YUFA
Free Speech
YUFA responds to Toronto Star coverage of anti-Bush rally
25 Jan 05 - In response to the Star's coverage of the anti-Bush rally at York last Thursday, YUFA has written the Toronto Star's editor as follows:
Re: Protesters regroup after clash, Jan. 22
The Star claims
that 'students, faculty and the administration agree that York supports
-- and promotes -- freedom of speech.' I cannot speak for
students and the administration, but I can assure you that many York
faculty members do not agree with this statement. To be sure, Article 10
of the
administration's Collective Agreement with York's faculty association
(YUFA) says, 'The parties agree to continue their practice of upholding,
protecting, and promoting academic freedom as essential to the pursuit
of truth and the fulfillment of the University's objectives.' However,
during the past year YUFA has filed grievances with regard to the
adminstration's position on academic freedom and frivolous libel suits
against faculty members as well as the administration's public
misrepresentation of a
faculty member's statements. Moreover, York's Senate, of which a
majority are faculty members, roundly condemned the administration's
suspension of a student last Spring, in large measure because 'students
should have the opportunity to be heard without worry of being
disciplined for speaking out
on their beliefs.' Nonetheless, York's administration did not reverse
the suspension until a Superior Court Justice had ruled in the student's
favour.
Further, I can attest personally that the many written accounts I have
received from faculty members in recent days have been unanimously
critical of the
dministration's treatment freedom of expression and its response to
Thursday's anti-Bush demonstration.
Jay Rahn
Communications Officer
YUFA