TMU students vote “yes” to make well-being services more accessible and equitable

In a momentous vote, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students have said “yes” to the university’s well-being future during the student referendum that took place from November 1 to November 3.  

 (PDF file) 57.39 per cent of students who voted in the referendum said they are in favour of the fee increase that will be used to improve the quality, timeliness and level of service received by students. The fee will increase by $34.90 per term, which will be combined with contributions from donors and the university.

“This is the culmination of several years of work from many people across the Office of the Vice-Provost, especially those within our Student Wellbeing units,” said Jen McMillen, vice-provost, students. “Successful passing of the referendum really means the opportunity for us to continue to transform our student well-being supports and programs.” 

Conversations with students over the last eight months have shown that well-being at TMU is rooted deeply in the university’s commitment to equity, McMillen says. “What we're trying to create is physical spaces, as well as programs and services that allow students to be their whole selves, to find community, to challenge barriers and structures that impede them, and to get help in ways that are reflective, supportive and understanding of their lived experiences.”

Next steps for Student Wellbeing Centre

The fee increase will help fund the transformation of O'Keefe House, on the corner of Gould and Bond Streets, into the university’s new Student Wellbeing Centre. While not official unless approved by the TMU Board of Governors later this month, the Centre is envisioned as a one-stop shop for all health and well-being services on campus.

Programs and services offered in this new space include the Medical Centre, the Tri-Mentoring Program, Consent Comes First, Academic Accommodation Support, ThriveTMU and more. 

Bringing all services together in one building will raise awareness of the many resources available to students, improve accessibility to programming, and maximize connection points for them, providing holistic delivery of health and well-being services for decades to come.

In the months ahead, the university will invite students to contribute to the final planning and activation of the space with the goal of opening its doors in 2025. 

More than a building

While a portion of the new health and well-being fee is proposed to go towards the development of the Student Wellbeing Centre, the new funds will also go towards enhanced programming and services as early as next year. 

Beginning in September 2023, at least 25 per cent of the new fee, along with contributions from the university and donors, will go immediately to support vital investments in well-being supports that will address the pain points students have noted over the years. 

This includes hiring additional front-line support staff, such as counsellors, mentors, nurses, dietitians, AAS facilitators, care coordinators, health promotion specialists, consent educators, case managers and navigators, to better serve student needs and reduce service wait times.  

In addition, the fee will help expand opportunities for students to make connections and to find community through mentoring opportunities, improve spaces in which students receive care, and provide more coordination to ensure a seamless experience when they are most in need. 

Continued partnership with students

While the referendum has now passed successfully, McMillen says that the university will continue to search for ways to listen to and involve students in TMU’s well-being plan. 

“We can only do this by partnering with students,” said McMillen. “We will continue to seek their input now and well into the future to ensure that we are aligned with their needs and centring their voices as we evolve the university’s plans.”

For more information and to stay updated on future planning, visit the Student Wellbeing website.