scarberiankhatru
Senior Member
People who went there in the 70s?
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UTM Campus a Joke No More!
- Thread starter FutureMayor
- Start date
syn
Senior Member
I don't think the campus spirit is that bad. There are a lot of attractive women there too.
RJR123
Active Member
Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so harsh. I was just basing my opinion on friends that have attended there and what they've told me.
Observer Walt
Senior Member
Any campus which is a "commuter campus" will reflect lack of school spirit and a bit of a cold attitude. A campus with residences, with a pub or two, with athletic facilities, etc., will aid in building spirit. Places simply to study or to sit and soialize are important as well.
It's my impression that UT at Mississauga lacked some of this until recently. The new library building, which I was able to tour recently, is impressive and provides a reason for people to actually stick around on campus.
It's my impression that UT at Mississauga lacked some of this until recently. The new library building, which I was able to tour recently, is impressive and provides a reason for people to actually stick around on campus.
adma
Superstar
And York's architecture has been stepping away from the "hideous" over the past, I dunno, verging on two decades now...
doady
Senior Member
It is funny that people complain about their schools like UTM and York. All these suburban kids had to do is actually do some work in school instead spending all their time street racing and watching sports, and maybe they wouldn't have to settle for schools that will accept anyone.
syn
Senior Member
UTM and York won't accept anyone.
I do agree complaining is pointless and kind of hypocritical if you don't try and improve the situation.
salvius
Active Member
?????
My girlfriend's a York alumni and her program accepts 50 out 2200 people that apply every year. It's not the only such program at York (Dance/Film/Theatre, probably design, etc.).
Observer Walt
Senior Member
U of T has always had pretty high standards for admission, and I don't think York is that far behind them. I don't think this would be the reason that a "commuter campus" (which both of these universities largely are) provides a somewhat cold atmosphere, lacks school spirit, etc. Several other factors come into it, including the architecture and atmosphere of the physical surroundings.
Adma, agreed that the York campus has improved immensely over the last 10 - 15 years. It was originally designed, if that's the word, very poorly, with buildings just plunked down in the middle of fields, mainly with no relationships to each other. It was one of the coldest places you could imagine, figuratively and literally in the winter. Finally about 10 (?) years ago, York Lanes, the combined office and retailing building, along with Vari Hall, one of the few buildings with some real architectural appeal, started to make a difference.
Adma, agreed that the York campus has improved immensely over the last 10 - 15 years. It was originally designed, if that's the word, very poorly, with buildings just plunked down in the middle of fields, mainly with no relationships to each other. It was one of the coldest places you could imagine, figuratively and literally in the winter. Finally about 10 (?) years ago, York Lanes, the combined office and retailing building, along with Vari Hall, one of the few buildings with some real architectural appeal, started to make a difference.
scarberiankhatru
Senior Member
Admission standards to get into large programs are not particularly rigorous at any university here. U of T accepts a big proportion of those who apply because they have room for so many...they let in thousands of people who, honestly, should not be there, and it lowers the value and experience of university for everyone. However, there's a slew of smaller programs that are extremely picky.
At Canadian universities there's no real - what's the best way to phrase it - "campus spirit?" There's no American college culture here, or pre-war Oxbridge culture, but that's what we imagine university "should" be. The stars might align and you'll find a circle of best friends forever in residence and you'll have the money to go on endless road trips and party yourself into oblivion and you'll have only inspirational profs and......Or, a high school clique moves on to the same university together and are able to keep good high school times alive in spite of their Doom 2 level-esque campus, suburban anonymity, lack of stimulating profs and courses, etc. For most, though, including most commuters, they're just going to have a less than idyllic time, and some will be bitterly disappointed.
I find it hard to believe that someone who goes to UTM or York would be surprised at the atmosphere they find. After all, I know people who have been disappointed with the atmosphere even at a school like Queen's, so I wonder what they expected UTM or York to be like. Still, I understand their complaints and there's no harm in wanting a better experience. As observer walt says, bricks and mortar improvements will accomplish something...unfortunately, I think they're possibly the only thing we can do. Expanding the 'going away to university' culture will lower the percentage of commuters, but that's so much easier said than done...students and their families just don't put that much value on going away here and governments could go bankrupt sending every kid to Saskatchewan to "learn more about themselves."
At Canadian universities there's no real - what's the best way to phrase it - "campus spirit?" There's no American college culture here, or pre-war Oxbridge culture, but that's what we imagine university "should" be. The stars might align and you'll find a circle of best friends forever in residence and you'll have the money to go on endless road trips and party yourself into oblivion and you'll have only inspirational profs and......Or, a high school clique moves on to the same university together and are able to keep good high school times alive in spite of their Doom 2 level-esque campus, suburban anonymity, lack of stimulating profs and courses, etc. For most, though, including most commuters, they're just going to have a less than idyllic time, and some will be bitterly disappointed.
I find it hard to believe that someone who goes to UTM or York would be surprised at the atmosphere they find. After all, I know people who have been disappointed with the atmosphere even at a school like Queen's, so I wonder what they expected UTM or York to be like. Still, I understand their complaints and there's no harm in wanting a better experience. As observer walt says, bricks and mortar improvements will accomplish something...unfortunately, I think they're possibly the only thing we can do. Expanding the 'going away to university' culture will lower the percentage of commuters, but that's so much easier said than done...students and their families just don't put that much value on going away here and governments could go bankrupt sending every kid to Saskatchewan to "learn more about themselves."
syn
Senior Member
It definitely depends on the program and university. Even within UofT, there are varying standards. Trinity, for example, has very high standards.
I would have to disagree. There may not be the same brand of campus spirit, it's just different (although, in quite a few cases it can be very similar). I visited a friend at Ottawa University years ago, and campus spirit was alive and well. The same goes for St. George Campus at UofT, although it's hard to notice if you're a commuter student who just goes to class and goes home.
I do agree that the latter description you gave does happen often though.
Well, you have to remember that students going into university don't necessarily have the experience we do. When visiting UTM, you wouldn't think that the layout was the problem - it's actually a very nice campus. The problem is the people. The "going away to university" culture does exist, but with rising enrollment levels and cost, it isn't a realistic option for a lot of people.
scarberiankhatru
Senior Member
No, there is no great 'going away' culture here, nothing that compares to America, anyway. Maybe there is in WASP society or in small towns that don't have schools, but not for the average GTA kid or the average kid within commuting distance of any Canadian school...the kind of kids who just happen to account for the overwhelming majority of enrollment at all of the GTA schools. I knew perhaps 5 people who went away for reasons other than the program, and several of them ended up transferring back to a Toronto school because they were miserable enough that they'd rather save several tens of thousands of dollars than go away. Then you have the kids who "go away" but come back to Toronto every single weekend...
School is more expensive in the States, but the going away culture is stronger there. For whatever reasons, they place more value on the experience.
U of T has no school spirit...you can argue that Trin, the engineers, etc., have school spirit, but there's no overall campus spirit. If one suggests that a school has spirit, but it only exists between 9pm and 9am when the commuter students go home and the best friends forever come out to play, then the school has no spirit.
School is more expensive in the States, but the going away culture is stronger there. For whatever reasons, they place more value on the experience.
U of T has no school spirit...you can argue that Trin, the engineers, etc., have school spirit, but there's no overall campus spirit. If one suggests that a school has spirit, but it only exists between 9pm and 9am when the commuter students go home and the best friends forever come out to play, then the school has no spirit.
syn
Senior Member
In my highschool a lot of people wanted to go away and did so.
There is a longer precedence for it and it was always part of the experience. It's also celebrated in popular culture a lot more. There are a lot of people in the US, however, that don't go away.
Sure there is. You just have to get involved. Commuter students have to work harder to get involved, but there is a lot of spirit and plenty to do - you just have to make an effort to do it.
unimaginative2
Senior Member
scarberiankhatru
Senior Member
A larger percentage from my high school went away (maybe 30/150? quite a few didn't go to university, though), but for most of them, it was basically to access programs not found at U of T. I know one person that was forced to go away, several that were miserable and came back to Toronto, etc. I honestly can't think of anyone from my high school who went away for the sake of going away. It happens in Rosedale or Aurora though.