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About OVPS

Office of the Vice-Provost, Students

Under the direction of Professor Sandy Welsh, the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students (OVPS) has responsibility for non-academic policies and procedures affecting students and student organizations across the three campuses. The mandate of the Vice-Provost, Students is to ensure that university-wide programs and services are available in order for the academic divisions to deliver a meaningful and rich student experience.

The Vice-Provost oversees the operation and administration of:

  • Student Services and Programs
  • Hart House
  • Centre for International Experience
  • Access Strategy & Partnerships
  • Tri-campus art collection and policy

The directors of these offices report to the Vice-Provost, Students. The Vice-Provost also serves as the senior assessor and a voting member of the University Affairs Board — one of the Boards of the University of Toronto governing structure.

On these pages, you will find policies, guidelines, and other resources to support and inform you.
Need to contact us? Find the staff member to help you in the OVPS staff directory.

Key Portfolios

  • Dedicated to student experience and success, the division of Student Life on the St. George Campus provides the support, opportunities, and infrastructure students need to reach their full potential. The division is comprised of 12 student-facing units that provide programs, services and resources with various tri-campus relationships and responsibilities (see a listing of these offices below); Hart House, the campus’s hub of contemporary culture and recreation; and central team of program, communications, and information technology professionals who pull it all together.

    The division also includes associations with the Family Care Office, and the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office which are shared resources and cross-portfolio initiatives with the Office of Human Resources & Equity at U of T.

    St. George Campus Student Life includes:

    1. Academic Success
    2. Accessibility Services
    3. Assessment & Analysis
    4. Career Exploration and Education
    5. Centre for Community Partnerships (CCP)
    6. Centre for International Experience
    7. Health & Wellness Centre
    8. Housing Services
    9. Indigenous Student Services/First Nations House
    10. Innovation Hub
    11. Multi-Faith Centre
    12. Office of the CAO
    13. Student Engagement (Clubs & Leadership Development, Orientation, Transition & Engagement, and Mentorship & Peer Programs)
    14. Student Life Communications
    15. Student Life IT
    16. T-Card Office

    Student Life Services Across the University

    Links are provided here for the websites of student affairs and services divisions on each campus:

  • Hart House has been recognized as the centre for the re-imagination and reinvention of the undergraduate student experience at the University of Toronto. It’s a place that welcomes both campus and community to explore cultural, intellectual and recreational activities. Aside from a wide array of events, lectures, live music and performances, Hart House offers classes for every interest from filmmaking and acting to archery and dance.

    Open 365 days a year, our facilities include a range of impressive rooms for study, dining, recreation and socializing, a modern athletics and aquatics facility, a satellite farm location, the acclaimed Justina M. Barnicke Art Gallery (part of the Art Museum at the University of Toronto), a dynamic theatre, complete wedding, meeting and event services as well as the top-rated Gallery Grill restaurant all housed within a stunning, neo-Gothic building.

    Commissioned in 1911 by Vincent Massey, Hart House was completed in 1919 and gifted to the University of Toronto as a gathering place for students. Learn more about Hart House History. Learn more about Hart House history.

    Please note that above description is taken from the ‘About Us’ section of the Hart House website.

    General Contact Information

    Hart House, University of Toronto
    7 Hart House Circle
    Toronto, ON M5S 3H3

    Main desk:
    Tel: 416.978.2452
    Email: inquiries@harthouse.ca

    Please see the Hart House website for a full listing of department staff contacts: http://harthouse.ca/contacts/

  • In response to the increasing demand in all academic disciplines for world-wide collaboration and communication, the Centre for International Experience (CIE) seeks to provide U of T students with international and Canadian exchange opportunities, to help students gain a better understanding of the cultures, values, and lifestyles found across borders. Our exchange programs offer students a variety of opportunities to study at our partner institutions, through which students will be better equipped to function personally and professionally in the growing global culture in which we live.

    General Contact Information

    Cumberland House
    33 St. George St
    Toronto, Ontario
    Canada M5S 2E3

    Email: cie.information@utoronto.ca
    Tel: 416-946-3138
    Fax: 416-978-4090
    Web: www.studentlife.utoronto.ca/cie

  • The Access Strategy & Partnerships Office is a new office (est. April 2022) that has a tri-campus mandate to support partners internally and externally to embed an intentional, multi-faceted and evidence-based approach to Access and Outreach in their respective portfolios across the University. The Office utilizes a range of approaches to achieve this aim, such as the administration of resources through the Access Programs University Fund; convening and facilitating partnerships and collaborations; policy and program development and supporting research and evaluation. The office is committed to supporting prospective students to access and thrive in post-secondary education by connecting them to the most appropriate resource at the University. The University of Toronto is committed to ensuring that students from communities that are underrepresented in higher education are well-positioned to engage with and access the University.  U of T has long-standing commitments to access and outreach as evidenced through the 100+ diverse access and outreach programs across the institution, in partnership with communities, school boards and other stakeholders. The University also provides a range of College-to-University pathways for students from a range of backgrounds, which include preparation to enroll in college and access to the University’s academic program.

    General Contact Information

    Simcoe Hall, Room 221
    27 King’s College Circle
    Toronto, Ontario
    Canada M5S 1A1

    Email: access@utoronto.ca
    Web (APUF): www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/apuf

  • The Student Mental Health, Systems Strategy and Policy is a new office (September 2022) that has a tri-campus mandate to build a continuum of high quality mental health services across the university, ensuring equity of access for all students regardless of where they may be pursing their studies. The Office is led by a Senior Executive Director who is linked to the three campus Health Centres and collaborates with tri-campus and institutional leaders, inclusive of academic divisions, student services and programs, as well as community and hospital partners. The Office is building on the progress of the University’s response to the 2019 recommendations of the Presidential and Provostial Task Force on Mental Health.  Supporting the  mental health of our students is a key priority of the University of Toronto. This is reflected through the establishment of this new office, its link to the University’s Institutional Strategic Initiative focused on Student Mental Health Research (INLIGHT), and the many voices of our student advisors who have and will continue to inform the evolution of this important work.

    Contact

    Simcoe Hall, Room 221
    27 King’s College Circle
    Toronto, Ontario
    Canada M5S 1A1

    Email: chris.bartha@utoronto.ca
    Email: ea.sredmentalhealth@utoronto.ca

Councils & Committees

General Inquiry & Mailing Address

Office of the Vice-Provost, Students
University of Toronto
27 King’s College Circle, Room 221
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1

 

Phone: 416-978-3870
Fax: 416-946-0678
Email: vp.students@utoronto.ca
Web: www.viceprovoststudents.utoronto.ca