Dear members of the ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ community,
Today, some protestors and picketers again attempted to disrupt University activities. While many protestors and picketers remained within the bounds of ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ policy and the law, some did not.
As a result, ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ contacted police to intervene. Our security personnel in Campus Public Safety acted superbly – defusing some difficult situations, keeping our community safe, and working closely with police to minimize disruptions.
Police made at least one arrest and the University has chosen to press charges.
We will review all available evidence and will begin disciplinary proceedings against any ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ students identified as having contravened the Code of Student Conduct, as is our normal process.
To those who choose to engage in protests or pickets going forward, I reiterate my call to respect the people around you. You have a range of legitimate, legal, peaceful options for raising awareness of your views – where other options are chosen instead, consequences will follow.
No one deserves to be intimidated, berated, or made to feel unwelcome, and I want to take a moment to recognize how upsetting and intimidating some of this week’s disruptions have been for some of our community members.
We speak often of ÎÛÎÛ²ÝÝ®ÊÓƵ’s esprit rassembleur – our identity as a place of meeting and exchange for all peoples of the world, regardless of who they may be or what views they may hold. I assure you that this remains fundamental to who we are, and that we are fully committed to ensuring that this identity is never compromised.
Sincerely,
Christopher Manfredi
Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic)