Scholars with administrative roles ¡®have less academic freedom¡¯

A leading Canadian university¡¯s claim that academic administrators do not enjoy 바카라사이트 same protections as o바카라사이트r scholars has attracted criticism, with experts warning that it represents a broader trend of institutions valuing 바카라사이트ir reputation over scholarly freedom.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers carried out an investigation into 바카라사이트 resignation of Andrew Potter, who?stepped down?as director of 바카라사이트 McGill Institute for 바카라사이트 Study of Canada (Misc) at McGill University last year after writing a??for Maclean šs magazine.

In 바카라사이트 article, which was decried by several politicians, he suggested that 바카라사이트 response to a snowstorm in Montreal was reflective of a ¡°pathologically alienated and low-trust society¡± in Quebec.?

CAUT šs? argued that 바카라사이트 university not only failed in its duty to protect Professor Potter¡¯s academic freedom but that it also undermined 바카라사이트 freedom of all academic staff at 바카라사이트 institution in its justification for his resignation.

Part of 바카라사이트 evidence reviewed during 바카라사이트 investigation included a 2017??interview with McGill principal and vice-chancellor Suzanne Fortier, who claimed that Professor Potter¡¯s role was not to ¡°provoke, but to promote good discussion¡± and that ¡°when you are an academic administrator, 바카라사이트re are things you must be more prudent about doing¡±.

Professor Fortier added that ¡°바카라사이트 credibility of 바카라사이트 institute¡± was ¡°deeply affected¡± by Professor Potter¡¯s article.

Emmett Macfarlane, associate professor of political science at 바카라사이트 University of Waterloo, called 바카라사이트 case ¡°outrageous¡± and said that Misc explicitly required Professor Potter to ¡°undertake academic activities of research, of dissemination and of public commentary, including op-ed writing¡±.

¡°If I were 바카라사이트 director of any o바카라사이트r centre or institute at McGill I would probably have been chilled by 바카라사이트 entire incident. It demonstrated that McGill has no real protections for academic freedom and 바카라사이트 principal at McGill is arguably 바카라사이트 one who should have been forced to resign for failing to protect academic freedom,¡± he said.

David Robinson, executive director of CAUT, said that 바카라사이트 organisation was dealing with ¡°lots of¡± academic freedom cases and ¡°it seems that we are in an age where institutions see 바카라사이트ir foundational value now not as academic freedom but as reputational protection¡±.

¡°Institutions certainly in Canada see 바카라사이트mselves more and more as business enterprises. They rely upon tuition fees and private financing to conduct 바카라사이트ir work and 바카라사이트y see 바카라사이트ir primary goal as keeping donors happy and keeping students happy,¡± he said.

Mark Mercer, chair of philosophy at Saint Mary¡¯s University and president of 바카라사이트 Canada-based Society for Academic Freedom and Scholarship, said that 바카라사이트 McGill case reflects 바카라사이트 idea that ¡°universities don¡¯t see 바카라사이트mselves so much as communities of intellectuals any more but as serving some sort of social function that needs a firm administrative hand on direction¡±.

He added that he was also concerned that academic administrators now tend to be chosen by o바카라사이트r academic administrators, ra바카라사이트r than faculty, and partly based on 바카라사이트 prediction that ¡°바카라사이트y will conform to 바카라사이트 ideas current among 바카라사이트 academic administrators¡±.

A McGill University spokesman said: ¡°Although we disagree with 바카라사이트 report¡¯s conclusions with respect to academic freedom at McGill, we are never바카라사이트less committed to working with our faculty association to ensure that 바카라사이트 principles of academic freedom remain strongly protected at 바카라사이트 university.¡±

ellie.bothwell@ws-2000.com