THE VARSITY
Vol. CXXXIII, No. 19
University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880
11 March, 2013
Gertler appointed U of T president Simon Bredin NEWS EDITOR
Dr. Meric Gertler has been chosen to succeed David Naylor as president of the University of Toronto. Gertler, currently dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science, was confirmed as the university’s president-designate at a special meeting of Governing Council last Monday. “To be chosen to lead U of T during a time of great change in our sector is both challenging and exhilarating,” said Gertler. ”I am following in the footsteps of President Naylor, a leader who has combined vision, hard work and dedication to propel the University to compete with the best institutions in the world. This is a tremendous foundation upon which to build.” Naylor’s term was originally set to end December 31, 2013, but with his successor already nominated, it appears likely that he will step down earlier. The search process for his successor was conducted by a committee made up of administrative and teaching staff, full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students, alumni and other appointees. The committee held public consultations in September. Despite an international search that involved the services of global headhunting firm Spencer Stuart and fullpage ads in The Economist, Richard Nunn, the chair of Governing Coun-
cil, said it was “no surprise” that the president was recruited from within the university’s ranks. U of T has historically promoted senior administrators internally. Naylor served as Dean of Medicine prior to his appointment, while Robert Prichard (president 1990–2000) was dean of the Faculty of Law before taking on the top job at the university. “I have focused on providing a strong undergraduate education,” said Gertler at a press conference Monday morning. Gertler has served as dean of the university’s largest faculty since 2008. In an interview with The Varsity, Gertler touted some of his accomplishments as dean: “more research opportunities, more international opportunities, more small group opportunities” for students. Gertler has been a popular figure as dean, though his term has included prominent controversies over the institution of program fees —or ‘flat fees’ — and a particularly contentious academic plan aimed at restructuring and streamlining the faculty. “The implementation of the flat fee system is an issue Arts & Science Student Union (assu) and the Dean’s Office have never seen eye-to-eye on,” said Kat Ball, assu’s two-term president and one of the student leaders with whom Gertler has worked closely during his time as dean. (Ball sits on The Varsity’s Board of Directors.) “Dean Gertler has been enthusiastic to take on many of our joint projects with the Faculty, such as
the Undergraduate Research Fund and the Exam Jam,” Ball added. “He has been appreciative and receptive of our honest input on things going on in the Faculty.” Ball says she hopes to see Dean Gertler “carry on the same amicable and constructive relationship assu has had with him with the other student unions on campus. “There are advantages to size,” said Gertler in a press conference on Monday, praising the breadth of U of T’s research expertise and describing
“After an extensive international search, the fact we were able to find someone of Professor Gertler’s stature right here is a testament to the depth of this great university.” — David Wilson, presidential search committee chair
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Top ranking dean and urban geographer chosen to suceed David Naylor
Unopposed candidates set to cruise to victory Zane Schwartz ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
Sajjad at Wednesday’s all-candidates debate. Bernarda Gospic/THe VarsiTy
Polls open Tuesday in this year’s utsu election, marking the end of an uneventful and low-key campaign period. Team Renew, led by current vice-president, university affairs Munib Sajjad, is unopposed in its pursuit of all available executive positions. The contested races are for positions on the union’s Board of Directors. Renew has been on the campaign trail for much of the last week, making class announcements, postering, and speaking to students on both the St. George and Mississauga campuses, says Sajjad. “It has been a clean election so far,” said Eric Luong, chief returning officer (cro).
There have been two election complaints to date, both from candidates for the board of directors who failed to meet the required number of signatures to run. Both complaints were dismissed by the Elections and Referenda Committee (erc). AVOIDING THE QUESTION Sajjad has remained relentlessly onmessage throughout the week, declining to provide specifics on how he intends to respond to the upcoming referenda on fee diversion. Instead, Sajjad has repeatedly called for unity amongst all factions of the student body, stressing that the union can accomplish more with its 47,000 members working together. Both incoming and outgoing utsu presidents have also said any referenda on the union’s member-
ship must be voted on by the entirety of the student body, not only by those units seeking to sever financial ties. “There is too much hesitation based on old divisions to work together for a common purpose,” said Sajjad “We must all put aside our old hatreds.” Student leaders from St. Michael’s, Trinity, Victoria and the Engineering Society have scheduled March referenda on whether to divert fees away from the utsu. The units feel their members will be best served by local college councils instead of a centralized union. “Frankly, right now, the most important thing the utsu could be doing is providing a referendum on fee diversion,” said Trinity College cohead Sam Greene. The elections are
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