November 6, 2024
Affirmative action should not trump the principle of non-discrimination. TMU’s new medical school should take notice.
Toronto Metropolitan University’s new medical school admissions policy has taken race discrimination to a new level: straight white males will not be eligible for 75 per cent of its seats. These will be reserved for Indigenous, Black, 2SLGBTQ+ and other equity-deserving students for whom admissions criteria will be relaxed.
The new medical school has been hailed by university president Mohamed Lachemi as an initiative that will “disrupt and drive change within the health-care system,” and by medical school dean Teresa Chan as one that “will provide a supportive and inclusive process” for equity-deserving groups.
It will also discriminate — extensively — against white male students who would otherwise compete under admissions criteria — high or relaxed.