Thursday, June 20, 2013

Student Federation's Centre for Equity and Human Rights Releases Report alerting the University of Ottawa’s Common Law Section to serious concerns and offering recommendations



The Centre for Equity and Human Rights (CEHR), a service offered by the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa has released a public report which outlines concerns with regard to the University of Ottawa’s Common Law Section management of cases involving the duty to accommodate and students with disabilities. The vast majority of CEHR formal or informal cases occurring within the Common Law section of the Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa, are reported to pertain to the prohibited ground disability.

Identified barriers include problems with the accommodation process, the lack of willingness to render appeals related decisions which consider human rights perspectives and obligations and the upper management’s refusal to meet with student advocates.

The Student Appeal Centre has been witness to many of the concerns raised within CEHR’s report and strongly support their recommendations.