On February 22, U4 Arts student Ethan Feldman was given disciplinary notice regarding an incident on February 15 in the Leacock building. A McGill Senate meeting took place in Leacock 232 on February 15, outside of which some students – including Feldman – were present.
The notice alleges that Feldman violated section 8b of the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures, which states that no student shall “knowingly create a condition which unnecessarily endangers or threatens or undermines the health, safety, well-being, or dignity of another person or persons, threatens to cause humiliation or threatens the damage or destruction of property.”
Feldman said that since the disciplinary notice did not specify, he could not be sure what incident it refers to.
Feldman explained that he talked to a security guard about entry to Senate – which was a limited-access meeting, and was livestreamed in the Redpath Museum – and later handed out copies of the Quebec Private Security Act in the Leacock building. He said that he later went to the Redpath Museum to watch the livestream.
An initial meeting with Associate Dean of Students Linda Starkey took place on Wednesday, one week after the notice was delivered.
Associate Professor of Philosophy Alison Laywine and Philosophy Professor Hasana Sharp accompanied Feldman to his meeting with Starkey. Laywine and Sharp were not allowed to sit in on the meeting.
Starkey allowed the two professors to meet with herself and Feldman once the initial meeting was complete.
Another meeting has been scheduled for March 7 to exchange evidence between both parties. However, Feldman explained that “I don’t know what the case is, so I don’t know what evidence I could provide.”
“I was surprised at the opacity,” Laywine told The Daily after the meeting. “It strikes me that that’s a problem with the way the disciplinary process is set up.”
The Code of Student Conduct is currently under revision, a point that Feldman said Starkey mentioned during their meeting.
Feldman’s notice came on the same day that other McGill students received notice of disciplinary action for the January 31 interruption of a Board of Governors meeting.
He said that he did not formally identify himself to University authorities in the Leacock building, but that security personnel are familiar with him. Feldman was a fifth floor occupier on November 10, and a sixth floor occupier during #6party.