“The University is aware of the petition and is looking into the matter,” says U of O manager of media relations, Isabelle Mailloux-Pulkinghorn.
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On Nov. 10, the Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre (ORCC) gave a community update announcing a temporary closure, set to begin on Dec. 2. At the time of the ORCC’s opening in 1974, it became the first of its kind in Ottawa and was the third rape crisis centre in the country.
“This is seen as the worst possible thing for us,” said second-year U of O student Melissa Moubayed, who is of Armenian origin.
“The very presence of more Black folk validates the [new President’s Action Committee for an Anti-Racist and Inclusive Campus] and validates Frémont’s inaction. Any validation for the University of Ottawa to move forward with the committee is a step against systemic change for anti-Black racism at the University of Ottawa,” said Jamal Koulmiye-Boyce.
The University of Ottawa has been in the process of switching student accounts from G Suite to Outlook since the beginning of September.
“Nour is absolutely right to state that a toxic workplace environment, misogyny and Islamophobia should not be tolerated within any workplace, let alone within the UOSU,” wrote the UOSU executive committee in response to the allegations in Ines Nour El Huda’s resignation letter.
“In our view, despite our best efforts, online learning is not quite where it needs to be, in terms of quality, access to resources and delivery of course content,” reads an open letter from the UOSU to provost and vice-president of academic affairs Jill Scott.
El Huda cited differences with other UOSU executives as the focal point of her immediate resignation.
“We absolutely condemn racism, harassment, racial slurs and discrimination,” stated Jacques Frémont, the University of Ottawa’s president in front of the U of O Senate.
Students seem not willing to run for positions with the UOSU – as they struggle to fill all of their vacant positions. While maintaining the idea of being a student democracy, many positions run unopposed, meaning whoever runs, wins leaving gaps in the democracy.