News & Events

Ryerson University is taking extraordinary steps to help students who are hurting from the economic downturn.

Recognizing that higher unemployment will affect the ability of many students to pay for their education, the University is hiring more students as teaching assistants and research assistants and in other part-time positions; and guaranteeing all student bursaries, scholarships and awards from endowed funds despite investment losses.   

"Students have enough on their plates without having to worry about how the recession will affect their finances," says President Sheldon Levy. "We know that these are difficult times, and we are making choices that support our students.  We have already taken significant steps to increase student financial assistance." 

Last year Ryerson provided more than $20.4 million in financial assistance to students in the form of bursaries, scholarships, and part-time jobs under a number of programs. That support will increase this year. So far the University has:

* committed $1.8 million in additional funding to hire more students as teaching assistants,

* increased funding from $2.4 million to $2.7 million for the work study program so more students can be hired as research assistants and in part-time jobs,

* allocated $2 million, including $800,000 for student bursaries, to guarantee all endowed bursaries, scholarships, awards, and academic chairs for 2009-10, despite investment losses,

* for the first time, students will have the option of paying only half their tuition at the beginning of the year, and deferring the second half until January.

"No qualified student should be denied access to a Ryerson education because of economic need," Levy said.

In light of summer unemployment figures and increased OSAP applications, President Levy is especially delighted to announce a major gift to Ryerson to support students in need.

In a remarkable demonstration of support for students suffering from the slow economy, the Birchall Family Foundation has donated $1 million to create the William and Catharina Birchall Bursaries, 75 bursaries of up to $5,000 each for first-year students starting in September. To ensure that the maximum number of students receive financial help quickly, the Birchalls have made their gift entirely expendable, rather than creating an endowment. It is one of the largest expendable gifts in Ryerson's history exclusively for student bursaries.

The University is grateful to the Birchall Family Foundation for this timely and welcome gift.

Ryerson University is Canada's leader in innovative career-focused education, offering close to 100 PhD, master's, and undergraduate programs in the Faculty of Arts; the Faculty of Communication & Design; the Faculty of Community Services; the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Science; and the Ted Rogers School of Management.  Ryerson University has graduate and undergraduate enrolment of 25,000 students. With more than 68,000 registrations annually, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is Canada's leading provider of university-based adult education.
      

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Suelan Toye
Ryerson University
Public Affairs
Office: 416-979-5000 x 7161
stoye@ryerson.ca