“Jail”, “Frosty Stairwells”, “Cracked Pavement”, “Iconic”, “Comfortable”: The Varied First Impressions of UTSC

Welcome to the new school year. At this time, many begin new experiences here at UTSC. With such experiences comes memorable first impressions of the campus and community. When conducting oral histories for this project, our participants, who include alumni, faculty, staff, and community members, are often asked to describe their first impressions of UTSC. Below, […]
An Ode to Course Enrollment Woes

Course enrollment at UTSC for the Fall 2023/Winter 2024 terms begins July 5th for first year students and July 13th and 11th, respectively, for second and third-year students. For some, these days represent when students race to ACORN and rapidly click the “enroll” button before their required courses and coveted tutorial or lab times are […]
“I am Professor John Lee and I’m gay, and those of you who don’t like that can leave”: UTSC Professor John Alan Lee, 1971-1999

When asked about memorable moments during his time as a student at Scarborough College, Anthony McWatt recounted attending a class in the 1980s where the Professor introduced himself saying, “I am Professor John Lee and I’m gay, and those of you who don’t like that can leave” (Ainsworth and Berkowitz 2020). Lee would become one […]
The Building(s) of UTSC: A Social Timeline of UTSC

Did you know that the UTSC library was housed in many locations (including the Bendale Library, in the upper levels of SW, and even in a barn) before being established in its current home in the Academic Resource Centre? Or that the Leigha Lee Browne Theatre was built on the remains of a television studio, […]
‘Aztec Temple,’ ‘Fallout Shelter,’ Or… Reputation Starter? The Tale of UTSC’s Architect, John Andrews

Terms such as ‘Aztec Temple,’ from the Toronto Daily Star, and ‘Fallout Shelter,’ from Dr. D. Abbey, were a few that were displayed on the pages of Marooned Christmas ‘67 edition to describe the appearance of the original buildings of UTSC. At the same time, the design of the campus was praised in the architectural […]