Should They Be Retroactively Expelled?

In this edition of the Queen’s Alumni Review, we see a militant protest on campus sanitized, justified as mainstream (which is was not), and valorized as a necessary component of a just society. Yet conversely, at this moment, the administration is attempting to ram through a draconian code of conduct (The Queen’s Patriot Act), criminalizing dissent here at Queen’s. Such a code, if it were instated, would make the above ‘unlawful and disruptive’ action an expellable offense.

TAKE ACTION TO STOP THE CRIMINALIZATION OF DISSENT!

The Art of Intimidation: Sexism and Destiny at Queen’s

ALISON DICKIE
THIS MAGAZINE, MARCH 1990

 

WHEN OUTBREAKS 0F flagrant sexism on Ontario campuses broke into the news last fall, reports of panty raids at Wilfrid Laurier and sexual harassment cases at the University of Toronto paled beside the nasty reports in October from Queen’s University in Kingston. The sexism came as no surprise to anyone who knew the university, but the courage shown by those women who staged a Sit-in in the principal’s office was as admirable as the venom of the attacks on them was disturbing…

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Sweatfree Sit-In at University of Michigan (April 2007)

Howard Zinn on Civil Disobedience

Hitchock, Albany, Queen’s…

In order to contextualize the administration’s zeal for implementing a new law of the land for Queen’s, it is necessary to analyze just who might be behind this move. Well, one particularly dubious character jumps straight to mind—Karen Hitchcock. You’ll remember that ‘ole K-dog came to us from that sunny land that justice forgot hot on the heels of a shady business deal gone wrong in Albany. Anyways, she cut and run in order to avoid getting busted, which might give you some insight into her opinion of the concepts fair, and justice. We also know that ‘ole Hitch don’t take no shit when it comes to the freedom of dissent. When her office was occupied she called in the cops who punched out one protester and threw another down a flight of stairs—so much for freedom. The reason that these poor kids (who were protesting the use of sweatshop labor in the making of Albany’s clothing) got kicked around and arrested for protesting is because in Albany they have their own little Patriot Act— called the Community Rights and Responsibilities of SUNY Albany. Check out section 13, from which Rule 9 of the current draft was (badly) ripped off:

13. Obstruction or Disruption
Obstructing or disrupting University activities, including but not limited to, teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, or other authorized activities including public service functions. It can include participation in campus demonstrations which disrupt the normal operations of the University and infringes on the rights of other members of the university community by leading or inciting others to disrupt scheduled and/or normal activities within any campus building or area; intentional obstruction which unreasonably interferes with freedom of movement, either pedestrian or vehicular, on campus.

This sounds just like Rule 9 of the Queen’s draft, but is even more explicit about targeting political dissent. We know what this is about and we will fight back! Isn’t it odd that after many decades of a code of conduct which references the Canadian justice system as the decider of guilt or innocence, we should need a new code whose resemblance to that of Albany’s is unquestionable? Kingston is not Albany and this is not the U.S.—No Patriot Act for Queen’s!!

Joint Statement Opposing Sections of the Draft Student Code of Conduct

*we are now collecting endorsements from individuals and organizations for this statement! if you would like to endorse, please email accessible.education@gmail.com*

As members of the Queen’s University and Kingston community, we find particular clauses in the proposed draft of the Student Code of Conduct to be unacceptable. The university is a public space that should be encouraging freedom of speech and we are moving to protect existing avenues for this expression. It is our position that the highlighted text below must not be included in the Student Code of Conduct:

7. Students shall refrain from theft, knowingly possessing stolen property, trespassing, vandalism, and willfully or negligently damaging private or University property. Likewise, students shall refrain from any other unauthorized conduct likely to limit the lawful rights of others to possess, use, or enjoy private or University property;

…

9. Students shall refrain from engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct that interferes with the lawful activity of others, including but not limited to, studying, teaching, research, and University administration;

…

11. Students shall, as soon as it is reasonably possible, report misconduct (behaviour in contravention of rules 1 through 10, inclusive) to the appropriate authority or remove themselves from situations where misconduct is occurring;

…

and ‘Considerations,’ bullet 2:

The above rules apply with equal force to individual students and student groups or organizations. Where an organization is the subject of a complaint, the registered officers of the organization may be held accountable.

 

We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, call on the Senate Committee on Non-Academic Discipline (SONAD) to immediately remove these recommendations for the new Student Code of Conduct and abstain from taking any further steps to criminalize freedom of speech, freedom of association, and political dissent on campus.

Signed,

X

 

Student Senate Caucus fails to address grassroots concerns

The Student Senate Caucus produced their recommendations on the draft Code of Conduct. Other than requesting that Rule 11 be removed from the draft, the Caucus completely failed to bring up our concerns. They were more concerned about how Rule 9 would affect frosh week (!) than civil disobedience, freedom of speech, and/or freedom of association. See for yourself; read their recommendations.

Fight the Queen’s Patriot Act!

The Queen’s University Senate Committee on Non-Academic Discipline (SONAD) has proposed a new draft Student Code of Conduct that would criminalize acts of civil disobedience, freedom of speech, and freedom of association on campus, making them expellable offenses. We must pull the plug on this document as soon as possible, as it is currently under review and will be voted on by the Senate in February.

The network growing in opposition to the Queen’s Patriot Act has produced a Joint Statement highlighting the unacceptable clauses. See below for more information about the document and how you can help.

Files:
Draft Code of Conduct