Day of re-entry on the campus: the University of Laval wants to initiations copies

Photo Stevens LeBlanc
The new rector of the Université Laval Sophie D’amours, believes that the assault occurred in the student residences last fall have led to an awareness. “Quebec has grown over the past year,” she says.

Daphnée Dion-Viens

Tuesday, 5 September 2017, 00:00

UPDATE
Tuesday, 5 September 2017, 00:00

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It is the day of re-entry on the campus of the Université Laval, where thousands of students will participate this week in the activities of initiations, organized by the student associations, which could be sanctioned in the event of slippage, prevents the university administration

Robert Beauregard, vice-president, academic and student affairs, first wishes to recall that hospitality will go “very good” in 98% of cases. “It plays a very positive role for the students “, he says.

Training for 300 student

In order to ensure the proper conduct of initiations, about 300 students have received just before the start of training on sexual violence and alcohol consumption in order to know how to respond during these activities, a first. Each year, nearly 600 students participate in the organization of the initiations at the beginning of classes

But the university also claims to be ready to intervene in case of slippages. “If there are unacceptable behaviors that occur, we are ready to face it and there may be penalties,” warns Mr. Beauregard.

In the case of incidents during activities that occur outside of the campus, the Université Laval can only punish individuals, but might rather be tough on the student associations, which are responsible for the proper conduct of initiations.

“There are certain measures that one could put in place, it could go as far as to say to the associations that they may lose their accreditation if it goes wrong over the next few years,” said André Darveau, vice-president, administration.

“Our role as a university stops here, on the campus,” he continues. Our work has been in prevention to raise awareness among the students, because it is the organizers who are responsible for these activities. And they were made to understand that they needed to assume this role and these responsibilities to make sure that it goes well. “

Not a good solution, according to the students

On the side of the CADEUL, which represents the students of the first cycle, it asserts that the student associations are increasingly sensitised to sexual violence. Its president, Samuel Rouette-Fiset, is “not against” any sanctions in the case of slip-ups, but believes that the suspension of the accreditation ” is not an option “.

In addition to preventing students from ” doing parties “, this sanction would deprive students “of the right to be represented on the bodies of the Université Laval for the issues academic,” explains the president of the CADEUL.

In recent years, the slippages that occurred during hazing on campuses in quebec have been making headlines. Over 9,000 students will participate this week in the different activities of reception and integration run by a sixty student associations at Laval University.

The UL wants to frame the relationships between teachers and students

The Université Laval wants to regulate the intimate relationships between teachers and students, as recommended in Québec as part of its provincial strategy to combat sexual violence.

This document recommends that the universities adopt a code of conduct that establishes “principles and tags to guide, in particular the intimate relationship” between a member of the staff “in a position of authority” and a student.

“It is certain that people are going to want to look at that, lance Lyne Bouchard, vice-president, human resources at the University of Laval. The idea is to adopt the same values and make people aware of the challenges that may represent for maintaining personal relations between a person in authority and another who is under his authority. “The secretary general Monique Richer, abounds in the same direction. “It could definitely have to do that. It is able to force it to the edge soon enough “, she says, while pointing out that there is currently no rule at Laval University aims to bring precisely this kind of relationship. “It’s going to be a discussion of the team, with the community, unions and students,” says Ms. Richer.

For its part, Lyne Bouchard says the goal is not to ban all intimate relationships, which would be “impossible” between consenting adults. Remains, however, to determine how to frame.

Education

“There are also a whole education to do,” adds Mrs. Richer. It is necessary to ” raise the awareness of people, look at it differently and make other types of tags. But it should not be too prescriptive either, not that people have the impression that we can no longer speak, ” she says.

According to a large survey carried out in six québec universities with over 9,000 respondents, one-third of victims of sexual violence were assaulted by someone who had a status superior, to be a teacher (25 %) or a part (5 %).

The Université Laval is hoping to get more guidance from the ministry of Education and higher Education before embarking on this reflection.

1% increase in the number of students on campus

According to provisional data, the number of students enrolled at the University of Laval is up 1% this year.

The increase is especially marked in the continuous training and among the international students, who represent about 12% of the customer base.

The management is pleased with this increase, so that in the spring a decrease in the number of applications for admission had been observed, following to the strike of support staff.

“The effects of the strike, if it occurred, have been caught up,” says Robert Beauregard, vice-president, academic and student affairs. Among the new programs to develop in the coming years, the Université Laval wants to also focus on interdisciplinary courses that would train students in areas such as climate change, or even living together.

Denis Brière, still in the employment of UL

Denis Brière

The former rector Denis Brière will remain in the employment of the University Laval.

He is currently working on the development of its project of the year of study and research, which will allow him subsequently to return to their regular position of professor in the Faculty of forestry and geomatics of Laval University, said the vice-president, human resources, Lyne Bouchard.

The scenario is the same for the former vice-president, executive, Éric Bauce, she added. In recent years, the improvement of conditions of remuneration post-mandate of the senior officers of the Laval University has raised controversy.

After the end of their mandate, the members of the former management team will retain 100 % to 75 % of their salary to executive for six years if they remain employed by the University.

These conditions have been revised down for the new management team, but the former administration still keeps its acquis.