April 2012
In a rare move, the Canadian Association of University Teachers has served
notice it intends to censure three Ontario universities in relation to their
joint collaborations with a private think-tank established and chaired by Jim
Balsillie, co-founder of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd.
The union’s academic freedom and tenure committee
has informed the faculty associations at York University, the University of
Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University of its unanimous decision to put forward
a censure motion for CAUT’s executive committee to consider at its general
meeting on April 26. “Our overriding concern is that any collaborative
agreements signed between universities and third-party donors maintain, protect
and ensure the academic integrity of the university and that it not compromise
its academic integrity in order to get the money,” Jim Turk, CAUT’s executive
director told the National Post.
The CAUT, which represents 66,000 professors,
librarians, researchers and other academic professionals at 122 Canadian
universities and colleges, is alarmed by a series of deals between Mr.
Balsillie’s Waterloo-based Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)
and the universities to establish a school in international relations and
research chairs in international law. The faculty union argues that the
agreements appear to afford Mr. Balsillie’s private think-tank veto power over
the hiring of faculty and the ability to influence curriculum and research —
areas that have traditionally been the exclusive domain of academia.
“CIGI has no business at the table deciding what
areas the chairs will focus on, and who should be hired, much less have a
veto,” Mr. Turk said.
An outspoken defender of academic freedom, CAUT
hopes its professional rebuke will motivate the universities to renegotiate or
amend portions of their agreements with CIGI before the union’s next general
meeting in six months.
Such a rebuke is an extreme step and intended to
ostracize the offending institutions. The censures are widely publicized in
academic circles in Canada and abroad. Academic staff are discouraged from
taking jobs, conducting research, accepting awards and even attending
conferences at schools that have been formally criticized.
“Censure is a move of last resort,” says Len
Findlay, chair of CAUT’s academic freedom and tenure committee. “Nobody takes
any pleasure in it. It’s a belated move that is meant to get their attention and
express the gravity of the concern.”
Only 12 Canadian universities have been censured by
CAUT since 1968, with the most recent in 2008.
Two of the universities in CAUT’s crosshairs told
the Post they are prepared to discuss their deals but see no reason to modify
them.
“We don’t believe that they have a proper factual
basis to proceed with censure,” says Patrick J. Monahan, York’s vice-president
academic and provost. “We have negotiated a series of agreements with CIGI that
we think clearly address the issues of academic freedom.”
Geoff McBoyle, vice-president and academic provost
at Waterloo, adds: “More and more donors these days wish to be involved in where
their money is going, and once they give their money they can give suggestions.
“And within the general agreement that is what we
follow, but we are very concerned at the same time with maintaining the academic
freedom and integrity of the institution.”
CAUT is concerned about a $60-million deal signed by
CIGI and York University last year to create a school of international law.
Through CIGI, Mr. Balsillie has committed to donate $30-million to create 10
research chairs and 20 graduate scholarships over the next 10 years.
The collaboration, which also includes $30-million
from the Ontario government, has raised eyebrows in the academic community,
especially after the University of Ottawa passed on the opportunity and
opposition from Osgoode Law School faculty at York forced the university to
relocate the program to other faculties.
According to the agreement, a five-member steering
committee comprised of two members from Mr. Balsillie’s think-tank, two from
York and the executive director of the program will establish the 10 research
chairs. Among the committee’s responsibilities, “establishing the specific
financial terms and expectations for each of the chairs, including their
research plans and research support.”
And all decisions made by the committee require
unanimous approval.
York amended its previous protocol agreement on
March 9, which among other things, eliminates CIGI’s ability to veto the hiring
of faculty from a short list of candidates.
“We think this [partnership with CIGI] is a model
approach because it brings significant resources to the university and yet
preserves university autonomy — and that is what our senate committee on
academic policy thought about,” said Mr. Monahan.
However, CAUT said the amendments don’t go far
enough.
CAUT also has issues with a similar arrangement
between CIGI, Waterloo and Laurier that created the Balsillie School of
International Affairs in Waterloo in 2007.
Officials at Laurier did not respond to calls.
National Post, with files from Joe O’Connor, March 13, 2012.
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