academic freedom Archives - Queen's Journal

Academic freedom is no excuse for racism in the classroom

Written on November 19, 2021. Posted in Editorials.

On university campuses, ‘academic freedom’ can sometimes be code for racism. Last fall, University of Ottawa professor Verushka Lieutenant-Duval was suspended after using an anti-Black racial slur in her classroom. A recent open letter signed by past and current faculty demand the University apologize...

Without safety of Black students in the classroom, there is no academic freedom

Written on October 22, 2020. Posted in Editorials.

More than 30 professors at the University of Ottawa recently penned a letter in support of Lieutenant-Duval, a white professor who faced backlash after saying the N-word during a lecture. Despite pushback from students, the professor has since been reinstated. This was the wrong call. The University...

Mandatory class attendance overlooks working students

Written on November 2, 2018. Posted in Editorials.

Mandatory courses with required attendance only add stress in an already high-pressure environment—especially for working students. In a university setting, many students are experiencing life on their own for the first time. This comes with more responsibilities, like buying groceries, attending...

Why we can't censor controversial viewpoints

Written on November 24, 2017. Posted in Editorials.

Universities serve to challenge our viewpoints, our ideas and our potential to learn and evolve. But when they censor individual viewpoints, they create an even bigger issue. Jordan Peterson, a University of Toronto professor and clinical psychologist, rose to infamy last year when he posted a YouTube...

Shirkhanzadeh firing won’t proceed to further arbitration

Written on October 14, 2016. Posted in News.

On Sept. 12, seated around a boardroom table at the Four Points Sheraton, representatives from Queen’s administration, it’s faculty union, and recently-fired professor Morteza Shirkhanzadeh went into a closed session mediation. The session was intended to discuss grievances regarding the professors...

Whistle-blower Morteza Shirkhanzadeh fired

Written on September 20, 2016. Posted in News.

After 27 years of teaching, an 11-year case and hundreds of letters exchanged with Queen’s administration, Professor Morteza Shirkhanzadeh received his final letter from the University administration on Monday announcing his termination. For Shirkhanzadeh, who was the subject of a heated case involving...

Queen’s suspends professor for a month after insubordination investigation

Written on August 2, 2016. Posted in News.

On June 29, Queen’s administration sent a letter to engineering Professor Morteza Shirkhanzadeh, asking him not to attend work or perform duties for a month. It’s the third time in a year he’s been suspended without pay. On the morning of July 2, Shirkhanzadeh read the news via email from the newly-appointed...

Private company to examine Shirkhanzadeh case amid new allegations

Written on June 6, 2016. Posted in News.

A decade of allegations against Queen’s— for research misconduct, violated academic freedom and institutional non-compliance — are now being investigated by an external body. The 10-year-old case begun with engineering professor Morteza Shirkhanzadeh, who first brought allegations to Queen’s of plagiarism...

Laurentian Prof: where do we draw the line between useful profanity and going too far?

Written on January 19, 2016. Posted in Editorials.

Dr. Michael Persinger, a professor at Laurentian University, was recently removed from teaching a first-year psychology course due to his practice of handing out a waiver for students to sign, notifying them of his use of foul language during the course. According to Persinger, his use of this language...

“Get Science Right” campaign comes to Queen’s

Written on September 25, 2015. Posted in News.

“There is a war on science in Canada,” Professor John Smol said, as he addressed a packed room of over 100 local researchers, professors and graduate students at Botterell Hall, Thursday afternoon. Smol’s keynote lecture was part of the “Get Science Right” conference co-hosted by Canadian Association...

Letter to the editor: Shirkhanzadeh on his third strike

Written on September 18, 2015. Posted in Opinions.

Professor Shirkhanzadeh has been found guilty of harassment. What farce. To be found guilty of harassment at Queen’s, one thing is sufficient and one thing is necessary. First, what is necessary is for the so-called “harassed” to be people in positions of power. Voltaire well said: “To learn who...

Breaking: Professor suspended for three days for workplace harassment

Written on August 19, 2015. Posted in News.

Last updated: Aug. 20 at 11:04 p.m.— Professor Morteza Shirkhanzadeh learned on Monday that he would be suspended for three days without pay for workplace harassment. The engineering professor received a letter on Aug. 17 from University Provost and Vice Principal (Academic) Alan Harrison informing...

Queen’s professor has papers retracted

Written on July 28, 2015. Posted in News.

The CDIO Initiative in Sweden retracted four conference papers written by a Queen’s professor of engineering on July 1 following a directive from Queen’s University. According to the co-director of the CDIO, Johan Malmqvist, Queen’s approached CDIO on June 30 and directed CDIO to remove the papers. “We...

June 30: Professor's academic freedom violated — and other letters to the editor

Written on June 30, 2015. Posted in Opinions.

RE: Professor’s academic freedom violated, report finds Years ago, I read a report in Postmedia (in the Ottawa Citizen; nothing in the Whig-Standard) about Dr. Shirkhanzadeh’s allegations of academic misconduct against a now retired and deceased individual. When I contacted Dr. Shirkhanzadeh and...

Teachers' association questions University’s actions

Written on June 30, 2015. Posted in News.

The University’s attempts to prevent the release of a report on alleged violations of academic freedom are unprecedented, according to the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT). In the agreement between the University and Professor Morteza Shirkhanzadeh — who the University had accused...

UPDATED August 19: Timeline of the Shirkhanzadeh academic freedom case

Written on June 30, 2015. Posted in News.

Creation date: June 30, 2015, 8:00 a.m. Last updated: August 19, 2015, 1:00 p.m. This timeline will be updated as new information becomes available. Click here to view the timeline in fullscreen. Information taken from LORI, CAUT’s report and Dr. Shirkanzadeh’s own report.

Professor's academic freedom violated, report finds

Written on June 2, 2015. Posted in News.

According to a report published last month by a national union association, Queen’s has taken steps over the past 10 years to silence an engineering professor who attempted to expose evidence of research misconduct. Morteza Shirkhanzadeh, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical...

Freedom requires balance

Written on March 13, 2015. Posted in Opinions.

David Parker Students have occasionally voiced concern about professors who express ideas in the classroom that seem to go beyond the curriculum. They aren’t alone. Politicians and self-appointed watchdog groups — such as Accuracy in Academia and Students for Academic Freedom in the United States...

Tag: academic freedom

Academic freedom is no excuse for racism in the classroom

Without safety of Black students in the classroom, there is no academic freedom

Mandatory class attendance overlooks working students

Why we can't censor controversial viewpoints

Shirkhanzadeh firing won’t proceed to further arbitration

Whistle-blower Morteza Shirkhanzadeh fired

Queen’s suspends professor for a month after insubordination investigation

Private company to examine Shirkhanzadeh case amid new allegations

Laurentian Prof: where do we draw the line between useful profanity and going too far?

“Get Science Right” campaign comes to Queen’s

Letter to the editor: Shirkhanzadeh on his third strike

Breaking: Professor suspended for three days for workplace harassment

Queen’s professor has papers retracted

June 30: Professor's academic freedom violated — and other letters to the editor

Teachers' association questions University’s actions

UPDATED August 19: Timeline of the Shirkhanzadeh academic freedom case

Professor's academic freedom violated, report finds

Freedom requires balance

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