Protect the BPMH Program – Sign Our Petition Here
BPSU Statement
To the Dean and Vice-Deans of Arts and Science, the New College Principal, and whom else it may concern:
We express our deep disappointment and concern regarding the recommended closure of the Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health (BPMH) program. To the shock of both students and faculty, the administration suddenly suspended enrollment in the minor in November of 2023. The abrupt and hasty nature of the decision-making process has left the BPMH community feeling confused and frustrated. Here, we underscore the invaluable benefits that the BPMH program offers and why it must not be closed.
BPMH is Unique
BPMH is not simply a program that can be boxed into religion or psychology. The program investigates interdisciplinary interactions within an emerging research field called Contemplative Science. Our program provides a comprehensive and cross-disciplinary understanding of contemplative practices (like mindfulness, meditation, yoga, etc.) and their influence on mental health and overall well-being. BPMH is one of the few programs that studies science from a non-Eurocentric perspective and recognizes the deep roots of contemplative traditions in East and South Asian cultures through a decolonial lens. Students in BPMH courses also explore the global movements inspired by Buddhist engagement with issues such as systemic oppression, climate justice, and decolonization.
While contemplative science programs are growing rapidly around the globe, the BPMH program is currently the only undergraduate program of its kind in Canada. Furthermore, BPMH is one of the few opportunities at the University of Toronto for students to directly study, research, and build community around mental health. Recent research has revealed groundbreaking insights into the effects of contemplative practices, offering a clearer understanding of their role in addressing challenges posed by our increasingly technology-mediated world. Closing the program will undermine the University’s standing as a leader in mental health pedagogy and research.
Impact on Mental Health
BPMH is one of the few programs that places mental health support at the center of its teachings. Instead of just learning how anxiety and depression affect the brain, students learn how to be mindful and compassionate to improve human flourishing. BPMH provides reflective and experience-based learning directly focused on student well-being in its courses. This program offers a sustained educational approach to mental health that students can carry into their personal lives, which cannot be replicated simply by a one-off wellness workshop or a visit to a clinic. BPMH isn’t just an academic program. For many students, it’s a lifeline.
The BPMH program directly aligns with the recommendations of the Presidential and Provostial Task Force on Student Mental Health in 2019, which emphasized the University’s commitment to supporting mindfulness as part of its approach to addressing the student mental health crisis. Students seeking mental health support on campus often face long wait times, systemic discrimination, and hyper-policing. BPMH is one of the few opportunities at the UofT for students to not only directly study and research mental health, but also build community with like-minded individuals. The University once promoted BPMH as part of its commitment to fighting the mental health crisis. So, for an institution that claims to care about mental health, why are they trying to shut down one of the few programs that directly addresses it?
Why Shut Down a Successful Program?
For over 17 years, BPMH has thrived under the support of New College, with enrollment growing from 25 students to 380 students between 2008 and 2024. During the 2023-24 academic year alone, more than 1,100 students enrolled in 11 BPMH courses, with over 100 additional students on waitlists. Today, the program hosts 40% of all Buddhism courses on the St. George campus, with demand for these courses growing by nearly 150% in the past five years. All BPMH courses consistently have long waiting lists, and students across disciplines have benefited from the program’s unique offerings. Our 163-page BPMH Program Support Dossier includes letters from 48 current students, 28 alumni, and 45 academics, all of whom emphasize the program’s life-changing impact and its international reputation.
Looking at the 24 academic programs across U of T’s seven colleges, 71% of college programs have 200 students or less, and 41% of college programs have fewer than 100 students enrolled. As of last spring, over 300 students were enrolled in the BPMH minor program, making it one of the largest and most in-demand interdisciplinary programs housed in our colleges. In the last 11 years, only 10 academic programs have been closed by Arts & Science, but these programs were almost always ones with just 1 or 2 students enrolled. The move to try to shut down a program with our profile is unprecedented.
Our Request
By abruptly suspending enrolment in the BPMH program, student enrollment will dwindle rapidly in the next few years, and the administration may use this as an excuse for program closure. Although the program has areas to improve, there was simply not enough time to assess them before the administration suspended enrollment. For a program with research and scientific merits, not to mention the profound impact it has had on the student’s personal lives and mental well-being, we believe a little bit more time is warranted. We call on the Faculty of Arts and Science to immediately reverse the suspension of enrollment in the BPMH program and protect it for future generations. We are asking the Faculty of Arts & Science to revisit their decision about this program and undertake a thorough process of consultation.
Thank you,
BPSU