With an undergraduate population of over 75,000 and a graduate population of over 21,000 students spread across three campuses, U of T is evidently a large place. As such, it can be helpful to know who to reach out to with any questions or complaints about how the university operates. Below is a list that might help you with this task, should you ever need it.
Important people at UTSG
If you go to UTSG, the first name you should know is President Meric Gertler. As U of T president, Gertler oversees the university’s highest governing body formed by the elected faculty, students, and staff — the Governing Council. The council works directly with the administration to provide direction as to what elements of U of T the university should prioritize. In 2015, Gertler’s administration announced its focus on what it calls the “Three Priorities,” which is a branded initiative that focuses on leveraging U of T’s urban locations better, strengthening its international partnerships, and reinventing its undergraduate education.
After Gertler, the next highest-ranked person in U of T’s governance is Vice-President and Provost Cheryl Regehr. Regehr is the senior assessor on U of T’s Academic Board, a body that's responsible for overseeing academic and budgetary matters. In this role, Regehr also leads various vice-provosts.
If you’re a student in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Dean Melanie Woodin is also an important name to know. In her position, Woodin oversees the largest faculty of UTSG. In addition to housing most U of T courses, the Faculty of Arts & Science oversees seven UTSG colleges, which is composed of a group of students within the faculty.
In terms of students, an important name to look out for is Omar Gharbiyeh, the 2022–2023 University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) president. The UTSU represents undergraduate students at UTSG and is responsible for lobbying U of T on behalf of the student body. The UTSU also organizes many student-related activities on campus, such as protests, debates, and town halls. Omar’s goals for his term are to advocate for more security in dining halls, to work toward ending gender-based violence, and implement proactive pandemic responses.
If you’re a graduate student, keep an eye out for Lwanga Musisi. Musisi is president of the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU), a union that represents graduate students on all three campuses of U of T. As president, Musisi acts as a liaison with the School of Graduate Studies and the Office of Vice-Provost, Students. Musisi is also responsible for chairing the UTGSU General Assembly for course unions, and he is the Vice Chair of the Finance Committee.
Important people at UTM
If you’re a student at UTM, the most important name you should know is U of T Vice-President and UTM Principal Alexandra Gillespie. Gillespie joined UTM as a professor of English literature in 2004. Since then, she’s been the chair of UTM’s Department of English & Drama, a member of Toronto’s Initiative for Diversity & Excellence, the first director of the Jackman Humanities Institute’s Digital Humanities Network, and UTM’s vice-presidential special advisor in research.
In 2020, Gillespie became the first woman appointed as UTM’s Principal, where she is responsible for all administrative decisions affecting UTM, including budget, appointments, promotions, and campus management. Her goals for her term are to strengthen relationships with U of T’s students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members, and to build a future “full of curiosity, knowledge, and social justice.”
Next up is Dean Rhonda McEwen, UTM’s vice-principal, academic and dean. McEwen is a professor at the Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology at U of T’s iSchool. In 2020, McEwan was named special advisor on anti-racism and equity at UTM, after spearheading Black Table Talks, a networking opportunity for Black students, faculty, and staff. McEwan was also part of Visions of Science, a network that engages youth from low-income or marginalized communities to STEM.
Another important name to know is Maëlis Barre, president of the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union. During her campaign, Barre’s focus has been campaigning for educational rights and inequities faced by students. Before being elected as President, Barre was previously a member of UTM’s Academic Affairs Committee, a body concerned with matters that affect the teaching, learning, and resource functions of UTM.
Important people at UTSC
If you’re a student at UTSC, the most important name you should know is Wisdom Tettey, U of T vice-president and UTSC principal. Principal Tettey is responsible for all administrative decisions affecting UTSC, including budget, appointments, promotions, and campus management. Before coming to UTSC, Principal Tettey was dean of Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences and the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies at UBC and was interim dean of the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Communication and Culture.
Another key name to know is William A. Gough, UTSC vice-principal academic & dean. Professor Gough previously served as UTSC’s interim vice-principal academic & dean, vice-dean faculty, and vice-dean graduate education & program development. He has been a lecturer at UTSC for 15 years in the Department of Physical and Environmental Science.
In terms of students, an important name to know is Michael Sobowale, President of the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU), the union to represent UTSC’s undergraduate students. Prior to being elected, Sobowale was a member of the SCSU’s club committee, UTSC’s Chief Administrator’s Office, and Council of Student Services.
In this article, we’ve given you a lot of names — it’s completely okay if you’re overwhelmed reading them. Our advice is to revisit this list over time and familiarize yourself with those most important to you — even if you never meet them, each of these people play a big part in shaping your experience at U of T.