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Scholarship Harassment

Universities offer the chance to explore and express a full spectrum of ideas. While this may result in vehement debate and critique, challenging others’ views cannot take the form of scholarship harassment. This includes but is not limited to bullying, intimidation, threats, and personal attacks against scholars based on their research, teaching, and related activities.

The resources and information here are intended to support York University scholars’ right to exercise academic freedom without fear of intimidation or harassment.

  • Graduate Students: We hope you find these resources helpful but also recognize you may have distinct concerns. Please connect: with your Graduate Program Director and/or the Associate Dean, Students (fgsadst@yorku.ca) to discuss any academic or career issues; and with Graduate Wellness & Counseling Services for personal support.

If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1 and contact Security at  416-736-5333.

Support and Resources

In the below resources, you will see recommendations on whom to contact for support. You can always go first to someone you trust – a colleague, Associate Dean, Dean, Faculty Affairs, etc.

Overview of Supports

See what kinds of support you or a colleague can receive from specific people and offices at York. This is all in addition to individual mentors and resources available within units and faculties.

Focus: Physical Safety

Learn more about steps to take if you are concerned for your or a colleague’s physical safety.

Focus: Online Harassment

Learn more about steps to take if you or a colleague is being harassed via email and see resources to shore up your online security.

Focus: Legal Issues

Focus: Research Support

Learn more about research-related harassment and supports available, including how to engage with the media regarding scholarship.

Focus: Teaching Support

Learn more about teaching-related harassment and supports available, including how to prepare to teach challenging topics.

Peer Support

If you are experiencing harassment and want to connect with, or support other colleagues who have faced/are facing similar issues, please email us.

Site Feedback

This page and our resources are a work in progress. We invite and appreciate your recommendations for how to build up our supports for scholars.

Statement from the President

“Universities play an essential role in creating new knowledge and challenging existing ideas. They also provide a forum where we can discuss difficult and complex issues, hold arguments up to scrutiny, and where people can learn from each other and work towards solutions. The protection afforded by academic freedom, within limits prescribed by law, is a foundational value of every university, necessary to our work to expand the boundaries of human understanding and support a diverse, inclusive and democratic society.

We must always defend the right of students, professors and instructional staff to express their views and conduct free inquiry. It is, however, not required that we agree with the content of that speech. Free expression, especially on controversial topics, is best regulated by vigorous counter- speech. It is not appropriate for the University to decide which side of a particular issue is correct. This function should be the exclusive preserve of peer review within the Academy, and robust dialogue within civil society beyond the University’s walls.”

Read the Full Letter from the President, September 2020