Academic Freedom: A Day of Dialogue and Reflection at VIU, Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Academic Freedom continues to be a hot topic in Canadian post-secondary, especially now with the sector experiencing crisis after crisis, leading to inevitable restructuring and redesign. In order to maximize academic freedom protections at universities, especially now, it is important to enable members of our university community to engage in dialogue and discussion related to this topic.

On Tuesday, May 6th, Dr. Shannon Dea will be joining us at VIU to help host a day of discussion and engagement around academic freedom. Dr. Dea is the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and a Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Classics at the University of Regina.  She is an established expert on academic freedom, and has written a column in University Affairs called Dispatches on Academic Freedom. You can read her work here.

The Academic Freedom Symposium, hosted for all members of the Vancouver Island University community, and will include a plenary address, and three workshops (see schedule below) on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Refreshments and lunch will be served.

Please register via this link: REGISTRATION

Tentative Schedule (all sessions facilitated by Dr Dea)

This is a great opportunity to interact with Dr. Shannon Dea, members of our VIU community, and academic freedom. There is no prerequisite for attending--just a desire to listen, think, and if like, speak up. By delving into academic freedom, we can uncover more closely what it means to each of us, and what it means to our institution.

With gratitude for funding provided by the Vancouver Island University Faculty Association (VIUFA)

For more information, please contact kathleen.bortolin@viu.ca.