Report of the Advisory Committee on Professional / Managerial Staff Roles Administering Professional Experiential Education Programs
The Advisory Committee fulfilled its terms of reference and submitted their Report on October 28, 2021.
Media Inquiries
For more information, please contact the University of Toronto Media Relations Team.
Update November 25, 2021:
At its Council meeting on November 25, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) voted to lift the censure it had imposed on the University of Toronto last April.
The University welcomes CAUT’s decision and is pleased that the underlying issues that led to the censure have been resolved.
With this difficult period now behind us, the University looks forward to bridging the divisions that emerged in our community during this controversy.
We wish to express our appreciation to CAUT for the thoughtful way in which it has interacted with the University of Toronto throughout this challenging period.
PM Protections Advisory Committee
The Vice-President & Provost and Vice-President, People Strategy, Equity, and Culture composed an advisory group to examine protections for Professional/Managerial staff with professional credentials who lead clinical or experiential learning opportunities and whose duties require them to tackle topics likely to arouse controversy.
The Advisory Group conducted consultations with members of the University on the issues under consideration and sought input from all members of our U of T community. They delivered their Report on October 28, 2021.
Business Board subsequently approved the Policy on Academic Freedom for Professional & Managerial Staff on November 24, 2021.
Hiring Process for the Director of the International Human Rights Program in the Faculty of Law
An independent review into the hiring for the position of director of the International Human Rights Program (IHRP) at the U of T’s Faculty of Law found that external influence did not play a role in the decision to discontinue the search. Such an inference was the basis of an allegation made by some that academic freedom had been breached. But the review concluded this was unjustified.
The review, by the Hon. Thomas Cromwell, C.C., former Supreme Court of Canada Justice, concluded the candidate was not hired for this professional manager (PM4) (non-academic) role because of immigration and timing issues, and not as a result of external influence. While negotiations were at an advanced stage, no formal job offer had been made or rescinded. The University has adopted all of the recommendations in the Cromwell report.
The University is strongly committed to upholding the principles and practice of academic freedom and merit-based hiring, free of external interference.
Additional documents
University Updates
- Report of the Advisory Committee on Professional/Managerial Staff Roles Administering Professional Experiential Education Programs (October 29, 2021)
- Faculty of Law Update: International Human Rights Program (September 17, 2021)
- Updated Provostial Guidelines on Donations (September 8, 2021)
- Faculty of Law resumes the hiring process for the Director of the International Human Rights Program (June 7, 2021)
- Memo from the Provost and the Vice-President, Human Resources & Equity re. the CAUT Censure (May 27, 2021)
- President’s letter to the community regarding the CAUT vote (April 23, 2021)
- President’s letter to faculty and librarians regarding the IHRP program (April 20, 2021)
- President’s letter to CAUT (April 20, 2021)
- President’s response to the Cromwell Report (March 29, 2021)
- President’s letter to CAUT regarding the Cromwell Report (March 29, 2021)