U OF O VOICE

PRESS RELEASE: RANCOURT STUDENTS ASK THE UNIVERSITY TO STOP

2009-02-23T21:16:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, Feb 24, 11AM
Tabaret Hall Foyer

On December 10, 2008, the University of Ottawa summarily, without notice consultation or due process, closed the laboratory of Professor Denis Rancourt, locking out its researchers, seizing equipment and derailing years of award winning scholarship in nanoparticle physics. As a result of this ill-conceived plan, post Doctoral researcher Meizhen Dang's employment was terminated after twelve years of dedicated research assistance. Master's student Sean Kelly lost nearly six years of specialized research in the area of ferromagnetism and Master's student Joseph Hickey has been bullied by the administration to abandon his fully funded NSERC research project under Professor Rancourt.

"Academic excellence and freedom at the University of Ottawa are under a profound attack when the administration takes a personal dislike to a certain professor" according to Joseph Hickey. "I came to attend the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies at this University on a fully funded scholarship to work with a leading world expert in physics, not to be coerced and treated with such disdain."

"Every day that we are locked out of our research jobs, the value of our scholarships diminish and the likelihood of regaining our research momentum decreases rendering the prospects for our scientific careers more doubtful," explained Sean Kelly.

For Meizhen Dang, she is concerned about the lack of consideration and disrespect shown to longstanding researchers at the University of Ottawa. "Had I known that after a decade of work I would end up by being unceremoniously locked out of my lab and having my research seized despite producing internationally recognized and award winning scientific results, I would have left this environment years ago. What have I done to deserve this?"

After their requests to return to their academic supervisor and laboratory research group fell on deaf ears, the postdoctoral researcher and graduate students will file a joint claim against the University and the Dean of Graduate Studies, Gary Slater for monetary damages relating to breach of contract and misfeasance in public office. On February 24, 2009 at 11 a.m., in the lobby of Tabaret Hall, these students and researchers will announce their plan to take legal action against the University. In so doing they also hope to encourage a broad ranging discussion on the fall out of the University's crack down on scientific research and scholarship, which may encourage greater transparency in administrative procedures and basic respect for the students and researchers who are the lifeblood of academic excellence within the institution.

(by Yavar Hameed)

ATV News Reports On Jail Solidarity

2009-02-05T21:36:00.001-08:00

CONFIDENTIAL

2009-02-05T08:57:00.000-08:00

Come Stand Up For Free Speech This Friday

2009-01-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

M c D o n a l d . H a l l . A u d i t o r i u m
This Friday
7pm

The Rock administration is suppressing free speech.

The Rock administration uses the police
to remove students and professors
while giving public presentations.

Come out and help take back our university.
Come out to hear about the corruption.

Education belongs to us.

U of O Voice Under Attack By The Administration

2009-01-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

U of O Voice has been issued a formal legal threat by the University of Ottawa 's Office of the Legal Counsel:

Websites that you control (such as uofovoice.blogspot.com) contain material (such as pictures and logos) that is owned by the University. Please remove such material within 7 day. Also, it has come to my attention that you are using the name and logo of the University in some of your communications, including communications from the fictitious "Office of the Voice". Please immediately cease doing so again.

Signed: Alain Roussy.

U of O Voice asked what measures of enforcement will be taken by the Office of the Legal Counsel. Alain Roussy responded "We'll see".

U of O Voice has decided to undergo rapid reconstruction.

Marc Kelly Arrested For Teaching Inside The University, Denis Rancourt Banished For Believing In Critical Pedagogy

2009-01-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

Vision 1984

2009-01-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

Marc Kelly Let Free For Political Graffiti

2008-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Marc Kelly Arrested For Filming Inside The Governance Facility

2008-12-01T16:00:00.000-08:00

Speaking To The Man

2008-11-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

PRESS CONFERENCE, NOV 28 2008

2008-11-27T22:15:00.001-08:00

PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY
14h30
in the foyer of McDonald Hall

(footage taken on Nov 21 2008)

Dean Lalonde Locks-Down MCD 113, Allan Rock Plans to Permanently Shut-Down MCD 113, and the Department Chair Cancels the Council Meeting.

The High-Security Lock-Down of MCD 113.

On Friday Nov 21, the Dean of the Faculty of Science Dr. Andre Lalonde and the Department Chair Dr. Bela Joos infiltrated MCD 113 with several Protection Officers and a number of unidentified University employees. They ejected all the students, replaced the door lock with a high-security lock, and installed an alarm/surveillance system.

MCD 113 is the radiation lab run by Physics Prof Denis Rancourt, and is the work place/meeting area for his research students and employees.

The lock-down of MCD 113 is a direct security response to student Marc Kelly who was seen accessing the lab the day before. The Rock administration believes Marc Kelly to be a high-level security risk due to his political ideology.

The Ottawa Police were called on site when Prof Rancourt attempted to enter his lab. Prof Rancourt was not informed of the lock-down.

The new security protocol for accessing MCD 113 requires the total evacuation of all bystanders within a 25-meter radius of the lab entrance.

The Permanent Shut-Down of MCD 113.

President Allan Rock is attempting to permanently shut-down MCD 113 in order to rid the University of campus radicals. Allan Rock is framing Prof Rancourt claiming he "blocked entry and exit from the premises for several hours" and "a security officer was kept in the room and unable to exit". Video footage reveals this to be a fabricated lie.

The Canceling of the Council Meeting.

The Chair of the Department of Physics Dr Bela Joos canceled the Department Council Meeting, which was to be held today at 14h30. Dr Joos canceled the meeting last night at 21h23 "to avoid unnecessary confrontations". This is the second time in a row that Dr Joos unilaterally cancels the departmental governance meeting for politically motivated reasons. The canceling of the Department Council Meeting is an obstruction of democracy.

McDonald Hall Foyer
14h30

The Department Chair Dr Bela Joos is hijacking the Department of Physics. Dr Joos will be challenged at the press-conference to re-establish democracy.

"Every member of our institution will take part
in [its] educational mission." --Vision 2010

C O N T A C T S :

Brian Vissers, Manager of Technology and Security Systems Division
Email: brian.vissers@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 x6503

Luc Bilodeau, Patrol Officer
Email: luc.bilodeau@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5499

Bela Joos, Chair of the Department of Physics
Email: phychair@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 ext. 6755

Andre E. Lalonde, Dean of the Faculty of Science
Email: deansci@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 864-9845

Allan Rock, President of the University of Ottawa
Email: president@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5809

Denis G. Rancourt, Full Professor, MCD 113 Lab Supervisor
Email: dgr@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 ext. 6774

uofovoice.blogspot.com
voice.uottawa@gmail.com

The University of Ottawa, The Suppression of Dissent, and the Tyranny of the Dominant Political Ideology

2008-11-20T23:26:00.000-08:00

Friday, Nov 21th, 2008

7pm-10pm

McDonald Hall Auditorium (MCD 146)

"Responses to various acts of suppression against dissent include:

1. Do not act against the suppression.
2. Use unofficially recognized or controlled methods.
3. Use officially recognized or controlled channels.

[...] Doing nothing against the acts of suppression often allows the state of being suppressed (and associated existing errors and fallacies) to continue. Furthermore, doing nothing does not give rise to support for the dissident views. "

-- Wikipedia

(Edit. The following comment was posted in the comment section: I went to the Macdonald Auditorium tonight, but there were a few cop cars and protection vehicles there. I didn't want to go in and get in trouble. What the hell was going on?)

Academic Freedom, or Agitation?

2008-11-17T09:01:00.000-08:00

"The Recording" is discussed on Talk Ottawa:

Nov 13 2008. President Allan Rock sends an email to all professors and all support staff with a link to the apology he sent Marc Kelly the day following Marc's most recent visit to his office. Allan Rock claims his apology provides the proper context surrounding "the recording". (read the email/read the public apology)

Nov 18 2008. Student Marc Kelly sends an email to all professors, all support staff, and all students with a link to a Cable TV talk show on Academic Freedom that he appeared on to discuss his recent politically-motivated deregistration by the Rock administration. Marc Kelly believes his testimony provides the proper context surrounding "the recording". (read the email)

Free thought, conformity, and grades are on the minds of students:

Nov 12 2008. Talk Ottawa's James Hendricks interviews internationally-recognized expert on academic freedom Prof. Denis Rancourt about the ongoing battle at the University of Ottawa.

(watch the one-hour interview here)

Note: U OF O VOICE has been receiving questions from students and professors wanting to contact Marc Kelly. Marc can be reached by email marckelly.physics@gmail.com, or by phone 613.234.3492.

Related media:
Code of Conducted Needed at U of O (Nov 10 2008, UofO Watch)
The True Face of Allan Rock (Nov 10 2008, UofO Voice)
The Department of Physics Abuses Its Power (video)
Controversial U of O prof attacks universities as oppressive destroyers of students' individuality (Nov 2 2008, Ottawa Sun)
Thuggery in the Upper Administration (Oct 27 2008, UofO Watch)
A New Perspective On The Activism Course (Oct 29 2008, UofO Watch)
Arbitration Ruling Makes Academic Squatting Legal in Canada (July 19 2008, UofO Watch)
Denis The 'Menace' (Sept 11 2008, Ottawa Sun)

Mistreatment of Students, Unfair Practices and Systemic Racism at the University of Ottawa.

2008-11-12T14:45:00.000-08:00

On Nov 12 2008, the Student Appeal Centre released their annual report to over 1 000 students. The report is titled "Mistreatment of Students, Unfair Practices and Systemic Racism at the University of Ottawa".

The report can be read here:
(English, Français)

The letter that appeared in the inboxes of over 1 000 students is posted here:
(English, Français)

In the body of the letter was written, "Our work at the Student Appeal Centre is very telling. We have learnt a lot about the way our institution operates and are a witness to the extent of the administration's power over student's lives. We propose that students unite in demanding more democratic and legitimate control of our campus."

The letter finished with an announcement for the creation of a documentary film on student mistreatment at the University of Ottawa, "Felt mistreated or belittled by the U of O administration? Feel you have been unfairly treated? Participate in an independent documentary and tell your story."

Visit or contact the Student Appeal Center for more information.

Related media:
Students Face Off With Administration (30 Oct 2008, The Fulcrum)
Allan Rock Unscripted (30 Oct 2008, The Fulcrum)
Gervais Déçue (27 Oct 2008, La Rotonde)
Does The Fulcrum Help Students? (23 Oct 2008, The Fulcrum)
SFUO Services Support Students (11 Sept 2008, The Fulcrum)
Guilty Until Proven Innocent/Présumé coupable jusqu’à preuve du contraire (25 Aug 2008, La Rotonde)
Student Appeal Centre Report Exposes Systematic Abuse at U of O (17 Dec 2007, UofO Watch)

The True Face of Allan Rock

2008-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

On Monday Nov 10, a letter addressed to President Allan Rock entitled "President Rock, Please Stop" was released to 36 000 students, 2 300 faculty members, and 3 000 administrative staff. The letter linked to this recording. The events surrounding the recording are listed here in reverse chronological order (read bottom up), with links to the email exchanges following and leading up to the incident.

(Edit: Due to much confusion by the readers, it is emphasized that all the background info is provided here: click the links to open the email correspondences. Edit: links are now more obvious.)

Tuesday, Nov 4: Allan Rock apologizes by blaming the victim.(read the emai l)

Monday, Nov 3: Marc Kelly reports the incident.(read the email)

Monday, Nov 3: Marc Kelly visits Allan Rock's office. Allan Rock repeatedly shouts "Get out of my office!". (listen to the recording)

Wednesday, Oct 29: Marc Kelly expresses to Allan Rock the importance of communication.(read the email)

Tuesday, Oct 28: Marc Kelly visits Allan Rock's office. Allan Rock refuses to speak to him, but promises to respond by email.

Monday, Oct 27: The Student Federation condemns the University of Ottawa for their flagrant mistreatment of students, in particular for the deliberate abuses of Marc Kelly and Ting Ting Wang. The Student Federation demands the reregistration of Marc Kelly. The Student Federation demands that the administration stop interfering with Marc Kelly's appointment by the Student Federation to the Senate Appeals Committee. (read the letter)

Friday, Oct 24: A press conference is held in McDonald Hall. (watch video here)

Tuesday, Oct 21: The Faculty of Science deregisters Marc Kelly against his will.(read the email)

Wednesday, Oct 15: Marc Kelly expresses to Allan Rock the importance of meeting in person. (read the email)

Tuesday, Oct 14: Marc Kelly warns Allan Rock of his mistreatment by the Department of Physics and urgently requests a meeting.(read the email)

Related media:
The Department of Physics Abuses Its Power (video)
Controversial U of O prof attacks universities as oppressive destroyers of students' individuality (Ottawa Sun)
Dean Lalonde Runs Away From His Crimes (The Fulcrum)
Thuggery in the Upper Administration (UofO Watch)
Les portes se ferment lorsque l'on veut des explications (La Rotonde)
Students Face Off With Administration (The Fulcrum)
Marc Kelly fait parvenir un courriel à toute la communauté universitaire (La Rotonde)

The Department of Physics Abuses Its Power

2008-11-10T05:00:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday Oct 21, the Faculty of Science deregistered physics student Marc Kelly against his will. On Friday Oct 24, a press conference was held in the physics building.

Related media:
Les portes se ferment lorsque l'on veux des explications (La Rotonde)
Thuggery in Physics (UofO Watch)
Thuggery in the Upper Administration (UofO Watch)
Dean Lalonde Runs Away From His Crimes (The Fulcrum)

PRESS CONFERENCE, OCT 24 2008

2008-10-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

PRESS CONFERENCE, OCT 24 2008

14h00 in the foyer of McDonald Hall

The Faculty of Science Deregisters Student Marc Kelly Against His Will

On Wednesday Oct 21st, the Faculty of Science of the University of Ottawa deregistered student Marc Kelly, expelling him out of the semester. An email was sent to Marc Kelly by the Vice Dean Leonard Klein that read "The Faculty of Science has been asked to deregister you [...] The message is to notify you that you are no longer registered [...]"

This is the first time in the history of the University of Ottawa that the administration has deregistered a student against his will. This is a dangerous abuse of power and potentially threatens all students. The administration must not have the power to expel students without cause.

The Department of Physics Arbitrarily Rejects His Research During Closed-Door Meetings

Faculty of Science deregistered Marc Kelly because his research was deemed unacceptable by the Department of Physics. The Department of Physics disagrees with the nature and methods of his research.

The Department of Physics twice rejected his project behind closed doors. Marc was informed of the department's rejections only through official letters that state "It is common sense that [your research] has to use physics tools and physics knowledge".

Marc was never questioned nor contacted. Marc approached the Department Chair Bela Joos to get information on the Department's decision, and the Chair closed his office door in Marc's face. The Department of Physics refuses to have a dialogue.

The Faculty of Science Obstructs Marc Kelly's Research

The Project Coordinator Dr. Peter Piercy corrupted Marc's data and sabotaged his research. Dr. Piercy sent an email message to all Physics Profs discouraging them from participating in Marc's research.

Now the Dean of the Faculty of Science Dr. Andre Lalonde is barring Marc from his research lab, by withholding the keys, preventing him from accessing his research equipment.

********************

THE EXPULSION OF STUDENT MARC KELLY WILL BE CHALLENGED AT THE PHYSICS DEPARTMENTAL COUNCIL MEETING

Oct 24 @ 14h30
McDonald Hall Lounge

This meeting is open to the public in spirit of Vision 2010.

Come support Academic Freedom.

********************

For further information please contact:

Marc Kelly, Physics-Mathematics Student
Email: marckelly.uottawa@gmail.com
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 ext. 6774

Denis G. Rancourt, Research Supervisor
Email: dgr@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 ext. 6774
Fax: (613) 562-5190

Claude Lamontagne, Research Co-Supervisor
Email: clamonta@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 ext. 4300
Fax: (613) 562-5147

Leonard Klein, Vice Dean Academic Faculty of Science
Email: lkleine@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 ext. 6003
Fax: (613) 562-5193

Bela Joos, Chair of the Department of Physics
Email: phychair@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 ext. 6755
Fax: (613) 562-5190

voice.uOttawa@gmail.com
UofOvoice.blogspot.com

The University of Ottawa's Administration Has Hijacked The Institution

2008-09-13T15:27:00.001-07:00

On Sept 11 2008, at approximately 1h15, the Executive of the Board of Governors (EBOG), after holding a one-and-a-half hour meeting behind closed doors, barred from the public by force of several Protection Officers, ruled on the temporary suspension of Prof. Denis Rancourt. While the EBOG met in secrecy, Prof. Rancourt, and approximately 15 students, professors, and community members, stood outside of the glass wall at the entrance to the University's main governance facility in Tabaret Hall. Prof. Rancourt was prevented from attending, and prevented from speaking at, his own disciplinary meeting. Students, professors, and community members were prevented from observing the deliberation. The ruling has yet to be divulged.

Since Aug 20 2007, the University of Ottawa has been pursuing Prof. Rancourt for openly criticizing university activities and for publicly exposing unethical university governance with his internet blog uofowatch.blogspot.com. The University of Ottawa first attempted to coerce Prof. Rancourt into removing content from his blog with a private lawsuit threat issued by Vice President Victor Simon, then with a threat of "discipline up to and including termination of employment" issued by the Dean of the Faculty of Science Andre Lalonde. The University of Ottawa's official position is that Prof. Rancourt is violating a policy which states that "Images found on the University of Ottawa website are the sole property of the University of Ottawa. They may be used by faculty, staff, students and the news media solely for positive promotion of activities related to the University of Ottawa" and that "The images posted on the U of O watch blog site have not been used for positive promotion of activities related to the University of Ottawa." Prof. Rancourt explained on record that "Criticism is positive, healthy, and necessary to produce change. Congratulatory niceties only support the status quo. Not exposing known problems encourages their continuation. Criticism is vital work that needs to be encouraged rather than censored and attacked."

. . .

On Sept 11 2008, at 12h10, while the EBOG begins their deliberation, a press conference is held in the court yard outside of Morisset Library, where Prof. Rancourt voices himself to the crowd:

"This blog is part of my work as a University Professor. And the absolute legal proof of the fact that it is part of my work is the following: they couldn't discipline me if it wasn't part of my work. Now when a Professor does his or her work in this way, the University has a legal responsibility to support that work, and to support academic freedom in performing that work. And instead of doing that, they're trying to frustrate, they're trying to censor, and they're even going so far as to discipline -- my own Dean threatens to dismiss me outright."

"This blog should be celebrated. It is criticism of the institution itself. Its intent is to try to make things better. It goes to the heart of questions and of unethical behaviour. There are reports on that blog of Deans lying, of Vice Presidents falsifying documents, of the University closing public venues to the public and the students. There are reports of all kinds on that blog that are detailed, and that are supported by documents, and in fact, my defense is: truth. [...] This is the kind of inquiry and criticism that can improve the university, that can take it away from the administrators, who are acting like thugs."

"I think that I need to explain this to the Executive of the Board of Governors. I think they need to hear these things, and I think they need to hear my version of the logic, or the illogic, events that they're trying to put forward in order to discipline me. I think that I have a right to be heard at this meeting and I think that this meeting needs to be public, needs to be transparent, and so I'm going to go over there now and try make those arguments, try to be heard by the Executive of the Board itself. [...] If you want to accompany me, I'm going to argue to this committee that you, the public and students, should be allowed to hear this deliberation about the format of the meeting, and about transparency at the University of Ottawa, and about this discipline that they're trying to apply."

On Sept 11 2008, at 12h30, approximately 15 students, professors, and community members walk to Tabaret Hall to partake in the Executive of the Board of Governors meeting. Protection Officers are stationed at every door leading into the University's main governance facility, behind the glass wall. One of the doors is barricaded from the inside with a bicycle. Standing outside of the glass wall, Prof. Rancourt voices himself to the crowd once again:

"You have to realize that the meeting that is being held in here at this time is the meeting to decide whether or not I am to be disciplined. The proceeding is at the level of the highest authority here at the University of Ottawa. [...] I think it's a principle of natural justice, that at the final decision point at any kind of legal attack on a person, that the person is entitled to defend himself or herself in person, at that committee, or in front of that judge, and so on -- that's a fundamental principle of natural justice and it's being violated here today. The Board of Governors is normally a public board, it's supposed to operate transparently in our society, it governs one of the biggest, most important institutions in our society, and it's supposed to be public. It has given its authority temporarily on this question of discipline to the Executive of the Board, and the Executive of the Board refuses to be open to the public, refuses to see me, refuses to acknowledge my natural right to present my arguments, to even discuss the format of the meeting. This is where we're at at the University of Ottawa. This is the situation as we see it. That's how incredible it is. And this needs to be changed. And I think there is a movement afoot. A movement of a change. I think students and committee members, more and more, are going to see that this is not admissible, it's illogical, it doesn't make sense in a democratic society to behave this way."

"This administration needs to be brought down a notch, so that it can understand that this is a public institution, that it has rules, that is has a Board of Governors that needs to be listened to, that the Board of Governors is the highest authority (under the law and under the University of Ottawa Act 1965) and that it needs to be in authority. You can't hijack that with an administration that just decides on a whim we're going to discipline so and so, we're going to fire this other person, etc. It's inadmissable. If you allow that then you might as well get rid of academic freedom altogether, you might as well get rid of all criticism in our society, you might as well say that we all have to have big smiles on our face, and bow to our leaders, and not criticize how to improve things. That's where we're going. That's where society is headed."

"So what's next?", voices someone in the crowd.

"You're next. People have to stand up more and more. Prof. Claude Lamontagne has joined the struggle for sanity. Other professors -- I know of one professor who's here today, whose not even tenured yet, who has decided that this was insanity, and that she's going to speak out. So that's what's next. People more and more are going to stand up. And hopefully this will be a movement that will be catalyzed to the point that there will be changes in our institution. Something like what happened in the 60s. In the 60s is when University students won their rights to have representatives on these University committees. So that was taken in the 60s. We've lost the reason for doing that. We've tended to be a little too obedient, a little too accepting of the mythology that is being proposed by power. Nonetheless we won those battles. And I think we can redefine what is normal for our institution, if we fight in this way, for sanity."

On Sept 11 2008, at approximately 1h30, two additional security guards arrive to intimidate the crowd. The group of students, professors, and community members, disperses soon after.

Other media links:
Ottawa Indy Media
La Rotonde
YayaCanada
Ottawa Sun

PRESS CONFERENCE, SEPT 11 2008

2008-09-09T23:00:00.001-07:00

PRESS CONFERENCE, SEPT 11 2008

12h00 in front of Morisset Library

(by the main doors on the university court yard)

The University of Ottawa attempts political censorship.

The Executive of the Board of Governors (EBOG) will meet on September 11 at 13h00, in Room 210 of Tabaret Hall, to rule on the one-day suspension of Prof. Denis Rancourt. The University of Ottawa is determined to discipline Prof. Rancourt for openly criticizing and publicly exposing the governance of the institution with his blog UofO Watch (uofowatch.blogspot.com). The University of Ottawa states that Prof. Rancourt is violating a policy that allows professors to use its copyrighted images from its website only "for the positive promotion of activities related to the University of Ottawa." Under this pretense, the University of Ottawa is engaging in political censorship. Prof. Rancourt has explained that "Criticism is positive, healthy, and necessary to produce change. [...] Not exposing known problems encourages their continuation." At the Sept 11 EBOG meeting, the University of Ottawa is expected to justify its motivation for suppressing institutional criticism.

The University of Ottawa operates in secrecy.

The University of Ottawa has barred Prof. Rancourt from attending the EBOG disciplinary meeting, in response to Prof. Rancourt publicly announcing the meeting. This is a continued attempt on the part of the University of Ottawa to silence Prof. Rancourt's views from the general community. Prof. Rancourt will present himself at the EBOG meeting to question the Board's conduct.

University of Ottawa student Marc Kelly requested to attend the Sept 11 EBOG meeting, in accordance with the University of Ottawa's official values (http://web5.uottawa.ca/vision2010/), which state that "every member of [the] institution will take part in [its] educational mission" and that "transparency [is one of the] principles that guides [the] university governance". Secretary Pamela Harrod responded that the "Executive Committee meeting will be held in closed session" and that "[students] will not be able to attend the meeting".

University of Ottawa alumni Nicholas Loeb requested to observe the Sept 11 EBOG discussion. Secretary Harrod responded that “meetings of this Committee are not meetings to which the public are invited to attend.”

The University of Ottawa violates its values.

In January 2004, the University of Ottawa began constructing its "vision, mission, values, directions and goals" through a process "conducted in the spirit of complete transparency" which became Vision 2010 (http://web5.uottawa.ca/vision2010/). With Vision 2010, the University of Ottawa promises to "encourage freedom of expression in an atmosphere of open dialogue" and to be "open to the world". With Vision 2010, the University of Ottawa promises to "enhance [students'] ability to question and analyze [...] and become responsible citizens and leaders of our society". By barring everyone from the Sept 11 EBOG meeting, the University of Ottawa has shown Vision 2010 to be a charade.

According to the University of Ottawa Act 1965, and academic practice in Canada, Board of Governors meetings are meant to be transparent and public. According to the University of Ottawa Act 1965, the objective of the university is to "promote the betterment of society". The betterment of society is not possible without transparency of governance.

THE EXECUTIVE OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS WILL RULE ON THE TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF PROF. DENIS RANCOURT

September 11 at 13h00
Room 210 of Tabaret Hall

During the EBOG meeting, the University of Ottawa is expected to justify its motivation for suppressing institutional criticism and governing without transparency. In accordance with the University of Ottawa's Vision 2010, all members of the university and the general public are free to participate.

For further information please contact:

Pamela A. Harrod, Secretary of the University
Email: secruniv@uOttawa.ca

Tel.: (613) 562-5950
Fax: (613) 562-5178

Denis G. Rancourt, Full professor
Email: dgr@uOttawa.ca
Tel.: (613) 562-5800 ext. 6774
Fax: (613) 562-5190

voice.uOttawa@gmail.com
UofOvoice.blogspot.com