What follows is a slimmed down and updated version of the Student List of Demands that were distributed towards the end of 2017. The demands have been updated for a couple reasons; some of the demands were met and acted upon by administration since our meeting with them in November and some of the demands were too abstract and unattainable (within the current structure and climate of the institution).

These are of course available for further tinkering and upgrading.

The following demands are based upon our own experiences at OCADU, as well as conversations with fellow students from a wide variety of disciplines and lived experiences. These conversations have been continually unfolding for the past 3-4 years. Quite simply, people are frustrated: running through this multitude of voices is a clearly demarcated thread of fundamentally negative experience. Whether it comes to accessing space, dealing with administration or simply creating a nurturing, communal environment, OCADU fails to deliver on its many promises. The dream of a creative campus that supports interdisciplinary creation and community is not a reality for all of the students that we have talked to over the years.

Therefore, we are making these demands from a position of justified anger. We are not here to make noise or waste time. The promise of a Creative City Campus that will solve our problems feels increasingly empty. We are not interested in debating the many long term projections and complex austerity measures that the school has been implementing over the past year. We are committed to the here and now. We strongly feel that our present experience within these walls is being sacrificed for an inaccessible future vision. Thus, our demands also prioritize the here and now.

Demand 1

After having taken a specific studio class all students will automatically be able to access that studio and its equipment for the remainder of their degree enrollment duration, with priority still given to students currently enrolled in such classes. This will be made transparent and public to all students taking these courses, as well as technicians, studio managers and professors.

Demand 2

All shops, studios and equipment cages will remain open throughout the summer to facilitate a learning environment that prioritizes a creative, artistic community that reaches beyond the confines of a credit-based learning system.

Demand 3

All security staff and administration will undergo mental health, anti-oppression and cultural competency training. All security staff will also be given de-escalation training. Administration will be trained in how to better respond to student inquiries with more sensitivity and commitment to problem solving, as opposed to the current model which mainly involves interrogating and repeatedly directing helpless students from one office to another.

Demand 4

All administrative decisions that directly or indirectly impact student experience on campus will be made completely transparent and will be broadcast on multiple platforms in a timely manner. This can include, but will not be exclusive to; public forums, information sessions, panel discussions, emailed updates, informational signage, etc. Decisions that directly or indirectly impact student experience on campus can include, but will not be exclusive to; planned closures, curriculum and faculty changes, site/renovation proposals, funding cuts, etc.

***If you have already signed a physical copy, there is no need to sign this online copy.

Thanks!