University in the Community (UitC)

• believes in public education that is inclusive, participatory, and lifelong
• provides non-credit, university-level courses in the liberal arts for adults
• welcomes all who are passionate about learning
• reaches out to those whose access to post-secondary education has been limited by academic, social and/or financial barriers
• offers courses three times a year that are free-of charge

At University in the Community, we learn together.

In an increasingly fragmented world, University in the Community provides a forum for students to reflect on their personal experiences.

At University in the Community, all participants – volunteer lecturers included – experience first-hand how our understanding of the world is fundamentally shaped in relationship with each other.

UitC’s volunteer teachers … are exceptional people.

Rosemary Aubert, Franҫoise Baylis, Ronald Beiner, Charlotte Bell, John Bell, John Borrows, Shauna Brail, Luisa Bravo, Pearce Carefoote, Jayce Chiblow, David Crombie, Art Davis, Dennis Duffy, Kate Dupuis, Jeffrey Dvorkin, Ray Ellenwood, Martin Friedland, Katy Fulfer, Rita Gardiner, Usha George, Donald Gillies, Lorna Goodison, Will Greaves, Ken Greenberg, Christos Hatzis, Ainsley Hawthorn, Travis Hay, Samantha Hill, Kofi Hope, Anne Innis Dagg, Nicholas Keung, Rebecca Kingston, Naulaq Le Drew, John Lorinc, Heather MacDougall, Peter MacLeod, Lee Maracle, Louis March, Dr. Kwame McKenzie, Dara McLeod, Brenda McPhail, Rebecca McTaggart, Gerta Moray, Daniel Munro, Steve Munro, Muneeb Nasir, Bryan Nelson, Channon Oyeniran, Melanie Panitch, Damiano Pietropaolo, John Polanyi, Chris Ramsaroop, Ken Rea, Kent Roach, Cecilia Rocha, David Rooney, Peter Russell, Joe Schlesinger, John Sewell, Don Shebib, Julian Sher, Haroon Siddiqui, Ruby Singh, Laura Spinney, John David Stewart, R. H. Thomson, Teajai Travis, Brenda Wastasecoot, Zachary Weinstein, Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Cynthia Wilkey, Natalie Zemon Davis …

FALL 2023 PROGRAM

WHEN: WEDNESDAYS, SEPTEMBER 27- NOVEMBER 29, 2023

TIME: 5:00-6:30 pm

WHERE: A mix of online (Zoom) and in-person meetings.

WHEN and WHERE DOES UITC MEET?

• Wednesday evenings from 5:00- 6:30 pm
• Pre-Covid, at Innis College on the St. George campus of U of T.
• Since 2020, mostly on Zoom.
• In Fall 2023, we will meet both in-person and online.

We get out and about in the city! Excursions to art galleries, museums, libraries, public events, and walking tours are included whenever possible.

UitC has organized visits to museums (ROM, U of T Art Museum, Aga Khan, Textile Museum), galleries (AGO, Ingram Gallery, TMU Image Centre), Arts and Letters Club, libraries (Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, Toronto Public Library branches), Campbell House, CBC television studio, CBC radio drama department, Department of Astronomy, Hart House, symposia (Senior College), parks (High Park, Etienne Brulé), bus tour (First Story Bus tour), Harbourfront …

In 2012, Peter Russell, renowned Canadian political scientist, University Professor Emeritus at U of T, and founding principal of Senior College, was the force behind the partnership between UitC, Senior College, and Innis College - two of the colleges on the St. George campus of U of T. Innis College’s provision of a classroom, tech support, the Town Hall for our events and most importantly, the sense of inclusion that the college offers, has been an invaluable gift for the program.

Members of Senior College’s UitC Committee provide us with experienced advice on program matters, volunteer speaker suggestions, and the opportunity to write about our program in the Senior College Bulletin.

Each year, UitC students are invited to attend Senior College’s annual all-day symposium. UitC students are warmly welcomed and encouraged to participate in conversations with the guest speakers and with Senior College members during lunch and refreshment breaks. University in the Community is one of 10 like-minded university – community partnership programs across Canada. All are committed to offering free, non-credit, university-level courses to neighbouring communities of the university.

• University in the Community
• University of Victoria: University 101
• University of British Columbia: Humanities 101
• University of Alberta: Humanities 101
• St. Mary’s University (Calgary): Humanities 101
• Lakehead University (Thunder Bay and Orillia): Humanities 101
• University of Waterloo - Renison University College: Humanities 101
• McMaster University: Discovery Program
• Ottawa Discovery University (Ottawa Mission, U of Ottawa, Carlton University and St. Paul University)
• Halifax Humanities Society

Selected topics: UitC courses 2012-2023:

Toronto Governance and Canadian Culture: Seeking Common Ground (2012); How Cultural Industries Produce Meaning (2014); The Political Economy of Equality and Issues in Canadian Social Policy (2015); Cultural Geography and Social History of Toronto (2016); Professors, Ideas, and their Impact on Everyday Life (2017); Human Rights and the City (2018); The Public Good: Who is the Public and What is the Good? (2019); Lessons Learned in Lockdown (2020); Meeting Our Historical Moment (2021); Emotions in the World (Spring 2021); Well-being (Spring 2022); Finding the Fault Lines (2022-3); Philosophy of New Media (Spring 2023)

For the past three years, Dr. Daniel Munro and Zachary Weinstein have facilitated a special four-week program in philosophy during the Spring term.

Our courses are taught by academics, citizen advocates, artists, and community activists who are exceptional teachers and communicators.

UitC EVENTS

In conjunction with students at U of T’s Faculty of Law, UitC held ‘literary moot’ benefit performances that placed characters in The Great Gatsby (2014), Oliver Twist (2015), and Othello (2016) on trial.

The verdict? A hilarious evening of law, literature, and improv!

In December 2022, UitC hosted a mind-opening evening at Innis Town Hall with the co-authors of Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, A White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation (Harper Collins 2022). A panel discussion with co-authors Andrew Stobo Sniderman and Douglas Sanderson (Amo Binashii), moderated by Akosua Matthews, was followed by a lively Q+A with the audience.

UitC is an initiative of the charitable, non-profit organization, the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA). We believe in the mutual benefits of bringing the university into the community and the community into the university.

In the early 1900’s, the Workers’ Educational Associations’ (WEA) movement laid the seeds for liberal arts learning for non-traditional students.

In 1918, Sir Robert Falconer, the 5th President of the University of Toronto (U of T), played an instrumental role in founding the Workers’ Educational Association of Canada. His interest lay in establishing a forum for liberal arts learning for the community.

UitC began as a partnership with Woodsworth College at U of T and Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre in 2003. St Stephen’s Community House was also an early supporter of our program.

From 2014 to 2017, UitC ‘set the table’ for indie chefs, students, and residents of the surrounding neighbourhood to come together for ‘Thought for Food’ - our weekly outreach program held at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

How does the program differ from a traditional university course?

• UitC courses are free of charge
• We do not grade students’ work nor do we offer credit
• A large portion of class time is devoted to discussion and Q+A
• Homework may be assigned but it is minimal

What is required of UitC students?

• Students are expected to attend regularly, to be respectful, and to participate in the discussion. Note: UitC is not a drop-in program
• For ease of participation, an intermediate level of English language proficiency (reading and speaking) is strongly suggested

How often does the program run?

• Up until 2020, UitC ran twice a year in Fall and Winter terms. In 2021, we added a third program that runs for four weeks during the Spring term

How do people learn about the program?

• Students learn about our program through the network of Toronto Community Centres, through Learning Curves (the newspaper of the Workers’ Educational Association that is both widely distributed and online), and through outreach activities
• Look for University in the Community on the WEA website: weacanada.ca
• Email the program coordinator at universityinthecommunity@gmail.com

When does the next UitC course begin?

• Our Fall 2023 program will run on Wednesday evenings from 5:00-6:30 pm, September 27 to November 29, 2023

How do I register for a UitC course?

• If you would like to learn more about UitC or to register, email us at: universityinthecommunity@gmail.com
• You can also call the WEA office and leave a message at 416 923-7872.

We look forward to hearing from you!