CAUT’s Academic Freedom Fund has donated $100,000 to the University of Regina Faculty Association to help the association protect academic freedom and academic staff rights at First Nations University of Canada.

The donation, the first given since the fund was established in 2001, was announced May 18 at a news conference in Regina where CAUT treasurer John Baker presented a six-foot mock-up of the cheque to faculty association president Dorothy Lane.

“Academics across Canada want to help our colleagues at First Nations University who have been facing unprecedented interference in the operation of their fine institution,” Baker said. “We believe it is vitally important for the future of First Nations University that the academic freedom and other rights of faculty and the rights of students and staff are respected.”

The university was plunged into crisis in early 2005 when FNUC board of governors’ chair Morley Watson directly intervened in the running of the university — firing several administrators, suspending staff and making copies of faculty and student records. Subsequently, deans of both the Regina and Saskatoon campuses were fired. More than 30 grievances have been filed by the faculty association.

FNUC’s longtime president Eber Hampton and academic vice-president Denise Henning resigned in protest, taking positions at the University of Regina, the university with which FNUC is affiliated.

Lane welcomed the donation from CAUT, saying the money would be used to help the association proceed with a number of grievances. “This donation will help us continue the fight to protect the rights of faculty and ensure First Nations University regains its place as the premier First Nations’ university in Canada, if not North America,” she said. CAUT established the Academic Freedom Fund to aid in the defence of academic freedom. The fund is a “catastrophic insurance” plan to guarantee sufficient resources for any local association when defence of academic freedom and rights takes extraordinary resources.