ABOLISH THE CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT

Please use this sample letter as a guideline to create your own effective personalized letter to the administration calling for the abolition of UofT's Code of Student Conduct. Also, please sign our online petition which you can find on this page under Links and Resources.

SAMPLE LETTER: CODE OF STUDENT CONDUCT

Jill Matus
Office of the Vice-Provost, Students
University of Toronto
27 King's College Circle, Room 221
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1
416-978-3870
vp.students@utoronto.ca

Dear Jill Matus,
We are writing to you today because of many concerns surrounding the University of Toronto’s Code of Student Conduct. We realize that the Code is in the process of undergoing an administrative update and it is necessary to reflect on the efficacy of this Code for the university community.

The University has used the Code many times to silence dissent on campus. In 1998 the administration used the Code against a disabled racialized student who challenged the University of Toronto for not accommodating his/her health needs. When the student alleged that this lack of cooperation was because of racist and discriminatory attitudes within the administration, the response was to seek expulsion for the student under the Code of Student Conduct. Ultimately, the university administrators, many of whom are white, believed that the student’s criticisms constituted vexatious conduct.

The Code was once again used in 2000 during the T.A. strike against members of the bargaining team. In 2002, the Code was updated to reflect changes in internet use and accompanying infractions, according to the administration. On this occasion the administration pushed through dual prosecution – someone could be charged under both the Code and criminal law. When students protested these changes to the Code many were given threats, including student leaders. In 2008 the Code was used against the ‘Fight Fees 14’ for allegedly participating in a peaceful sit-in. These fourteen students, staff, and allies were part of a larger group that was protesting fee increases. The criminal charges were dropped, stayed for withdrawn for all fourteen by September 2009 but for some it is not clear whether accompanying investigations under the Code still persist. The case of the ‘Fight Fees 14’ made it clear to the community that the university uses the Code to criminalize dissent. The community, including numerous student groups, unions, and 119 professors, has extended its support for the ‘Fight Fees 14’. In 2009 two students were threatened with misconduct for promoting EnviroFest by painting handprints on the sidewalk using washable and non-toxic paint.

The University of Toronto’s own purpose statement indicates that

Within the unique university context, the most crucial of all human rights are the rights of freedom of speech, academic freedom, and freedom of research. And we affirm that these rights are meaningless unless they entail the right to raise deeply disturbing questions and provocative challenges to the cherished beliefs of society at large and of the university itself.

The Code is meant to protect members of the university community but its application has situated students as subject to a different set of rules whereby academic penalties are applied for non-academic “offences”. It creates a climate of stifling dissent from students at the University of Toronto. The Code of Conduct has been used as a tool of authority with which to bludgeon student activists. This serves to diminish opportunities for real engagement with the University’s governance processes as it situates the students involved as criminals.
We ask that the University repeals the Code of Student Conduct which criminalizes dissent on campus, dismisses students’ rights and negates the University’s own purpose statement. Instead, the implementation of a Human Rights Code or a Student Bill of Rights would be worthwhile.

At the University Affairs Board meeting on November 3, 2009 you made it clear that the Code would be scrapped in the coming months if there was widespread opposition to it. Through this letter, we the [executive members] of [organization] on behalf of [x number of students] call on the University of Toronto to abolish the Code of Student Conduct.

Sincerely,


Name Date

CC:
APUS (supportapus@gmail.com)
President David Naylor (president@utoronto.ca)