In May 2021, as the resistance to X University’s name (formerly Ryerson University), began to re-emerge, Indigenous students launched a campaign calling on students, faculty, administration and the community generally, to “remove the university’s current name from our email signatures, CVs, and other professional communications and replace it with an X.” The X represented a signature under duress (a reference to some early treaty signatures), a blank space waiting to be filled, or a general symbol of resistance. In the months that followed the campaign was taken up with thousands of supporters and helped push the university to announce a name change process. 

These supporters included a group of Master of Arts, Immigration, and Settlement Studies Students (Cohort of 2020-2021). But as they prepared to submit their major papers in the Fall of 2021, they encountered an administration that refused to accept their work (and by extension refused to allow them to graduate), if they used “X University.” While the students had no choice but to revert to “Ryerson”; they decided to collectively draft an “X University Acknowledgement” to include with their papers. 

They have shared that acknowledgment with Yellowhead and we are publishing this record of solidarity. 

Yet, upon submitting our major research papers, students were informed that we must acknowledge Ryerson. This instruction contravenes the spirit of the advocacy and actions that have taken place.

We refuse to leave unacknowledged the emotional and physical labour Indigenous students, academics, and organizers have spent in leading efforts to literally and institutionally topple Ryerson.

We, the undersigned, sign this letter in protest of the requirement that Ryerson’s name be commemorated through our research.