Academic issues in the news

McGill University is threatening to discipline its student society for espousing a pro‑Palestinian policy, saying it could withdraw the longstanding organization’s permission to use the McGill name.

In other academic news, the CAQ has introduced Bill 32, nominally to protect academic freedom, and obliging universities to create positions and a council to police this idea. This came up because a University of Ottawa professor was suspended for saying the N slur in class. The CAQ think otherwise. CBC’s Kristy Snell tweeted Wednesday: “I’ve been a journalist for 30 years, and I teach at a university. I’ve never needed to say the N-word or any other slur, even though we’ve done stories on it many times over the years.”

The minister championing this bill is Danielle McCann, also in the news in connection with CHSLD Herron. So it can’t be said she’s known for her good judgement. Quoting the CP piece off CTV, “she told reporters Bill 32 is great news for Quebec students, including racialized students, because it preserves a high-quality learning environment in the province’s universities.” Takes some twisted logic to come up with that one: would it enhance a Black person’s education to hear the N‑word in class?

Update: The head of Concordia’s Black Student Union is not happy with this bill. CBC Radio this morning also reported, briefly, that academics feel they have standards of academic freedom and that the government does not have to police this.