PETITION STATEMENT:

In removing Professor Denis Rancourt from all three first-year courses that he has developed, the President, VP-Academic, and Dean of the Faculty of Science of the University of Ottawa have violated freedom of expression. We ask that they be resigned from their positions and that Prof. Rancourt’s courses be reinstated.

[Please use your full name and add your position in the comment box (e.g., student, Ottawa; or Community member, Ottawa; or occupation, name-of-employer)]

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Come next semester, University of Ottawa physics professor Denis Rancourt will not be teaching any of three courses that he developed. The decision to remove him from the courses follows 20 months of controversy in which students and Dr. Rancourt successfully pressed the faculty of science to offer a course on social issues in science. The course, which Dr. Rancourt taught last fall, proved to be very popular and was held in the largest auditorium on campus.

However, the course's emphasis on activism led to conflict with university administrators, who wanted a more technical focus. Professor Rancourt believes that activism is the missing ingredient for solving problems of science and society, and his guest speakers were activists and researchers on such issues as missile defence, use of animals in research, democratic control of research, and science education.

The university has reassigned Dr. Rancourt to teach specialized senior and graduate level courses whose enrolments are typically fewer than 15 students. University president Gilles Patry, who has been the target of student and community pressure in support of Dr. Rancourt, defended his decision to reassign the professor, telling a student, "Dr. Rancourt has been hired to teach physics, and I have a university to run.... I will not change my position on this issue for as long as I am rector of the University of Ottawa."

The President of the university, in collaboration with the VP-Academic, Mr. Robert Major, and the dean of the Faculty of Science, Mr. André Lalonde, has removed Prof. Rancourt from all freshman courses without investigation, without discussion, following dozens of letters of protest, a rally, and a student petition for a second-year course.

When asked about Prof. Rancourt’s course, the President has stated in writing to community members that “universities have a long tradition of working in a collegial and democratic environment� and that “It would … be inappropriate for the President to decide who should or should not be teaching a given course.�

In discussion with several students about Prof. Rancourt’s course, the President and VP-Academic repeatedly stated (according to transcripts made public) that Dr. Rancourt would not be allowed to teach the Science in Society SCI 1101 course. They stated two unsubstantiated reasons: That SCI 1101 speakers did not cover science in society topics and that the “course curriculum was not followed.�

Reprisals for course content and methods violate academic freedom. In contrast, the University of Ottawa Vision 2010 mission statement states “We do our utmost to help our students … enhance their ability to question and analyze … to become well-rounded, responsible citizens … We … perform our social, political and community-outreach roles … We encourage freedom of expression in an atmosphere of open dialogue, enabling critical thought, supported by intellectual integrity and ethical judgment. Collegiality, transparency and accountability are the principles that guide our university governance … We support and recognize initiatives designed to implement a range of new and diversified strategies for learning and evaluation … We ensure that community members take a more active part in the decision making process and are promptly informed of decisions …�

According to university rules, faculty members are supposed to be consulted before they are assigned to teach courses, and the university president is not supposed to be involved. In its drive to remove Dr. Rancourt from student contact, the university violated both of these rules.

The signers of this petition and the Freedom of Expression Committee (FEC) ask that the implicated university executives resign for malfeasance and that the University hire new executive officers who encourage and recognize innovative initiatives in line with the Vision 2010 mission statement goals, such as the Science and Society course known as the activism course and the Cinema Politica documentary film and discussion series.

If the executive officers involved do not resign voluntarily, the FEC, supported by this petition, will ask that the Board of Governors of the University of Ottawa, in consultation with student and community member representatives, remove the officers from their positions.

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