News/Blog

The SLC will reopen on Tuesday September 7, 2021!

Students must make a reservation, and have the Ryerson Safe App downloaded before arriving at the SLC. A link to our booking platform will be provided on our Instagram @ryersonslc as well as on our website under the ‘Booking‘ tab on September 3rd at 5PM.

SLC building hours will be Monday to Friday from 8AM to 11PM. Last entry at 10 PM.

This semester the SLC will only be open to currently enrolled Ryerson students. The SLC is operating at a reduced capacity and we are prioritizing our students. 

The SLC will remain closed to walk-ins and guests at this time.

Everyone entering the SLC will need:

Upon arrival, students must have:

•  A reservation booked
• Their OneCard
• A complete health screening via the RyersonSafe app
• A mask 

Upon arrival, students must check in at one of our check in desks located on the first floor before proceeding to their booked space.

During your visit to the SLC, masks will be mandatory throughout the building and while at your desk or in a CGWR.

Read more about:
Ryerson’s Mask Policy
Physical Distancing on Campus
Ryerson Safe App Health Screening
COVID-19 Vaccination policy

If you have any accessibility concerns regarding our booking system or navigating the SLC at this time please email us as slchelp@ryerson.ca

SLC Booking System

Our booking system allows us to keep track of who is in the building, when they are in the building, and where they are located. This information is crucial for contact tracing as well as informing our cleaning staff on the highest priority touch points to clean throughout the day. Booking a space also allows us to regulate the amount of students booking at once, which helps keep traffic down and provide a safe space for everyone.

Reservations will be made online. You can find a link to our booking platform under the ‘Booking’ tab. Reservations must be made with your Ryerson University log-in. 

The easiest view to use is the Maps view. You can look through floors 3, 5, 7, and 8 for available desks and CGWRs. Available desks and CGWRs will be marked with a green plus sign. Desks that are unavailable for booking will be grey.

You can reserve up to 25 hours of space per week and up to 5 days in advance.  

Reservations must be made before arriving at the SLC. 

Checking in

When you arrive at the SLC you must have:

•  A reservation booked
• Their OneCard
• A complete health screening via the RyersonSafe app
• A mask  

Students arriving at the SLC for an AAS or CSDC appointment must provide the appointment time and room.

When you arrive at the SLC the far left two doors will be marked with entrance signs. There may be a line and we ask that you line up 2 meters apart. If there is not a line, you will need to tap your OneCard to enter the building.

If you need to use the accessibility door, you will enter using the far right accessibility door by tapping your OneCard. To help create an efficient and smooth check-in experience for everyone, we ask that only those who need the accessibility door use this door.

Multiple check-in desks will be located on the first floor. Each student must check in showing their OneCard, or provide their AAS or the CSDC time and room number before accessing the rest of the building. Follow instructions from the signs, floor decals, and staff members when arriving. 

If you have any accessibility concerns or questions regarding the  entrance, the check-in process, our booking system, or finding your desk, please contact us at slchelp@ryerson.ca. 

Temperatures will not be taken at the SLC. You will be asked to self assess via the Ryerson Safe App whether you are experiencing any potential symptoms, as well as if you have had contact with anyone who has tested positive or traveled outside of Canada in the last two weeks. You will be expected to answer honestly and to the best of your ability.

All guests must stay 2 meters apart at all times and keep elevator use to two people per elevator. We are asking that all students maintain physical distancing within the SLC. If you are conversing with another student we ask that you keep your mask on and keep the recommended 2 meter distance between you.

Mandatory Masks

You will be expected to wear a mask while inside the SLC. This is the best way to keep our community safe.  An individual may temporarily and briefly remove a mask or face covering when necessary to eat or hydrate. We ask that your mask stay on whenever possible. If you don’t have a mask we will provide you with one. 

This is in alignment with Ryerson’s Mask Policy and the City of Toronto Bylaw.

Please help us keep the SLC a safe place for students by respecting these guidelines.

Floor access

The first floor of the SLC will be primarily devoted to checking students in, providing distanced lines for elevator waiting, and be home to our Welcome Desk. We will not be providing bookable space on the first floor. The first floor Starbucks Starbucks will reopen on September 7th. Starbucks hours are Monday to Thursday 9 AM to 7 PM, Friday 9 AM to 6 PM.

The second floor doors to the Ryerson University Library will be closed. Access to the Library will be through Victoria Laneway. The Library will be operating separately from the SLC.

All on-site services will be by appointment-only. You can keep up-to-date with the library on their Instagram @ryersonulibrary.

All students requiring access to the Ryerson University Isaac Olowolafe Jr. Digital Media Experience Lab (DME) located on the 3rd floor must enter through the Library’s 2nd floor entrance only. Students arriving at the SLC entrance for DME access will be redirected to the Library’s 2nd floor entrance for contact tracing. From there, DME staff will come to the entrance and escort you to the DME. Students wishing to visit the DME must book a time in advance with the Ryerson University Library. To exit, students will be escorted to the library exit by DME staff. 

Student Life & Learning Support will continue to operate online. You can contact the SLLS front desk at slls@ryerson.ca and stay up to date by following their instagram @ryersonslls.

The 4th floor will not be available for students to study on.

The 6th floor will not be included in booking options, however students are able to move to the sixth floor for a change of scenery, to take a phone call, speak with a louder voice, or stretch their legs. We expect students to maintain physical distancing and continue wearing their mask while on this floor.

The 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 8th floors will have bookable desks and tables, spaced 2 meters apart. 

Collaborative and Group Work Rooms (CGWRs) will also be available to book using our booking system. CGWR reservations must be made by one individual on behalf of the group. When booking, there will be an information field asking for up to 1 additional name (for 4 person CGWRs) or 3 additional names (for 8 person CGWRs). This indicates the number of people authorized to also study in the CGWR during the time it is reserved. 

Building Operations

All bathrooms in the building will be open for use. They have been approved at a capacity of 1 person per washroom. We ask that you respect this capacity limit and wait if a washroom is in use.

Charging stations and vending machines will be available for use. We recommend washing or sanitizing your hands after use of any common touchpoint.

A mask can be removed for brief periods of time to eat or hydrate, but must be placed back on directly after. We recognize that snacks and hydration are key components to your health.

Students can also leave and re-enter the building within their reservation timeblock. You will, however, need to check back in at the check-in desk on your way into the building.

Water bottle refill stations will be open to use for students who bring reusable water bottles. 

If you have any questions, or concerns we welcome you to contact us at slchelp@ryerson.ca or visit our headquarters on the 5th floor in room 516.

Important message from Ryerson Health and Wellness: We all know this year is going to be different. Connect with peers and help each other navigate this new environment with @trimentoring peer and group mentoring – head to ryerson.peoplegrove.com to get matched!

It’s Black History Month! 

This week features Black Canadians to know and learn about. 

From civil rights activists to trailblazers in their respective professions, Black Canadians have had significant impacts on our society and culture. Keep scrolling to read more about them! 

Viola Desmond

Civil Rights Activist 

Viola Desmond was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She was an African-Canadian who ran her own beauty parlor and college in Halifax. On November 8, 1946, she decided to go to the movies in New Glasgow. She refused to sit in the balcony, which was segregated exclusively for Black people. Instead, she sat on the floor, which was Whites only. She was forcibly removed and arrested. She was found guilty of not paying a one-cent tax difference on the balcony ticket and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and paid a $26 fine. Desmond took her case to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, where the ruling was upheld. 

Ginella Massa

First hijab wearing television journalist in North America

Ginella Massa is a Canadian television journalist. She was the first hijab-wearing television reporter in North America in 2015 and became the first news anchor in a hijab in 2016. She made history again by being the first hijabi to host a primetime current affairs talk show in North America. The show, called Canada Tonight, premiered on CBC in January.

Willie Eldon O’Ree

First Black hockey player in the National Hockey League

Willie O’Ree was the first Black hockey player in the NHL. He played his first game on January 19, 1958 for the Boston Bruins. Today, O’Ree is the director of the NHL’s diversity program. He travels across North America promoting and teaching hockey to kids from diverse cultural backgrounds. In 2008, his hometown of Fredericton, New Brunswick, naed its new hockey area Willie O’Ree Place, in his honour. 

Annamie Paul

First Black and Jewish woman to be named a leader of a federal political party

Annamie Paul is the current leader of the Green Party. She is the first ever Black and Jewish person to be named leader of a federal political party. She is a lawyer who has focused a large part of her life on international affairs. She has worked as Director for a leading NGO in Brussels, as an Advisor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and a Political Officer in Canada’s Mission to the European Union. 

Clotilda Yakimchuk

A trailblazing nurse and community organizer 

Coltilda Adesa Yakimchuk, C.M. Was born and raised in Nova Scotia. In 1954, she became the first Black graduate of the Nova Scotia Hospital School of Nursing. She spent 50 years in the nursing profession and served as President of the Registered Nurses’s Association of Nova Scotia. She is the organization’s only elected Black president in 100 years of the organization’s history to date. She was also the founding member of the Black Community Development Organization to provide affordable housing in low-income communities and improved living facilities for seniors. 

Oscar Peterson

Award-winning jazz pianist, composer, and educator

Oscar Emmanuel Peterson, CC, CQ, OOnt, is a jazz pianist, composer, and educator. He is one of Canada’s most honoured musicians and is widely regarded as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. He was known for his speed and dexterity, meticulous technique, and unique swinging style. He is a jazz educator and advocate for racial equality. He has won eight Grammys and a Juno award, including a lifetime achievement award.  He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the International Jazz Hall of Fame. 

Our commitment at the SLC is to meet the needs of the students. Your health is our top priority.

With the announcement of Toronto moving into lockdown as of Monday, November 23, communal student study spaces, including those in the SLC, will be restricted for a minimum of 28 days to help halt or interrupt the transmission of COVID-19. 

The SLC will be closed effective Sunday, November 22, 11:59PM (EST) and for the duration of the lockdown will only be available to those in extenuating circumstances who can attest to the essential need to study on campus.

Should you have exceptional and essential needs, please email slchelp@ryerson.ca and a staff member will be in touch with you about options for on-campus study space at the SLC. 

We understand that for some of you the SLC provides reliable internet, your only access to a workspace or work surface, a quiet place to focus, and a safe environment — and we recognize the importance of those needs. Do not feel obligated to divulge sensitive information as to why the SLC is essential for your academic success. 
Any students who are permitted to be on campus will be required to review and sign an updated consent waiver.

You can stay up to date on the SLC’s Instagram @ryersonslc.

Thank you for your understanding as we continue to navigate this complex time.

The Shop the SLC Marketplace will take place online this year! From Monday, November 23 to Saturday, November 28, we will be featuring different vendors on our Instagram. 

We want to support both established and budding businesses within the Ryerson community by boosting traffic to vendors. Stay tuned for a full list of vendors and make sure to check out our Instagram throughout the next week. 

Shop local this holiday season!

The SLC Student Engagement and Leadership Award is now accepting applications! This award annually recognizes two students with $1000 each (one undergraduate and one graduate) who have showcased high levels of student engagement and leadership across Ryerson University while maintaining academic excellence. 

Apply here.

The deadline to apply is Thursday, October 31, 2020.

Purpose

The SLC SEAL Award recognizes students who have showcased high levels of student engagement and leadership across Ryerson University while maintaining academic excellence.

Background

“The SLC SEAL Team is a dedicated group committed to making the SLC a world-class destination. Working together and collaborating with various stakeholders, they foster student engagement and pride of place ensuring the SLC is a physical manifestation of Ryerson’s spirit.”

—SEAL Team Mission Statement

The SLC Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) Team emerged from what was always envisioned for the SLC—a place responsible for driving student participation and enhancing the Ryerson experience. As such, the SEAL Team focuses on taking an innovative approach to ensure students are connected to resources and programming while fostering a culture of engagement and collaboration. As a result, Ryerson students demonstrate strong pride of place and are primed to create exceptional experiences. The SLC SEAL Team applauds students who embody these values. With this award, the SLC SEAL Team will recognize two students annually who personify these ideals and contribute to enhancing Ryerson’s overall reputation. 

Value

$1,000. Two annual awards; to be given to one undergraduate student, and one graduate student.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this award the student must:

• Be registered as a full-time undergraduate student or graduate student at Ryerson University in clear academic standing
• Recipients from past years are eligible to apply, with no limitation on the number of years any one student can receive, providing their application includes new and relevant examples since the last awarding.
• Current SEAL Team members are not eligible to apply if they are selected to be a member of the Award Selection Committee.

Selection criteria

A student must submit:

• A cover letter (approximately 500 words) outlining how they have exemplified student engagement and leadership at Ryerson University. The selection committee will be looking for examples of how their actions have directly contributed to, and enhanced the Ryerson community, student experience, and Ryerson’s reputation. The recipients will have demonstrated how they have brought about change with genuine impact by way of their great ideas taking shape.
• Peer reference letter (approximately 500 words) outlining the applicant’s impact on creating an excellent student experience. Providing first-hand / personal experiences as to how the peer was positively impacted.

The application and additional information can be found here. The deadline to apply is Thursday, October 31, 2020.

The SLC is open starting September 8th in a reduced capacity. We are focused on accommodating individual students whose home is not a suitable environment for academic study, who need a quiet, distraction-free space with reliable internet to attend online classes or to study. 

If you are able to study from home, that is the best and first option.

In order to visit the SLC, students must book a reservation through our internal booking system or have an appointment booked through Academic Accommodation Support (AAS), the Centre for Student Development and Counselling (CSDC), or the Ryerson University Isaac Olowolafe Jr. Digital Media Experience Lab (DME).

Throughout the Student Learning Centre, we have always been proud to provide hundreds of individual study carrels for students to use as a space to learn and focus. This year is going to look a little different than most years and we recognize that home is not always a suitable place for students to do their best work. Reopening with COVID-19 has meant we have had to implement many changes in the SLC.  The biggest being our reservation system!

Our booking system allows us to keep track of who is in the building, when they are in the building, and where they were located. This information is crucial for contact tracing as well as informing our cleaning staff on the highest priority touch points to clean throughout the day. Booking a space also allows us to regulate the amount of students booking at once, which helps keep traffic down — this keeps everyone safe!

You can book a desk up to 5 days in advance. The longest single sessions available in a day are 5 hours (from 8AM-1PM) and 6 hrs (from 2PM-8PM) as the SLC will be closed for cleaning each day from 1PM-2PM. You will be able to book a max of 15 hours per week, you may divide those hours within the week in a way that works best for you — there is no daily limit.

Collaborative Group Work Rooms (CGWRs) are currently offline. 

When booking a reservation we ask that you arrive at the SLC with your OneCard, your emailed reservation confirmation, and a willingness to follow guidelines and keep the Ryerson community a safe place for everyone.

When using our booking system there are several different views to book from, we recommend using the ‘Map’ view. There is a time slider that allows you to set when you want to book and check the availability on the selected floor. Desks will be marked as available by little green plus signs. Each desk has been given a unique ID number. This number will help you find the correct desk!

A study desk is identified by three pieces of information in its name:

• A number indicating the floor where the study spot is located (3, 5, 7 or 8)
• The letter denoting the type of study location (C=Carrel, T=Table, G=Grad Space)
• Up to three digits indicating the study location’s individual number

So for example, study location 7C012 refers to study carrel 12 located on the 7th floor of the SLC.

If you have any accessibility questions or concerns regarding our booking system or locating your assigned desk, please contact us at slchelp@ryerson.ca

For more information on what to expect when arriving at the SLC check out our last blog ‘The SLC is Reopening! Here’s what you need to know!’

The SLC is looking for SLC Specialists.

Contract starts August 27, 2020 and ends April 30, 2021.

The SLC Specialists are key members of the Ryerson’s Student Learning Centre’s (SLC) frontline team known as the Student Engagement and Leadership (SEAL) Team. The SEAL Team is a dedicated group committed to making the SLC a world-class learning destination. We collaborate with various stakeholders to foster student engagement and pride of place, ensuring the SLC is a physical manifestation of Ryerson’s spirit. 

Reporting to the SLC Assistants, Specialists enhance Ryerson’s reputation by providing excellent customer service, assisting in the daily operations of the SLC, and embodying the SLC Principles. We pride ourselves in ensuring students are integrated into the core of operations as this demonstrates the importance Ryerson places on student-centred ideas and decisions. 

Due to COVID-19 safety measures, our hours of operation may change. This decision will be determined by university protocols.

This position is an exciting opportunity to:

• Gain experience working as part of a supportive team focused on professional development
• Gain experience in problem solving by participating in staff hackathons, providing feedback, and supporting events and students with on-the-floor decision making
• Enhance skills in data organization using technology and traditional means
• Learn to communicate effectively using an interoffice messaging app, radios, and email
• Gain experience providing world class customer service
• Enhance presentation skills with opportunities to guide tours

Find the full job posting HERE.

Or, log into the Ryerson Career Boost site and search under “Other On-Campus Job Opportunities” for the SLC Specialist posting. This position is NOT a Career Boost position.

Interview spots are filling fast.

Deadline: June 30, 2020 at 5:00 PM EST

If you’re an incoming first year student Ryerson student and cannot log into the portal, please email slchelp@ryerson.ca to inquire.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The SLC is looking for a Student Graphic Designer!

The contract starts August 4, 2020 and ends December 23, 2020.

The SEAL Team’s number one principle is to respect the needs of students, and we work hard each day to do just that! We aspire to elevate the Sheldon & Tracy Levy Student Learning Centre (RSLC)’s status as a world-class learning destination, and that starts with engaging the community we serve. 

We are passionate about the work we do and are always seeking growth opportunities to better serve our community, ensure exceptional user experience, and enhance Ryerson’s reputation. The SEAL Team works together to face growth, challenge, and opportunity head on. We have each other’s back and are constantly looking for feedback from those around us. 

Guided by the Creative & Communications Coordinator, the Student Graphic Designer will be tasked with understanding the voice and aesthetic of the SLC and the guests who use the space. The SLC Principles are the foundation from which we build our communication and make decisions as a team. You will produce creative pieces for print and digital, as well as social media content. Get ready to collaborate with stakeholders, team members, and students; creating great work is a team effort! 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the SLC is closed and the team is working from home. Meetings and communication for this role will take place digitally using video conferencing and messaging platforms. Remote work will continue until it is determined with the Creative & Communications Coordinator that in-person meetings can take place safely on campus.

This position is an exciting opportunity to: 

• Gain creative & marketing experience and knowledge
• Gain creative & marketing experience and knowledge
• Gain writing, editing and interviewing experience
• Gain web publishing experience
• Learn to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
• Gain experience working as part of a team
• Enhance organizing and analyzing information using technology and traditional means

Find the job posting HERE.

Or, log into the Ryerson Career Boost site and search under “Other On-Campus Job Opportunities” for the SLC Student Graphic Designer posting. This position is NOT a Career Boost position.

Deadline: Friday, June 19, 2020 at 4:30 PM EST

Interview spots are filling fast.

We look forward to hearing from you!