Show Notes
Why would a successful university program be recommended for closure? Episode 4 of this five-part series reconstructs the administrative history behind the suspension of enrolment into the Buddhism, Psychology, and Mental Health program at the University of Toronto, revealing a striking contrast between a glowing external review, growing student demand, and a subsequent recommendation to discontinue the program. Through archival recordings, committee documents, and emotional testimony from students and faculty, the episode examines questions of governance, precarity, and institutional responsibility. It argues that the controversy surrounding BPMH was not just about one interdisciplinary program, but about how universities value innovation, support faculty, and respond when educational success no longer fits existing administrative structures.
To learn more about the circumstances described in this series, see https://pathuoft.net/
This series was produced by Frances Garrett, with sound editing by Jesse Whitty, music by Kilian Kramer, and logo design by Kayla Bowland. The series has been organized by the Engaging Education in Buddhist Studies initiative at the University of Toronto, with generous support from the Khyentse Foundation.
