Colloquium: May 20, 2021, 1:00-3:00pm (N.B. New time) – Fellows & External Fellows Only
- This event has passed.
May 20, 2021 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Topic: Colloquium on the CAUT censure of U of T (N.B. New topic)
Chair: Daphne Maurer
On April 22nd, CAUT (the Canadian Association of University Teachers) voted unanimously to censure the University of Toronto because of a perception of political interference in the Search Committee process of the Faculty of Law involving Valentina Azarova last fall. “When reviewing all the evidence, CAUT Council delegates concluded that the decision [not to hire Azarova]…was politically motivated, and as such constitutes a serious breach of widely recognized principles of academic freedom” (CAUT News Release, April 22, 2021). Yet an independent review by Justice Thomas Cromwell had concluded that the decision was not politically influenced. The purpose of this colloquium is to review the relevant documents in advance, then have an informed discussion of the issues.
Readings:
Thomas Cromwell’s report on the hiring decision in the Faculty of Law in the fall of 2020
President of University of Toronto’s response to Thomas Cromwell’s report
President of University of Toronto’s letter to CAUT in advance of censure
President of University of Toronto’s response to censure
Optional: Commentary by Joseph H. Carens, U of T Political Science, on the Cromwell report, posted, along with other materials on the website of the law students’ independent newspaper ultravires.
We will use Cromwell’s report to structure the discussion.
Ground rules: The discussion will centre on university procedures and academic freedom. This is not the appropriate time for discussing the Israel/Palestine question, which we have taken up in two previous colloquia (and could schedule again). The Chair will cut off comments on Israeli/ Palestinian issues.
The link to register is https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=JsKqeAMvTUuQN7RtVsVSEKo-DHaj3xRAluk2q6EEM7NUMUdVWlNXSkk3QUJPWkJQSEdTV0JSRTNGSi4u
The deadline to register is 8:00am on the day of the meeting. The Zoom link will be sent to registrants only.