Ryerson student's still faces expulsion over Facebook group
TORONTO (CUP) -- A Ryerson University student facing expulsion for joining an Internet study group has faced an appeal panel, but the outcome is still up in the air.
Meanwhile, Ryerson students are debating a new university policy which could allow them to be subjected to a new online code of conduct.
Following the March 11 appeal, first-year engineering student Chris Avenir vowed to fight until he clears his name, even if it means taking legal action if he loses.
Fanshawe College has organized a Virtual Social Networking seminar for March 26 for staff. The popularity of Facebook, MySpace, and Second Life will be discussed, as well as the role these new mediums play in today's classroom and beyond.
Avenir's trouble began when he joined a group on the popular social networking site Facebook called “The Dungeon/Mastering Chemistry Solutions,” which was created as an online study group for one of his classes.
When he became the group's administrator, the school charged him with nearly 150 counts of academic misconduct, one for every member in the group he administered.
“I don't have any regrets about what happened,” said Avenir after his appeal was heard.
Avenir's case has since attracted international media attention and approximately 20 supporters were also present at his appeal hearing.
“Ryerson's image is pretty much going down the drain,” said first-year hospitality and tourism management student Shannan Scott, Avenir's girlfriend.
“I think it's great that we're getting his case out there.”
Not all students, however, are supporting Avenir, and the campus is divided over the idea of policing students online.
The president of the engineers' student group maintains that Avenir committed academic misconduct for administrating a Facebook group in which students exchanged notes and answers.
“It seems unfair to everyone who would have worked on that assignment on their own,” said Griffith d'Souza, president of the Ryerson Engineering Students' Society.
But he said that Avenir has been singled out for the indiscretions of each member of the group.
Meanwhile, students and staff are mobilizing against a motion currently before Ryerson's senate which would allow the school to punish students for things that happen off campus and on the Internet.
The proposed policy would create a Student Conduct Officer, who would enforce the Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct (Policy 61).
Ryerson's two student unions are circulating an online petition against Policy 61, describing the proposed amendments as “the biggest affront in years to students' freedom of speech.”
Computer Science professor David Mason, a member of the committee updating the current policy, said the school needs more time to gather input on the latest draft of Policy 61.
He said that because material is usually submitted two weeks prior to each meeting, it would be difficult to incorporate student suggestions into the current draft.
Zouheir Fawaz, the university's vice-president of students who chairs the group drafting Policy 61, said that as long as the draft is the subject of student concern, the committee will not present the draft for voting.
“Trust me, I'll be the last person to watch a committee under my chairmanship proposing something that infringes on student rights,” he said. “The university isn't sending spies onto the World Wide Web to monitor you.”
However, Nora Loreto, president of the Ryerson students' union, argued that the role of the conduct officer will be to hunt down students.
“We're paying another salary to someone whose sole purpose is to police students,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ryerson students are debating a new university policy which could allow them to be subjected to a new online code of conduct.
Following the March 11 appeal, first-year engineering student Chris Avenir vowed to fight until he clears his name, even if it means taking legal action if he loses.
Fanshawe College has organized a Virtual Social Networking seminar for March 26 for staff. The popularity of Facebook, MySpace, and Second Life will be discussed, as well as the role these new mediums play in today's classroom and beyond.
Avenir's trouble began when he joined a group on the popular social networking site Facebook called “The Dungeon/Mastering Chemistry Solutions,” which was created as an online study group for one of his classes.
When he became the group's administrator, the school charged him with nearly 150 counts of academic misconduct, one for every member in the group he administered.
“I don't have any regrets about what happened,” said Avenir after his appeal was heard.
Avenir's case has since attracted international media attention and approximately 20 supporters were also present at his appeal hearing.
“Ryerson's image is pretty much going down the drain,” said first-year hospitality and tourism management student Shannan Scott, Avenir's girlfriend.
“I think it's great that we're getting his case out there.”
Not all students, however, are supporting Avenir, and the campus is divided over the idea of policing students online.
The president of the engineers' student group maintains that Avenir committed academic misconduct for administrating a Facebook group in which students exchanged notes and answers.
“It seems unfair to everyone who would have worked on that assignment on their own,” said Griffith d'Souza, president of the Ryerson Engineering Students' Society.
But he said that Avenir has been singled out for the indiscretions of each member of the group.
Meanwhile, students and staff are mobilizing against a motion currently before Ryerson's senate which would allow the school to punish students for things that happen off campus and on the Internet.
The proposed policy would create a Student Conduct Officer, who would enforce the Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct (Policy 61).
Ryerson's two student unions are circulating an online petition against Policy 61, describing the proposed amendments as “the biggest affront in years to students' freedom of speech.”
Computer Science professor David Mason, a member of the committee updating the current policy, said the school needs more time to gather input on the latest draft of Policy 61.
He said that because material is usually submitted two weeks prior to each meeting, it would be difficult to incorporate student suggestions into the current draft.
Zouheir Fawaz, the university's vice-president of students who chairs the group drafting Policy 61, said that as long as the draft is the subject of student concern, the committee will not present the draft for voting.
“Trust me, I'll be the last person to watch a committee under my chairmanship proposing something that infringes on student rights,” he said. “The university isn't sending spies onto the World Wide Web to monitor you.”
However, Nora Loreto, president of the Ryerson students' union, argued that the role of the conduct officer will be to hunt down students.
“We're paying another salary to someone whose sole purpose is to police students,” she said.
