Picture Perfect: Seeing and Unseeing UTSC on Film

What makes a given location perfect for filming? It’s a big question. Location is, after all, arguably one of the most important aspects of film production, as filmmakers have to consider how to best translate the narrative charge of a story into a physical space. Location, in this sense, functions not only as a passive […]
“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, […]
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 […]
Food for Thought: UTSC’s Favourite Recipes

Nestled in the quiet eastern end of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Scarborough has grown dramatically over the years: from an Indigenous gathering ground to a nineteenth-century colonial township, the city is now home to a vibrant, culturally diverse community that has allowed Scarborough to develop a unique identity of its own. This identity can […]
Six Feet Under the Stars at UTSC

“… let us accept Scarab, ugly and venomous though it certainly seemed when we first visited it last July, looking forward to the novelty, beauty and peace of our proper home in Scarborough where, ‘exempt from public haunt’, we shall indeed find ‘Tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good […]
Making a Home in the Highlands: The Story of UTSC’s Student Residences

Arguably no situation has thrown postsecondary students and universities across Canada into as much confusion as the current COVID-19 pandemic. In an attempt to limit the spread of the virus over the past few months, most, if not all, of Canada’s major universities urged their students to move out of on-campus residences, including the University […]
Vincent W. Bladen Library: A Students’ Demand

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re lucky to have online libraries available for our entertainment needs from the comfort of our own homes. In fact, can you imagine what it’d be like without a library, especially if you were a student? Scarborough College didn’t have a proper library until 1982, upon the opening of Vincent W. […]