Open letter to Queen's Principal on 'illegal and dangerous' behaviour - Kingstonist

Those attending an unsanctioned party over Queen’s University Homecoming weekend 2021 gathered on a roof in downtown Kingston. Photo by Cris Vilela.

The following is a submitted open letter to Queen’s University Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Patrick Deane. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Kingstonist.

Dear Queen’s Principal Patrick Deane

I agree with MP Mark Gerretsen and Mayor Bryan Paterson that only suspension or expulsion from Queen’s will stem the tsunami of illegal and dangerous street behavior by too many Queen’s students.

You have said publicly that you do not have the power to suspend or expel students summarily. Are you going to obtain that power and follow through, or will you continue to risk the health, safety and world reputation of all Queen’s students, never mind that of Kingston citizens? Once your students are publicly convicted of their recent crimes, as they will be, it will be up to you to suspend or expel them expeditiously. Are you obtaining that power now, or will there be some long complex process that dilutes any prevention effect on other students?

We have three diligent and responsible teen-age grandchildren, whom we love dearly and who we would love to have near us in Kingston during their post-secondary education years. Unless Queen’s cleans up its students’ public behavior, we would never even consider recommending Kingston or Queen’s to them. Across Canada, the institutional dinosaurs like Queen’s, who refuse to take prompt and meaningful action against their students who violate public trust and safety, are watching their institutions’ reputations sink into ignominy, no matter how many Nobel Prizes their graduates win. 

How far are you going to let Queen’s sink before suspending or expelling students expeditiously, the only effective penalties for criminal behavior that remains to you to clean up Queen’s reputation?

Thanks for considering my opinions,

Jean Gower
Kingston resident

Editorial note: To read Principal Deane’s full statement regarding the unsanctioned parties that occurred over the weekend of Homecoming 2021 (which involved approximately 7,000 people, according to Kingston Police), click here.

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Open letter to Queen's Principal on 'illegal and dangerous' behaviour - Kingstonist
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