U Of T Students Are Protesting The School's Inadequate Response To Campus Suicides Today
Students are criticizing the University of Toronto for the school's inaction regarding three campus suicides.
Several sources have announced that another University of Toronto student committed suicide on campus last night. Toronto Fire arrived at the University of Toronto's Bahen Centre for Information Technology at 8:40 PM on Sunday in response to a death on the first floor of the building.
With heavy hearts, the student community is outraged by U of T's lack of acknowledgement and inactivity in responding to the loss.
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Students are criticizing the university for their "gross negligence" towards its students that has ultimately led to the cultivation of a "toxic campus environment," reports The Varsity. In just the past year alone, three University of Toronto students took their lives on campus.
According to an on-campus group, the University of Toronto's administration steadily refuses to acknowledge the ongoing mental health crisis that continues to affect the university's student community. The group claims the school "treats these students like an afterthought", and is currently "ignoring advice to modernize and strengthen UofT's mental health services."
Students and on-campus groups have taken to Twitter to voice their concerns regarding the University of Toronto's lack of mental health resources to ensure students' wellbeing and safety.
BREAKING: Toronto Fire was dispatched to the Bahen Centre for Information Technology at 8:40 pm in response to a death on the first floor. https://t.co/eSfZ409pfN
— The Varsity (@TheVarsity) March 18, 2019
The Bahen building is currently closed until further notice - we will send out an update as soon as possible.
— UofTCompSci (@UofTCompSci) March 18, 2019
Student organizations have commented, "This is the kind of negligence that results in entirely preventable further suffering and death." The groups hold the school accountable for the diminishing mental health of the student population, and explains, "The UofT administration, whether you look on them as leaders of a community or simply a business with fee-paying students, has a responsibility to prevent this, and they are culpable in these students' deaths."
There have been three suicides (that I know of) at @UofT in the last 8 months. THREE. The silence of the university and the lack of action for comprehensive mental health support for students is telling. Do better.
— Maria Zelenova (@mary_zelenova) March 18, 2019
I remember trying to contact health and wellness in second year, during what was probably the hardest time in my life. I called during office hours and all I got was an automated response asking to leave a message. I did and never got called back. @UofT
— Maria Zelenova (@mary_zelenova) March 18, 2019
Anyway, there is a protest of @UofT's incompetent responses to student suicides happening today. Please consider attending if you can. https://t.co/Z270Avw1MO
— Maria Zelenova (@mary_zelenova) March 18, 2019
Apparently a UofT student committed suicide from one of the buildings on campus😢 what a devastating news!
— جاد منصور (@jadmansour) March 18, 2019
This afternoon we join UofT students and community to mourn and protest the inaction of the administration as student mental health and suicide continues to impact our community.
— UofT Flying Squad (@UofTFlyingSquad) March 18, 2019
There is no reason that an... https://t.co/6fo8PLOpCJ
In case this vague tweet isn't clear: ANOTHER person has attempted suicide at U of T.
— Aidan Gomez (@AidanNGomez) March 18, 2019
The University of Toronto has shown years of negligence in addressing the mental health needs of its students. https://t.co/upMQZRcsen
Email that UofT sent to staff and faculty the morning after a student died by suicide pic.twitter.com/sTDHc1xy1J
— cassie❣ (@iHateCogsci) March 18, 2019
This is the second death in Bahen this year and my heart is absolutely broken. @UofT you must implement safety measures in the building and you need to do it now. We need 24H counselling on campus now. https://t.co/o3GMQvgadP
— Joshua Grondin (@joshgrondin_96) March 18, 2019
Third suicide ON CAMPUS just this year and @UofT is silent as usual. https://t.co/erJ8h6Nckz
— Nazanin (@sizzlefriend) March 18, 2019
stop glorifying @UofT for its top uni ranking worldwide.
— Fatema. (@_fatemad) March 18, 2019
start talking about how it has been the third suicide at UofT St. George this year, and as students nobody is made aware the commonness of it...
heartbreaking.
Kids are afraid to get help now. And they should be. If you knew that asking for medical care would make you immediately homeless or get you deported, you'd avoid counselling until you were extremely suicidal too #onpoli #cdnpoli https://t.co/vPZb8oSv4S #onpoli #cdnpoli
— Aurelia Cotta (@AureliaCotta) March 18, 2019
Second suicide at Bahen this year. @UofT 's new policy on mandatory mental health leave was passed June 28. Policy bans any student who is suicidal from campus, making them homeless, no food, no friends, no counselling, no health care. International students are deported #onpoli https://t.co/u8rYuY7c4x
— Aurelia Cotta (@AureliaCotta) March 18, 2019
A silent protest has been scheduled today outside the President's office at King's College Circle.
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Please join UofT students and community this afternoon to protest the administration's inaction around student mental health and suicide in our community.
— Silence is Violence (@SIVUofT) March 18, 2019
We are coming together to mourn loss in our community and fighting to demand better from the... https://t.co/kA4kRkyvft