January 5 update to community
Update on ongoing response to Dentistry Facebook comments
To Dalhousie students, faculty and staff,
The start of a new term is, in many respects, a time for looking forward. However, our heads and hearts are still deeply concerned over the events of the recent past: the Facebook posts by Dalhousie Dentistry students which came to light in December that were offensive, degrading to women and completely unacceptable.
I am writing to share the latest developments in our ongoing response to this situation.
On December 17, we communicated that a number of women affected by this behaviour had come forward to the university and chosen to pursue action under the Sexual Harassment Policy, electing to proceed with a restorative justice process. That process is ongoing. At that time, we also committed to addressing the broader harm caused by this incident, as well as addressing safety concerns among students, faculty and staff, and the public.
One of the primary ways our Faculty of Dentistry ensures public safety is through professional standards: no student can receive a DDS degree from Dalhousie without meeting academic requirements, which include professional standards.
This morning, we announced that 13 fourth-year Dentistry students have been suspended from clinical activities, pending consideration of the matter by the Faculty of Dentistry’s Academic Standards Class Committee. The decision to suspend the clinical privileges of the students was made on December 22 and communicated to students this morning once they were back on campus, ensuring the appropriate supports were available to them. Fourth-year classes in the Faculty of Dentistry are scheduled to begin on January 12. A decision about fourth-year classes and the rescheduling of fourth-year exams will be made this week.
This Faculty-led review by Dentistry’s Academic Standards Class Committee (ASCC) will commence this week. The restorative justice process, along with other options being considered, is intended to repair the harm caused by this offensive behaviour. Alongside this, the ASCC will assess the situation of each student involved and ensure any individuals recommended for graduation will have complied with the professionalism requirements of their academic program. No student will be permitted to graduate unless they have done so.
As we have made clear, there must be significant consequences for those that endorse and enable misogyny on campus, and we must determine those consequences through a just process — one consistent with the law and University policy, and which supports the rights of everyone involved. Both the restorative justice process and the consideration of the matter by the ASCC reflect these principles.
Learn more
To keep our community informed about this situation and the larger issues it raises, we have launched a new website — dal.ca/cultureofrespect. There, you will find the latest news as well as answers to many of the common questions we’ve been hearing. Please continue to send us your questions through the site, as we will be updating this information regularly in the days and weeks ahead.
While the Facebook posts in question have sparked outrage, sadness and great disappointment, they have also inspired many voices to join and amplify an important conversation about misogyny, sexism, and the importance of inclusion and respect. It is not a simple or easy conversation, but it is one in which we all have a stake, and in which we must fully engage as an institution and as a community. With this in mind, I have committed to the establishment of a Presidential Task Force, with details to be released in the coming weeks.
I look forward to continuing this conversation with you as we work to ensure a healthy, safe environment for all at Dalhousie University.
Sincerely,
Richard Florizone, President
Dalhousie University
For more information