USSWORD senators recently completed a study of the partnerships and collaborations of Government, Industry and the University of Saskatchewan. Read the full study here.
Showing posts with label Board of Governors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Board of Governors. Show all posts
Sunday, 15 March 2015
Monday, 16 April 2012
Rejected USSWORD motions
The following motions were presented by USSWORD senators and rejected because the Senate Executive Committee, "was guided by the principles underlying the draft procedures and bylaws that will come before Senate at the upcoming meeting, and also by the belief that these matters are outside the purview of Senate." A discussion of the proposed bylaws can be found here.
Motion A
PRESENTED BY: Mary Jean Hande, Member at Large and Jordan Miller, Member at Large
DATE OF MEETING: April 21, 2012
SUBJECT: Clarification as to actions taken by the Board of Governors Chair and the President to avoid potential conflict of interest.
DECISION REQUESTED:
It is recommended:
That the Senate assembled here asks clarification from the Board of Governors as to whether or not Ms. Hopkins and Dr. MacKinnon recused themselves from the discussion and vote regarding appointment of the CCNI board of directors on December 9, 2011 and, if they did not, to determine if these governors were in a conflict of interest by participating in that discussion and vote.
SUMMARY:
The University Conflict of Interest Policy (http://www.usask.ca/university_secretary/policies/operations/4_01_01.php) sets out that it may constitute a conflict of interest should employees or governors of the University:
· Accept gratuities, gifts or special favors from entities or individuals with which the University does or may conduct business; or
· Influence the appointment of family members, relatives and affiliates to positions at the University.
The University Board of Governors appointed the board of directors for the Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation (CCNI) at its meeting of December 9, 2011.
The Digest of Board of Governors minutes indicates that Cameco vice-president Engie Ozberk was among those appointed to the CCNI board of directors. However, this digest of minutes does not indicate whether or not President Peter Mackinnon and Board of Governors Chair Nancy Hopkins recused themselves from the discussion and vote regarding appointment of the CCNI board of directors on December 9.
In light of the fact that Ms. Hopkins is a shareholder and member of the Cameco board of directors, and that Dr. MacKinnon accepted a gift of an excursion to Cameco’s northern operations and its lodge on Yalowega Lake in 2009, as reported to the Board of Governors in October 2009, there is reason to believe their apparent failure to recuse themselves from the above mentioned discussion and vote constitutes a conflict of interest.
Motion B
PRESENTED BY: Sandra Finley, Member at Large and Mary Jean Hande, Member at Large
DATE OF MEETING: April 21, 2012
SUBJECT: Developing an explicit policy to outline standards of conduct regarding political endorsements by University administrators
DECISION REQUESTED:
It is recommended:
That the Senate assembled here urges the University Administration and the Board of Governors to develop an explicit policy to outline the standard of conduct regarding political endorsements by University administrators.
SUMMARY:
The Bylaws of the University Board of Governors (III. 5) stipulate that it is the responsibility of all governors “to protect and defend University autonomy.” To that end it has always been convention that the University President maintains public neutrality in partisan political affairs.
However, in the 2011 provincial general election the current University of Saskatchewan President publicly endorsed the candidacy of the current Minister of Advanced Education.
In one of his election campaign brochures, the Minister Norris, candidate in Saskatoon Greystone, quoted Dr. Mackinnon as saying, “"Rob Norris is the finest minister responsible for post-secondary education that I have been privileged to work with in my thirteen years as President of the University of Saskatchewan."
The President gave explicit permission to the Minister to use this quote for his campaign material as documented in an article in The Star Phoenix: “Norris's office asked for permission and MacKinnon said he did not object” (David Hutton, October 28, 2011). In fact, the President stated that the Minister "was entitled to use it” and the Minister noted that, "(Endorsements are) appreciated as they arrive" (ibid). These facts are corroborated by reports of private conversations with both Dr. MacKinnon and Mr. Norris.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. David Hutton’s October 28, 2011 article in The Star Phoenix, “MacKinnon comment a conflict: prof.”
Monday, 9 April 2012
Sask government uses U of S Nuclear Centre to pin a fig leaf over tar sands development.
Uranium production for the tar sands
Vancouver Cooperative Radio interviews author of "Follow the Yellowcake Road."
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
D'Arcy Hande's Briarpatch article on nuclear power, tarsands extraction, and the co-option of the University of Saskatchewan
Follow the Yellowcake Road
Nuclear power, tarsands extraction, and the co-option of the University of Saskatchewan
D'Arcy Hande
"After reviewing this brief history of collaboration between industry, government, and the university, one may be struck with a profound sense of the surreal. It is as though, like Dorothy, we are transported to an alternate reality, the Land of Oz. Here, all the talk is about the bright future of nuclear medicine and glittering isotopes. But go down the shady side path into the forest, and one encounters the dark underside of the nuclear agenda and its connection to tarsands extraction."
Sunday, 6 November 2011
U of S Senators Demand Action from Board of Governors re: MacKinnon's Political Endorsement
November 3, 2011
Sandra Finley
656 Saskatchewan Crescent East
Saskatoon, SK S7N 0L1
Members of the Board of Governors of the University of Saskatchewan
c/o Dr. Lea Pennock
University Secretary
The University of Saskatchewan
105 Administration Place
Saskatoon, SK t 306-966-4632
cc: Senators Miller, Hande, Fortugno, Schriml (by email)
Dear Members of the Board of Governors of the University of Saskatchewan:
Re: 1. PRESIDENT MACKINNON'S ENDORSEMENT OF ROB NORRIS' POLITICAL CAMPAIGN
See StarPhoenix, Hutton, October 28th , at http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/MacKinnon+comment+conflict+prof/5620291/story.html#ixzz1c5BVLoig
“Rob Norris is the finest Minister responsible for post-secondary education that I have been privileged to work with in my thirteen years as President of the University of Saskatchewan” (MacKinnon, September 2, 2011.) Mr. Norris is the Saskatchewan Party candidate in Saskatoon-Greystone provincial constituency and is the incumbent Minister of Advanced Education, Employment and Immigration. The endorsement is re-produced in his election pamphlet, with the permission of Dr. MacKinnon.
We, University Senators, request
- In the exercise of its responsibility for the autonomy of the University, the Board of Governors censure the President for his compromising statement and subsequent authorization to use it in an election pamphlet.
Since Saskatchewan has fixed election dates, President MacKinnon would have known that this quote would be favourable to Norris’ re-election chances. He gave permission for its use after the writ was drawn up. This is an inappropriate use of the position of President of the University.
President MacKinnon and Provost Fairbairn overrode the choice of the Search Committee for the Dean of Law to put in place University of Alberta Law Professor Anand, thesis supervisor of the president’s son. This was also an inappropriate use of the President’s position. It is documented at http://sandrafinley.ca/?p=3366
Censure is warranted.
RE: 2. CHAIRMANSHIP OF PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE
The U of S Conflict of Interest Policy states that a “Conflict of interest is a breach of an obligation to the University that has the effect of advancing one’s own interest or the interests of others in a way detrimental to the interests of, or potentially harmful to, the integrity of the University. Conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest must be avoided.”
We request
- that the Board of Governors ask Governor Hopkins to permanently stand down as the Chair of the Selection Committee for the next President of the University.
Governor Hopkins is a member of the CAMECO Board of Directors since 1992, she stands to gain through her considerable holdings of CAMECO shares ($1.8 million as at end of 2009) if the University continues its friendly posture towards promoting the nuclear industry. The University has done this in part through its hasty establishment of the Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation, CCNI (University Council, 22nd of September, 2011; Board of Governors, October 14th, 2011).
In defence of the best traditions of the University,
_____"Sandra Finley"________
Sandra Finley, Elected Senator
On my own and on behalf of:
Stefania Fortugno, Elected Senator
Mary Jean Hande, Elected Senator
Jordan W. Miller, Elected Senator
Ronald Schriml, Elected Senator
Monday, 10 October 2011
Senators intend to present motions regarding Autonomy, Corporatization, Transparency and Communication at U of S Senate Meeting
The following are summarized motions that were submitted to the U of S Secretary, by elected senators, for inclusion in the October 15th U of S Senate Meeting Agenda. The motions were twice rejected by the Senate Executive on the basis that they were not “in order” and that they would like to “ensur[e] that sufficient time is given to the substantive issues that are on the fall meeting agenda.” As they are currently drafted, the U of S Senate Bylaws do not restrict individual Senators from placing motions on the agenda and the Senate Executive has conceded that these motions can be presented at the Senate Meeting for inclusion in the agenda.
That these motions were rejected by the Senate Executive, is just another example of the impoverished democratic climate on the U of S Senate, and emphasize the urgency of having motions such as these on the agenda. These are substantive issues that deserve proper consideration and discussion at the upcoming U of S Senate meeting and these Senators intend to see them discussed. If you’re concerned about Autonomy, Corporatization, Transparency and Communication at the University of Saskatchewan, we encourage you and all Saskatchewan community members to attend the October 15th U of S Senate Meeting to show support for these motions.
Summaries of the three motions:
1. In light of an astonishing number of harassment and intimidation cases at the University of Saskatchewan, the senators seek clarification from the Board of Governors around the apparent dysfunctional role of the University administration in matters of dispute mediation and resolution.
2. In the past year alone, it was brought to the attention of the Board of Governors that their chair, Nancy Hopkins, appears to be in a significant conflict of interest by concurrently serving as a Cameco board member; and corporate and government interference has resulted in the inappropriate earmarking of $30 million of public money for the U of S Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation. Concerned that these instances represent a growing trend, the senators request clarification of issues regarding the apparent inability of the Board of Governors to protect the university autonomy from corporate and government influences.
3. At present, communication amongst U of S senators is restrictive and vetted by the University Secretary. USSWORD senators seek the formation of a committee to facilitate communication amongst all senators.
What: University of Saskatchewan Senate Meeting
When: 9:30AM, October 15, 2011
Where: Room 150, College of Law , University of Saskatchewan
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
USSWORD in The Star Phoenix
Today the Saskatoon Starphoenix printed an article summarizing the presidential search controversy thus far:
Senators Want Board Chair to Step Aside
In the article, Mary Jean Hande says:
Senators Want Board Chair to Step Aside
In the article, Mary Jean Hande says:
"I think it would be very difficult to maintain that public research goal and vision of the university if it was run by somebody who was working in the corporate sector as well."
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