”

The Harmony Commons student residence is already turning heads at the University of Toronto Scarborough thanks to its eye-catching design and comfortable living spaces – but its biggest impact may well be in the realm of sustainability.

The building, which first opened its doors to students last year, recently received passive house certification from the Passive House Institute during a recent ceremony on campus. The certification is given to buildings that exhibit exceptional energy efficiency, particularly when it comes to heating and cooling.

Harmony Commons now has the distinction of being the largest passive-certified building in Canada and largest passive house dormitory in the world.

“This is an example to the world of what Canada is doing in high-performance buildings,” said Chris Ballard, president and CEO of Passive House Canada.

“It’s a beacon to institutions and governments around the world that passive house buildings on this scale are doable.”

Harmony Commons received a passive house classic certification during a ceremony on Sept. 18 (photo by Ruilin Yuan)

Passive house construction is generally achieved through an airtight and well-insulated envelope that prevents heat from escaping, allowing buildings with the designation to consume up to 90 per cent less energy compared to conventional structures.

“The responsibility of sustainability falls on everybody,” said Andrew Arifuzzaman, ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough’s chief administration and strategy officer.

“We have expertise in building technologies and systems, but if we’re putting up conventional buildings and not driving innovation, then we’re falling short.

“It became clear that this type of building concept made sense and aligned closely with our values.”

The first group of students moved into the nine-storey, 746-bed residence in September 2023, marking the first dormitory-style residence at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough. In keeping with passive house standards, Harmony Commons is well-ventilated and has better air flow than conventional buildings – with the improved air quality intended to help with sleeping and studying.

One of the building’s key innovations is that heat captured from various systems, including exhaust air from kitchens and showers, is used to heat spaces throughout the structure.

In fact, the building is so efficient that the energy it uses to make more than 3,000 meals each day in its dorms and dining hall is less than that used by two average households.

Designed by Handel Architects, Harmony Commons is also fully electric. Since no fossil fuels are burned in heating and cooling the building, it has extremely low carbon emissions.

Harmony Commons has an airtight and well-insulated envelope that prevents heat from escaping. It's also well-ventilated with improved air flow compared to conventional buildings (photo by Tom Arban)

Patricia Escobar, manager of sustainability at ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough, notes that typical buildings in Toronto rely on fossil-fuel-based heating systems, but Harmony Commons reduces the amount of heat needed to be generated in the first place.

“This results in significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions, which supports our goal of becoming a climate positive campus,” she says.

While passive house certification is mostly attempted for small-scale buildings, applying the concepts to a building as large and complex as a dormitory-style residence came with a unique set of challenges – and opportunities.

Arifuzzaman says that building Harmony Commons effectively “de-risked” future large-scale passive house buildings.

“It shows the industry that this type of project can be done in this market and at this scale. It proves that passive house is an attainable standard for future large-scale developments,” he says.

He adds it also allowed many local people working in the trades to be trained in new construction methods for high-performance, sustainable buildings.

“This was a great opportunity to realize that you can contribute to reducing global climate change impact and still live a great quality of life,” he says.

��˾��ֱ�� receives $25-million gift from Myron and Berna Garron for Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:58:19 +0000

��˾��ֱ�� receives $25-million gift from Myron and Berna Garron for Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 09/23/2024 - 09:58

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(Image supplied)

Advancement Staff

Topic

Our Community

David Palmer

Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Meric Gertler

��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

Subheadline

The donation supports the much-needed training of health professionals in the underserved Scarborough and Eastern GTA region

A $25-million gift from Myron and Berna Garron will contribute significantly to the construction of a new state-of-the-art facility at University of Toronto Scarborough that will house the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH). The gift will also support programming and faculty development – in collaboration with hospital partners such as Scarborough Health Network and Michael Garron Hospital – helping to ensure that SAMIH learners have access to a world-class education right in Scarborough and the Eastern GTA.

The University of Toronto will name the new building the Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, in honour of the Garrons’ exceptional generosity.

“Myron and Berna Garron’s extraordinary benefaction will help us to realize our vision for the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health – to educate health-care professionals from the region, in the region and for the region,” said Meric Gertler, president of ��˾��ֱ��. “On behalf of the University of Toronto, I thank them for their leadership in the advancement of this crucial mission.”

Helping to revitalize the health-care landscape

SAMIH, the first hub for educating health professionals in Scarborough and the Eastern GTA and the only medical school in the region, was established to address the critical shortage of family physicians and specialists in the fast-growing area by training health providers who reflect the community. The training will take place in partnership with local hospitals, primary care centres and community agencies.

Once the program is fully up and running, SAMIH will have 160 medical students and a combined total of 252 physician assistants, physical therapists and nurse practitioners enrolled. Three top-ranked ��˾��ֱ�� faculties – the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy – will expand educational programming to this hub. These students will be based at the new Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, which will also serve as a base for ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough undergraduates studying health sciences.

The Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, currently under construction, will feature an anatomy lab for medical students, two large classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology, a 25-bed clinical skills lab and 10 instructional labs. To provide hands-on learning and serve the community directly, the facility will house three teaching clinics offering public services: a clinical psychology clinic, a nurse practitioner clinic and a satellite of ��˾��ֱ��’s Discovery Pharmacy.

SAMIH medical trainees will undertake clinical rotations at several area hospitals, including Scarborough Health Network, Lakeridge Health, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences and Michael Garron Hospital – named in memory of Myron and Berna Garron’s late son, who was born there and later died of cancer at the age of 13. The Garrons’ $50-million donation in 2015 to what was then Toronto East General Hospital has resulted in remarkable benefits for people in the region.

"We envision SAMIH as closing the circle on providing for total patient care, from educating professionals to delivering care bedside,” said Myron and Berna Garron. “In an era of extensive shortages of vital health practitioners, we are proud to help fill this educational and training gap, especially for the underserved area of Scarborough and the Eastern GTA."

SAMIH is expected to provide numerous benefits for the area. By increasing the number of health providers who will have received ��˾��ֱ��’s top-tier education, SAMIH will help improve access and care for patients who live in the region, extend the availability of various health-care services via its public clinics, provide opportunities for local students from diverse backgrounds to consider becoming a health professional and increase the likelihood of health professionals trained in Scarborough to practice locally.

Furthermore, the partnerships with Scarborough Health Network and Michael Garron Hospital will strengthen research and teaching links between the university and the hospitals.

“This generous investment from Myron and Berna Garron is a commitment to the future of health care; through their support of SAMIH and their partnership with Michael Garron Hospital, they’re enabling knowledge creation and sharing that will benefit our communities locally and more broadly,” said Melanie Kohn, president and CEO of Michael Garron Hospital. “The Garrons’ gift to our hospital will establish our first chair in education, in partnership with the University of Toronto, which will advance our ability to train tomorrow’s outstanding health-care leaders.”

A community of support

SAMIH was made possible by the Government of Ontario’s commitment to fund the expansion of medical education as part of its strategy to address the critical shortage of health professionals in the province.

“On behalf of Premier Doug Ford and our government, I want to thank Myron and Berna Garron for their generous donation to the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health,” said Sylvia Jones, Ontario’s deputy premier and minister of health. “Your support builds on the largest expansion of medical education that our government has undertaken in 15 years, training more doctors in the GTA than ever before to ensure people can access care in their communities for years to come.”

In a further boost for funding the building’s construction, Myron and Berna Garron’s donation triggers $10 million in matching funds from a $25-million gift to SAMIH from Orlando Corporation in 2022.

The five-storey, purpose-built Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex is located at U of T Scarborough at the intersection of Military Trail and Morningside Avenue, across from the Toronto Pan Am Centre, and is expected to open in the fall of 2026.

“This gift speaks to Myron and Berna Garron’s appreciation of how health-care education enables healthy lives – a key priority of Defy Gravity: The Campaign for the University of Toronto,” said David Palmer, vice-president of advancement at ��˾��ֱ��. “We are deeply grateful for this generous donation and the impact it will have on the health of those in Scarborough and the Eastern GTA. The Garron family’s generosity exemplifies how philanthropy can help address inequities and help shape the future of health care in our communities.”

��˾��ֱ�� leaders react

“As home to the Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health, the University of Toronto Scarborough is delighted for this opportunity to increase our impact on the community. SAMIH will attract a diverse pool of local talent and afford graduates the ability to establish their careers in Scarborough and the Eastern GTA – an asset for students with personal ties to the region and for a population in great need of more accessible health care.”

—Linda Johnston, ��˾��ֱ�� vice-president and principal of ��˾��ֱ�� Scarborough

“Building a new health sciences complex to house this region’s first medical academy is a historic undertaking. Creating an academy that is advancing health equity as a key priority is even more exceptional. This is a unique opportunity for Temerty Faculty of Medicine to expand the reach of our world-class programs, innovate teaching models and play a critical role in a pipeline that will infuse the health-care system with a steady stream of much-needed physicians and other health-care professionals.”

—Lisa Robinson, dean, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and vice-provost, relations with health-care institutions

“Thanks to the Garrons’ substantial support of the new Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex, students from the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing will have the opportunity to advance their nursing expertise in a clinic that is embedded within the community. This unique interprofessional environment will ensure graduates of our nurse practitioner program are well-equipped to meet the urgent need for primary health care in the region.”

—Robyn Stremler, dean, Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing

“We’re thrilled that ��˾��ֱ�� pharmacy students will train on rotation at the Discovery Pharmacy within the new Myron and Berna Garron Health Sciences Complex. This additional location offering clinical training in an interdisciplinary setting will be a boon to the profession, given how the scope of practice for pharmacists continues to expand and evolve to better support the people and communities we serve.”

—Lisa Dolovich, dean, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy