In April 2021, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) took the rare and serious decision to censure the University of Toronto. CAUT has determined that the University’s administration failed “to resolve concerns regarding academic freedom stemming from a hiring scandal in the Faculty of Law”. Relying on undisputed evidence contained in a report by Mr. Thomas Cromwell, CAUT concluded that a donor/judge’s objections to Dr. Valentina Azarova, based on her scholarship on Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian Territories, influenced the University’s decision to rescind an offer of a position as Director of the International Human Rights Program.
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AS OF FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2021, THE CAUT CENSURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO IS ON “PAUSE“! This is an enormous victory and we are deeply grateful to all of you whose support made this possible. The victory is partial, however, and so the work continues. Watch our short video message below and read the statement here.
On October 21, CensureUofT hosted CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP with special guests: Nahla Abdo, Nick Estes, Fred Moten, Ananya Roy & David Robinson, to celebrate and reflect on the campaign, and map the work ahead on donor power, collegial governance, and the Palestine exception in higher education. Watch the recording here:
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Censure UofT 