Toronto Metropolitan University (Ryerson) Campus Public Realm

[lenaitch]

Maybe the bankrupt Lakehead U. should be renamed and amalgamated with TeeMU?

Perhaps you mean Laurentian? I think Lakehead is solvent.

Should probably start with universities in the region. Merge Ryerson, Trent, UOIT to start.

Why? Do we turn it into our version of the state university system in the US and turn the other ones into so-called our version of their so-called private universities?

 

[kEiThZ]

Do we turn it into our version of the state university system in the US and turn the other ones into so-called our version of their so-called private universities?

Would it be so bad if we had an Ontario version of the University of California or the State University of New York or the University of Quebec?

But that's not what I'm suggesting. I'm just saying it's poor branding if that's all there is, and there's no actual integration. And really, there's an opportunity here for some of these smaller universities to come together and share services, faculty and program offerings.

 

[lenaitch]

Would it be so bad if we had an Ontario version of the University of California or the State University of New York or the University of Quebec?

But that's not what I'm suggesting. I'm just saying it's poor branding if that's all there is, and there's no actual integration. And really, there's an opportunity here for some of these smaller universities to come together and share services, faculty and program offerings.

Perhaps. Quebec running their own university chain is in keeping with their 'republic-within-a -confederation' stance.

I'm always a little leery of sharing, synergies, etc. between unequal or unbalanced entities (in terms of size, budget, etc.). It seems the larger one always becomes a sink or black hole for money and resources at the expense of the smaller ones. There seems to be a fair bit of sharing and flexibility between institutions in terms of programs, credits, etc.; although there are calls for those to be more streamlined and formalized.

 

[Northern Light]

On the subject of a University integrated across multiple campuses, I would like to point out w/already have that in the form of U of T, UTSC and UTM.

Clearly, when that was started, the latter two were merely modestly satellited campuses, broadly serving as undergraduate Arts/Humanities schools.

But both have evolved and are evolving to become full-service Universities in their own right, while being very much integrated w/the U of T as a whole.

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We already have several other multi-campus schools, w/more on the way.

Notably Laurier is in Brantford
Trent is in Oshawa
York U has Glendon, of course, but will soon add Markham.
Ryerson is set to add Brampton
Queen's has an Oshawa outpost as well

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For the most part, I think that the sense of a truly integrated University system is best achieved with some measure of geographic proximity between campuses, and with institutions that have enough similarity to
achieve some critical mass in areas of specialization; but equally enough difference that each brings something to the other.

Ontario Tech, for instance, I don't think would be a logical fit w/Trent.

I do think there is a more interesting case for merging Nipissing and Laurentian. They are relatively close together, they share some program specialties (or did before the deep cuts were made at the latter); but they both aspire to also
be full-service schools overall. The 2 campuses are roughly 90m apart, and with dedicated transport between them, I could see them functioning as one.

Proximity, while important, really must blend w/programmatic synergy. As an example of 2 schools I would not merge, Laurier, and Waterloo. Though literally across the road from one another......(more or less)....
They have very different cultures and specialties and I don't see any logical benefit to a unified administration or branding.

 

[Tunafish13]

On the subject of a University integrated across multiple campuses, I would like to point out w/already have that in the form of U of T, UTSC and UTM.

Clearly, when that was started, the latter two were merely modestly satellited campuses, broadly serving as undergraduate Arts/Humanities schools.

But both have evolved and are evolving to become full-service Universities in their own right, while being very much integrated w/the U of T as a whole.

****

We already have several other multi-campus schools, w/more on the way.

Notably Laurier is in Brantford
Trent is in Oshawa
York U has Glendon, of course, but will soon add Markham.
Ryerson is set to add Brampton
Queen's has an Oshawa outpost as well

****

For the most part, I think that the sense of a truly integrated University system is best achieved with some measure of geographic proximity between campuses, and with institutions that have enough similarity to
achieve some critical mass in areas of specialization; but equally enough difference that each brings something to the other.

Ontario Tech, for instance, I don't think would be a logical fit w/Trent.

I do think there is a more interesting case for merging Nipissing and Laurentian. They are relatively close together, they share some program specialties (or did before the deep cuts were made at the latter); but they both aspire to also
be full-service schools overall. The 2 campuses are roughly 90m apart, and with dedicated transport between them, I could see them functioning as one.

Proximity, while important, really must blend w/programmatic synergy. As an example of 2 schools I would not merge, Laurier, and Waterloo. Though literally across the road from one another......(more or less)....
They have very different cultures and specialties and I don't see any logical benefit to a unified administration or branding.

Also worth mentioning is the TMU is opening (has already opened?) a campus in Cairo apparently? I remember seeing something about that in their blurb about the new name.

And also in that list you mentioned, Lakehead has an Orillia campus as well as the one in Thunder Bay.

 

[kEiThZ]

Perhaps. Quebec running their own university chain is in keeping with their 'republic-within-a -confederation' stance.

Quebec has a lot more than the Université du Québec.

I'm always a little leery of sharing, synergies, etc. between unequal or unbalanced entities (in terms of size, budget, etc.). It seems the larger one always becomes a sink or black hole for money and resources at the expense of the smaller ones. There seems to be a fair bit of sharing and flexibility between institutions in terms of programs, credits, etc.; although there are calls for those to be more streamlined and formalized.

It all depends on how it's done. Just look at California. In a country with so much privatized education, California has three public post-secondary systems: University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges. Those systems allow for mobility for faculty, staff and students which creates incredible opportunity for all. When I was in California, the community college near me had courses taught by a Nobel Prize winner, because he retired to the area and missed teaching and was simply able to transfer his seniority. And there were also mechanisms for his students to then go on to study at a UC or CSU. And I doubt you're going to look at UCLA or UC Berkeley or UC Irvine and say those institutions are weak.

To the topic at hand, Queen's Park took Ryerson's polytechnic model and applied it to UOIT. This was done instead of just letting Ryerson expand to a new campus. All good as long as Ryerson was arguing it was a downtown university. Then they decided to open an entire campus focused on cybersecurity in Brampton of all places. This all makes no sense to me. UOIT should have been a Ryerson East campus, with Brampton as Ryerson West. They could have shared resources, offered more programs (including semi-remote classes) and would all have been connected by GO. Added bonus would have been improved name recognition from a larger number of grads.

 

[JasonParis]

Should be noted that when it says University of Quebec @ ... or University of California @.... those campuses are all part of same university network. Makes no sense to call it Universal of Ontario @ Toronto, when there is no ability to transfer to UOIT.

SUNY in New York State is another example of this. And yes, part of the same network.

 

[afransen]

Forgetting the fact that I don't think we should be renaming/tearing down anything, Toronto Metropolitan sounds like a church.

I think a better name would have been Univ of Ontario @ Toronto. This way other cities that need a university could tie their name to it to give them some recognition, make for seamless transfers, and reduce administrative costs ie U of O @ Barrie, @ Belleville, @Brantford, @ Sarnia. It would allow smaller campuses in cities without universities to create campuses and grow as needed.

Of course that probably makes too much sense and Ryerson wouldn't have been able to spend a couple million on consultants to come up with this truly original and enticing name.

Leads to possible confusion with University of Ontario Institute of Technology. (UOIT) Otherwise the most awkwardly named university in Ontario until TMU. I guess we could use the opportunity to rename UOIT to UO Oshawa, or as they style themselves corporately Ontario Tech.