Brief History of the Students' Union
Your Students' Union was established in 1901 to deal with non-athletic activities on campus. The original mandate of the union was to enforce discipline, promote decent behaviour and good conduct and to be a social and cultural council. In 1907, the Students' Union changed its name to Parliament of the Undergraduates. A Parliament of the Undergraduates was organized to discuss the improvement of student services and came to take over publications of The Varsity, which at the time was under the control and supervision of a small group of men for personal profit. With new responsibilities the structure of the Parliament became unworkable and thus evolved into the Students' Administrative Council by 1913 - with representation from all colleges and faculties in the University of Toronto. We have recently returned to our original name: The University of Toronto Students' Union.
Over the past years, the Students' Union has evolved and offers more services, advocacy and representation for its ever growing membership. We now bring you services that enhance the student experience of all University of Toronto students through services like the Book Exchange, Discount TTC Metropasses, and Health and Dental Plans. We have adopted, as our main campaign and advocacy project, accessible and affordable education.
Historical Highlights
1972: After an occupation of Simcoe Hall, the University administration concedes to the Students' Union demand to ensure Robarts can be accessed by undergraduate students.
1986: The Centre for Women and Trans People is established through funding by the Students' Union and supported by the students of the University.
1989: U.T.S.U. creates a student-levy-based Wheelchair Accessibility Committee that has since allocated upwards of $3 million towards physical upgrade making campus more accessible. The Wheelchair Access Fund still exists today.
1990: Students occupy the University President's office to force the administration to begin negotiations to divest $20 million in pension funds that had been invested in apartheid South Africa.
1998: Over 175 cultural, spiritual and leadership student groups are recognised and supported by U.T.S.U.
2000: Students Against Sweatshops successfully lobbies the University to adopt a sweat-free policy for all UofT merchandise.
2002: U.T.S.U. members voted in favour of becoming members of the Canadian Federation of Students, the largest student organization in Canada.
2003: United with students across Ontario, UofT students help win a two-year tuition fee freeze, saving over $100 million in additional fees.
2003: U.T.S.U. negotiates a TTC Metropass Discount, saving students $12.75 per month.
2005: U.T.S.U. launches a childminding service at UTM, the only UofT campus not offering daycare.
2006: United with students across Canada, UofT students help to pressure the government to grant international students the right to work off campus.
2007: After numerous campaigns since the 1960s, students secure student-run space on campus through a Student Commons.
2009: Students force UofT to reconsider the regressive "Flat Fees" tuition fee collection scheme; United with students across the GTA students win the first-ever Student TTC Metropass for post-secondary students.
2010: Student successfully pressure the University to revise problematic policy within the Code of Student Conduct.