Good morning. As President of the University of Toronto, I’m pleased to welcome you to our Conference Centre here in the heart of the city.
Let me begin by thanking Peter Biro for inviting me to speak. I am honoured to join so many distinguished leaders in the Jewish community as well as academia, government and civil society. And I’m pleased to note the participation of some of our own U of T faculty experts in this most urgent conversation.
Antisemitism is an ancient and persistent hatred requiring our constant vigilance. And it has increased dramatically in the past few years, since the atrocities committed by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023. It is now especially bold and threatening. And we’re seeing it in progressive societies around the world, including our own – an ominous sign, as history shows.
Sadly, it’s on our university campuses too, as indicated in the CASE report on Campus Antisemitism and Student Experiences. And U of T is no exception, as indicated in our own first annual report in response to Bill 166, the Strengthening Accountability and Student Supports Act.
As academic institutions – and as public institutions – we have a particular responsibility to combat antisemitism with the same commitment and urgency with which we address all other forms of racism and discrimination. We strive to fulfill that responsibility through our observance of applicable federal and provincial laws as well as the policies we have developed in light of our own institutional purpose.
Our commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech is paramount, as is our commitment to the norms of civil discourse, especially in the classroom. These commitments are inseparable and fundamental to our mission of teaching and research – the free and open exchange of knowledge and ideas in a forum of mutual respect.
As President of the University of Toronto, I reaffirm these commitments. And in keeping with the precedent set by my predecessors, I reaffirm our rejection of academic boycotts as antithetical to our basic principles. We are proud of our partnerships around the world, including those with leading institutions in Israel.
Regarding our efforts to combat antisemitism on U of T’s own three campuses, I won’t repeat the list of actions we’ve taken in recent years. I appreciate the support we’ve received for those actions from many in this room.
At the same time, I recognize that we still haven’t seen the overall change that’s needed. And no single action will make it happen – rather, we need to continue and develop our sustained, holistic approach to the problem of antisemitism on campus. But I would like to draw your attention to some new initiatives we’ve taken to make meaningful progress.
We’ve launched a new online resource for the University community, called Addressing Antisemitism at the University of Toronto. Aimed at students, faculty, librarians and staff, it’s the product of wide consultation. The document explains the implications of our current legal and policy context and how complaints of antisemitism are reviewed and addressed.
It provides a non-exhaustive list of examples of conduct that may be regarded as antisemitic harassment and/or discrimination. And, while acknowledging that members of the University community are of course free to criticize the policy decisions and governments of any country – including Israel – the document includes an especially notable point:
Actions directed at individual members of our community because they are Jewish or Israeli, or identify as Zionist, can be harassment, discrimination, and/or violate law or policy. Such actions directed at individuals … do not cease to be problematic [ simply ] because the word ‘Jewish’ or ‘Israeli’ is replaced with the word ‘Zionist.’
The University has also recently completed a review of our existing University statement on prohibited discrimination and discriminatory harassment. In light of its recommendations, we’ve developed a more formal and comprehensive policy which is now in the final stage of our governance approval process. And we’ve established a human rights office designed both to simplify the process for those wishing to make a complaint and to strengthen the University’s response.
The University has also recently completed a review of the Code of Student Conduct, the result of which is also in the final stage of governance approval. And we are taking several steps to strengthen campus safety. That includes the reorganization of our tri-campus safety offices under a new central portfolio designed to improve coordination, consistency and accountability.
On the academic front, some of our leading scholars are working to deepen our understanding of antisemitism and Jewish life, as experienced at U of T and around the world. Professor Ron Levi is conducting a climate survey, with colleagues at the Lab for the Global Study of Antisemitism and in partnership with Hillel. And let me take this opportunity to thank Ron and the Lab for their contributions so far.
I also want to acknowledge Professor Anna Shternshis for her outstanding leadership as the director of the Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies, where the Lab is housed. The Centre takes a broad, interdisciplinary approach to the exploration of Jewish histories, languages, texts and literatures, as well as Jewish lived experiences. It collaborates with 24 other academic units across our three campuses. The University of Toronto is incredibly proud of the Centre’s national and global leadership in the field of Jewish studies.
Finally for now, I’d like to mention that we’ve established new means of communication and consultation with members of the Jewish community both within and beyond the University.
As President, I am hosting an ongoing series of meetings with members of the University’s senior leadership team and an advisory group of leaders from Jewish community organizations. The Office of Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion and the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students are meeting with Hillel on a monthly basis. The Provost’s Office is consulting regularly with Jewish faculty groups. And divisional leaders are deepening their engagement with internal and external Jewish groups who care deeply about U of T’s mission and success.
I want to note here the dedication of the Office of Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion in helping to lead our efforts to combat antisemitism on campus. Among many other things, they have developed a robust suite of education and training programs for faculty, staff and others. That includes new mandatory training for all deans as well as the principals of our undergraduate colleges.
The new actions I’ve highlighted today are part of a continuum – with the past actions we’ve taken and with those we will take as the future unfolds, in response to the evolving problem of antisemitism. Together these actions reflect our deep and lasting commitment to combat this terrible hatred, on our campuses and in society as a whole, according to our mission and our responsibility, as an academic institution and as Canada’s leading university.
Let me close by saying how grateful we are to the Jewish members of the U of T community and to the leaders of the wider Jewish community in Toronto and beyond, for sharing their experiences, concerns and ideas with us, to help us in fulfilling that commitment. And I want to express my gratitude once again for the opportunity to speak to you today. Thank you.