University states the facts about its respectful and diverse campus community

Recent media stories have reported on a human rights complaint filed by Hasbara Fellowships Canada against two organizations. Many of those media stories have reported incorrect information about the University of Ontario Institute of Technology.

For the record, here are the facts about our respectful and diverse campus community:

• The university is proud of its diverse and welcoming student community. Specifically, we welcome students of all faiths, including Jewish students. It is false to report that this university has in any way, shape or form banned Jewish students.
• The concerns expressed by Hasbara Fellowships Canada relate to a single event that took place in March 2016. Hasbara has expressed concern that it was denied access to participate in the March 7 Social Justice Week/Fair organized by the Student Association (SA), which represents students at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Durham College. The SA has noted that it organized its Social Justice Week on campus. As stated previously, the university as an institution was neither involved in the organization of Social Justice Week events nor in selecting participants.
• The university is not the subject of a human rights complaint. Hasbara Fellowships Canada has filed a human rights complaint against two organizations: the SA, and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Faculty Association (UOITFA), which is an association of tenured, tenure-track and teaching faculty. Both organizations are independent of, and autonomous from, the university, and follow their own governance.
• The university has met with Hasbara Fellowships Canada representatives to review and understand the organization’s concerns. These concerns were carefully considered by the university.
• The university has defined what it expects in a respectful university community. The university espouses four core values:
  • Integrity and respect.
  • Honesty and accountability.
  • A dedication to quality and intellectual rigour.
  • The pursuit of innovation.
• The university’s policies aim to encourage an inclusive, diverse and safe environment on campus. This includes the policy that authorizes the use of university spaces for events like 'social justice weeks'. The university is taking active measures to reinforce these values within its community, including emphasizing the values of inclusion and diversity during its student orientation activities, as well as reminding the community about the university’s values and policies.
• With respect to boycotts, divestments and sanctions against Israel: 
  • The university has stated publicly that it does not support boycott, divestment or sanctions against Israel.
  • The SA has stated publicly that it has made no decision on a boycott, divestment and sanction motion against Israel.
  • The UOITFA has stated that it “does not have any policy and has not taken any position with respect to boycotts or sanctions against, or divestment from Israel or any other state”.

Our university is a respectful community that engages in constructive and civil dialogue, dissent and discourse. We support freedom of speech and we encourage an inclusive, diverse and safe environment on campus. Above all, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology supports an environment in which any topic, issue, or idea can be discussed and expressed openly, free from fear or intimidation.

Our commitment to work and study in keeping with our values is a cornerstone to the promotion and protection of our academic freedom, to the free exchange of ideas on all campuses and to the celebration of diversity in its many forms.