The university formerly known as Ryerson has finally gotten a new name

After years of students calling for the name of the school to be changed, the school formerly known as Ryerson University has ditched its old moniker.

Enter Toronto Metropolitan University.

The board of governors approved the new name Tuesday afternoon. The university officially began the renaming process in August 2021.

“Our new name Toronto Metropolitan University embodies so many things about our university, our community, our students, faculty, staff, and alumni,” President and Vice-Chancellor of Toronto Metropolitan University said in a statement.

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The name change was sparked after outcries from Indigenous students and staff because the school’s namesake, Egerton Ryerson, was instrumental in Canada’s residential schools. Residential schools are responsible for the deaths of thousands of Indigenous children and have had long-lasting intergenerational impacts.

The university wasted no time in switching over social media names and images to reflect the name change.

Toronto Metropolitan University/Twitter

“Metropolitan also defines our aspirations to expand our reputation and reach, as exemplified by our new Lincoln Alexander School of Law, our first international campus in Cairo, Egypt, and our plans for a future School of Medicine in Brampton,” said Lachemi.

The university is using the opportunity to usher in a new chapter for the school. The school has a website dedicated to its future plans including not reinstalling the Egerton Ryerson statue and considering renaming Eggy, the school’s mascot.