-
Nov 25, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Damola Omole
On November 7, the Prevention, Empowerment, Advocacy, Response, for Survivors Project (PEARS) Project issued a letter to the university to “check in” on the review of U of T’s Sexual Violence Policy, set to occur in 2025. The PEARS Project is a grassroots, trauma-informed coalition that provides support and resources to survivors of sexual violence across U of T.
-
Nov 25, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Damola Omole
Content warning: This article mentions antisemitism and genocide. On October 31, the Canadian government published the Canadian Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism: a guiding document intended to help Canadians recognize and combat antisemitism in various settings. This handbook builds on Canada’s 2019 adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism as part of its Anti-Racism Strategy.
-
Nov 11, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Urooba Shaikh |Matthew Molinaro |Damola Omole
Content warning: This article mentions antisemitism and Nazism. On October 21, a former assistant professor from Columbia University, Shai Davidai, held a rally at King’s College Circle protesting anti-Zionism and antisemitism at U of T. The rally marked the second day of his tour led by the Tafsik Organization — a group that rallies across Canadian universities to stand against antisemitism and anti-Zionism.
-
Nov 11, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Damola Omole
UTSC has taken many steps to honour the legacies and influence of Indigenous people through several Indigenous spaces on campus. These spaces allow non-Indigenous members to learn from Indigenous U of T community members and to experience their culture, customs, and ways of being. Indigenous Place-makingIn December 2023, .
-
Oct 21, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Damola Omole
Content warning: This article discusses death and recent and ongoing violence in Gaza and Lebanon. On October 7, members of the U of T community gathered on the steps of Sidney Smith Hall to honour and commemorate the innocent lives lost during Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza. As of writing, more than 42,000 Palestinians in Gaza and over 1,200 people in Israel have been killed since October 7. Israel’s ongoing attacks on Lebanon have killed over 2,000 people.
-
Oct 7, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Damola Omole
Across U of T, all three campuses have been making strides in their efforts to make a greener campus through various plans and sustainability initiatives. For this year’s climate issue, The Varsity looked at the various initiatives around each campus that make U of T the most sustainable school in the world. U of T initiatives In 2024, the QS Rankings awarded U of T the number one spot for sustainability over more than 1,400 institutions across 95 countries.
-
Sep 2, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Damola Omole
On April 16, UTSC announced that Wisdom Tettey is stepping down from his role as U of T’s Vice-President and UTSC Principal to become Carleton University’s 17th President and Vice-Chancellor. In June, Professor Linda Johnston was appointed as Tettey’s successor for a five-year term. After six years at U of T and being reappointed for a second five-year term in 2022, The Varsity reflects on Tettey’s notable achievements as he bids farewell to Scarborough.
-
Mar 17, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Damola Omole
The University of Toronto Students’ Union’s (UTSU) Vice-President of Student Life (VPSL), Fiona Hewes, pitched the idea for a campus-wide rideshare program during her campaign for the role of VPSL in 2023. Once Hewes was elected, the union implemented the rideshare pilot program, assisting students with a voucher to travel to and from campus via Uber within a certain radius.
-
Feb 26, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Damola Omole
The first Canadian-born Black doctor. A speech that charted the way toward school desegregation. A luncheon celebrating Black history. This Black History Month, The Varsity is here to highlight significant events in the university’s history specifically about U of T’s Black community. The first Canadian-born Black doctor Founded in 1827, U of T’s doors were originally open to Black students. One notable early alumnus was Anderson Abbott, the first Canadian-born Black doctor.
-
Feb 25, 2024 | 
thevarsity.ca | Damola Omole
Content warning: This article mentions slavery. Swimming is an activity that can be both recreational and competitive — but it’s also a skill that can save someone’s life. Sport England found that, . A recent study by USA Swimming revealed that in the United States, almost 70 per cent of Black children cannot swim. , in South Africa, a majority Black country, only 15 per cent of individuals know how to swim. This is not a biological or scientific issue.
