Andrew Duffy
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
Student leaders at the University of Ottawa have asked school administrators to reconsider a policy that they say restricts political discussion on campus.
Amid escalating campus tensions over the Middle East, the U of O's administrative committee last month imposed a rule that requires material being posted inside the Jock Turcot University Centre to first be vetted by university officials.
The policy specifically prohibits activities, which in the opinion of the university, promote "hatred, violence, propaganda or are of a political nature designed to disparage a government, state, country, religion, individual or group of people."
Also banned are any activities that "harm the university's reputation or place the university in the middle of ethnic or other world conflicts."
The policy, in development for more than a year, was introduced one week after an ugly shouting match erupted in the University Centre.
The dispute broke out between members of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights and students offended by material posted in the group's information booth.
"We're a downtown campus, we don't have much room, and we're trying to provide students one area where they can go without in any way feeling that they have to listen to or be exposed to anything that would make them uncomfortable," said Hélène Carty, the U of O's director of communications.
Student leaders, however, are outraged at what they consider a heavy-handed policy that restricts freedom of expression inside the main student centre.
"It's completely out of place at a university," said Sarah Duff, vice-president (academic) of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa. "A university is a place for critical thinking, to develop critical thinking skills, and this policy does the opposite of that. It's putting students in a sheltered environment."
Students, she argued, should be exposed to difficult issues and a wide range of political ideas so that they can make up their own minds.
Moreover, Ms. Duff said, the policy raises the spectre of university interference in a whole host of activities deemed "political" in nature. Everything from discussions of university tuition fees to critical assessments of the federal Liberals' trade policy could be deemed "disparaging" to a government.
"It means that if you want to talk about the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americans) in the Unicentre you can be barred from doing so if the university feels that this is inappropriate and they don't want to hear these political views," said Ms. Duff.
Ms. Carty, however, said the policy is not intended to limit free speech, but to provide a single lunch area where students will not feel threatened or intimidated.
The university funds student clubs and offers them auditoriums and rooms to discuss ideas and politics, Ms. Carty noted. The only restriction on the clubs is that they respect the Ontario Human Rights Code.
"I know university is a place where students debate, where ideas are exchanged, that's what the students are here for," Ms. Carty said. "What we're talking about are appropriate venues."
The Student Federation has formed a task force to come up with an alternative policy to present to university administrators.
The University Centre is the major meeting place for U of O students and many consider it the focal point for political discussion on campus.
"This policy is making this a space where opinions aren't allowed to be expressed unless they're opinions endorsed by the university," said Ms. Duff. "It really stops the freedom of expression of all of our clubs and ourselves at the student federation."
Asked if the new rules were part of an attempt to depoliticize the campus, Ms. Carty said: "I would hope not. I think it's more about the belief that everything has its place. There's nothing at all that forbids or stops students or clubs from advertising their events.
"It is indeed meant to ensure that students are comfortable in that one area."
Last month, members of the student club, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, were stationed at a booth in the student centre with information pamphlets and posters.
Some students, Ms. Duff said, felt threatened by the display while others within the group were upset with comments directed at them.
A spokesperson for the Palestinian human rights group could not be reached for comment yesterday.
No one was hurt in the incident, which concluded with both sides taking part in student-sponsored mediation sessions. "There was intimidation on both sides and a lack of understanding," Ms. Duff said.
The Middle East, Ms. Carty noted, is one of many contentious issues on campus; she insisted the new policy was not introduced simply to quell the emotional debate about Israel and Palestine.
"I think it has a much longer history than that," she said. "We're faced today with the Middle East, but last year abortion was just as hot an issue and people were grouping on each side of that question."
All student clubs have been asked to sign contracts, stating that they understand the responsibilities imposed by the university's new policy on student centre usage.
++++++++
U of O gag rule outrageous
Marc Spooner
The Ottawa Citizen
Friday, April 19, 2002
Re: Students denounce U of O gag rule, April 17.
How sad it is when the administration of a Canadian university attempts to banish free thought. Shouldn't universities, of all places, demand that students do quite the opposite and exercise a healthy skepticism about claims of truth and goodness? To think that students should not be permitted to question and oppose malevolent dictatorships, or other corruption, for fear of "disparag(ing) a government, state, (or) country" is outrageous, indefensible, and intolerable.
We expect such an oppressive and narrow-minded regime in many places in the world, but the University of Ottawa? How ironic that this ill-conceived policy was reported on the very day Canadians were to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which guarantees freedom of opinion, expression, religion, association and, finally, freedom of thought.
Marc Spooner,
Ottawa
Graduate Students' Association, University of Ottawa
++++++++
A university is no place to spread hateful views
Sam Mendelsohn
The Ottawa Citizen
Sunday, April 21, 2002
Re: Students denounce U of O gag rule, April 17.
The reality behind the University of Ottawa's guidelines against allowing hateful and prejudicial material in the University Centre is not to limit freedom of speech, but as a means of acknowledging the essence of what university really is: "a place for critical thinking, to develop critical thinking skills," just as student federation vice-president Sarah Duff said.
By allowing a campus club to bash religions or cultures, you distance yourself from real critical thinking. This creates a fearful and hateful environment that shouldn't exist on campus.
While the university's student federation has a valid fear where it believes that freedom of expression is hindered, the student leaders fail to realize that the hate laws in this country are constantly overstepped at U of O and other universities.
An example is at Carleton University, where the equivalent Palestinian club exists just as U of O, with an equivalent mandate and method of operations. At Carleton though, there are very few, if any, guidelines on what conduct is acceptable in the University Centre. This has lead to various heated debates and quarrels.
The reality is that Carleton has been very lucky that the quarrels have never broken out into more than that, yet there is always the possibility of escalation to physical violence.
U of O has put into place guidelines to protect students physically from each other and from themselves. Arguments that are based on emotions can quickly spiral to a physical conflict. This is unacceptable. Carleton and other universities need to put in place guidelines of this nature.
A line must be drawn between spreading hate and racism, and freedom of expression. I believe that U of O has done a remarkable job by setting guidelines that clubs must adhere to.
Sam Mendelsohn,
Ottawa,
President, Carleton University Jewish Students' Association
+++++
The Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
Student leaders at the University of Ottawa have asked school administrators to reconsider a policy that they say restricts political discussion on campus.
Amid escalating campus tensions over the Middle East, the U of O's administrative committee last month imposed a rule that requires material being posted inside the Jock Turcot University Centre to first be vetted by university officials.
The policy specifically prohibits activities, which in the opinion of the university, promote "hatred, violence, propaganda or are of a political nature designed to disparage a government, state, country, religion, individual or group of people."
Also banned are any activities that "harm the university's reputation or place the university in the middle of ethnic or other world conflicts."
The policy, in development for more than a year, was introduced one week after an ugly shouting match erupted in the University Centre.
The dispute broke out between members of Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights and students offended by material posted in the group's information booth.
"We're a downtown campus, we don't have much room, and we're trying to provide students one area where they can go without in any way feeling that they have to listen to or be exposed to anything that would make them uncomfortable," said Hélène Carty, the U of O's director of communications.
Student leaders, however, are outraged at what they consider a heavy-handed policy that restricts freedom of expression inside the main student centre.
"It's completely out of place at a university," said Sarah Duff, vice-president (academic) of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa. "A university is a place for critical thinking, to develop critical thinking skills, and this policy does the opposite of that. It's putting students in a sheltered environment."
Students, she argued, should be exposed to difficult issues and a wide range of political ideas so that they can make up their own minds.
Moreover, Ms. Duff said, the policy raises the spectre of university interference in a whole host of activities deemed "political" in nature. Everything from discussions of university tuition fees to critical assessments of the federal Liberals' trade policy could be deemed "disparaging" to a government.
"It means that if you want to talk about the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americans) in the Unicentre you can be barred from doing so if the university feels that this is inappropriate and they don't want to hear these political views," said Ms. Duff.
Ms. Carty, however, said the policy is not intended to limit free speech, but to provide a single lunch area where students will not feel threatened or intimidated.
The university funds student clubs and offers them auditoriums and rooms to discuss ideas and politics, Ms. Carty noted. The only restriction on the clubs is that they respect the Ontario Human Rights Code.
"I know university is a place where students debate, where ideas are exchanged, that's what the students are here for," Ms. Carty said. "What we're talking about are appropriate venues."
The Student Federation has formed a task force to come up with an alternative policy to present to university administrators.
The University Centre is the major meeting place for U of O students and many consider it the focal point for political discussion on campus.
"This policy is making this a space where opinions aren't allowed to be expressed unless they're opinions endorsed by the university," said Ms. Duff. "It really stops the freedom of expression of all of our clubs and ourselves at the student federation."
Asked if the new rules were part of an attempt to depoliticize the campus, Ms. Carty said: "I would hope not. I think it's more about the belief that everything has its place. There's nothing at all that forbids or stops students or clubs from advertising their events.
"It is indeed meant to ensure that students are comfortable in that one area."
Last month, members of the student club, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights, were stationed at a booth in the student centre with information pamphlets and posters.
Some students, Ms. Duff said, felt threatened by the display while others within the group were upset with comments directed at them.
A spokesperson for the Palestinian human rights group could not be reached for comment yesterday.
No one was hurt in the incident, which concluded with both sides taking part in student-sponsored mediation sessions. "There was intimidation on both sides and a lack of understanding," Ms. Duff said.
The Middle East, Ms. Carty noted, is one of many contentious issues on campus; she insisted the new policy was not introduced simply to quell the emotional debate about Israel and Palestine.
"I think it has a much longer history than that," she said. "We're faced today with the Middle East, but last year abortion was just as hot an issue and people were grouping on each side of that question."
All student clubs have been asked to sign contracts, stating that they understand the responsibilities imposed by the university's new policy on student centre usage.
++++++++
U of O gag rule outrageous
Marc Spooner
The Ottawa Citizen
Friday, April 19, 2002
Re: Students denounce U of O gag rule, April 17.
How sad it is when the administration of a Canadian university attempts to banish free thought. Shouldn't universities, of all places, demand that students do quite the opposite and exercise a healthy skepticism about claims of truth and goodness? To think that students should not be permitted to question and oppose malevolent dictatorships, or other corruption, for fear of "disparag(ing) a government, state, (or) country" is outrageous, indefensible, and intolerable.
We expect such an oppressive and narrow-minded regime in many places in the world, but the University of Ottawa? How ironic that this ill-conceived policy was reported on the very day Canadians were to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which guarantees freedom of opinion, expression, religion, association and, finally, freedom of thought.
Marc Spooner,
Ottawa
Graduate Students' Association, University of Ottawa
++++++++
A university is no place to spread hateful views
Sam Mendelsohn
The Ottawa Citizen
Sunday, April 21, 2002
Re: Students denounce U of O gag rule, April 17.
The reality behind the University of Ottawa's guidelines against allowing hateful and prejudicial material in the University Centre is not to limit freedom of speech, but as a means of acknowledging the essence of what university really is: "a place for critical thinking, to develop critical thinking skills," just as student federation vice-president Sarah Duff said.
By allowing a campus club to bash religions or cultures, you distance yourself from real critical thinking. This creates a fearful and hateful environment that shouldn't exist on campus.
While the university's student federation has a valid fear where it believes that freedom of expression is hindered, the student leaders fail to realize that the hate laws in this country are constantly overstepped at U of O and other universities.
An example is at Carleton University, where the equivalent Palestinian club exists just as U of O, with an equivalent mandate and method of operations. At Carleton though, there are very few, if any, guidelines on what conduct is acceptable in the University Centre. This has lead to various heated debates and quarrels.
The reality is that Carleton has been very lucky that the quarrels have never broken out into more than that, yet there is always the possibility of escalation to physical violence.
U of O has put into place guidelines to protect students physically from each other and from themselves. Arguments that are based on emotions can quickly spiral to a physical conflict. This is unacceptable. Carleton and other universities need to put in place guidelines of this nature.
A line must be drawn between spreading hate and racism, and freedom of expression. I believe that U of O has done a remarkable job by setting guidelines that clubs must adhere to.
Sam Mendelsohn,
Ottawa,
President, Carleton University Jewish Students' Association
+++++
