Through collections preserved in the Toronto Metropolitan University Archives, we are able to see the history of student organizations and life on campus. These histories allow us to visualize how the University has grown and changed over time, and the major student contributions to campus development. This blog post will highlight some of these major accomplishments present in the exhibit. This blog post accompanies the Student Life and Action in the Archives Exhibit and Research Guide. The exhibit will be up from February 12th until March 31st.
Vacation Anyone?
Ryerson Centre was a charitable organization that was originally founded as part of the Ryerson Institute of Technology Students’ Union in 1948, and branched off from the Union in 1966 when the Union underwent a restructuring, leading to the founding of the Ryerson Students’ Administrative Council (RyeSAC) and Ryerson Centre. Ryerson Centre’s mission was to provide amenities not covered by other educational sources, including Student Services and providing non-academic campus spaces, health services, residences, athletics, and supporting student societies, groups, and committees.
As part of their mission, Ryerson Centre began purchasing property across Ontario to create student and community spaces, including peaceful vacation rentals for students who needed a break from the city. The first property was purchased in 1972, and was entitled the Ryerson Rural Centre. Located in Millbrook, Ontario, the 200 acre property was available for rent for students and the wider campus community for $2 per person per night. Student groups and classes would rent out the farm, with Film and Interior Design courses attending the farm, and student clubs like the Karate Club staying there as a retreat. The second property was the Ryerson Blue Mountain Lodge in Collingwood, Ontario, purchased in 1975. The ski lodge consisted of the main lodge, four chalets, and a heated pool, and was available to rent year round. Despite purchasing other properties, the Rural Centre and Lodge were the only two to be opened as vacation rentals, and both later closed after just under ten years of operations, with the Rural Centre selling in 1980 and the Lodge in 1983.
Student Action
Much like the University, student government at TMU has gone through different cycles and multiple names. TMU student government emerged in 1948 through the Ryerson Institute of Technology Students’ Union, landing on the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union in 2022. Over the years the TMSU had been directly involved in student organizing taking place on campus through the founding of subsidiary groups like RyeACTION (no longer in existence), RyePRIDE (now the Queer Space), the Good Food Centre, the Student Access, BIPOC Students, Trans Collective, and the Centre for Women & Trans People. These equity service centres provide drop-in space and community-building events across campus.
One anti-tuition hikes action in the 1990s included the then President of the Students’ Union delivering 30 bags of ice to the University President Claude Lajeunesse’s office to call for a tuition freeze. Another action includes Booxodus which was organized in 1967 where the Students’ Union asked students to borrow six books from the Library to demonstrate the need to grow the Library’s collection. Protesters borrowed 3,000 books from the library and marched on Victoria and Gerrard Streets.
Alongside the creation of these centres, Students’ Unions, groups, and the larger student population have used their voices to continuously advocate for campus life through demonstrations and lobbying, working to mobilize student participation in the National Student Day of Action and other city, province, or nationwide actions, including Idle No More, Occupy, the G20 actions.
Come visit the ASC exhibit, open until March 31st, to see materials related to TMU student history. If you are interested in other student resources available at the TMU Archives, consult the Selected Bibliography of Student Resources Available at the Toronto Metropolitan University Archives for more.