As his 12-year tenure as U of T president ends, Meric Gertler reflects on leading Canada’s largest university through unprecedented growth, challenges and change.

When you reflect on your time as president, what has been most rewarding for you?
Having the opportunity to lead this wonderful, diverse community. The University of Toronto is one of the world’s great research universities, consistently ranked in the top 10 public universities in the world. At the same time, we’ve welcomed 100,000 students who are diverse in every way, particularly in terms of economic resources. The two halves of this identity – excellence and accessibility – are equally integral to who we are. What’s so rewarding to me is to see so many members of our community, including our alumni, embrace these qualities and reinforce them.

What specific achievements are you most proud of?
In 2013, we knew that sustainability was going to be a growing area of interest, but we had no idea how quickly and how far we could move the university, and the extent to which this would be recognized around the world. We have been ranked for two years in a row as the number one university in the world for sustainability. So, we went from laggard to leader really quickly.

The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program now supports 150 spectacularly impressive international students at any one time at U of T. We have also developed strategies for engaging more deeply in parts of the world that we hadn’t paid sufficient attention to. A pivotal moment was when we became a participant in the Mastercard Foundation’s African Scholars Program, which brought brilliant young Africans to U of T and eventually led to the creation of a collaborative health network that focuses on healthcare in Africa, with Africans, for Africans.

From your office window on King’s College Circle we can see another big change.
It has been gratifying to see the response to the Landmark Project – not just from members of the U of T community but from our neighbours. I get notes from people who tell me how much they appreciate the work we’ve done on King’s College Circle, how beautiful it is and what a great experience it is to spend time there. So many people had a hand in that project, too: 4,000 gifts, large and small from alumni and friends, as well as wonderful contributions from the U of T Alumni Association and the U of T Students’ Union.

What have you found most challenging?
In my installation speech, I talked about how well U of T does despite the level of support we get from our public partners; it’s where the notion of U of T “defying gravity” was hatched. This is even more true today than it was in 2013. The good news is we continue to defy gravity.

The bad news is that the support we receive today, in real terms, is significantly lower than in 2013, when we were already 10th out of 10 provinces on a per-student basis. There are jurisdictions around the world that would love to have a top-10 public university in their country. We’ve already got one, and it pains me that our government partners haven’t seen the wisdom of supporting success.

You’ve been thrown a few curveballs, including a global pandemic. What stands out for you about those experiences?
These rare events are a reminder to expect the unexpected. Even in calmer times, no two days are alike in this job. In hindsight, we all should have been better prepared for a pandemic, but I am exceedingly proud of how U of T navigated that challenge. We pivoted over a weekend to online teaching, transforming more than 6,000 courses with remarkable grace and great success. Over two years, our entire faculty learned how to teach using virtual tools.

I’m also proud of the wider role U of T played during the pandemic. We opened our campus vaccination clinics to the community. Our research labs worked overtime, helping to isolate the genetic sequence for the SARS CoV-2 virus. And barely a day went by when we did not hear a U of T professor commenting in the media about how to manage at this troubling and uncertain time.

Then, just as we emerged from the pandemic, another challenge arose: the fallout from the Israel-Hamas war, which led to campus protests and encampments worldwide. Universities must uphold free expression and foster dialogue while also ensuring an environment free from harassment and discrimination. This was an incredibly painful time for many in our community, but I’m proud of the balance we achieved in protecting academic freedom and the right to protest while reaching a peaceful resolution.

This job can be 24-7 at times. What do you do to de-stress?
Walking is a great antidote. The pandemic reminded us that this is a beautiful city, with great ravines, parks and neighbourhoods to explore. And family helps put your daily job in perspective.

Is there an aspect of the role that even you were unaware of when you took the job?
I knew this would be a public role but not how public. You really are the face and voice of the university. And I’m struck by how often I get recognized. When someone taps me on the shoulder and says, ‘Aren’t you the president of U of T,’ they’ll tell me their grandparents went here, or their parents met here when they were students. It’s a wonderful reminder of how important this university is to the lives of so many in this city.

Our community looks to the president for a sense of stability. The last thing you want to do is convey any sense of panic – or even worry”

Is there an underappreciated skill to be successful in this role?
The ability to project calmness, even when you’re not feeling all that calm. Particularly in turbulent times, members of our community are looking to the president for a sense of stability and reassurance. The last thing you want to do is convey any sense of panic – or even worry.

The university has reached more than half its fundraising goal in the Defy Gravity campaign. Why is private support still important for the university?
Today, barely 20 per cent of U of T’s operating budget comes from the province. The rest comes from tuition fees and revenue from other sources, including donations. That alone is a stark indicator of the importance of private sources of support.

In 1998, Governing Council passed a policy stating that no domestic student who is academically qualified to attend U of T should be prevented from studying here due to financial need. Because of this, student financial support is one of our highest fundraising priorities, and more than $1.6 billion of our endowment is earmarked for student financial support.

For the first time, a U of T campaign has a target for alumni engagement. What opportunities are there for alumni to become involved with the university?
Both students and employers are seeking opportunities for work-integrated learning experiences – whether it be co-op education or internships or summer placements. Our alumni are ideally positioned to offer that kind of support to our students.

Many students have also expressed a desire to start a company or work with a startup. We have 12 incubators and accelerators across our three campuses, and we’re looking for mentors to work directly with our students.

One of the exciting parts of the Pearson Scholars program (which provides our highest achieving international students with tuition, fees, books and residence for four years) has been engaging alumni around the world to help us vet prospective scholars. They often report to me how much they enjoy that work and how impressed they are by the applicants.

What will you miss most about being president?
I’ve enjoyed hosting gatherings in my office for small groups of scholars from across the university. I get so much from those exchanges, as I do when I tour labs or visit scholars in their academic units. It’s an amazing experience to meet these brilliant people!

Any words of advice for the next president?
You can spend all day in your office with people coming to see you from around the university, and develop the false impression that you know what’s happening at this institution, when, in fact, you don’t. So, try to get out of the office and meet people where they work or study!

What’s next for you?
I have some writing projects that I had to postpone until I could give them the attention they deserve. I’m planning to spend some time at Oxford University next year as an academic visitor. I’m interested in illuminating the role that universities can and should be playing to lead the fight against climate change and enhance sustainability around the world. That is a real passion for me. I am also keen to reconnect with colleagues at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, the School of Cities and in the department of geography and planning.