A past member of both Trent University's board of governors and Senate warns that Trent's distinctive nature areas are threatened by the apparent frenzy to develop commercial opportunities on campus lands. "In June, 2005 Trent's Board was assured that the proposed sports field would not be built in the Wildlife Sanctuary at the City's requested location, but Trent's administration seems to have subsequently flip-flopped on that assurance. With so many mosquitoes about, perhaps someone had an itchy back," writes Derrick McIntosh. Commenting on the "unbridled haste" with which Trent has entered into agreements with the City to prop up the DNA Cluster business park (for which no business plan exists), McIntosh notes the administration and Senate are playing fast and loose with policy and their respective responsibilities, to the potentially irrevocable detriment of Trent and the greater community. There is still time "for the University's governing bodies to rectify this short-sighted and reckless folly," he says.

Trent's bicameral governance structure, as defined in the Trent Act, allocates authority to the Board of Governors and to the Senate respectively. In Kulchyski v. Trent University it was noted that not all issues fall neatly into the exclusive authority of one body. Judge Sharpe (dissenting) noted;

These provisions plainly envisage a power-sharing relationship between Senate and the Board. Decisions falling within these provisions give rise to issues of both financial management and educational policy and hence require the concurrence of both bodies. As the President of the University, Bonnie Patterson, conceded on cross-examination, where a matter has both educational policy and financial implications, the approval of both Senate and the Board is necessary.

The Nature Areas Stewardship Plan, the DNA cluster and its spin-off developments such as the building a soccer sports complex in a designated Nature Area, are but examples where it seems authority of Senate and the board intersect, interface and/or overlap. But bicameral governance, absent defined mechanisms to resolve stalemate, relies upon collegiality and transparency between the parties, as was noted in the Arthurs-Lorimer Report of 1997. Since that time collegiality and transparency appear to have remained in short supply at Trent, and recommendations in Arthurs-Lorimer have not been implemented.

Many are concerned that the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding Trent's recent developments and current development plans plans are indicative of a rush job lacking both reasoning and process. There is widespread concern, in and beyond the Trent and Peterborough communities, that the DNA Cluster project is neither viable nor sustainable. There is growing community concern that Trent and Peterborough may be saddled with the costs if sound reasoning continues to play second fiddle to glossy media promotions. There is concern government funding bodies have become too entrenched in the project and will be susceptible to demand and lobby for increased public funding rather than to concede having invested inappropriately.

We at OurTrent are not alone in being alarmed that the response of the Trent administration is to turn a blind eye to these and other concerns which are deserving of proper consideration. Rather than respond openly and with transparent reasoning the media moguls at Trent turn up the dial a notch. It was an insult to the intelligence and integrity of our communities that Trent president Bonnie Patterson claimed there to be a "wide base of community support" for the DNA cluster when in fact that is not the case (Nov 15 press release).

McIntosh concludes telling us there is still time "for the University's governing bodies to rectify this short-sighted and reckless folly."

If McIntosh is right, and we hope he is, will Trent's board and Senate be able to rise to the challenge?

Over the years Derrick McIntosh has contributed significantly, and selflessly, to both the Trent and Peterborough communities. In addition to serving terms on the Trent University Senate and board of governors McIntosh is a past president of the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA). He was involved in the creation of the Peter Robinson Community and Student Association (PRCSA) which reclaimed and preserved Saldeir House for community use. McIntosh was the first Steward of the PRCSA, which operates independent of Trent University.