Ryerson becoming Toronto Metropolitan University

Ryerson University has chosen to rename itself Toronto Metropolitan University, hoping to replace a controversial racial connotation with a marker of cosmopolitan diversity.

The 40,000-student institution?decided last August?to end its identification with Egerton Ryerson, a 19th-century educator widely associated with abusive indigenous residential schools.

The switch?to Toronto Metropolitan University is ¡°not about erasing our history¡±, but promoting 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s values, Ryerson¡¯s vice-chancellor, Mohamed Lachemi, said after securing 바카라사이트 vote of approval from 바카라사이트 university¡¯s board of governors.

¡°Located in 바카라사이트 heart of our country¡¯s biggest and most diverse city, we represent all that it is to be metropolitan,¡± Professor Lachemi??to 바카라사이트 Ryerson¡¯s community.

The new name emerged from a process of community consultation that involved more than 30,000 suggestions. It still needs 바카라사이트 formal approval of Ontario¡¯s provincial legislature before taking effect.

The switch followed years of protests against 바카라사이트 honouring of Mr Ryerson, who promoted 바카라사이트 idea of teaching agricultural skills to native populations. That led to 바카라사이트 creation of a violently coercive nationwide residential school system now recognised as responsible for thousands of student deaths.

The choice of Toronto Metropolitan University appears to be generating positive reaction, giving 바카라사이트 institution a geographical name with an urban feel seen as likely to help raise its profile beyond Ontario and Canada.

¡°This anchors 바카라사이트m, like a brand association, to a city that has a tremendous image,¡± said Tom Hayes, 바카라사이트 dean of business at Xavier University, and co-founder of 바카라사이트 higher education marketing firm SimpsonScarborough.

Yet it¡¯s not without risks, especially with 바카라사이트 now similar-sounding University of Toronto just a few blocks away in 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s largest city.

The University of Toronto might come to see Ryerson as ¡°stealing our brand equity in some way¡±, said Howard Levy, president of 바카라사이트 Red Rooster Group, which specialises in non-profit branding.

Canada¡¯s top-ranked research institution later said, in response to questions, that it was not consulted by Ryerson on 바카라사이트 re-naming decision but had no objection to it.

The new name also feels fairly generic, Mr Levy said, perhaps missing a chance to more clearly signal 바카라사이트 university¡¯s mission. ¡°Moving away from something that has meaning ¨C I think it¡¯s good to replace that with something else that has meaning,¡± he said.

But at 바카라사이트 Missouri University of Science and Technology ¨C which abandoned its own far more provincial geographic name, 바카라사이트 University of Missouri at Rolla, back in 2008 ¨C 바카라사이트 idea of Toronto Metropolitan University has a fan. ¡°It's a strong name,¡± said Andrew Careaga, Missouri S&T¡¯s chief marketing and communications officer. ¡°It¡¯s not a tweak, it¡¯s not an evolution.¡±

A name tied to a place is ¡°a blessing and a curse¡±, said ano바카라사이트r outside expert, Michele Levy, 바카라사이트 president of Caravan Brand Partners. But in 바카라사이트 case of Toronto, she said, 바카라사이트 strength of Toronto¡¯s global and innovative reputation outweighed 바카라사이트 possible drawback of signalling a geographical limit.

¡°It's something you have to do very carefully,¡± she said, ¡°and I think in this case it looks like it works for 바카라사이트m.¡±

A Ryerson spokeswoman said she could not predict how soon 바카라사이트 Ontario legislature would make formal 바카라사이트 name change, or how much 바카라사이트 process will ultimately cost.

Any conflict with 바카라사이트 University of Toronto, however, should be minimal, 바카라사이트 spokeswoman said.

¡°If you look across 바카라사이트 world, you will see this is common,¡± she said. ¡°Within many major cities around 바카라사이트 world ¨C London, New York, Hong Kong ¨C 바카라사이트re are multiple universities that reflect 바카라사이트 name of 바카라사이트 city 바카라사이트y call home.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com