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Tuesday 11 February 2003
3:00-5:00
Senate Chamber - Ross North 9th floor

Since January 28 the YUFA office has received numerous communications from YUFA members which indicate that they would like an opportunity to discuss the role of the Association in promoting freedom of speech and academic freedom on campus, and the position of the YUFA Executive in responding to visits to campus by controversial speakers from outside of the University. The YUFA Executive would like to extend to members this opportunity.

There has also been considerable confusion with respect to a brief communication that was sent from the YUFA Executive to YUFA members over YUFA-M on January 28. What was said, to whom, and in whose name the communication was made, have all subsequently been queried by YUFA members. The President of YUFA shall clarify the position that was taken by the YUFA Executive and upon what basis at the meeting.

The purpose of this meeting is to provide an opportunity for YUFA members to share their thoughts on the role of their Association in promoting free speech and academic freedom on campus. We are thus addressing this invitation to YUFA members rather than members of the broader community. It is fully apparent from recent events, both during Dr. Pipes' visit to our campus on January 28 and at the subsequent Senate meeting on January 30, that many members of the York community and not just YUFA members wish to have a broader debate on the many issues that Dr. Pipes' speech raised. A request to provide a forum for such a discussion was put to the Senate Executive Committee as well as to the senior Administrators who were present. We leave, then, organizing the larger discussion to those who are mandated to do so.

Article 10 of the Collective Agreement between the York University Faculty Association and the York University Board of Governors reads: "The parties agree to continue their practice of upholding, protecting, and promoting academic freedom as essential to the pursuit of truth and fulfillment of the University's objectives. Academic freedom includes the freedom of an employee to examine, question, teach, and learn; to disseminate his/her opinion(s) on any question related to his/her teaching, professional activities, and research both inside and outside the classroom; to pursue without interference or reprisal, and consistent with the time constraints imposed by his/her other University duties, his/her research, creative or professional activities, and to freely publish and make public the results thereof; to criticize the University or society at large; and to be free from institutional censorship. Academic freedom does not require neutrality on the part of the individual, nor does it preclude commitment on the part of the individual. Rather, academic freedom makes such commitment possible."