Ryerson Aboriginal Student Services - also known by its acronym R.A.S.S. - provides a culturally supportive environment to promote academic excellence and serves as a place to balance academic learning with traditional teachings and culture.
R.A.S.S started in 1993 with the purpose of offering peer support, tutoring, cultural, events and many other services geared to develop an Aboriginal presence on campus.

The role of the office is to provide specialized services for Aboriginal, Metis and Inuit students on campus and to develop a mutually productive relationship between Ryerson and the Aboriginal Community.

The Cultural and Traditional Teachings program compliments, and supports existing services and programs.

The service provides Aboriginal students with the opportunity to spend time with Elders, to receive traditional counselling and support cultural teachings not reflected in the school curriculum. In 1998, Ryerson was home to the first traditional Pow-Pow held on a Toronto University campus. The event was part of the Aboriginal Services’ mandate to promote traditional teaching and access to aboriginal cultural events for the Ryerson Community.

R.A.S.S. invites Traditional Teachers from the Aboriginal community, to share indigenous knowledge and traditions, to teach Aboriginal history, culture and protocols. R.A.S.S. also promotes Ryerson at Aboriginal job fairs, on reserves such as the Grand River Six Nations, and at the Canadian Aboriginal Festival.