Canadian Association of University Teachers is investigating the Atlantic Veterinary College for improper behavior
James L. Turk, Executive Director, CAUT launches Ad Hoc investigation at UPEI
Hot on the heels of the conviction of a UPEI professor for tax evasion, CAUT (Canadian Association of University Teachers) has launched an investigation into the Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI.
While no specifics were given in CAUT‘s May 30, 2013 letter to UPEI, sources tell NJN Network that sexual harassment and other abuses at UPEI are common.
Victims of abusive behavior expect CAUT to hear them in their investigation.
There’s something rotten in UPEI. The University is awash in scandal with the tax evasion case, a $1 million award to 4 professors for human rights discrimination, reports of professors demanding sexual favors from students and bullying by professors.
In January 2013, a human rights complaint of sexual harassment was filed against the President of UPEI, Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz.
We have our own experience with human rights abuse at UPEI: in 2008, UPEI moved most of the accessible parking to the edge of the campus despite the law that says accessible parking should be close to the campus buildings.
CAUT Investigation Terms of Reference
James Turk, CAUT Executive Director, set out wide terms of reference without repeating any of the allegations, to set up “an Ad Hoc Investigatory Committee to look at the situation at the Atlantic Veterinary College at your university.”
The Ad Hoc Investigatory Committee will investigate allegations of improper faculty behavior, disregard of collegial decision-making, irregular hiring, relations between technicians and faculty, and low morale.
The Committee can also “consider other issues that may arise in the course of its investigation”.
The situation at UPEI has reached an impasse and the University is unable or unwilling to resolve the problems on their own.
CAUT has rules to follow in cases where academic freedom is at risk, CAUT Procedures in Academic Freedom Cases. They are only used when prime facie evidence exists and the University will not fix the serious problems.
The Ad Hoc Investigative Committee has no legal power to compel witnesses or demand documentation. It does, however, hear evidence in confidence to ease testimony from intimidated witnesses. For the CAUT letter, see CAUT to Jeffery re AVC AHIC (2013-05-30)
What may be investigated
The CAUT investigation is not a criminal or human rights investigation but it seems to be intended to protect the rights of the teachers, members of CAUT, from harassment. Is the harassment from other faculty or from the UPEI administration? We don’t know at this point.
Sources tell us there were several Human Rights Complaints were made by students about sexual harassment and discrimination by faculty and administration. Graduate students have lived in fear due to bullying, requests for sexual favours in exchange for favourable grades.
One complaint alleged that a thesis advisor sexually harassed a student, using blackmail threats to destroy the student’s thesis, plagiarise it and defame her on campus. “He said he would say that I was stalking him and attacking him if I did not sleep with him,” said one woman.
“UPEI president Alaa Abd-El-Aziz is facing allegations of sexual harassment after a university employee filed a human rights complaint against him,” reported the Charlottetown Guardian.
The stories of sleaze and scandalous sexual behavior about UPEI were well known around Charlottetown for years.
The alleged grant fraud by Hennessey is only one case. Others report theft of intellectual property by senior faculty. None of these allegations have been proven in court.
See Death Knell for Mandatory Retirement at UPEI
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