Dear Professor Mason:

In a Report issued on September 20, 2012, the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) claimed that Queen’s Administration violated your Academic Freedom, “abused their power and acted in disregard of the wellbeing of one of their teaching employees.” It also charged Queen’s with multiple “violations of procedural fairness” against you (Report pp. 15, 17). Last month, the Report was endorsed by Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA). In early November, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), unit 901, representing graduate teaching assistants at Queen’s, issued a public statement charging that alleged complaints made against you were mishandled by the Department of History. Though PSAC 901 has serious differences with the CAUT Report, it agrees that the Department of History "neglected [your] rights outlined in the QUFA Collective Agreement."  

Although the Report recommends remedies, including a public letter of apology, Queen’s Administration has flatly refused to respond publicly to this Report, citing jurisdictional technicalities (Queen’s Senate, 30 October 2012).  In response to questions from faculty members, it has denied procedural violations (Arts and Science Faculty Board, 12 October 2012).  In these actions, Queen’s Administration exposes the University and the Department of History to public and professional censure. It also clearly demonstrates that it cannot and does not represent Queen’s. Queen’s consists of Queen’s academic staff, Queen’s non-academic staff, Queen’s alumni, and Queen’s students.  As Queen's University, authorizing ourselves as per article 14.6 of the Collective Agreement, WE apologize to you, Professor Mason.

Signed by:

      Constance Adamson, Associate Librarian, Stauffer Library

Sylvat Aziz, Associate Professor, Visual Arts Programme

Nicholas Bala, Professor, Faculty of Law

Maggie Berg, Professor, Department of English

Frank Burke, Professor, Department of Film and Media

Cathy Christie, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education

Arthur Cockfield, Professor, Queen's University Faculty of Law

Joyce Davidson, Associate Professor, Department of Geography

Genevieve Dumas, Professor, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Petra Fachinger, Professor, Department of English

Karen B. Frederickson, Associate Professor Music, cross-appointed Education

Elizabeth Greene, Associate Professor, Department of English (retired)

David Grightmire, Alumnus, Science 70

Elizabeth Hanson, Professor, Department of English

Emily M. Hill, Associate Professor, Department of History

Monika Holzschuh Sator, Assistant Professor, Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures  

Alexander Hopewell, Co-Chair, English Department Student Council

Jennifer Ruth Hosek, Associate Professor, Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Mark Jones, Professor, Department of English

Darko Matovic, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Robert G. May, Assistant Professor (Adjunct), Department of English

Adèle Mercier, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy & Linguistics Program

Jordan Morelli, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy

Dorit Naaman, Alliance Atlantis Professor, Department of Film and Media

Frédérique Offredi, Alumnus PhD, French Studies

Margaret Pappano, Associate Professor, Department of English

Toni Pickard, Associate Professor (retired), Faculty of Law

Patricia Rae, Professor, Department of English

Charlotte Reinholtz, Associate Professor, Linguistics Section, Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Clive Robertson, Associate Professor, Department of Art History and Art Conservation, and Graduate Program in Cultural Studies

Nasser Saleh, Associate Librarian, Engineering & Science Library

Ariel Salzmann, Associate Professor, Department of History

Scott-Morgan Straker, Associate Professor, Department of English

Don Stuart, Professor, Faculty of Law

Tracy Ware, Professor, Department of English

Mark Weisberg, Professor of Law, Emeritus

Glenn Willmott, Professor, Department of English

Sierra Yanush, Alumna, Department of Philosophy

+ online signatories listed on “signatures” page

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