The University of Toronto is set to hold its convocation ceremonies amidst an ongoing protest on campus. The university has announced that the convocations will take place as scheduled, despite the ongoing demonstration by students and faculty members.
The protest, which began on Monday, is in response to the university’s decision to increase tuition fees for international students. The demonstration has been organized by the University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) and the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA).
According to the UTSU, the tuition fee increase will make it difficult for international students to afford their education at the university. They argue that this will lead to a decrease in diversity and accessibility at the institution.
The UTFA, on the other hand, is protesting against the university’s decision to cut funding for graduate students. They claim that this will have a negative impact on the quality of education and research at the university.
Despite the ongoing protest, the university has stated that the convocation ceremonies will proceed as planned. In a statement, the university said that they respect the right to peaceful protest, but they also have a responsibility to ensure that the convocations are held for the graduating students.
The university has also assured that they are open to dialogue with the UTSU and UTFA to address their concerns. They have invited the student and faculty representatives to meet with university officials to discuss the issues at hand.
Meanwhile, the UTSU and UTFA have stated that they will continue their protest until their demands are met. They have also called for support from the wider community to join them in their demonstration.
The convocation ceremonies are set to begin on Wednesday and will continue until Friday. The university has advised attendees to plan for potential disruptions due to the ongoing protest.
As the university prepares for its convocation ceremonies, the protest on campus continues to draw attention to the issues of accessibility and funding for education. It remains to be seen how the university will address these concerns and whether the ongoing demonstration will have any impact on the convocation ceremonies.
