Prof wants apology for Playboy remark

A professor at an Ontario university says both the school and a recent honorary doctorate recipient have not offered sufficient apologies for what she describes as sexist remarks made at a recent convocation ceremony.

Johanna Weststar, associate professor of psychology at Western University, questions the sincerity of the apology issued by both the school and philanthropist Aubrey Dan after remarks he made at the ceremony last Friday.

While receiving an honorary doctorate, Dan joked that he chose to transfer to Western in the early ’80s in part because of Playboy Magazine’s assessment that women at the university were “among the best in North America” at the time. Dan added that “obviously they still are.”

Dan later issued an apology saying he did not mean to be sexist, describing himself as an egalitarian, and adding the remark was meant to express “what went through my 19-year-old mind when deciding ... to go to Western.”

The university also issued a statement apologizing to anyone offended by the remarks and praising its “longstanding” relationship with Dan, whose name adorns its Department of Management and Organizational Studies where Weststar teaches.

Weststar says both Dan and the school only apologized for the fact that people were offended rather than taking responsibility for the content of the remarks.

She lambasted the school, in particular, for what she felt was a disingenuous position.

“I would like to see Western also make a public statement of apology that is not immediately tied to statements of Mr. Dan’s worth and commitment to Western,” Weststar said in an email. “These issues are separate and saying sorry out of one side of your mouth while you endorse someone out of the other side is not enough. I recognize that Western would like to maintain their donors, but this should not come at the cost of compromising the integrity and reputation of the institution.”

The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Dan, a Tony Award-winning theatre producer and entrepreneur, said he has offered through an intermediary to speak with Weststar. He also noted his Dancap Private Equity Research Fund has given her $8,449.82 since 2013.