Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015
During the last academic year, Carleton University and the Carleton University Academic Staff Association (CUASA) agreed to collaborate in joining the international Scholars at Risk (SAR) Network.
Carleton joined SAR in 2014 and approached the University of Ottawa to propose that the two institutions collaborate to co-host a SAR scholar in Ottawa. We are delighted that the University of Ottawa, through Provost Christian Detellier, agreed and has also joined the SAR network.
Other Canadian members are Brock University, Centennial College, Concordia University, McGill University, Western University, University of Winnipeg, University of Toronto and York University.
Carleton and University of Ottawa to co-host a scholar
Carleton and the University of Ottawa will co-host a scholar through the program. The appointment, which will hopefully be announced in the spring of 2015, will be a visiting professor for a one-year term.
SAR is an international network of higher education institutions dedicated to protecting threatened scholars, preventing attacks on the founding principles of higher education and promoting academic freedom worldwide.
The network protects scholars suffering grave threats to their lives, liberty and well-being by arranging positions of sanctuary at institutions in the network. SAR is not just about providing refuge, it also benefits the local academic community. Indeed, SAR participants bring their scholarly knowledge from around the world and provide a different lens through which to understand and analyze subject matter.
For more details and information about this important program, please visit the SAR website at http://scholarsatrisk.nyu.edu.
We have established a SAR Committee chaired by Melanie Adrian, assistant professor in Law and Legal Studies, to organize the program. The SAR Committee has sent out a recent call for support and we encourage you to respond positively to that call.
Support a SAR scholar – Donate Today
The Office of the Provost at Carleton has pledged up to $15,000 to match funds raised by CUASA to support a SAR scholar. Together, CUASA and Carleton are currently raising money to support this initiative, and we have set up a convenient payroll deduction process so that Carleton faculty and staff can make tax-deductible donations to this important cause. A number of individuals have made very generous donations (such as $50 per pay slip) and we hope that through many donations both small and large we will raise the $15,000 to match the amount provided by the Office of the Provost. We are getting close to reaching our goal, and we hope that the February giving campaign will push us over the top. You can donate either through the ampus Community Campaign at http://futurefunder.carleton.ca or through payroll deduction by visiting our Scholars at Risk webpage.
The University of Ottawa will also be seeking financial support so that we can host the SAR scholar for a full academic year.
We therefore urge you to support this initiative by donating to the Carleton SAR program. This February, help us reach our goal of $15,000 by donating now. Your contribution will make a difference in a scholar’s life, and all of us will benefit from this.
On behalf of Carleton University and CUASA, we thank you for your support and look forward to being able to host our first SAR scholar in the fall term of 2015.
Sincerely,
Chantal Dion, President, CUASA
Peter Ricketts, Provost and Vice-President (Academic)