Presidential & Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Plan
Overview
On May 31, 2019, President Gertler and Provost Regehr announced the membership of the Presidential & Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health and posted a draft Outreach and Engagement Plan inviting all members of the University community to review it and provide feedback (closing June 21, 2019).
Chaired by Professor Trevor Young, the Task Force on Student Mental Health advised the President and Provost on recommendations regarding the University’s commitment to creating an environment at U of T that enables all students – including those experiencing mental illness – to thrive.
The Task Force reviewed existing services and programs related to student mental health and explored potential new solutions in this area. To undertake this work, the Task Force conducted a series of outreach and engagement activities across U of T’s three campuses during the summer and fall months. Opportunities to participate included online feedback forms, open meetings on each of the three campuses, and smaller targeted group sessions. During these outreach and engagement opportunities, students, staff, and faculty were invited to provide feedback related to the topics outlined in the mandate of the Task Force. The Task Force’s Terms of Reference are available on the Provost’s website.
Outreach & Engagement Plan
The table below shows the Task Force’s Outreach and Engagement Plan, outlining the major consultation steps that were in place to community input. It is updated regularly.
| Date/Timing | Items |
|---|---|
| Ongoing | Webpage – Task Force page launched on Provost’s website in April 2019 |
| Ongoing | Connecting with divisional Mental Health working groups |
| Ongoing | Discussions with individuals and student groups who have requested meetings |
| Ongoing | Meetings with community organizations and partners |
| Ongoing | Meetings with Representative Student Committees (APUS, UTSU, GSU, SCSU, and UTMSU) |
| July 12 – October 15, 2019 | Phase 1a: Open online consultation form inviting input from all U of T community members on key questions |
| August – October, 2019 | Phase 2: In-person focus groups and open sessions inviting input from all U of T community members on key questions |
| July/August 2019 | Indigenous Student Services – First Nations House, Elders’ Circle, and SAGE U of T |
| July/August 2019 | Equity Officers on all three campuses |
| July/August 2019 | Student Crisis Response & Student Progress and Support Team |
| July/August 2019 | Accessibility Services staff on all three campuses |
| July/August 2019 | Campus Police on all three campuses |
| July/August 2019 | Health & Wellness / Health & Counseling staff on all three campuses |
| July/August | St. George Deans of students |
| July/August | Registrars on all three campuses |
| July/August 2019 | Meeting with UTM senior leadership & administration |
| July/August 2019 | Meeting with UTSC senior leadership & administration |
| July/August 2019 | Meeting with St. George Student Life senior administrators |
| Summer/Fall 2019 | Meeting with School of Graduate Studies (SGS) and senior graduate administrators |
| Summer/Fall 2019 | Council of Graduate Deans |
| Summer/Fall 2019 | St. George College Society Student Leaders |
| Summer/Fall 2019 | Divisional Student Societies (1st Entry; 2nd Entry – e.g. law, pharmacy, medicine; and Graduate) |
| Summer/Fall 2019 | University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) Executive members |
| Summer/Fall 2019 | Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) Executive members |
| Summer/Fall 2019 | Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students (APUS) Executive members |
| Summer/Fall 2019 | University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) Executive Members |
| Summer/Fall 2019 | University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU) |
| Fall 2019 | Tri-campus Residence & Commuter Dons |
| Fall 2019 | Social Work & OISE Clinical programs- grad students |
| Fall 2019 | Provost’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Group (PUSAG) |
| Fall 2019 | SGS Dean’s Graduate Student Advisory Committee |
| Fall 2019 | International Student Experience Advisory Committee (ISEAC) |
| September 2019 | Task Force booth at UTM O-Week Fair (September 3) |
| September 2019 | Task force Booth at UTSC Welcome Day (September 3) |
| September 2019 | Task Fore booth at SGS Grad Information Fair (September 3) |
| September 2019 | Task for booth at UFest: Street Festival (September 11) |
| September 2019 | Task Force booth at UTSU Street Festival at St. George campus (September 11) |
| September 2019 | FAS 2019 Minds Redefined Conference: • SMH Task Force – undergraduate student feedback session – 2:15pm – 3:30pm • SMH Task Force – graduate student feedback session – 3:45pm – 5:00pm (September 17). |
| September 2019 | Task Force pop-up locations around all three campuses during September (location tbd – examples include: Sid Smith, Bahen Centre, colleges, etc.) |
| September 2019 | In-person Consultations at UTSC – Sept 18 (Campus visit with separate time slots for group sessions with students, staff, and faculty respectively – no registration required) • Faculty: 10:00am – 11:15am • Students: 11:45m – 1:00pm • Staff: 1:30pm – 2:45pm |
| September 2019 | In-person Consultations at UTM – Sept 19 (Campus visit with separate time slots for group sessions with students, staff, and faculty respectively – no registration required) • Faculty: 10:00am – 11:15am • Students: 11:45m – 1:00pm • Staff: 1:30pm – 2:45pm |
| September 2019 | In-person Consultations at St. George – Sept 24 (Campus visit with separate time slots for group sessions with students, staff, and faculty respectively – no registration required) • Students: 12:00pm – 1:30pm • Staff: 2:00pm – 3:15pm • Faculty: 3:30pm – 4:45pm |
| September & October 2019 | Tri-campus feedback sessions run by the Innovation Hub with students |
| September 2019 | Task Force / Innovation Hub Pop-up Booth – Student Session UTSC – Sept. 18, 3:30pm – 4:30pm |
| September 2019 | Task Force / Innovation Hub Pop-up Booth – Student Session UTM – Sept. 19, 3:00pm – 4:00pm |
| September 2019 | Task Force / Innovation Hub Pop-up Booth – Student Sessions St. George Sept. 24, 4:00pm – 5:00pm; Sept. 25, 12:00pm – 1:30pm; Sept. 27, 3:00pm – 4:00pm; Sept. 28, 10:00am – 11:30am |
| September 2019 | Phase 1b: Online Consultation – second call for feedback on key questions |
| September 2019 | Principals & Deans (P&D) |
| October 2019 | Task Force booth/ pop up at October Wellness events (location tbd) |
| October 2019 | Principals, Deans, Academic Directors & Chairs (PDAD&C) |
| November 2019 | Phase 3: Online Consultation on themes “what we heard in phase 1&2” |
| November 11 – 15, 2019 | Phase 3: In-person consultation (pop-up events on campus) on themes “what we heard in phase 1&2” |