THE RPPC ARE DEMANDING A REFERENDUM TO BE HELD SO THAT ALL ALUMNI AND STUDENT VOICES CAN BE HEARD

#SaveRyerson

While we support some recommendations, especially those regarding the responsibility to educate, the recommendation to rename our beloved institution does not accurately reflect the opinions of students. First and foremost Egerton Ryerson’s role is inconclusive as stated in the Standing Strong Task Force Report, “...the origins of the Canadian residential school system cannot be traced to a single root” and more importantly that this model long predated Ryerson (Dallaire et al., p.46, 2021). As some may label him as the “architect of indigenous genocide”, his long relationship with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation disproves this notion. Ryerson helped the Mississaugas’ cultivate their agriculture and raise funds for a new school building. Mississauga missionaries and teachers helped children learn to read and write English, Anishinaabemowin primers, and religious texts (Dallaire et al., p.41, 2021). Within 8 months after he arrived at the Credit River Mission Village, he fluently spoke Anishinaabemowin and gained the title of “Cheechock” (previous title of the Chief of the Eagle doodem) in recognition of an alliance between the Mississaugas and Ryerson. Ryerson rightly received this gift and appreciated its significance with him advocating for Kahkewaquonaby’s petition to the Crown in 1838 to confirm the Mississaugas’ legal title to their reserve lands (Dallaire et al., p.42, 2021). He was also a major influence in the very education system that prepared us for university. Ryerson drafted the Common School Act of 1846 leading to the revolutionization of education. Every school was required to have a library, common textbooks, and superintendents within each school district (Robson, 2013). He also fought for the rights of individuals to be educated as a means of improving their standard of living, or as he described it as the “...only effectual remedy for the pernicious and pauperizing system which is at present. Many children are now kept from school on the alleged grounds of parental poverty.” (Hodgins, 1894). Ryerson firmly believed that every child should have the “… right to that education which will fit him for the duties of a useful citizen…” (Putman, 1912), 

We also have major concerns regarding the surveying of students. If the Task Force and university were so concerned about student’s opinions, why not have a referendum where alumni and students could vote on this major issue and come to a conclusive decision? The amount of support for the name change is secluded to a small minority of the community with only 544 out of 8,566 (=6.3%) survey respondents expressing their desire for name change and only 13 out of 115 (≅11%) indigenous respondents supporting the change (Argyle Communications, p.48-49, 2021). Finally, the input of students considering attending Ryerson in the future is excluded from this report. It is safe to assume that many high school students will refrain from applying to an unknown and unrecognizable university.

The change in Ryerson’s iconic name would be a financially costly endeavor, along with having a potentially negative impact on funding and future student applications. Ryerson currently has over 40 buildings, 141 programs, 11 varsity teams, 22 sports clubs, 150 branded apparel, and 200+ student clubs; a push towards name change would be a very costly and time-consuming project (Dunne, 2021). In 2012, the University of Western Ontario changed its name to Western University for a reported cost of $200,000 (Meester, 2012). The Ontario government has said the Ryerson name change will have to come from its own budget, this means students and donors will be paying for a name change instead of improving programs, opportunities, and campus facilities. Many donors have reportedly pulled or are considering pulling their funding as a direct result of name change plans (Lorinc, 2021). In addition to having to issue new diplomas for graduated students, social repercussions can lead to the decrease of student application and interest as the school will lose its iconic name and have the image of instability. 

Furthermore, the Ryerson University degree gets devalued from a name change. International students will no longer be eager to enroll in Ryerson University if it is named X University in fear of being unknown in their home country. High school students will be afraid to join Reconciliation University in fear they will be one step behind for employment in today’s competitive job market. Why choose a university with no legacy name when you can choose a university with a legacy name? Ryerson was once a university that valued all student’s opinions, but sadly it is a university that only appeals to a select few. Why are we ignoring the student population who paid for a Ryerson degree and not an X University degree? Millions of dollars being spent on the name change could be spent in actually improving the value of the degree, such as expanding co-op opportunities, increasing mental health services for all students, and funding faculty to increase the quality of education all students receive at Ryerson University. When will the new name become offensive? When will our buildings be considered problematic and be taken down? You can never be “tolerant” enough. As you can see, the name change is a slippery slope that can create more funding for virtue-signaling rather than real solutions to minority problems. The name change not only ignores the students who stand for Ryerson University, but harms the university financially, socially, and academically, as shown in our report. 

By signing our petition, you are confirming that you stand for the Ryerson University name, preserving Ryerson University's educational legacy, and defending the employability of your degree domestically and internationally.  

Works Cited:

Argyle Communications Inc. (2021) Standing Strong Task Force Appendix B: What we learned. Retrieved 27 August 2021, from https://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/next-chapter/Report/Appendix-B-What-we-learned-Aug-17.pdf            

Dallaire, J., Ellis, C., Walwyn, F., King, T., McMaster, G., Rollwagen, H., Rubman, T., N’Daw, A., Doxtater, M., Kucheran, R., Mock, D., Farnum, C., Spagnuolo, J., Henry, N. (2021) Standing Strong Task Force Report & Recommendations. Retrieved 27 August 2021, from https://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/next-chapter/Report/SSTF-report-and-recommendations-Aug_24_FINAL.pdf

Dunne, J. (2021). Here's how a rebrand of Ryerson University could pay off for the school. Retrieved 27 August 2021, from https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/here-s-how-a-rebrand-of-ryerson-university-could-pay-off-for-the-school-1.6140208 

Hodgins, J. (1894). Documentary History of Education in Upper Canada from 1791 - 1876 (pp. 72-74). Toronto: Warwick Brothers & Rutter.

Lorinc, J. (2021). Ryerson University losing donors as debate over namesake’s residential school legacy rages. Retrieved 27 August 2021, from https://www.thestar.com/business/2021/06/28/ryerson-university-losing-donors-as-debate-concerning-namesakes-residential-school-legacy-rages.html

Mester, I. (2012). Western University Name Change A Hot Topic Among Students And Alumni In Canada. Retrieved 27 August 2021, from https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/01/27/western-university-canada-name-change_n_1237485.html 

Putman, Harold (1912). Egerton Ryerson and Education in Upper Canada. Toronto: W. Briggs.         

Robson, K. (2013). Sociology of Education in Canada (1st ed., pp. 58-59). Toronto: Pearson Canada Inc.