Convicted sex offender banned from the U of C
Neurauter ‘has been advised not to come on campus,’ says provost Marshall
Sex offender Connor Neurauter will be kept off the University of Calgary campus should he show up for classes, a U of C official said Friday.
The 21-year-old was last present on campus Monday, and although he’s not expelled, he won’t be allowed on U of C property, at least during the current semester, which ends in late April, said U of C provost Dru Marshall.
“If he was to show up on campus, campus security would escort him off campus,” said Marshall.
“He has been advised not to come on campus.”
She said that action would be taken to protect students, faculty and Neurauter.
As for any threats provoked by the controversy, Marshall said, “there have been discussions on social media, but there have been no direct threats the university has seen.”
Marshall made the comments amid an explosion of outrage from university students and the public over a B.C. judge’s ruling and the U of C’s decision not to expel Neurauter, who pleaded guilty to a sex crime against a minor in B.C.
The university was thrown into the controversy after a B.C. judge on Jan. 4 sentenced the man to 90 days in jail for a single count of sexual interference involving a 13-year-old girl, but also ruled he can serve the remainder of it starting May 4, after finishing his semester at the U of C.
A petition that’s collected 57,000 signatures in four days is calling for his expulsion.
While Marshall acknowledged the outcry over the case, she said it “was really important for us to make a values-based decision. We can’t be swayed by public opinion.”
The U of C is typical among Canadian universities in not including criminal records check while weighing student admission.
She called for the episode, and others involving sexual harassment or abuse recently confronting other Canadian universities, to open a dialogue to hammer out a nationwide policy on the matter for post-secondary schools.
“It’s time to review the roles universities play in that discussion … it’s time we came together as a collective to ensure the safety and security of our campuses,” said Marshall.
But for now, the U of C has no way to outright expel Neurauter, since he wasn’t a student when he committed the 2016 offence.
The university’s stance on his returning to campus in the fall is undecided, said Marshall, adding the man is “considering his options” on whether to switch universities.
And the U of C is discussing the possibility of distance learning with Neurauter, she said.
The U of C’s vow to keep Neurauter off campus for now and to seek wider polices on sex abuse and universities is encouraging, said Kaitlyn Casswell, the person behind the petition.
“It’s a wonderful idea; if conversations like this bring about change, that’s fabulous,” she said.
“I think we’re finding a midway ground with the university.”
She said checking prospective students for criminal records is something that should be part of that discussion.
The U of C students’ union is satisfied with how university administrators are handling the issue, although it has provoked strong emotions from students, said Hilary Jahelka, the group’s vice-president of student life.
“We’ve seen a mixed response from students, it’s a complex and serious issue,” she said.
“Most students are happy to see that (Neurauter’s not on campus).”