UniTe!
Our theme for this year’s orientation is “UniTe!” The University of Toronto Students' Union has a strong history of uniting students in the fight for rights on campus and this year's orientation aims to encourage and showcase these continuing efforts. As far back as the 1970s, students have used their collective voice to pressure the university to create a daycare centre on campus, making the University of Toronto more accessible to students, faculty and staff.
In the late 1970s, U.T.S.U. joined students from across Ontario and successfully prevented an increase to their tuition fees through actions calling for government commitment to post-secondary education. Take a look at these other battles won by our Students' Union:
1972: After an occupation of Simcoe Hall, the University administration concedes to the Students’ Union’s demand to grant undergraduate students access to Robarts Library.
1990: Students occupy the University President’s office and force the administration to begin negotiations about divesting $20 million in pension funds invested in apartheid South Africa.
1998: Over 175 cultural, spiritual and leadership student groups are recognised and supported by the Students’ Union.
2000: Students successfully lobby the University to adopt a sweat-free policy for all UofT merchandise.
2002: U.T.S.U. members vote in favour of uniting with students across Canada through the Canadian Federation of Students.
2003: United with students across Ontario, UofT students help to win a two-year tuition fee freeze, saving over $100 million in additional fees.
2005: U.T.S.U. launches a child-minding service at UTM, the only UofT campus without a daycare facility.
2006: United with students across Canada, UofT students successfully pressured the government to grant international students the right to work off-campus.
2007: Students win the first-ever national system of grants from the federal government; UofT students secure student-run space on campus through the establishment of a Student Commons project.
2009: Students force UofT to reconsider the regressive “Flat Fees” tuition fee collection scheme; United with students across the GTA, students win the first-ever TTC discount for post-secondary students.
2010: Students successfully pressure the University to revise problematic policy within the Code of Student Conduct.
