Carleton’s recent decision to rework the donor agreement for the master’s program in political management is the right one. It should remind university administrators that academic integrity should never be compromised for money.
Calgary businessman Clayton Riddell donated $15M to Carleton University in 2010 in order to establish Canada’s first graduate program in political management. When the university was ordered to release the terms of the donor agreement, it was revealed that Riddell’s foundation was allowed to appoint two of the four people who determine the program’s curriculum.
Riddell and the university said the program is “avowedly trans-partisan,” and it may well be. But giving a donor such a great deal of control over the direction of the program, or any control for that matter, sets a dangerous precedent and makes Carleton academics subject to the biases of their donors.
Donors should not have undue influence on the programs they fund, especially those programs of a political nature. The potential to bias the program is too great. Such an abuse would have serious consequences for Carleton students who may not be receiving a proper education, and for the integrity of the university as a whole.
The master’s in political management is meant to educate rather than indoctrinate. Degree programs must be neutral and decisions regarding curriculum and direction must be made by independent parties. This is the only way to ensure that Carleton students are getting the highest standard of education possible.
