Whereas the University of Toronto's "Code of Student Conduct" has been enforced for several years, as a means to regulate students' behavior by applying academic penalties for non-academic "offences"; and Whereas the language of the Code of Conduct is vague in its definition of such "offences", leaving much to interpretation and with the potential for misuse of the Code; and Whereas in 2002, the Code of Student Conduct was revised to allow for dual prosecution; disciplining of students under both the Student Code as well as the Criminal Code; and Whereas in practice the Code of Student Conduct has been used to silence dissent and to prosecute student activists who are critical of the University's policies, in addition to being a fundamentally flawed document that serves to treat student members of the University community as somehow different from others; and Whereas the application of the Code can be interpreted as infringing on freedoms of speech, expression and assembly for all students, including our right to protest and oppose the University administration; and Whereas the Code of Student Conduct was most recently applied against the "Fight Fees 14", a group given trumped-up charges for alleged participation in a peaceful sit-in at U of T in March 2008; and Whereas until recently two members of the FF14 faced outstanding charges under the Code of Conduct, weeks after the criminal charges against the same two persons were stayed based on a court ruling under Section 11(b) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms; therefore We, the undersigned, call for the immediate abolition of U of T's Code of Conduct and similar policies and Codes across different post-secondary institutions; and We further resolve that the adoption of Human Rights Codes for post-secondary institutions and the strengthening of existing anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies in lieu of the Code of Conduct be prioritized.

Sponsor