The letter is as follows:
"Letter to Francis Whyte, Rector of UQO (University President) on the proposal titled
'La formation en langues autres que le français à l'Université du Québec en Outaouais'
«La mission universitaire ne peut ni ne doit se contenir dans des limites politiques, géographiques ou culturelles, et il importe que les campus universitaires soient des lieux habités par des personnes provenant de divers horizons.» le vice-recteur d'UQO Denis Dubé dans Le Devoir, 11 janvier 2003
(Translation. The university's mission cannot be and must not be contained inside political, geographical or cultural limits, and it is important that university campuses be places occupied by people coming from diverse horizons.)
(The above quote from the newspaper Le Devoir is from the UQO vice-rector Denis Dubé, the author of this proposal to eliminate English language programs. It is included as an important preamble, reminding him of his quote that the university is part of a larger community. The entire document will be translated into French as well, for presentation to the administrative council.)
We the undersigned, students from the MBA en services financières and the Masters en Gestion des Projets, believe it is a mistake for the Conseil d'Administration à l'UQO to vote for acceptance of the proposal to cancel Masters degree programs in English.
We the undersigned come from diverse backgrounds: either Canadian citizens who live and work in the region, on both sides of the Ottawa River, or foreign students seeking a good education and cultural experience, or landed immigrants working here, studying and raising families. We come from positions of responsibility in the federal government, the banking industry, civic government, foreign governments, the high technology sector, the airline industry, and project management. We are current and future decision-makers for a wide range of organizations.
We have chosen UQO because of its reputation, high level of instruction, and proximity within our community. We have come here to add some tools to our toolbox, and we go out into the larger community when we leave.
We acknowledge that we are attending a francophone university. The council must decide the scope of the mandate of a francophone university, especially one located in the community of Gatineau, adjacent to the city of Ottawa, within the province of Québec, and a vital education provider to employees of the federal government, the banking and financial services sector, the high-technology sector, and other enterprises mentioned above.
The diverse horizons, mentioned in the above quote by the university's vice-rector, seem not to include those who choose part or all of their studies in English. Consider all of the countries represented by your student body, and recognize that some of your students wish either a partial or complete degree program in a language other than French. You risk losing them, their financial contribution to the university, their cultural contribution, and their academic contribution. The list is long of other universities that maintain a national identity, yet manage to provide degree programs and courses in another language.
We also challenge the assertion that services for students in English programs can not be made adequate by reminding the Council of the recent satisfaction studies at UQO showing most (upward of 80%) of those studying in English language programs are satisfied with the quality of administrative services to their program.
If a university must serve the community in which it dwells, then UQO must remain a vital part of its larger community. We challenge the administrative council to define better the community in which you would see this university serving, teaching, and mentoring. A university does not function alone but as part of a larger community. The role of the university is to contribute knowledge, preparation and scholarship to its community.
Which communities? UQO is part of the civic community, the city and region around itself. It is also part of the academic community, contributing to an increase in knowledge and scholarship. It contributes much to the cultural community, to the region on both sides of the river. UQO has a role in the high tech community, and the scientific community as well. The project management community has been well served by UQO in the past. This university is an education provider of note to the federal and civic governments. There are strong ties with the financial services community and the accounting community. Some of those ties may weaken if you vote for the proposal.
The world comes here to study, drawing students from the community, from the region, the province, this country, and other nations. By recoiling, and withdrawing from a larger community into a smaller one and closing the doors to a small but significant constituency, UQO will be the poorer. By closing a door to an identifiable group you are deciding to close ranks, to pull back, and face backwards, away from a part of the world around you. Your community will likely shrink and ties to organizations will weaken, in spite of your efforts to attract replacement students from other communities abroad.
Since many students depend on word of mouth to choose a university for short and long term education, your approval of the proposal faces the genuine risk of having part of the community turn away from UQO as a viable education option. Since we are against your proposal, what shall we say to the organizations we represent and to future students who ask about the quality of education at UQO?
Signed, this 26 day of January, 2004,
