Policy on Public Statements/Positions by Victoria University

Introduction 

Victoria University is asked from time to time to take a position or make an institutional statement on an issue or in response to a local, national or world event.   
  
In recognition of our federated relationship, Victoria University makes an effort to be in alignment with the University of Toronto statements. Over the past decade, the University of Toronto has made a number of such statements on natural disasters, political conflicts and other events.    
  
In recent years Victoria University has shared statements on issues that relate directly to the institution, including a June 2021 statement about the legacy of Egerton Ryerson at Victoria University and an April 2023 commitment to divest our endowment portfolio from direct fossil fuel producers.  
  
Universities are under increasing pressure to comment on a wide range of issues. In April 2024, U of T published new principles after hearing concerns that institutional statements sometimes have unintended and undesirable effects.   
  
This document outlines our policy on when it is appropriate for Victoria University to make an institutional statement. We expect that we will still refer to U of T in situations that affect both universities.

Definition

An institutional statement is an official, public communication in response to local, national or world events, generally involving recent developments of major public interest. Such public statements are issued or endorsed by the president or other institutional leaders designated to do so on the president’s or institution’s behalf (e.g. chair of the Board of Regents.)

Victoria University’s Principles for Issuing or Endorsing an Institutional Statement

These principles are intended to guide Victoria University’s institutional responses and apply to the university and its units, offices and programs.  
  
Academic Freedom  

All faculty members and librarians, including academic leaders, have the right of academic freedom to make statements as individuals. As stated in the U of T principles, leaders of an academic unit should promote respectful dialogue and protect the academic freedom of individual colleagues to research and teach contested ideas by maintaining an environment that is conducive to free inquiry.  

To maintain such an environment, and in light of the diverse university community, the issuance or endorsement of a public statement that purports to represent the views of everyone in an academic unit or program is strongly discouraged. The concept of academic freedom does not apply to Victoria University staff.  
  
Any request from the media for comment as a spokesperson for Victoria University—or Victoria College or Emmanuel College— should be referred to the Director of Communications, who will then work with the Office of the President to determine whether to comment, based on this policy.

Our Principles

1. The issue must be relevant to Victoria University or the broader University of Toronto or post-secondary education sector. The topic must directly impact our community: students, faculty, staff and/or librarians. We should have expertise to comment because of what we are, a university, a member of the academic community, a community of teachers, learners and researchers.  
2. A statement needs to bring value to the discussion and influence the issue, not just comment for the sake of commenting. We should have something meaningful and relevant to contribute or a solution to offer. Our statements should be aligned with our mission and articulated values.   
3. Institutional statements should be rare. Such statements should be issued in the name of the university president or delegate.