CAUT has established an ad hoc investigatory committee to examine a series of allegations at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College.

The members of the committee are Claire Card, a professor of
theriogenology in the large animal clinical sciences office at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western Veterinary College and Paul Handford, professor emeritus of biology at the University of Western Ontario.

In a letter to University of Guelph president Alastair Summerlee, CAUT executive director James Turk advised the committee’s terms of reference were to investigate allegations of improper procedural practices in investigations of faculty members’ behaviour, inappropriate practices in hiring decisions, intimidation of faculty and veterinarians by the OVC administration, refusal to recognize the teaching done by veterinarians, and failure to hire any continuing appointments in the teaching hospital since the first collective agreement was signed in 2008.

The committee will determine if there is any validity to any of the allegations and, if so, make recommendations to remedy the situation. Its first visit to the campus will take place March 26–27.

The committee will submit its report to CAUT later this year. CAUT will then meet with the parties to discuss the report and explore implementation of any recommendations.