i sm shole't.

Paper - 3 I

TO: SENATE

FROM: FACULTY COUNCIL

Discussion Paper - Student

DATE: SEPTEMBER 23, 1966

Faculty Rights

Concern has been expressed over the need to have at Simon Fraser

special rights of privacy for students and faculty. In this concern it is

importtit to keep in mind that students and faculty as citizens have in-

alienable rights. Rights can not be arbitrarily assigned even by persons

or bodies with the very best of intentions. To do so would be to question

the very existence of these rights. We do not have in Canadian society

a tradition of those in appointed offices assigning rights to citizens.

If rights are to be considered at all then the entire university

community should be brought into the discussion. The matter should be put

on the agenda of all the elected bodies in the university.

Furthermore in the matter of rights for students and faculty it

is dangerous to pick out one right; for example, the right of privacy, at

the exc-1sion of other equally important rights. Few rights can be inter-

preted in any obsolute way. Each must be seen in relation to other rights.

The architectural design of the campus and the nature of the

present student body present many obstacles to the operation of Simon Fraser

in the traditional ways of Canadian Universities. Some of these obstacles

we can eliminate: others we must learn to live with. In Faculty Council's

opinion the assignment of any right to the students and faculty on the

part of the Faculty Council or Senate would be serious mistake. The

Council doubts if it would chievearyworhwhile results and further, it

would alienate this campus from the university community, and from the

public.

D. P. Robertson

Registrar

S.