Dalhousie Profs Behind Formal Complaint Make Statement

Statement from faculty members who brought a complaint under Dalhousie Universitys Code of
Student Conduct re: the Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen

We are at a distinct cultural moment in which real change with respect to misogyny and gendered
violence is possible.
Events involving the Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen create a complex situation demanding thoughtful,
sensitive responses from a variety of perspectives using a variety of procedural tools.
We ground our engagement with this situation in commitments to:
acknowledging that the problem of misogyny and gendered violence exists on Dalhousie
campuses and campuses across the country;
doing the work required to make our campuses safe and supportive learning environments for all
members of our community and with particular concern for women and members of other
vulnerable groups;
ensuring due process;
pursuing an integrated approach involving both systemic and specific responses.
President Florizone has committed to responding to the specific incident within the Faculty of Dentistry
and to seeking strategies for meaningful long-term change. Our formal Complaint is an effort to
contribute constructively to the comprehensive response required.
WHEN was the Complaint submitted?
On Sunday, December 21, 2014, pursuant to the University Code of Student Conduct policy, a formal
complaint was submitted by e-mail to Acting Vice-Provost, Student Affairs, Anne Forrestall. A print
copy of the Complaint was hand-delivered Monday morning, December 22, 2014.
WHAT was the purpose of the Complaint?
At the most urgent level, the purpose of the Complaint was to trigger an interim suspension prior to the
start of classes on Monday, January 5, 2015. Consistent with the Code of Student Conduct policy (F.1.),
the Complaint asked for an interim suspension for any student who actively participated in any of the
offensive posts on the Facebook group page pending the conclusion of the formal process. In specific
terms, the interim suspension was requested to:
ensure the safety and well-being of members of the University community, most particularly
members of the 4th year class in Dentistry, other Dentistry students, faculty and staff, and Dental
Hygiene students who would be required to learn or work with these students, and members of
the public who depend upon student clinics for their dental treatment;
minimize the continued disruption or interference with the operations of the University and the
activities of its members, most particularly other members of the Faculty of Dentistry (these
include the examinations, lectures and other educational activities that are required for the
program, as well as the provision of clinical services that are also part of the pedagogical
process).
More broadly, the purpose of the Complaint was to initiate a formal process under the Code of Student
Conduct as an alternative or complement to the informal process underway under the Sexual Harassment
Policy. Our reasons for submitting the Complaint under the Code were:
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there were persons directly affected by the activities of the Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen who
either did not want to participate in the informal process or had not been consulted about the
informal process;
the informal process did not involve all of those affected by the activities of the Class of DDS
2015 Gentlemen (including other dentistry students, dental hygiene students, dental assistant
students, faculty and staff in the Faculty of Dentistry, and clinic patients);
the conduct complained of, and the consequences thereof, extend beyond the reach of the Sexual
Harassment Policy;
the conduct complained of, and the consequences thereof, fit squarely within the Code of Student
Conduct, which is the Senate-approved policy for dealing with unacceptable student conduct
(www.dal.ca/content/dam/dalhousie/pdf/university_secretariat/policyrepository/CodeofStudentConduct.pdf ).
WHO submitted the Complaint?

Franoise Baylis, FRSC, FCAHS, PhD, Faculty of Medicine
Jocelyn Downie, FRSC, FCAHS, SJD, Faculties of Law and Medicine
Brian Noble, PhD, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Jacqueline Warwick, PhD, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Gender and Womens Studies
The Complaint was submitted jointly by four Dalhousie faculty members in the hope that:
no student would feel pressured to submit a complaint in order to trigger a formal process;
no student would bear negative consequences for having submitted a formal complaint.
WHY release the Complaint now?

We continue to be concerned about the fact that the 4th year Dentistry students are returning to campus on
Monday, January 5, 2015 without decisions having been made on the Complaint particularly our call for
an interim suspension. All Dentistry students (as well as students in other dental programs, faculty, staff,
and Clinic patients) are entitled to a safe and respectful learning, teaching, and clinical environment.
Immediate action is essential to rebuilding confidence in the environment. Moreover, immediate action is
required to ensure that students who did not violate the Code of Student Conduct can achieve the required
professional competencies and graduate on time (May 2015).
Through the release of the Complaint we are expressing our sense of urgency with regard to decisive
action prior to January 5, 2015.
WHY was the Complaint originally confidential and why are the names of the complainants being
released now?
The Complaint was submitted with the names and signatures of four faculty members, with a request for
confidentiality regarding the names. We hoped thereby to establish a positive precedent for future
complaints. However, there have been unexplained delays in processing the Complaint. In the event that
these delays are attributable in any way to the condition of confidentiality, and in an effort to expedite a
decision before January 5, 2015, we release our names now.
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Statement from faculty members who brought a complaint under Dalhousie Universitys Code of

Student Conduct re: the Class of DDS 2015 Gentlemen

WHO submitted the Complaint?

WHY release the Complaint now?

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