Ban from Campus

Professor Rancourt has rejected the university's ban on his presence on campus. Indeed, Rancourt is not a threat to anyone and the only issue of contention within the context of the dismissal proceedings is his assigning of grades in one course. Thus, the campus ban constitutes a very unusual and extreme form of discipline against a tenured professor, still on the payroll, who is not accused of violating any law or physically threatening or otherwise harassing any member of the university community.

Nathalie Des Rosiers and the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA)

What is particularly noteworthy is that the meeting at which Rancourt was informed of the ban was attended by Nathalie Des Rosiers, Secretary of the University. Des Rosiers, however, is also the incoming General Counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), set to begin her duties in July 2009. Thus, a soon to be central official with the CCLA - an organization whose purpose is to defend freedom through activist work - is supportive of the very unusual and extreme punishment being leveled against Rancourt for his pedagogical approach.

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