Downtown Trust Fund Launched!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 4, 2000.

Financial support for the three professors who have launched a legal challenge to quash the Board of Governor's decision that will close Trent University's treasured downtown colleges is pouring in.

A trust fund, called the ‘Friends of the Trent Colleges Trust’ has been set up to collect funds for the challenge. The three trustees are: George Nader, the current master of Peter Robinson College; Peter Kulchyski, chair of Native Studies and one of the three who launched the challenge; and Jane Davidson, an alumna who has been active in the struggle to save the downtown colleges.

Professor Kulchyski, who will act as liaison between the litigants’ group and the trust, said, "it is heartening to see that there is so much support for the principles we stand for."

Noting that just in a very few days the fund had garnered $20,000 in pledges, Professor Graham Cogley, whose donation of $1000 kick-started the drive, said that he was "very impressed with the well-spring of support. The case has touched a chord within the university community because there is a widespread feeling that the Board of Governors overstepped its bounds in making the November decision" respecting the downtown colleges.

Donations to the fund are intended to help meet the costs incurred in connection with the challenge.

"We called this the ‘Friends of the Trent Colleges Trust' because we think that the college system at Trent is at stake here," said Professor Nader, "and we're getting support from people associated with each of the colleges at Trent. This tells us that this is not a fight between the downtown and Symons

Campus as it's been portrayed by the administration. On the contrary, their blueprint for the university is an attack on the college system as a whole and more and more people are recognizing that."

Professor Kulchyski called attention to the fact that the court process was an expensive one to undertake and explained that "the principle of Senate's authority over academic decisions, like the decision to close a college, is really fundamental to what a university is. We have to fight to protect that and we're willing to put our money where our mouth is."

Ms Davidson noted that any remaining trust funds must be used for charitable purposes and would likely be directed in support of student scholarships and bursaries.

Any interested donors are encouraged to review the terms of the Trust Agreement. Copies of the Trust Agreement can be obtained from the trustees.

A press conference will be held on Friday February 4 at 11:a.m.at the Senior College Room of Peter Robinson College to describe the trust, launch the support campaign, and answer questions about current issues surrounding the case.

For more information contact:

Peter Kulchyski at 748-1310, Ian McLachlan at 748-1771, or Jane Davidson at 749-2095.