Sex offender Connor Neurauter not 'de facto' expelled, U of C fires back to lawyers' group
CBC News | Posted: January 23, 2018 8:54 PM | Last Updated: January 23, 2018
University says it's working with convicted sex offender to continue his studies despite ban from campus
The University of Calgary says its decision to bar a student who is a convicted sex offender from campus is not a de facto expulsion, as suggested by a provincial lawyer's association.
Connor Neurauter, 21, was sentenced to prison for sexual interference with a 13-year-old girl in 2015, but his sentence, handed down in a Kamloops, B.C., courtroom, was delayed so that he could finish his classes at the U of C.
That decision caused an uproar, including an online petition demanding he be expelled.
The university said it had no grounds to expel Neurauter, but he was told he must not return to campus for the rest of the term.
On Monday, the Criminal Trial Lawyers' Association president Daniel Chivers criticized the school, saying in an open letter that its actions are cowardly and breach fundamental due process.
"Make no mistake: this is a de facto expulsion," his letter said.
The school issued a public response to the letter on Tuesday, denying that its actions fly in the face of the University of Calgary's discipline policies.
"We have not disciplined Mr. Neurauter, nor have we acted based on our discipline policies," said Dru Marshall, the U of C's provost and vice-president academic.
"We have advised him not to return to campus this term, while we work with him to develop options that would allow him to pursue his studies in a productive learning environment."
Chivers, who has no connection to the family or the case, told CBC News on Monday he was moved to publish his letter because he and his members believe the U of C's handling of the situation sets a bad precedent.
Chivers said the university is obliged to ensure the safety of all of its students, including Neurauter, who he acknowledges committed a serious offence with lasting consequences for his victim.
Marshall said in her letter that the school is concerned about the safety and security of everyone on its campus, including Neurauter.
"This is a challenging and complicated situation. It demands thoughtful and considered assessment that respects all involved," Marshall said.