Queen’s University will be intervening in the Ford government’s appeal to bring back the Student Choice Initiative (SCI).

“The universities have made it clear that they are not taking sides in the appeal; rather, they felt the court could benefit from hearing the university perspective about what university autonomy means, if it is to play a role in the appeal court’s decision making,” the University wrote to The Journal in a statement. 

The Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) will appeal the Divisional Court’s 2019 ruling that struck down the SCI on March 23 and 24.

Queen’s is among five universities intervening in the appeal. The University of Ottawa, Western University, Waterloo University, and the Governing Council of the University of Toronto will intervene collectively as the “Universities.” 

READ MORE: Ford government to appeal Student Choice Initiative court ruling in March

The universities’ intervenor status will allow them to provide the Court of Appeal with supporting context about university autonomy and how it might be impacted by governmental interference related to the SCI.         

According to the University, Queen’s was initially given intervener status in 2019 when cabinet concluded the provincial government didn’t have the authority to interfere with the internal affairs of student associations.