[Fdu] Important: CAUT censure & U of T faculty

[Cynthia Wright]

[Apologies for cross-postings, colleagues, as this important and 
time-sensitive posting makes its way across U of T lists...Note the 
action item regarding the upcoming lecture of Michaelle Jean.]


Dear colleagues,

On April 22, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) 
imposed censure on the University of Toronto over its decision to 
terminate the candidacy of Dr. Valentina Azarova for the Directorship of 
the International Human Rights Program (IHRP) at the Faculty of Law. Dr. 
Azarova was the enthusiastic choice of the selection committee, but 
negotiations were abruptly terminated after an alumnus, donor, and 
sitting judge objected to her scholarship on Israeli conduct in the 
occupied Palestinian territories. Please see attached for more 
information on the scandal.


Many of us are asking what we at University of Toronto should and can do 
in light of the censure. We write to share some information and action 
items. Respecting the CAUT censure is a vital means to protect academic 
freedom and to resist discrimination in this workplace that is also a 
university.

Full information regarding procedure related to the censure is available 
here 
<https://www.caut.ca/about-us/caut-policy/lists/administrative-procedures-and-guidelines/procedures-relating-to-censure>. 
The censure is addressed to CAUT members outside U of T. However, we 
encourage colleagues to respect the CAUT censure. Most immediately, we 
encourage colleagues not to invite outside speakers, and to cancel 
scheduled academic events. *Please see this **draft****‘user’s guide’* 
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WB7FgFbesnND4zQxXAlMt99XcZnN3zG7yk0t9AT6M8o/edit?usp=sharing>*to 
the CAUT censure*, and join us at an upcoming event to discuss the 
censure as an equity issue (see below).

Michaëlle Jean Lecture

On May 10, former Governor General Michaëlle Jean is scheduled to 
deliver a lecture called "Seizing the Moment to Build a Movement: A Call 
to Action to Eradicate Systemic Racial Discrimination” at the Faculty of 
Social Work. Colleagues have organized petitions asking Jean to respect 
the censure and cancel the lecture. We are encouraging colleagues to 
read and sign one of the letters below.


Letter from BLACK SCHOLARS is here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehHsKoYAElbjZfJ4JItWWsZ1MdBsDT4pq8xFr_HnhdTnPbWA/viewform?usp=sf_link 
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSehHsKoYAElbjZfJ4JItWWsZ1MdBsDT4pq8xFr_HnhdTnPbWA/viewform?usp=sf_link>

Letter from the wider community is here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ghKnX7KP--U5wSi88ixZnZCP5bJygz-Yn7WX3md1HHA/ 
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ghKnX7KP--U5wSi88ixZnZCP5bJygz-Yn7WX3md1HHA/>


UTFA

UTFA abstained from CAUT Council’s vote on censure, but  the time for 
neutrality has passed. UTFA is a member of CAUT and CAUT has voted 
unanimously to impose censure on U of T. Anyone who does not want to 
undermine CAUT’s censure, and the principles that it is defending, 
should support the censure.

In this regard, we urge colleagues to:

 1.

    attend the UTFA information session on Thursday, May 6th from 5:00 -
    6:00 p.m. UTFA members can send a request to faculty at utfa.org
    <mailto:faculty at utfa.org> to register.

 2.

    write to UTFA (at faculty at utfa.org) asking them to show leadership
    regarding the censure! This means _supporting the censure_, and
    providing guidance on how to do that. The censure formally applies
    to those outside U of T, but there are various ways in which we can
    respect the censure and UTFA can facilitate sharing ideas and
    options in open dialogue. This is important as we understand
    leadership is facing pushback from some colleagues - we need to come
    out in numbers here.


Next Steps

Finally, here are some ways you can support the censure, support 
academic freedom and refuse institutional racism:


 1.

    attend our upcoming panel on the censure as an equity issue (dates
    TBA soon!)

 2.

    encourage colleagues to raise the issue of the censure in their
    departments with their chairs and colleagues

 3.

    encourage U of T folks speaking at other institutions to make a
    statement about the censure at the start of their talks (maybe
    provide an example that people could use)

 4.

    amplify the censure through social media. Please tag @CAUT_ACPPU
    @UofT @utfaculty and #UofTcensure, and feel free to use the graphics
    below!



*Ad-hoc Committee for Academic Freedom and Integrity, */including,/

Abigail Bakan

Deborah Cowen

Anver Emon

Malavika Kasturi

Melanie Newton

Denise Réaume

UofT-7.png












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