The large, unsanctioned gathering that occurred off campus on Chancellors Way during Homecoming weekend posed a serious risk to the safety and wellbeing of our students, neighbours and broader community. We are deeply grateful for the dedicated work of our first responders, Guelph General Hospital and staff from the city for their support during Homecoming and thank them for their ongoing partnership.
The University of Guelph is deeply disappointed by what occurred, and we are clear that this cannot happen again.
Preventing future unsanctioned gatherings requires a coordinated response and a renewed approach. We will work closely with our community partners to review what occurred, assess where the current approach must change, and identify additional measures needed to prevent similar incidents, reduce risk and better support community safety.
While most students celebrated responsibly this weekend, there were incidents requiring intervention by emergency services and law enforcement. We are seeing a concerning trend in which individuals who are not U of G students, including students from other communities, travel to take part in unsanctioned gatherings and are among those involved in property damage and other disruptive behaviour.
We also recognize that some U of G students engaged in behaviour that was unacceptable and fell well below our community’s expectations. Where individuals are found to have violated University policies or applicable laws, the University will take action.
We extend our thanks to the many students who celebrated responsibly, supported one another, and demonstrated the best of what it means to be a Gryphon, including participating in post-event clean-up on Sunday morning.
The University engages in extensive planning and coordination throughout the year with campus and community partners to support a safe Homecoming weekend for students, staff, alumni and neighbours. This work includes ongoing communication and education for students beginning at the start of term, encouraging them to reflect on and demonstrate the values of the University. We will build on this partnership and strengthen our shared planning so that our mitigation efforts are better aligned with the level of risk these gatherings can create.
Dr. Rene Van Acker
President and Vice Chancellor