Carleton University is proposing a new policy on institutional impartiality that some advocacy groups said would limit community members’ freedom of speech.
The university is seeking community input on the proposed policy, which would apply to faculty and staff.
The drafted policy says the university — as an institution — will not endorse political parties, candidates, viewpoints or positions on debated issues.
Under the policy, the university would also prohibit any unauthorized expression that “purports to represent the views of the university or that may be misconstrued as the views of the university,” according to the policy’s draft.
The proposed policy would not allow academic departments to issue collective statements on issues.
“Allowing units to speak collectively risks creating confusion about the university’s official stance and undermines its commitment to institutional impartiality,” a frequently asked questions page on the university’s website reads.
“Faculty and staff remain free to speak, advocate and organize as individuals or through voluntary associations, but not in a way that suggests official institutional endorsement.”
The university said on its website the policy does not apply to student associations like the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA), Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) or any on-campus unions.
The proposed policy “clarifies the distinction between personal views and institutional representation,” the university told The Charlatan in a statement on Friday.
Carleton added the policy is “intended to enhance individual expression without limiting the rights of students, faculty or campus groups to engage in thoughtful discussion on public issues.”
Carleton added on its website that departments and faculty members can still organize events or invite speakers on contentious issues but “such events should make clear that they do not represent an official position of the university.”
The proposed rule would also apply to all URLs, websites and social media accounts owned or managed by the university, as well as “anyone acting on behalf of the university or where the employees may reasonably be seen to be acting on behalf of the university.”
Advocates’ concerns
The Carleton University 4 Palestine (C4P) coalition demanded the university withdraw the policy in a Thursday statement posted to social media and was endorsed by 27 other campus organizations.
“(The policy) is the most repressive and blatant attack on free speech at any Canadian university,” the statement reads.
Azar Masoumi, a sociology professor and a Faculty for Palestine representative in the C4P coalition, said the coalition suspects the policy is meant to limit pro-Palestinian expression and statements on campus.
“The weirdest thing is that it’s not clear what problem this (policy) is trying to solve,” she said.
“We didn’t have this problem until Palestine.”
Masoumi added she is concerned about the policy’s language around taking positions on “matters of public debates that are not directly connected to its institutional mission.”
“The definition is intentionally vague, so that they can selectively apply it where it suits them,” she said.
Nir Hagigi*, the co-president of Carleton University’s Human Rights Society, said his club is “horrified” the university would propose such a policy.
Even though the policy would not apply to student associations that operate externally, Hagigi said he’s concerned it would apply to the human rights society, which is mandated by the Carleton Senate.
For his club, representing human rights and social justice students, Hagigi said it would be devastating to no longer be able to make public statements on human rights issues.
“Our entire mandate is focused about bringing light to issues on public, political and partisan matters,” he said.
“Members of the human rights and social justice program themselves, not just our society, but the program itself, are disheartened.”
Hagigi added if university departments lose their ability to take political stances, it could affect some of his club’s activities.
He said the university’s criminology and sociology departments, as well as Carleton’s Feminist Institute of Social Transformation have participated and funded the society’s events in the past.
If the policy is implemented, Hagigi is concerned they would no longer be able to offer financial support.
“Carleton is about to become the most repressed campus community in the country, if not in North America,” Hagigi said of the possibility the policy will pass.
“It is a shameful, shameful, shameful moment that will go down in the history of this university as one of the worst decisions that they’ve ever made.”
Carleton has opened a consultation form about the policy on its website that will be open until Oct. 31.
Masoumi said she doesn’t feel the form has been publicized widely enough by the university. She also said it won’t give university departments enough time to meet and discuss the policy.
Hagigi agreed.
“This isn’t an actual consultation. This is just a way for the university to make face.”
*Nir Hagigi has previously contributed to the Charlatan.
Featured graphic by Sara Mizannojehdehi.
