If you read carefully Appendix B (the Appendix was retracted by the committee because of internal pressures) of the Committee on Academic Freedom report, which was chaired by former Supreme Court Justice, the Honourable Michel Bastarache (CC, QC), you sense that the spectre of fear is haunting professors and students at the University of Ottawa.
Appendix B summarizes the views of the briefs presented to the committee by professors and students from the university.
Professor 53 says (our highlights from now on): “Academic freedom should allow me to teach and do research without fear of reprisal from my institution. More importantly, I should feel supported by this same institution when my intellectual and moral integrity is called into question by others (whether students or colleagues). Physical, verbal and psychological violence have no place in interactions within the university community.” (p. 10)
The report states: “Students describe restrictions on their freedom to express themselves without mockery or pressure (6). Some feel they cannot express themselves freely because of a bias toward certain ideas or theoretical or ideological schools of thought. They are afraid of being “publicly shamed for having a difference of opinion.” [Student 8]” (p. 27)
The report continues: “Professors are not immune to this, and the briefs reveal the rise of a culture of fear and intimidation (7). This is a real, effective, and emerging limitation on academic freedom […]” (p. 27)
Professor 76 indicates: “Some things are no longer addressed or critically assessed during assemblies. The fear of being accused of committing “cultural appropriation” is widespread, and so is the notion that one has to be a member of a minority group in order to have the right to discuss certain issues.” (p. 28)
Student 41: “. . . [E]ven though she’s a visible minority, she’s afraid to speak about racism in class because she believes there’s only one race, and that humanity is one[.]” (p. 28)
Professor 84: “With respect to what we said before, it is obvious that the culture of the university is toxic and fuelled by fear. Of course, this is done quietly so that it doesn’t attract criticism, but the fear is there. Examples...many colleagues wanted and would like to make their voices heard, but they have not and will not do so for fear of not being promoted (rank), for fear of speaking up in a large group, for fear of students complaining in their evaluations, for fear of what the dean will say if their annual report is not deemed satisfactory.” (p. 28)
Professor 29: “Equality between human beings is too important to be led by fanatics, encouraged by people up to the highest levels of the administration, incapable as they are of defending the institution that we have entrusted them. This struggle will not be waged through censorship, fear, trial by public opinion, academic harassment and infantilizing students.” (p. 29)
Professor 31: “We have to admit that there is a lot of self-censorship, which is unfortunately practiced by many professors, especially part-time ones. Personally, I often hear all sorts of stories from professors who no longer dare to address such and such a topic in their courses, for fear of being taken out of context and condemned. Especially since professors feel that they don’t have the support of their university. Some professors are literally afraid.”
Professor 77: “Universities are possibly the only institution where intellectuals can think free from influences, threats and reprisals. The last sentence is not conditional by chance. Indeed, I have noticed for the last 10 years a decline in confidence in professors and I would go so far as to say the development of a climate of fear.” (p. 36)
Professor 45: “The administration’s foot dragging in handling the VLD scandal, their inability to write a simple letter to the students who behaved unacceptably in my class, the fear of Twitter, the silence of colleagues, all of this can be explained by the climate of suspicion and intimidation that has taken hold on campus. No one decent wants to be associated with racism. But the activists’ tactic is effective: You disagree with us, we’ll call you racist on a public platform.” (p. 37)
One more. Student 47 says: “I just wish in an academic setting I could bring forward valid arguments to try to oppose mainstream opinions on controversial issues, without fearing academic or even physical blowback. Controversial issues are controversial for one main reason: they’re important. That means they need to be discussed, continually, in different settings, by different people, in different times and places. This is the epitome of what a university should be, and I fervently hope that the University of Ottawa will take steps to ensure that our campus community will continue to grow in its tolerance of diversity and openness to all.” (p. 45)
Troubling signs for the university and for society at large.
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