Ex-Saint Mary’s University student returns degrees in anger over sexist chant

HALIFAX – A former student at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax has returned two degrees that he earned 18 years ago to the school, saying he’s outraged by a chant sung at frosh week that glorified the sexual assault of young girls.

Trailed by reporters, 42-year-old Daren Miller walked to the school campus today carrying his bachelor’s degrees in arts and commerce where he was met by the university’s registrar, Paul Dixon.

The two exchanged few words before Dixon took the scrolls and walked away.

Miller says he travelled from Calgary to Halifax to return the degrees he earned in 1995 as a symbolic gesture to distance himself from the university and sexism on campus.

The school has made headlines in recent weeks after a video surfaced online showing student leaders singing a chant about sexually assaulting girls to about 400 new students at a frosh-week event.

University spokesman Steve Proctor says the school respects Miller’s right to protest and hopes to regain his trust.

Proctor says the university is taking steps to ensure students feel safe and respected, pointing to the creation of a special panel that will look at ways to prevent sexual harassment on campus.