By a unanimous vote of its board of governors on Tuesday, Ryerson University will officially change its name to the safest, blandest name they could come up with.
Last summer, Ryerson agreed to change its name in response to backlash related to its namesake, who helped build Canada’s residential school system. Last summer, hundreds of unmarked graves were discovered at the site of a Kamloops residential school, putting even more pressure on officials.
A total of 2,600 potential names were considered before board members eventually settled on Toronto Metropolitan University to replace the school’s Ryerson moniker.
Ryerson’s website and social media accounts had already been updated with the new name by Tuesday afternoon.
Today marks the first page of a new chapter in our university’s history. The Board of Governors has unanimously approved our new name – Toronto Metropolitan University. #torontomet https://t.co/woQO1EgugA pic.twitter.com/JVWDaGVmpw
— Toronto Metropolitan University (@RyersonU) April 26, 2022
Changing the school name will happen over time, in phases, with printed material and signage taking the longest to change. The statue of Egerton Ryerson that was damaged by protestors last summer will not be replaced, and the school’s mascot “Eggy” will be retired.
Before the revised name can be used on official school documents, including degrees, the province of Ontario will need to amend the Ryerson University Act.
Once the name change becomes legally official, Ryerson graduates can obtain a revised degree with the school’s new name if they wish. However, they will have to pay standard printing and shipping fees. Degrees bearing the old name will still be considered valid.
It was decided to use Toronto Metropolitan University to establish a meaningful connection between the school’s name and the city of Toronto.