Advocating for transparency and accountability in university governance.
The Age of Transparency will Revolutionize
University Governance and Management.
:: e-Governance :: e-Accountability :: e-Democracy ::
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Advocating for transparency and accountability in university governance. The Age of Transparency will Revolutionize University Governance and Management. :: e-Governance :: e-Accountability :: e-Democracy :: |
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Critics scrutinize Trent University's DNA centre's future at forum By Clark Kim Peterborough This Week - Oct 22, 2004 {OurTrent Editor's note: see responding Letter to the Editor] In an attempt to lift a perceived veil of secrecy over the DNA Cluster Project at Trent University, school administrators met with concerned individuals this week to discuss the multimillion-dollar initiative. Students, faculty and community members attended an open forum Tuesday night to ask many questions about what, they say, could be the largest partnership between the university and private companies. While the proposed cluster project will be driven by DNA research, its commercial potential had many at the forum worried most. "Whenever profits are involved, the knowledge can be corrupted," said Shantel Ivits, Trent Central Student Association vice-president of university affairs. She added the decision to use Trent's nature areas for the construction of the DNA research facility - northeast of the science complex by December 2005 - should be evaluated more in-depth. "The process is being too rushed," said Ms Ivits, who prefers to see the entire DNA Cluster Project axed. Roy Brady, who also attended the meeting, left that night with more questions than answers. "I thought there was tremendous uncertainties," he said. As a community member, he is concerned about the lack of public consultation surrounding the project to date. "It's not a case of that it's bad. It should be good. Just tell us what's real." The forum allowed Trent administration and DNA project members to speak about the benefits of having a Peterborough-based regional cluster. It has been hailed as a unique collaboration between Trent, Sir Sandford Fleming College, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and the local economic development agency. "It's a complex project that has been going for quite a long time," said Susan Clark, Trent vice-president academic. When complete, she added, the project will most benefit the university and MNR by providing both teaching and research opportunities in DNA profiling and forensics. The university is under a tight schedule to have two building blocks primarily housing research and computer laboratories operational by the end of next year before they lose almost $8 million in federal and provincial government funding. A small amount of space will be reserved for commercialization purposes, said Ms Clark. That includes attracting businesses to drive economic growth once the building phase is done, said Denis Ferkany, executive co-ordinator of the DNA Cluster Project. "The objective of all of this is to create high-paying, high-level jobs and bring wealth to the Peterborough area." |
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