The meeting was attended by a group of protesters affiliated with the Occupy Saskatoon movement who are critical of the corporate ties among the university’s leadership, particularly those relating to the nuclear industry.
“Do I think their concerns are something that can be identified at the University of Saskatchewan? I don’t. But nevertheless they were invited by a group of senators … they came and they’re welcome,” said U of S president Peter MacKinnon.
MacKinnon said he wasn’t exactly clear on the purpose of Occupy Saskatoon.
“Perhaps their interpretation of it is that the university should respond more to the politics of the street than to the politics of its governing bodies. I don’t know. Is their view of majority, or at least of democracy, simply that if you can rally a big enough protest, the protest should be obeyed? I don’t know.”
Protesters were invited by University Senators in Saskatchewan Working to Revive Democracy (USS-WORD), a group calling for more public input into university decision-making.
In his address to the senate, MacKinnon responded to the formation of USS-WORD, which earlier this year called for board of governors chair Nancy Hopkins to resign because of an alleged conflict of interest arising from her involvement with Cameco Corp.
“Some members of this body have developed their own organization to, as they put it, restore democracy to the University of Saskatchewan. Note there is a conclusion implicit in the purpose,” he said.
MacKinnon rejected the notion there was anything undemocratic about the way the university managed its affairs.
“The authority in my office is not any that’s claimed by me in some sort of unilateral suggestion. This body, the council and the board of governors do not claim any authority other than that which is granted to them by the University of Saskatchewan Act, duly passed by the government of this province.”
Ron Schriml, senator for Unity/Duck Lake/Watrous, contested MacKinnon’s view of democracy, saying it was manifested more in grassroots political action.
“Are your remarks based on naivete or is there some ideological argument you can make for holding that particular narrow view?”
MacKinnon responded that he didn’t think orderly governance was incompatible with democracy.
“On the contrary. I think to give sensible, effective voice to democratic instincts we need to have the structure and capacity to do that. Good governance is a fundamentally important part democracy itself and that’s what we try to practise here at the University of Saskatchewan.
“Votes are taken on matters requiring decisions. Majority votes prevail. Democracy is, I believe, alive and well in the deliberations and decision making of its governing bodies … I leave it up to others to judge who makes the more compelling case.”
There was some back and forth among senators about the university’s ties to the mining and nuclear industries. USS-WORD and its supporters say these relationships compromise the university’s autonomy and filters funds away from the arts and humanities.
“I think people take that for granted that it’s business as usual at the University of Saskatchewan. I reject the notion that this is something that always has been and always should be,” said USS-WORD member Mary-Jean Hande in an interview after the meeting.
A number of senators rose to say those corporate ties are essential to the provincial economy and keep much-needed research dollars flowing into the university.
USS-WORD also tabled a motion at the meeting relating to its campaign to oust Hopkins, which was defeated.
Most of the protesters had left to join the Occupy Saskatoon march by the time the motion came to vote.