Previously we reported that former U of S President MacKinnon had refused to forward to the Board of Governors a positive recommendation by the Renewal and Tenure Appeal Committee for the tenure of one of our faculty members. MacKinnon claimed that, pursuant to The University of Saskatchewan Act, he had the power to veto such a recommendation. We were happy to report in April that the grievance filed by the Faculty Association on this matter had resulted in an arbitration decision in favour of the USFA (http://www.usaskfaculty.ca/2014/04/22/usfa-e-letter-association-wins-important-arbitration-award/).
In June, the Board of Governors chose to appeal the decision to the Court of Queen’s Bench, asking that the ruling of the Arbitrator be set aside. In July the matter was heard by the Court and today we received the decision.
We are pleased to let you know that the decision of Arbitrator Sims has been upheld and the appeal has been dismissed. The Board of Governors has 30 days in which to appeal, but we hope that, at last, this decision marks the end of a troubling series of events at this university.