On Campus

Manitoba president says prof harassed student

Prof. protested awarding of PhD to student who failed twice

David Barnard, president of the University of Manitoba, told a Winnipeg arbitrator Monday that math professor Gábor Lukács was “harassing” a student by repeatedly dissemintating personal health details about him, reports the Winnipeg Free Press. But Lukács continues to argue that he was justifiably protesting the fact that the student, whose name is protected by the tribunal, was awarded a PhD in math despite having twice failed the required exams. Lukács alleged then, as he does now, that the student was abusing the school’s policy of accommodating students with disabilities by faking “extreme anxiety.” John Doering, the Dean of Graduate Studies, had accepted the student’s condition as a valid reason for not requiring him to pass the exams. The student was awarded the doctorate. That caused Lukács to file an application with a Manitoba court asking for a reversal of the dean’s decision and an affirmation that the dean had no authority to resolve the issue without consulting a committee of academics. It was then that Barnard asked U of M’s board of governors to suspend Lukács without pay for three months, which they did, beginning in the fall. Arbitration continues. Read more coverage of the case here.

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: