Because Trent University is our university.

Who are we?

We are a group of Trent alumni, past and present employees, students and concerned citizens of the City of Peterborough, the Province of Ontario and Canada. We share one thing in common - an overwhelming love and concern for the continued health and well being of Trent University.

Advocating for Transparency and Accountability in University Governance

Trent University is funded in large part by the taxpayer yet has not been subject to public scrutiny or accountability for its use of public funds. This is because Trent, like all Ontario universities, has enjoyed exemption from provincial Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation. We believe the exemption from FOI legislation is a direct contributor to many of the problems at Trent University and has lead university administrators and boards of governors to adopt a "culture of secrecy". To assure the future of Trent, we believe there must be accountability and transparency in university governance. We believe that the first step towards accomplishing this is to bring universities under provincial FOI legislation without special exemptions. OurTrent, therefore, has been an active contributor to the campaign for transparency and accountability in university governance.

Thanks to the combined efforts of OurTrent and other socially responsible individuals and organizations, sufficient public pressure forced the government of the day to act to amend the provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) to include Ontario's universities effective June 10, 2006.

However, continued public vigilance will be required as we expect universities will attempt to develop strategies to circumvent FIPPA.

Documentation Repository.

OurTrent.com is also intended to be a repository for documentation about Trent University in particular as well as Freedom of Information, accountability and transparency in postsecondary education in Ontario and beyond. If you wish to contribute documentation please send it to " " together with any explanatory notes you feel to be important.

Motivation.

Unfortunately we have witnessed a deterioration of Trent University over the past several years. We have seen a lack of governance, an absence of accountability and responsibility, increased confrontation and secrecy and a growing litigiousness. As a result Trent has become encumbered by significant financial and social pressures (see the "Trent in the Media" archive). These will only become worse and result in further deterioration of the Trent we know and love. We must act together, and now, if we wish to turn these trends around and help Trent prosper.

Our analysis, conclusions and recommendations are not currently shared by either the Board of Governors or the managers they employ. We believe that it is within Trent's best interests to prudently evaluate and consider what we have to say rather than summarily reject what we consider to be constructive criticism. While we are not confrontational we acknowledge that our views and recommendations will be perceived as being so by those unwilling to evaluate them openly and thus they will not be able to arrive at a logical or reasoned determination of their merits.

We stress that the focus of this site is positive, progressive and constructive. Some may experience discomfort in what is examined and recommended, and to those we stress again our positive intent. There is wisdom in the adage "No Pain, No Gain". This site is not a witch hunt and we do not participate in such activities. The reader is directed to the short review of Lionel Lewis' book "When Power Corrupts: Academic Governing Boards In the Shadow of the Adelphi Case" for a view of the context which is remarkable in the parallels to Trent.

Part of the purpose of this site at this time is to promote e-Democracy, e-Accountability and e-Governance and demonstrate the use of this medium. Don Tapscott and David Tilcoll note in "The Naked Corporation" the power that stakeholders have "when stakeholders can see". This then dictates that the governance, management and accountability structures of Trent University must pass the test of living in the Age of Transparency because, as it turns out, not much can remain private for long.

Today institutions and corporations are increasingly being held accountable. Boards and management must understand that they are living in a glass house, what Don Tapscott refers to as the "Age of Transparency" in his book The Naked Corporation and the publication of The Naked University © cannot be far away. Trent University will have to develop and adjust its governance and management practices and policies accordingly. It is our aim to assure the transition to responsible and accountable governance and management is successful.