Staff suspensions at FNUC causing a stir

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Canada's only Aboriginal university is in turmoil after three of its top staff were dismissed by members of the board of governors appointed by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN).

FSIN Vice Chief Morley Watson, the chair of First Nations University of Canada's (FNUC) board of governors, made the dismissal public on Feb. 18, one day after a board meeting. Three senior staff members were dismissed-vice-president Dr. Wes Stevenson, finance director Kim Sinclair, and director of international programs Lorenzo Barreno.

No reason was give for the dismissals at the time. Watson escorted Stevenson and Barreno from the campus, while Regina police escorted Sinclair. Fifteen other FNUC administrative employees were sent home for the day.

As of press time, all three staff members are on paid suspension.

Watson has given two different reasons for the dismissals. A day after the move was made public, the FSIN issued a press release announcing that the dismissals were done as part of the university's annual audit and review of its operations.

"This review is in accordance with the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College Act, Section 15 (b) which states 'at least once per year conduct, or have conducted, in a manner approved by the executive council, an operational program review of the SIFC and submit the results to the executive council," Watson said in the release. The SIFC-Saskatchewan Indian Federated Colleg-is the former name of the FNUC.

"This review is conducted by outside auditors. There are no allegations made against anyone and no one is accused of any wrongdoing. We are auditing our system and we will make no comment until the external auditors have completed their job." Watson said.

During the FSIN legislative assembly the following week, Watson gave a different reason for the dismissals. On Feb. 23 he told the assembled chiefs that evidence had been presented to him that justified his actions, inferring that the audit being done isn't a routine one. He would not say who had presented him with the evidence, nor would he specify the information that led to the dismissals.

"The allegations are contained in a declaration that was serious enough to warrant a review," he said.

Stevenson, Sinclair and Barreno held their own press conference in Regina on Feb. 17. The three said they are as mystified as anyone as to why they were suspended from the university. FNUC had just supplied the FSIN with audited statements concerning the university's operations, said Stevenson.

"We've carried out our duties for the university in a responsible and honest manner.

"As long as the investigation is going, they (the board of directors) have asked us to return our keys or anything belonging to the university and not go to work," Stevenson said.

"By the fact that we were suspended and had to return all belongings of the university, and yet being told (that they were not implicated in any wrongdoing), that's hard to understand."

The following Monday, a group of about 25 students and Elders held a sit-in at the school, protesting Watson's actions. A committee representing workers at the campus said that what the vice chief had done in suspending senior staff had "violated every basic tenant of the workings of the university," and had contributed to "an atmosphere of fear" at FNUC.

A press release issued by the committee was unsigned, as the employees said they fear for their jobs as well.

The three who were suspended have declined further public comment, saying their case was now being taken up by the University of Regina Faculty Association (U

RFA). The union represents academic and administrative staff at FNUC.

It's not standard business practice to suspend or dismiss staff before an audit takes place or before they are accused of any wrongdoing. Because they have been dismissed without cause, FNUC may be in breach of federal and provincial labour laws, said George Maslany,URFA chairman.

The association is filing a grievance in support of Sinclair, the only one of the three suspended officials who's a member of the faculty union. She and the others, Maslany said, are being kept in the dark.

"Despite our requests for a meeting with the chairman, board or the university president, Dr. Eber Hampton, no meeting has occurred, and there's no evidence that it ever will occur," Maslany said.

"This thing should be settled sooner rather than later, and we're taking all steps towards that end. But we're continually frustrated by the lack of response from the university."

Eber Hampton, whose term as president expires at the end of June, declined comment when contacted by Saskatchewan Sage.

George Maslany said a university employee can't be suspended without reason, and the university has given no official reason for suspensions. He refers to the FSIN press release, which stated that no allegations of wrongdoing were being made.

"We don't know, apparently, what's broken here," he said.

After the dismissal, the URFA discovered through media reports that the audit's scope may go far beyond the university's finances, though they aren't sure just how far.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), which represents about 28,000 professors employed in Canada's post-secondary institutions, is also keeping its eye on the situation at FNUC, said its executive director.

"Without further disclosure about what these three individuals may have done-without the university's board of governors explaining why they were dismissed-the only conclusion that can be drawn is that these people were removed from their jobs in an arbitrary fashion," James Turk said in a telephone interview.

"This incident has raised more questions than answers."

Turk hopes that the incident doesn't mean that the FSIN is trying to wrest the university's political and operational direction away from the board of governors.

"We want to ensue that the faculty of the university have the academic freedom that is necessary to provide a forum that's important to the role of a university. It can be very harmful for the university, internally as well as in public perception, if faculty members are feeling that they're being treated unfairly," he said.

FNUC's board has asked FSIN Grand Chief Alphonse Bird to appoint a third party to help resolve the situation, but until an emergency external audit of the institution's finances is conducted, the suspensions will stand, Morley Watson said.