UPEI appears before legislature to answer questions about damning report

University of Prince Edward Island officials were in the hot seat in Charlottetown Tuesday as they faced questions regarding the damning Rubin-Thomlinson report.

Top UPEI officials were called to appear before the Committee on Education and Economic Growth.

Legislators focused on the cost of the Rubin-Thomlinson Report, non-disclosure agreements, and what the university would do going forward.

The report detailed what it called a “toxic” environment, with reports of sexual harassment, bullying, and even accusations of rape on campus.

That doesn't sit well with many members of the legislature.

"This whole thing is not okay,” said Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly. “I don't want okay from this university any more, I want safety."

The province is spending $39 million in tax dollars next year on UPEI, roughly a quarter of the university’s $160 million operating budget.

University officials couldn’t say what the cost of measures being taken after the report amounted to. The Rubin-Thomlinson Report itself is estimated to cost between $400,000 and $500,000, but confirmed the former president, complaints against whom initiated the report in the first place, remained on contract for 16-18 months between stepping down and when the university severed ties at the release of the document.

The university is a member in 29 NDAs. Officials say only two involved sexual harassment…

"We have not signed any NDAs, in the last, since I've become president, so since December 2021 there've been no new NDAs signed at UPEI,” said Greg Keefe, interim UPEI president.

University officials say they’ve offered to release all of those NDAs, however some, importantly those involving the former president, have additional signatories who have not.

The university has faced criticism that it is moving too slowly to address the issues outlined in the report, but the president says they are taking the time they need to do important consultation.

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