Neither of the two candidates having been accepted, it is a return to square one in the race for the rectorship of the University of Quebec (UQAM) aiming to replace the current rector, Magda Fusaro, whose mandate will end on 7 January. The fact that the Uqamian community cannot come to an agreement is called into question.
“After reviewing all of the information brought to its attention, meeting with the groups affected by the consultation process and analyzing the results of the consultation of the university community, the committee decided not to recommend to the Board of administration none of the candidates for the position of rector,” reads a missive dated November 14 and signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Simon Prévost.
Both candidates have worked at UQAM for many years. Catherine Mounier, professor and director of the department of biological sciences, held the position of vice-rector for research, creation and dissemination from 2015 to 2020. His vis-à-vis, Jean-Christian Pleau, is vice-rector for academic life and has held multiple positions within the university.
It was not the quality of the applications that was in question, specifies Simon Prévost in an interview with The duty. “What we found was that there was no consensus [dans la communauté] for one or the other, he said. You could call it a tie, to some extent.” This is the head of the independent selection committee composed of members of the university and outside, which oversees the process.
A consultation was conducted online from November 4 to 10 with professors, student associations, executives, unions and lecturers. This is not a ballot, and its purpose is to help the committee make a choice. At the end of the vote, Catherine Mounier collected 297 votes against 296 for Jean-Christian Pleau, out of a total of 836 votes cast. The latter was especially favored by professors and lecturers, while its opponent was preferred by university executives.
“When there is no consensus, it is difficult for a selection committee to decide for the community,” points out Simon Prévost. Such a situation has already been seen at UQAM in 2017. And doing a consultation again as part of a race for the rectorate is not exceptional, he assures us.
“In any university, the processes are quite intense,” he says. I feel that, indeed, what was proposed did not convince. But does that mean it’s bad [à l’UQAM] ? I don’t think that’s a conclusion you can draw.”
Huge disappointment
In interview with The duty, Catherine Mounier would have liked events to take a different turn. “What disappointed me the most was the low participation of the teaching staff. And, above all, the large percentage of people who want neither one nor the other, ”she says.
Some 193 teachers out of 666 ticked the “none of these people” box. Faculty turnout was 57.17% as 1,165 of them were eligible to vote, making it by far the group with the highest number of votes.
“The teachers’ union didn’t agree with either of them, and I think that’s what came out of the result,” she says. The Union of Professors of the University of Quebec in Montreal (SPUQ) did not respond to our request for an interview.
Catherine Mounier says she “completely understands the position of the selection committee”. “Despite the fact that I get more votes, it does not ensure solid legitimacy and I would have thought a lot if I had been offered it,” she says.
Another call for candidates will be launched in the coming weeks, internally and externally. The selection committee will meet this week to establish a schedule. “I can tell you beyond any doubt that it won’t be over on January 7,” said Simon Prévost. We will have an interim rector appointed at that time”.
For its part, the union of lecturers denounced in a press release Monday an “archaic and discriminatory” consultation process, and calls for its revision. Only 51 lecturers were able to vote during the consultation, against 1165 on the teachers’ side. “The 51 lecturers consulted therefore represent 3.9% of those consulted for the race for the rectorship, while the members of SPPEUQAM represent 39.4% of all the institution’s employees”, laments we.