Following the Vice Chancellor’s announcement on 3 March 2025 regarding new rules on protest activity and internet privacy, GSA is launching a consultation process to hear directly from you, the graduate student community.
The new rule prohibits indoor protests and appears to broadly discourage any action that causes disruption, even though disruption is often essential to the impact and purpose of protest. You may have also noticed a requirement to accept the updated Wireless Terms of Use in order to access the University’s internet on campus. These terms include a clause permitting monitoring “to assist in the detection and investigation of any actual or suspected unlawful or antisocial behaviour or breaches of University policies.” As expressed by our Representative Council, this language raises concerns about student privacy and the boundaries of surveillance on campus.
GSA strongly supports graduate students’ rights to free speech, peaceful protest, and privacy. These should be core values of any healthy university community, and we are calling for greater transparency and for the University to reconsider this new rule.
We believe graduate student voices must be at the centre of any discussion around these changes. This consultation is your opportunity to share your thoughts on what these rules should look like. You can participate by completely our online survey or by attending the in-person session on Monday 28 April at 2pm in the 1888 Building.
These policies affect all of us, and your input matters. More information is available here.
Yours sincerely,
Ethan Chou, GSA President and Board Chair