The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) had originally threatened an official “censure” of three universities –—York, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University — for partnerships it felt gave the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) too much say over academic matters.
While York’s proposed deal fell through over that very issue, CAUT remained concerned about Balsillie’s influence in the joint Balsillie School of International Affairs his think tank runs with both universities.
The association has given Laurier and Waterloo six months to remove what it sees as threats to academic freedom or it will impose “censure” in November, which would discourage academics from working or meeting on either campus.
On Friday, CAUT passed a motion that states: “Unless Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo amend the governance structure for the Balsillie School of International Affairs so that academic integrity is ensured, censure will be imposed on the administrations of those two universities at the next meeting of council,” although it offered little detail as to how that should happen.
Both universities rejected CAUT’s criticism in a statement released Friday.
“CAUT has not approved an immediate censure. Rather, it has initiated a process of discussion that we hope will lead to a clearer understanding of the facts and issues involved,” the statement said. “Nonetheless, we are obliged to state in the strongest terms possible that the allegations that prompted this recommendation have no basis in fact.”
University of Waterloo professor Thomas Homer-Dixon, who led the process drafting the governance document, said it provides “absolutely iron-clad protection of academic freedom . . . so it doesn’t have to be amended.”
These public private partnerships are the wave of the future, he added. “My response to the CAUT is get used to it, folks, we need to figure out how to do this in a way that protects academic freedom and allows for institutional innovation and creativity in universities across the country.”
In a separate statement, Thomas A. Bernes, executive director of CIGI, agreed the governance documents reaffirm the integrity of the partnership and a commitment to teaching and research of the highest standard.
CAUT had opposed a planned $60 million graduate program in international law between York University and CIGI that originally allowed the think tank to take part in hiring decisions as well as the nature of research. But CAUT and York’s law school professors raised such fears over academic freedom that York clawed back control over hiring and boosted guarantees of academic integrity.
Still, the law professors remained unsupportive so York scrapped the plan. Within hours, three other universities are said to have called CIGI to express interest in the program, which would have included 10 research chairs (experts) in international law and 20 PhD students.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: Louise Brown
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