Convocation

This year has gone by in a flash, but luckily U of T News photographers have been present to capture life on campus – from the orientation week crowds to convocation smiles, and many other moments in between.

Here are 20 of our favourites:

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

In a colourful start to the school year, students do the wave during orientation festivities.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Loki, the golden retriever, poses below his chalkboard portrait in U of T's canine cognition lab, where researchers study how dogs think.

(photo by Johnny by Guatto)

Speaking to U of T News, food blogger and influencer Joanna Luo, an alumna of U of T Mississauga, dished out advice about where to eat around campus.

(photo by Alexa Battler)

Wisdom Tettey, the vice-president and principal of University of Toronto Scarborough, shares a laugh with U of T Chancellor Rose Patten.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

A woman stops to take a snowy selfie in February on the St. George campus.

(photo by Don Campbell)

U of T Scarborough's Valley Land Trail is aglow as the sun sets in October.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signs a guest book while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U of T President Meric Gertler look on during the Ukraine Reform Conference, which was hosted by U of T in July.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Twin sisters Mikhaela and Nakeisha Ekwandja show their game faces before the start of their first season with the Varsity Blues basketball team.

(photo by Yasmin Al-Samarrai)

A young visitor interacts with a temporary art installation at Toronto's Woodbine Beach by U of T Assistant Professor Victor Perez-Amado and master of architecture students.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

When the hard work is over, it's time for celebratory snaps at convocation.

(photo by Joseph Burrell)

Dancers from the Scarborough-based studio Niro Dance Creations kicked off the Tamil Heritage Month celebration at U of T Scarborough.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

U of T joined 13 other engineering schools across Canada to mark the 30th anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre by shining a spotlight into the night sky on Dec. 6, the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

(photo by Drew Lesiuczok)

Madeleine Mant doesn't dress to impress. She dresses to educate. The U of T Mississauga anthropologist teaches her students about disease by donning period garb like the 17th-century plague mask above.

(photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

“Hurricane” Hazel McCallion, the 98-year-old former mayor of Mississauga, laughs with the platform party at Carlo Fidani's honorary degree ceremony in June.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Students at U of T's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education spent five days learning about Indigenous health in one of Canada’s first land-based learning courses.

(photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Jodie Glean became the director of U of T's Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office this year. “Compassion allows me to work,” she says. “It’s important to be able to hear everyone in their truths and my role is to be the bridge if there are opposing views.”

(photo by Geoffrey Vendeville)

Sarah Edo poses for the cameras during Black Grad, an annual student-run event hosted this year at U of T Mississauga.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

An early sprinkling of snow blanketed the annual Remembrance Day ceremony outside Hart House on the St. George campus this year.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Miyopin Cheechoo, then a first-year student, was the head dancer at U of T's powwow.

(photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

In school and after graduation, friends will always be there to support you.

#DisplayYourPride and Convocation 2019: Check out these June events

Romi Levine — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 16:03:16 +0000

#DisplayYourPride and Convocation 2019: Check out these June events

Romi Levine Mon, 06/03/2019 - 12:03

Cutline

From marching in the parade to flag raising ceremonies on campus, there are plenty of Pride events to participate in this month (Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Isabel Armiento

Topic

City & Culture

Black Graduation

Institute of Health Policy Management and Evaluation

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Convocation

Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics

Hart House

LGBTQ

Pride

Rotman School of Management

Sexual & Gender Diversity Office

Sustainability

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

June is a time when University of Toronto students can celebrate academic achievement and student diversity.

The month kicks off with spring convocation, which recognizes students’ accomplishments and experiences, as well as their promising futures.

But don't worry if you don't happen to be graduating. There’s still plenty of reasons to return to campus, including university-wide celebrations of U of T’s LGBTQ community for Pride Month.

Whether you’re a grad, part of the queer and allied community, or just a curious student looking for exciting events on campus, be sure to check out all that U of T has to offer during the month of June.

June 3

Convocation begins today! Check out U of T’s convocation hub for ceremony dates and details, as well as graduation checklists, stories about graduating students, FAQs and more.

June 4

Find out what we can learn from the making of a book by examining its materiality, script and preservation with Uncovering the Book: An exhibition in honour of Greta Golick. This exhibition on the art of bookbinding at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library will run until Aug. 16.

June 5

Explore questions of representation and identity through a multimedia exhibition about intersectionality and diaspora. Artist Abdi Osman’s Variations in Black, Queer, and Otherwise runs at the U of T Art Centre until July 27.

June 6

Join U of T’s LGBTQ students and allies at the downtown Toronto campus to watch the Pride and Trans Flag Raising Ceremony.

You can also show your support at the U of T Mississauga campus’s Pride and Trans Flag Unfurling Ceremony.

June 7

Bring your friends and family to enjoy the summer weather with drinks and barbecue at the U of T Pride Pub. Located in the Hart House quad, the celebration begins at 4:30 p.m. and runs until 1 a.m., transforming from a community fair to a dance party under the stars.

June 8

Catch Tong Lam’s Moving Parts, Moving People, a photography exhibition that spotlights China’s outdoor film movement and exposes a culture of propaganda. The event is hosted by the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy in conjunction with the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival and the Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival.

June 10

Update your urban innovation skills through the Urban Leadership eXchange. Attend the U of T Mississauga event June 10-11 to hear talks by keynote speakers including Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie and Acting Principal of U of T Mississauga Amrita Daniere, and walk away with a completion certificate.

June 11

Celebrate National Indigenous History Month at U of T Mississauga with a screening of Indian Horse, a powerful film that exposes the abuse and trauma inflicted by the Canadian residential school system. You can also catch Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance on June 19 as part of the film series. Each film starts at 5 p.m., but viewers can arrive early to participate in a smudging ceremony and stay afterwards for a discussion moderated by U of T Mississauga’s Indigenous advisor, followed by a group reflection.

Join CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks host Bob McDonald for a moderated discussion on the topic “Should we have humans in space?” Astronaut Chris Hadfield and U of T’s Renée Hložek of the own Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Astrophysics will take part in the talk. Register for free online.

June 12

The U of T Sustainability Innovation Prize is awarding $15,000 in prizes to those with the most innovative ideas. Watch the finalists’ pitch competition and see who will go home with the accolades.

Support the U of T Mississauga Indigenous community by attending Giizhiitaa – Coming Full Circle. This event showcases and celebrates the accomplishments of students and Peele youth through their involvement in the Indigenous Spirit Journey Program – an experiential learning initiative centred on Indigenous philosophical and cultural teachings.

June 13

There are no limits on your creativity today. Decorate your office, wear rainbow clothing and exhibit your colourful artwork in a tri-campus effort to #DisplayYourPride. The downtown Toronto campus is hosting a #DisplayYourPride group photo at Hart House. U of T Mississauga encourages you to share photos of your creativity online. And U of T Scarborough will spread awareness of the day along with free ice cream.

June 14

Hosted by the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, U.K.-based Professor Daniel Bausch explores the implications of, and possible responses to, infectious disease outbreaks in his lecture “Outbreak Response: Challenges and Opportunities in a Rapidly Changing Landscape.”

June 18

Enjoy the gorgeous June weather with a Nature Walk and Talk hosted by U of T Mississauga in partnership with the campus’s Indigenous Centre. Led by U of T Mississauga Indigenous Advisor Cat Criger, this event is a perfect opportunity to visit the scenic trails while learning how to approach the changing season with Indigenous philosophies of growth and introspection.

Stumped about what to wear for the upcoming Pride Parade? The Sexual & Gender Diversity Office can help solve your sartorial problems with its upcoming Pride T-shirt Painting Party at 21 Sussex Ave.

June 21

Kick off Pride weekend right by attending the first of the major festivities. Meet at 642 Church Street at 7:50 p.m. to march with the U of T contingent in the Trans March.

There will also be a pride flag celebration taking place at U of T Scarborough.

June 22

Continue showing your support for Pride by marching with U of T in the Dyke March. Meet at 642 Church St. at 1:50 p.m. to participate.

June 23

Be part of the biggest event of Pride Month by joining U of T for the 2019 Pride Parade. Show your support for the school’s – and the city’s – LGBTQ community.

June 25

Visit the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery at Hart House for a tour of Carrie Mae Weems’ exhibition Heave. Running until July 27 with tours available on Tuesdays, this installation intersects sensationalist depictions of modern violence with histories of conflict.

June 26

Experts are asking important ethical, political and cultural questions about emerging technology and the ways in which we communicate at Media Ethics: Human Ecology in a Connected World, the 20th annual convention of the Media Ecology Association.

June 27

Hear Mariana Mazzucato speak about her book The Value of Everything: Making and Taking in the Global Economy, which outlines the problems with contemporary capitalism. Held at the Rotman School of Management, admission to this event includes a copy of the book.

June 28

U of T recognizes and awards the achievements of Black students at the third annual U of T Black Graduation, located at U of T Mississauga. Friends and family are welcome.

Take a break from convocation with this year’s Grad Escape – an improv class at Second City. Sign up to learn new skills that you didn’t receive in lectures.

A window to the past: Check out these archival photos from over a century of U of T convocations

davidlee1 — Fri, 24 May 2019 21:03:26 +0000

A window to the past: Check out these archival photos from over a century of U of T convocations

davidlee1 Fri, 05/24/2019 - 17:03

Cutline

A garden party for convocation in June 1926 (courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

Topic

University Health Network

Woodsworth College

In just a couple of weeks, the University of Toronto's front campus will be crowded with people hugging, high-fiving and snapping selfies to celebrate convocation. They will be continuing a long tradition enjoyed by countless students and their families as they mark a significant milestone.

U of T photo/video coordinator David Lee and archivist Marnee Gamble dug up some special moments caught on film between 1870 and 2000. Some of the photos are clearly of their time, but if they weren't in black and white, others look like they could have been taken just last year.

Here’s a few snapshots of U of T convocations past:

(courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

U of T has been training medical doctors since 1843. Much more than the fashions have changed since 1870-1871, when this graduating class of what was then known as the Toronto School of Medicine posed for a picture.

The graduates above are, from left to right, G.W. Jackes, S.R. Richardson, J. Donaldson, W.M. Forrest, G.H. Cowan, C.Y. Moore, R.H. De La Matter, and A. Taylor.

(courtesy of University of Toronto Archives)

An unidentified man wearing a turban walks past the ivy-covered walls of Convocation Hall before a graduation ceremony in 1938.

(courtesy of Herb Nott & Co. Ltd./University of Toronto Archives)

A group of graduands gather on the front campus just before convocation in 1960. The Sigmund Samuel Library behind them (now the Gerstein Science Information Centre) was the main library on campus until Robarts was built in the 1970s.

(courtesy of Robert Lansdale/University of Toronto Archives)

Twins Edward and Jay Keystone (centre), after receiving their medical degrees at the 1969 convocation. Both went on to become professors at U of T. Edward is a rheumatologist at Mount Sinai Hospital and the director of the Rebecca MacDonald Centre for Arthritis and Autoimmune Disease.

Jay is a staff physician on the Tropical Disease Unit at the University Health Network and a renowned expert in infectious diseases. He's done field work in Africa, India and South America, and he was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in 2015.

“Hard to believe we got through medical school!” Edward joked in an email to U of T News.

(courtesy of Robert Lansdale/University of Toronto Archives)

Eleanor Phillips shows the acting high commissioner for Jamaica, R. Aston Foreman, her B.A., which had just been conferred at a June 1970 convocation. Phillips is the daughter of Rowland Phillips, the first chief justice of Jamaica post-independence. Because they couldn't attend their daughter's convocation, her parents were represented by Foreman and Danny Powell, resident manager in Canada of the Jamaica Development Bank.

(courtesy of Robert Lansdale/University of Toronto Archives)

An unnamed graduand adjusts her mortarboard before the traditional procession from University College to Convocation Hall in 1970.

(photo courtesy of Robert Lansdale/University of Toronto Archives)

A convocation marshal addresses graduates in University College's West Hall in June 1971. The role of convocation marshal still exists today – and it's no easy task. “We need to keep the graduates manageable and happy at the same time,” marshal Paul Babiak told U of T News in 2016.

(courtesy of Homa Fanian/University of Toronto Archives)

In June 1990, when the likes of Madonna, Roxette and New Kids on the Block topped the Billboard charts, graduates and their guests gathered on front campus for celebratory hugs and pictures.

(courtesy of Homa Fanian/University of Toronto Archives)

Claire Stephenson, 87, stands for a portrait outside Woodsworth College before convocation in 1995. She completed a B.A. in the spring.

(courtesy of Susan King/University of Toronto Archives)

Two graduands share a laugh inside Convocation Hall in 1997.

(courtesy of Susan King/University of Toronto Archives)

The first graduating class of the new millennium, in June 2000, enter Convocation Hall.

After careful review, Convocation Hall will continue as venue for graduation ceremonies

noreen.rasbach — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 20:22:02 +0000

After careful review, Convocation Hall will continue as venue for graduation ceremonies

noreen.rasbach Fri, 03/22/2019 - 16:22

Cutline

“The committee heard from a large number of people, in strong terms, that Convocation Hall plays a fundamental role in the U of T experience,” said U of T President Meric Gertler. “We agree – that tradition must continue”

Topic

Undergraduate Students

Convocation Hall is home to one of the most important rites of passage at the University of Toronto – and the tradition spanning generations should continue, despite concerns about the tightness of the space due to increasing enrolment. That was the conclusion of an advisory committee reviewing convocation and whether it needed a change of venue to accommodate a growing number of students.

As enrolment and graduating classes have grown, the university has had to increase the number of ceremonies. In 2018, there were 37 convocation ceremonies – 29 ceremonies in the spring taking place over 11 days and eight in the fall over four days. Just over a decade earlier, in 2006, there was a total of 26.

A year ago, the president and the chair of the Governing Council struck the Convocation Advisory Review Committee (CARC) to undertake a review of convocation. Its conclusion after extensive consultation and research: keep convocation ceremonies right where they are.

“The committee heard from a large number of people, in strong terms, that Convocation Hall plays a fundamental role in the U of T experience,” said U of T President Meric Gertler.

“We agree – that tradition must continue.”

Sheree Drummond, secretary of the Governing Council and CARC co-chair, said the committee consulted broadly with the U of T community.

“The preference for continuing at Convocation Hall was clear across all stakeholders,” she said.

Though the venue will stay the same, there will be some changes to the ceremonies beginning as soon as this spring – which will include more tightly controlling the length of each ceremony by, for example, limiting the number of speakers and finding more opportunities for senior members of the administration to take on formal roles in the proceedings.

As well, the committee has made recommendations for improving accessibility and further consultations will take place with regard to adding Indigenous elements to the ceremonies.

On behalf of the committee, co-chairs Drummond and Bryn MacPherson, assistant vice-president, Office of the President and chief of protocol, met one-on-one with principals and deans to seek their feedback. In addition, the CARC surveyed 2018 spring and fall graduating classes to better understand what they value in convocation and how to improve the experience. They also surveyed all alumni with active email addresses, and invited members of the university community, including student government leaders, to submit comments.

The committee also carefully examined the issue of limited guest tickets. Importantly, they learned that respondents felt being on campus was a priority even if meant limited guest tickets.

U of T will continue to encourage the use of the Convocation Plaza, a celebration space situated adjacent to Convocation Hall that can function as an overflow facility.

“We also want to consider ways we might possibly formalize the alternative viewing spaces for additional guests,” said MacPherson.

The committee also looked at how other academic institutions addressed this issue.

“When we started this exercise, one of the options on the table was the potential of moving off-campus to a large external venue as some U.S. and U.K. universities have done,” said MacPherson.

To learn about that, some committee members observed several ceremonies, including ceremonies at the University of Michigan, which hosts convocation at its 110,000-seat football stadium, and the University of California, Berkeley, which has used its large amphitheatre for bigger ceremonies but also hosts smaller celebrations within faculties. The co-chairs also visited University College London and the University of Cambridge to investigate best practices and recent trends.

The committee considered the feasibility of the Rogers Centre, and other large external venues in Toronto but, in the end, the committee found that stakeholders really felt a strong connection to Convocation Hall and the campus.

“When graduates and guests exit their convocation ceremony, they are not just on a sidewalk in downtown Toronto, but on King’s College Circle at the heart of the university,” said MacPherson. “The U of T community really felt a deep attachment and connection to the whole experience.”

Read the Convocation Review and the Administrative Response

U of T to confer honorary degrees upon 13 influential scholars, artists and leaders

noreen.rasbach — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 05:00:00 +0000

U of T to confer honorary degrees upon 13 influential scholars, artists and leaders

noreen.rasbach Thu, 02/28/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

From left, anti-nuclear advocate Setsuko Thurlow, U of T President Emeritus David Naylor and Mark Tewksbury, author and former Olympian

Topic

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

An Olympic gold medallist, an anti-nuclear war activist and a Supreme Court of Canada justice are just a few of the inspiring individuals who will be addressing this year’s graduating students during University of Toronto convocation ceremonies.

U of T will confer honorary degrees upon 13 individuals, selected for their exemplary leadership, creativity and generosity, including U of T President Emeritus David Naylor, business leaders and philanthropists Judy Goldring and Carlo Fidani, award-winning poet Lorna Goodison, and star swimmer and LGBTQ ambassador Mark Tewksbury.

“The individuals to be recognized this year with U of T’s highest honour represent excellence in a wide range of fields, and outstanding service to the university and society,” says Meric Gertler, president of U of T. “They are role models for all of us, and their presence at convocation in particular will add a special source of inspiration for our graduating students.”

The honorary degree recipients approved by U of T’s Governing Council for 2019 are:

Alan Bernstein

Bernstein has made his mark in fields ranging from HIV and cancer research to health funding and cross-disciplinary research. A U of T alumnus and author of more than 225 scientific publications, Bernstein has held significant leadership roles in major Canadian and international research institutions and is currently the president and CEO of CIFAR. His contributions to science have earned him many honours, including Officer of the Order of Canada and his induction into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

J. Edward (Ted) Chamberlin

Chamberlin, a U of T University Professor Emeritus of English and comparative literature and former principal of New College, is the author of 10 books that explore a range of topics from the life of Oscar Wilde to poetry in the West Indies. He also served as a senior research associate with the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, which was a landmark toward redefining the relationship between Indigenous people and Canada’s federal and provincial governments. Chamberlin is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Carlo Fidani

Fidani is the chairman of the Orlando Corporation, Canada’s largest privately owned industrial real estate company. His philanthropy has advanced health care, education and research, and he was named a Member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his generosity. Fidani has been a longtime supporter of the U of T community, where he helped lay the foundation for the Mississauga Academy of Medicine, a partnership between U of T’s Faculty of Medicine, U of T Mississauga and Trillium Health Partners.

Judy Goldring

Goldring, a U of T alumna and business leader, has made significant contributions to the university, including nine years on Governing Council, serving as vice-chair from 2011 to 2012 and as chair from 2013 to 2016. She is executive vice-president and chief operating officer of AGF Management Ltd., and was inducted in 2015 into Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame. Goldring and her family have given generously to U of T, helping to establish the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport and Victoria University’s Goldring Student Centre.

Lorna Goodison

Goodison is an award-winning poet, creative writer, painter, teacher, and public intellectual. Her work appears in major anthologies of Canadian, West Indian, British and world writing. Socially committed and historically engaged, Goodison’s poems and stories are human and humane, encompassing themes of community, connection and communion, especially among women. She is a professor of English language and literature at the University of Michigan and the poet laureate of Jamaica.

Nathan (Nate) Leipciger

After surviving the horrors of the Holocaust, Leipciger has been dedicated to sharing his story with people around the world. The U of T engineering alumnus seeks to educate future generations in order to combat racism and anti-Semitism. Under his leadership in the early 1980s, the Toronto Holocaust Remembrance Committee created Holocaust Education Week, now the largest such initiative in the world. In recent years, Leipciger has used his public speaking engagements to reflect on the shared experiences of Holocaust and Canadian residential school survivors.

The Honourable Michael Moldaver

A justice on Canada’s highest court, Moldaver has been at the forefront of advocating for a fair and efficient trial system and the need to compensate those who are wrongly accused or convicted. The alumnus of University College and U of T’s Faculty of Law was first appointed to the bench in 1990 as one of the youngest judges named to the Supreme Court of Ontario. Moldaver was later appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeals in 1995 and the Supreme Court of Canada in 2011.

David Naylor

Naylor has made major contributions to Canada, to public health, and to higher education and advanced research, especially at U of T, where he was president (2005 to 2013) and dean of medicine (1999 to 2005). Renowned for his work in medical sciences, clinical epidemiology and health-care services, he has led several influential public policy initiatives, including the National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health, and the Advisory Panel for the Review of Federal Support for Fundamental Science. He is a laureate of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame and an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Kathleen (Katie) Taylor

Taylor is a U of T alumna and respected business leader. The former president and CEO of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is currently chair of the board of the Royal Bank of Canada – the first woman in Canadian history to lead the board of a major chartered bank. Taylor maintains close ties with U of T, actively engaging with students through guest lectures and mentorship opportunities. She is also chair of the board of the SickKids Foundation and is a Member of the Order of Canada.

Mark Tewksbury

Tewksbury is a celebrated Canadian swimmer, who has earned Olympic gold, broken world records and is a 21-time national champion. In 1998, Tewksbury came out as Canada’s first openly gay Olympic athlete and has been a mentor in the LGBTQ community ever since. He is also an author, humanitarian, speaker and educator, and his success in and out of the pool has earned him many honours, including the Meritorious Service Medal from the Governor General of Canada and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Setsuko Thurlow

Thurlow knows first-hand the devastating effects of nuclear warfare as a survivor of the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Her life since then has been dedicated to anti-nuclear campaigning, playing a key role in pushing the United Nations to adopt a landmark treaty outlawing nuclear weapons. An alumna of social work at U of T, Thurlow is a Member of the Order of Canada and the recipient of numerous other awards and honours, including the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In 2017 she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).

William (Bill) Troost

Troost is a successful entrepreneur as the founder and president of Peel Plastic Products. The U of T engineering alumnus has given back generously to his alma mater, playing an instrumental role in forming what is now called the Troost Institute for Leadership Education in Engineering, while also contributing to the construction of the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship. Along with his wife Kathleen, he has also supported numerous undergraduate needs-based scholarships in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. Troost is an Arbor Award recipient, recognized for his volunteer contributions to the university.

Beverly (Buffy) Sainte-Marie, who was nominated and approved for the honour in 2018, will receive her honorary degree this year as well.

For Convocation Hall, a renovation without disruption

geoff.vendeville — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 05:00:00 +0000

For Convocation Hall, a renovation without disruption

geoff.vendeville Mon, 01/28/2019 - 00:00

Cutline

U of T had to get creative so that the necessary repairs and renovations in Convocation Hall could be done without disrupting classes, convocation and other events (photo by Makeda Marc-Ali)

Topic

Updating a building that is more than a century old is no easy task, but it becomes even more complicated when the building is as busy as Convocation Hall.

It serves as the University of Toronto’s largest classroom, with space for 1,730 students. In the spring and fall, the hall is where U of T graduates go to receive their degrees, and it doubles as a venue for events of all kinds. If the walls could talk, they would tell of citizenship ceremonies, lectures by Jane Goodall and Stephen Hawking, and a Bob Marley concert in 1976.

The university took special steps to address the unique challenges of undertaking repairs and bringing the 113-year-old structure up to code. The greatest difficulty was to do all the work without disturbing classes or last year's spring convocation, the largest in the country with more than 14,000 students and 29 different ceremonies.

“The traditions centred in Convocation Hall have worked for over a century,” says Adrienne De Francesco, executive director of U of T's capital projects group. “We had to find a way to do the renovations without disrupting classes or depriving graduating students of a U of T experience shared between generations.”

A convocation ceremony in 2013 showing the skylight that needed to be repaired (photo by Johnny Guatto)

That meant getting creative. Construction contractors would need to access the skylight, or oculus, check each glass panel and make replacements if necessary. The solution, as directed by the university's capital projects group, was building a steel platform with concrete footings in the basement, 60 feet high and 55 feet across, so that workers could work on the glass in evening, when the hall wasn't in use.

The team, which included the contractor Harbridge + Cross Limited and design engineers Read Jones Christofferson Ltd., had just a five-week window between the end of classes last May and convocation in June to erect the platform, says Michael Cicerani, a senior project manager in U of T's university capital projects group.

Despite the platform’s size, it blends in.

“After last convocation in June, we asked a couple of students who were in here, 'What did you think of the platform?' All of them said, 'What platform?'” Cicerani says.

One of the challenges ahead will be to find tradespeople who have the necessary expertise to assess and repair the old glass in the skylight. “There aren't many people who can do this kind of stuff,” Cicerani says.

Workers build a platform to access the skylight in Convocation Hall. Right, the finished steel structure (photos courtesy of Michael Cicerani)

Before any work could be done in the hall, precautions had to be taken to protect the pipe organ from dust and debris. The Casavant organ is used at every convocation. U of T's Academic and Campus Events put the capital projects group in touch with an organ specialist.

Another complication was that engineers and builders had to refer to dated blueprints for the building, including the same ones used by architectural firm Darling and Pearson in 1905, who modelled the hall after the Sorbonne Theatre in Paris. The construction company had to adjust its plans unexpectedly when they discovered a wall that wasn't in the original plans.

“That's part of the complexity of dealing with buildings that have so much history and that have gone through a lifecycle of their own,” Cicerani says.

In addition to working on the dome, the design called for alterations to the stage to make it more accessible. The contractor worked under a tight timeline, dealing with old and brittle concrete. Ramps were added to either side of the stage and the floor was lowered so that the slope would not be too steep for wheelchair users.

The ramp was used for the first time in the fall convocation ceremonies.

“It just takes one student using it to make all the work worthwhile,” says Cicerani.

Paul Babiak, the head marshal at convocation who has led student processions for almost 15 years, says the ramps help fulfil the goals of convocation. “The goal is equality and by making things more accessible it shows that there's nothing out of the ordinary about being in a wheelchair or needing any other kind of guidance or assistance,” he said.

He commended the designers and contractor for finding a way to keep the hall in service for convocation, keeping the tradition alive. “We're walking through the same space that students have walked through for over 100 years,” he says. “This is a crucial part of the sense of presence we're creating, which connects U of T grads past and present.”

Embrace the unexpected, says Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court Justice and U of T honorary degree recipient

Romi Levine — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 16:54:11 +0000

Embrace the unexpected, says Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court Justice and U of T honorary degree recipient

Romi Levine Tue, 11/13/2018 - 11:54

Cutline

Elena Kagan speaks with U of T students who were part of the ceremony procession (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Faculty of Law

Honorary Degree

Political Science

Elena Kagan’s career has been both varied and accomplished. The associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States has worked in the White House, taught at the University of Chicago, and is the first woman to become dean of Harvard Law School and to hold the job of U.S. solicitor general.

Now, she can add an honorary degree from the University of Toronto to her impressive resumé.

On Monday, Kagan spent the day participating in events around the downtown Toronto campus including a special convocation ceremony, followed by a discussion with Yasmin Dawood, an associate professor in U of T’s Faculty of Law and department of political science. She also paid a visit to the Jackman Law Building for an event with Rosalie Abella, a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

“While the university has held thousands of convocation ceremonies over the years, it has held relatively few special convocations,” said U of T President Meric Gertler at the convocation ceremony held in Simcoe Hall’s Governing Council chamber. “Such events have been reserved for exceptional purposes, for persons of truly unique stature … Today we honour such a person by conferring the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, on Justice Kagan.”

Watch the Kagan and Abella event on YouTube

Kagan offered a behind-the-scenes look at the U.S. Supreme Court – describing the goings-on within the walls of the justices’ conference room, where all important discussions and deliberations take place.

“That was very gratifying to me,” she said. “The level of conversation is really high – people are super prepared when they walk into conference. … We make sure all nine [justices] get to talk, and also have the ability to really converse with each other and exchange points of view and go at each other and debate with each other.”

Even at an esteemed institution like the U.S. Supreme Court, junior justices are put through a series of what Kagan calls hazing rituals.

During her seven years as junior justice, Kagan had to complete a series of tasks that included note taking, opening the door to the conference room when someone knocks (even when she was hobbling on an injured foot), and becoming a reluctant member of the cafeteria committee.

“You go to these meetings every month and they're talking about what happened to the good chocolate chip cookies,” Kagan quipped.

Despite the antics, Kagan said her time on the Supreme Court has been “extraordinary.”

“It is the hardest questions, the most interesting questions, the most important questions,” she said. And it’s an opportunity to make a difference “for your country, to make a difference for citizens.”

Abella and Kagan had a lively discussion in the Jackman Law Building's Moot Court Room (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

In recent months, the Supreme Court has dominated the headlines amid the controversial – and politically divisive – confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

Though she would not comment on his confirmation, Kagan did say that the confirmation process needs an update.

“I don't think they work very well in their current form, nor would I say we should get rid of them,” she said during her conversation with Abella.

“I don't think anybody can look at what's going on in our government and in our country and not think there are some deep divisions in American society.”

It’s all the more reason to maintain the separation of America’s highest court from the politics that take over the House of Representatives and the Senate, Kagan said.

“The asset that is most important for the court to have is its own credibility and own legitimacy,” she said.

Kagan chats with students and other members of the U of T community after her convocation ceremony (photo by Lisa Sakulensky)

Despite the differing ideologies held by Supreme Court justices, Kagan said there’s a surprising amount of consensus.

Of around 80 cases the Supreme Court presides on each year, the justices decide unanimously on half of them, she said.

But there are cases that divide justices in a more predictable fashion, particularly those that are of great public interest. This has become a bigger issue with the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who acted as a swing vote when the remaining justices were evenly split.

It’s too soon to tell if a sitting justice will serve that purpose, said Kagan.

“American court watchers will say this is a really interesting time to think about our institution because for the first time in quite some time, not all the attention will be on one person,” she said.

In the meantime, the justices must work harder to find common ground, said Kagan.

“There's value to building bridges, there's value to building consensus, there's value to not seeming and not being politicized. If that means we go back to our offices and think harder about how we can find areas of agreement, I think that's a good thing.”

Kagan’s conversation with Abella was an invaluable experience for the U of T law students who were able to attend.

“There are two Supreme Court justices, both female, at a time when Supreme Court justices are in the news a lot. This is the dream,” said law student Jasmit De Saffel.

Kagan said she was grateful to be receving an honorary degree from “one of the great universities in the world.”

“I know from personal experience that it's one of the great law schools in the world,” she said. “Everybody in the American legal profession knows the strength of the University of Toronto law school and its leadership.”

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan receives U of T honorary degree

noreen.rasbach — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 05:00:00 +0000

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan receives U of T honorary degree

noreen.rasbach Mon, 11/12/2018 - 00:00

Cutline

After the special convocation Monday morning, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan took part in an event with Rosalie Abella, a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, at U of T’s Faculty of Law

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

The University of Toronto hosted a special convocation Monday to recognize Elena Kagan, an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Kagan received an honorary degree to acknowledge “her excellence in the academy and her outstanding service for the public good, as lawyer, scholar and jurist.”

As part of the ceremony, Kagan participated in a conversation with Yasmin Dawood, an associate professor in U of T’s Faculty of Law and department of political science, as well as the Canada Research Chair in Democracy, Constitutionalism, and Electoral Law.

Later on Monday afternoon, Kagan was at U of T’s Faculty of Law along with Rosalie Abella, a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada – affording students a unique opportunity to hear from a sitting U.S. Supreme Court justice.

In 2010, Kagan became the U.S. Supreme Court’s 112^thjustice and only the fourth woman to hold the position, nominated by then-President Barack Obama.

“She believes, as I do, that exposure to a broad array of perspectives is the foundation not just for a sound legal education but of a successful life in the law,” said Obama of Kagan when announcing her Supreme Court nomination.

Her time on the Supreme Court has included important rulings, most notably the legalization of same-sex marriage, and has earned her admiration in the law community for her judgments, which present careful legal analysis in an accessible way.

With political polarization at an all-time high in the U.S., Kagan is a strong advocate for the Supreme Court to rise above partisanship.

“This is a really divided time," said Kagan, speaking at an October event at Princeton University. "Part of the court’s strength and part of the court’s legitimacy depends on people not seeing the court the way they see the rest of the governing structures of the country now."

Kagan completed her bachelor’s degree at Princeton University and her master’s at the University of Oxford before attending law school at Harvard University.

After clerking and briefly practising law, Kagan returned to academia as a law professor at the University of Chicago Law School.

During Bill Clinton’s presidency, she spent four years working at the White House as associate counsel and then deputy assistant to the president for domestic policy.

She returned to Harvard in 1999. In 2003, she became the first woman to serve as the dean of Harvard Law School.

In 2009, Obama appointed Kagan solicitor general – the first woman in that role.

More than ever, the world needs leaders and problem-solvers, says George Myhal in his convocation address

noreen.rasbach — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 17:53:33 +0000

More than ever, the world needs leaders and problem-solvers, says George Myhal in his convocation address

noreen.rasbach Fri, 11/09/2018 - 12:53

Cutline

George Myhal was awarded Thursday a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, for his service to the university as a mentor, donor and volunteer (photo by Steve Frost)

Topic

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Governing Council

Honorary Degree

As U of T graduating students embark on their careers in a rapidly shifting job market, they should draw on the traits that propelled their success in university: “You have proven that you have the discipline, stamina and work ethic to succeed,” businessman and philanthropist George Myhal said in his convocation address Thursday.

Many are understandably anxious about their futures, said Myhal, who was awarded a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, for his service to the university as a mentor, donor and volunteer. “Taxis are being replaced with autonomous vehicles, crops are being harvested with robotic machines, stores are disappearing in favour of e-commerce sites, and fast-food restaurants are experimenting with home delivery and automated service,” he said.

“Some of you may even question the value of your education. … By next year, pundits predict that one-half of the world's population will have access to the internet, where information is just a click away." Some might wonder, "who needs textbooks when Alexa, Siri and Cortana have all the answers?"

But more than ever, the world needs thinkers, leaders, innovators and problem-solvers, said Myhal, a U of T industrial engineering alumnus, a chartered accountant and a driving force behind the creation of the university's new Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

“Technology is changing so rapidly today that it's easy to lose focus on what really matters,” Myhal said in his address. “How do we deal with the social challenges of climate change, income inequality, nuclear proliferation, genetic engineering and threats of global pandemic… and who will solve these enormous problems?

"It is you in this room that must rise to these challenges. You are now equipped with a university degree, you are prepared to tackle the challenges of today. You may not realize it, but I, for one, believe you are prepared."

During his more than 30 years with Brookfield Asset Management Inc. and its predecessor companies, Myhal hired many of the people who made Brookfield "a truly amazing Canadian success story" – as it grew from 12 people to 30,000 worldwide. Myhal, who retired from Brookfield as senior managing partner in 2015 and now heads Windermere Investment Corp., said he came to realize that "there were three very important character traits that all successful candidates possessed,"

"First, I recognize that successful people have this incredible thirst for knowledge and learning. They are not afraid to ask questions, and they know where to get answers. Before coming to the first interview, they took the initiative to inform themselves of what Brookfield did as a company. They were inquisitive by nature, were very interested in today's news. They possessed humility because they understood they had a lot to learn, but were confident in what they knew and were open to new ideas.

"Secondly, I believe that successful people have the confidence to make decisions even with imperfect information. They rely on what they have learned and hopefully make a good decision and realize they can always correct a bad decision. … If you don't make decisions, you won't make mistakes, but you also won't learn anything. …

"Lastly, I learned that successful individuals are not necessarily the smartest people in the room. They are those who can work collectively, collegially with others," he said. "Many of today's complex problems can be solved by people who work well together and check their egos at the door. Conversely, there is nothing more destructive than politics within an organization. So don't work alone, surround yourself with as many talented people as you can and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish."

What sets Myhal apart, besides his extraordinary career success, is his lifelong commitment to community service, said Cristina Amon, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, in describing the reasons he was chosen to receive an honorary doctorate. Myhal served on the U of T's Governing Council for a decade, she said, as well as leading fundraising campaigns and providing invaluable advice on the future of engineering education, research leadership and entrepreneurship.

"George has given back to his alma mater and to Canada throughout his career," Amon said.

Silly faces and warm embraces: Fall convocation in photos

Romi Levine — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 14:10:20 +0000

Silly faces and warm embraces: Fall convocation in photos

Romi Levine Fri, 11/09/2018 - 09:10

Cutline

About to dance the tango or just graduated from U of T? (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

More than 4,000 students graduated from the University of Toronto this week during fall convocation. Our photographers were there to capture every moment.

Here are some of our favourites.

That's a lot of balloons! This graduate stays grounded despite all that helium (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Portrait of a proud U of T grad (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

A well-deserved big hug outside Convocation Hall (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

A U of T grad holds his new fuzzy friend on Front Campus (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Who says a convocation procession can't be fun? (photo by Lisa Lightbourn)

Congratulations to our newest alumni, ready to take on the city – and the world (photo by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Convocation

U of T in focus: Our favourite photos of 2019

#DisplayYourPride and Convocation 2019: Check out these June events

June 3

June 4

June 5

June 6

June 7

June 8

June 10

June 11

June 12

June 13

June 14

June 18

June 21

June 22

June 23

June 25

June 26

June 27

June 28

A window to the past: Check out these archival photos from over a century of U of T convocations

After careful review, Convocation Hall will continue as venue for graduation ceremonies

Read the Convocation Review and the Administrative Response

U of T to confer honorary degrees upon 13 influential scholars, artists and leaders

Alan Bernstein

J. Edward (Ted) Chamberlin

Carlo Fidani

Judy Goldring

Lorna Goodison

Nathan (Nate) Leipciger

The Honourable Michael Moldaver

David Naylor

Kathleen (Katie) Taylor

Mark Tewksbury

Setsuko Thurlow

William (Bill) Troost

For Convocation Hall, a renovation without disruption

Embrace the unexpected, says Elena Kagan, U.S. Supreme Court Justice and U of T honorary degree recipient

Read more about Elena Kagan

Watch the Kagan and Abella event on YouTube

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan receives U of T honorary degree

More than ever, the world needs leaders and problem-solvers, says George Myhal in his convocation address

Silly faces and warm embraces: Fall convocation in photos