Carleton U reveals new donor deal in controversial political management program

OTTAWA – Carleton University has rewritten a controversial donor agreement for its school of political management to make clear that a wealthy patron does not have the final say on faculty hiring and curriculum.

The new donor agreement comes after Carleton stonewalled for almost a year to hide the details of its $15-million deal with Calgary businessman Clayton Riddell.

When the donor agreement finally became public earlier this summer, Carleton faculty and the Canadian Association of University Teachers cried foul, calling it a major infringement on academic freedom.

Carleton president Roseann O’Reilly Runte released the new deal as she lauded the first anniversary of the master’s degree program, designed to train political staff for work in government.

A five-person steering committee — dominated by the patron’s appointees and headed by Preston Manning — no longer approves key hiring and curriculum decisions, but is asked to provide “timely and strategic advice.”

The new agreement also requires that the committee operate in accordance with the university’s policies, procedures and practices.