U of T to launch independent review of International Human Rights Program director search

At the request of the dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto, U of T’s vice-president, human resources and equity will launch an independent review of the facts related to the contentious search for an administrative staff member to direct the International Human Rights Program. The IHRP works to enhance the legal protection of existing and emerging international human rights obligations through advocacy, knowledge-exchange and capacity-building initiatives.  

The review, requested earlier this fall by the dean of the Faculty of Law, will provide a comprehensive factual narrative of events pertaining to the search committee process and the basis for the decision to discontinue the candidacy of the search committee’s preferred candidate. The review will be led by Bonnie Patterson, a former president of the Council of Ontario Universities, consultant in higher education and governance and professor emeritus and former president of Trent University. 

Patterson will advise on whether existing university policies and procedures were followed in the search, including those relating to confidentiality obligations. Participation in the review will be entirely voluntary. It will be completed by mid-January at the latest. The results will be submitted to Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president, human resources and equity, Cheryl Regehr, vice-president and provost, and Edward Iacobucci, dean of the Faculty of Law. The report’s findings will be made public. 

“I look forward to receiving the results of this independent review,” said Hannah-Moffat.  “It will promote transparency and inform best practices for future staff searches.”