University of Alberta Arts Faculty Council passes non-confidence vote on president's leadership

The governing body of one of the University of Alberta's largest faculties voted overwhelmingly Thursday against president Bill Flanagan's leadership after his handling of a pro-Palestinian student protest camp earlier this month.

The vote of non-confidence in Flanagan by the Arts Faculty Council passed 56–7, with seven abstentions.

"Most of the people in the room … wanted to send a message to him that they're not happy with his leadership," said Andy Knight, a political science professor and Provost Fellow for Black Excellence and Leadership who voted in favour of the motion.

"He's going to have a very difficult time leading the institution."

The vote comes after a series of public calls from students, faculty and alumni for Flanagan to apologize or resign over his response to the encampment, which was set up May 9 and forcibly removed after the university called in police on May 11.

David Kahane, a political science professor who put forward the motion, was also present during the encampment as a go-between for the student organizers and university security.

He said the camp was completely peaceful and the justifications offered by the university — which he addressed in a seven-page letter to the Board of Governors — are absurd.

"The president is the most senior decision-maker at this university," said Kahane. "He was faced with a peaceful political assembly and protest for which constitutional law professors have [said] there is a high constitutional bar for clearing."

CBC News reached out to the university to ask for Flanagan's reaction to the vote. A spokesperson said only that "the president has had meaningful conversations with faculty, students and staff, and will continue to do so over the coming days and weeks as he focuses on the needs of the university community."

According to multiple people present in the virtual faculty council meeting, Flanagan himself appeared at the start of the program to offer remarks and answer questions.

"There was a lot of negative reaction to what he was saying," said Julie Rak, a professor and H.M. Tory chair in the english and film studies department.

"I believe 'poorly received' is a very good description."

Kahane and others present said that there had been no plans for a non-confidence vote at the start of the meeting — the motion came about organically due to Flanagan's remarks.

"People in the meeting openly told him, we have lost faith in your leadership," said Rak.  After Flanagan left, the conversation continued. "We thought we need to send him a message about how we're feeling after this meeting. And the best way to do that, we thought, was to take a vote."