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Waterloo Public Interest Research Group
Centre For Peace Advancement, Rm. 4222
Conrad Grebel College
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1
Tel: 519.888.4882 Email: [email protected]
WPIRG is a campus-based organization whose mission is to support
students and community members to research, educate, and take action on
social and environmental justice issues.
To:
Feridun Hamdullahpur, President and Vice-Chancellor,
Marilyn Thompson, Associate Provost, Human Resources,
Lee Elkas, Director, Food Services
Dear Feridun, Marilyn and Lee,
As concerned members of the University of Waterloo community, we are writing in regards to Marilyn Boutilier who
was recently fired from the Browser's Cafe at the Dana Porter library for giving small amounts of free coffee and foodstuffs to
several campus workers. While Ms. Boutilier infringed on her responsibilities, based on the information that is currently
publicly available we are deeply saddened and concerned with how UW has treated Ms. Boutilier. For what seems a minor
transgression of the rules that was done as an act of kindness, Ms. Boutilier, a dedicated UW worker of 28 years, was fired
immediately. We feel that termination in this case is unduly harsh and unwarranted by the circumstances. For UW to fire Ms.
Boutilier at this time of year, and knowing that she is a single mother of two with a daughter who is about to start college, is
even harder to accept.
The Sixth Decade Plan commits UW to a number of principles and goals including equity and becoming an employer
of choice. We share these commitments and believe that treating all who work and study at UW in an equitable and consistent
matter is an important part of putting UW's values in practice. We note with concern that in two recent public cases involving
plagiarism and sexual harassment respectively, the University did not deem it appropriate to fire the faculty member nor the
senior staff involved in these breaches of trust. We ask that the scales of justice at UW be fair not only to academics and senior
staff but to all campus workers, regardless of gender and level of education, including food service workers struggling to pay
bills and raise their children. Further, we believe that a “progressive discipline” approach is more in line with UW's stated goal
of becoming an employer of choice. Such an approach would involve steps short of termination that would take into account
Ms. Boutilier's 28 years of service to UW and allow her the opportunity to regain any loss of trust that has occurred.
We ask that in your capacities as university administrators you look into this matter, find a corrective measure more
compatible with both the nature of the offense and with the principles to which UW is committed, and return Ms. Boutilier to
her former position.
Sincerely,
Shifa Abbas (Biotechnology), WPIRG Board of Directors
Thomas Little (Music), WPIRG Board of Directors
Sepehr Mohaddes, (Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering), WPIRG Board of Directors
Filzah Nasir (Environmental Engineering), WPIRG Board of Directors
Aly Ostrowski (M.A. Candidate in Peace and Conflict Studies), WPIRG Board of Directors
Rebeccah Redden (Independent Studies), WPIRG Board of Directors
Yumna Zaghlol (Peace and Conflict Studies), WPIRG Board of Directors
Alex Diceanu, Canadian Union of Public Employees, local 1281 (WPIRG Staff)
Hausalya Kulanayagam, Canadian Union of Public Employees, local 1281 (WPIRG Staff)
Kalin Stacey, Canadian Union of Public Employees, local 1281 (WPIRG Staff)
Omar Ramahi, Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo
Marlene Epp, Professor, History and Peace & Conflict Studies, University of Waterloo
Patricia Marino, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Waterloo
Rick Wallace, Adjunct Professor, Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Waterloo
Geoffrey Hayes, Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Waterloo
Joel Dubin, Associate Professor, Dept. of Statistics & Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo
Joanne Heimpel, Library Associate, University of Waterloo
Alison Murray, Davis Centre Library, University of Waterloo
Martha Lauzon, Library Associate, Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo
Denise Paquette, Interlibrary Loan Borrowing Clerk, University of Waterloo
Nadeem Lawji, Library Associate, University of Waterloo
Debbie Anderson, Library Assistant, University of Waterloo
Brian Campbell, Library-Circulation Services, University of Waterloo
Jennifer Williams, library staff, Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo
Esther Pinnock, library staff, Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo
Nancy Heimpel, library staff, Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo
Bev Hubbard, library clerk, Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo
Ahmed Kenawy, Evening Supervisor and Technical Support, Davis Centre Library, University of Waterloo
Gail Sperling, library staff, University of Waterloo
Debbie Tytko, retiree, Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo
Ben Colussi, Library Facilities Management, University of Waterloo
Joanne Cummer, retiree, Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo
Shirley Fraser, Resource Sharing/ILL/DD, University of Waterloo
Elizabeth Wehner, Library Associate, Cataloguing and Information Services, , University of Waterloo
Stephanie Eccles, Anthropology undergraduate & Dana Porter library staff, University of Waterloo
Derek Scoular, Evening Supervisor, Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo
Marianne VanderGriendt, BSc., Senior Research Technician, CERC Ecohydrology Research Group, Department of
Earth and Environmental Science, University of Waterloo
Erin Campbell, MA Academic Advisor, Liberal Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Waterloo
Lorraine Albrecht, staff, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Waterloo
Patricia Shaw, Administrative Co-ordinator, Graduate Studies, Department of Economics, University of Waterloo
Melissa Taylor, staff, University of Waterloo
Sarah Forgrave, Web and E-Communications Officer, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo
Richard Wayne, retiree (1966-2009), University of Waterloo
Nadine Collins, Senior Development Officer, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo
Sharon McFarlane, BSc. Alumni Advancement Officer, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo
Barbara Eve, staff, University of Waterloo
Susan Martin, staff, University of Waterloo
Justin Harbin, lab technician, Earth Sciences department, University of Waterloo
Quinn Powell, Ph.D candidate, English, University of Waterloo
Syeda Zainab, 1A Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo
Evaleen Hellinga, 4th year Knowldge Integration, University of Waterloo
Tessa Alexanian, undegraduate, Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo
Amy Ai, Environmental Engineering undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Malcolm McCulloch, 4A Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo
Patricia Hoyeck, Health Studies undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Tatjana Milojevic, M.Sc. Candidate, Earth Sciences, , University of Waterloo
Brandon Love, Geomatics undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Celeste Alcena, undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Michelle Crevits, 4B Arts and Business, Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Waterloo
Wesley Campbell, Earth Sciences undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Caileen Dolan, Nanotechnology Engineering undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Paulina Rodriguez, Master of Arts, Planning, University of Waterloo
Evan Gravely, Environment and Resource Studies, 4B, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo
Rachel Baldwin, undergraduate, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo
Kristin Corrall, Arts (Sociology) & Business/German Minor, University of Waterloo
Maximilian Altvater, Geography and Environmental Management undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Zainab Ramahi, Knowledge Integration & Political Science 2015, University of Waterloo
Nadine Thibeh, Political Science undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Rob Reid, MASc candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo
Joel Derksen, Health Studies undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Javier Fuentes, Sociology undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Eric Hunsberger, Ph.D candidate, Systems Design Engineering, University of Waterloo
Vanessa Vucea, Applied Health Sciences graduate, University of Waterloo
Erin Perri Women's Studies Major, Women's Centre Coordinator, University of Waterloo
Dean Mizzi, undergraduate, Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo
Biba Stoiljkovic, Legal Studies undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Hayley Ellis, History undergraduate, University of Waterloo
Daniel Pourhossein, Health Promotion, University of Waterloo
Khadija Hamidzai, Political Science and Legal Studies, University of Waterloo
Kathryn Wettlaufer, Independent Studies, University of Waterloo
Trishala Pillai, Economics, University of Waterloo
Joshua Soares, Pharmacy, University of Waterloo
Cosette Francis, Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Waterloo
Sahar Rohi, Anthropology, University of Waterloo
Sabiha Syed, Fine Arts, University of Waterloo
Josh Cameron, Psychology, University of Waterloo
Richard (Ret) Giles, Political Science, University of Waterloo
Amy Rose Gofton, Political Science & English, University of Waterloo
Andrea Wong, Pharmacy, University of Waterloo
Samantha Afonso, Knowledge Integration, University of Waterloo
Mia Zumrov, Political Science, University of Waterloo
Andrew Prosser, Political Science and History, University of Waterloo
Alexandra Piatkowski, Health Studies, University of Waterloo
Cameron Adams, Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo
Jasmine Mah, Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo
Rosshane Vignarajah, Arts & Business, University of Waterloo
Lindy Van Vliet, Political Science and History, University of Waterloo
Lema Ijtemaye, Honours Political Science, University of Waterloo
Chris Burke, Masters Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo
Breanne Wilde, Honours Science, University of Waterloo
Paul Aitken, Political Science, University of Waterloo
David Brubacher Honours Arts, University of Waterloo
Jenny Chen, Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo
Sakinah Hasib, alumna, Therapeutic Recreation, Applied Health Science, University of Waterloo
Amina Sadiq, alumna, University of Waterloo
Rachel Beise, alumna, University of Waterloo
Arletta Murray, alumna, University of Waterloo
Dana Decent, alumna, University of Waterloo
Tanya Smith, alumna, University of Waterloo
Greg Macdougall, alumnus, University of Waterloo
Ainsley Munro, alumna, University of Waterloo
Truscello, alumnus (BA '95, MA '97, Ph.D. '05), University of Waterloo
Philip Diceanu, alumnus, University of Waterloo
B. Cameron, alumnus, University of Waterloo
Douglass L. Grant, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Cape Brenton University, community member
Steve D'Arcy, Department of Philosophy, Huron University College
Dr. Herbert Pimlott, Associate Professor, Dept of Communication Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University
Peter Eglin, Professor, Department of Sociology, WLU
Alex Levant, Ph.D, Contract Lecturer, Department of Communication Studies,WLU
Victoria Barnett, CUPE 1281 (OPIRG York Staff)
Julian Theodore Ichim, community member
Lee Patterson, community member
Wayne Bell, community member
Henry Schmidt, community member
Irene Schmidt, community member
Helen Qu, community member
Kelly Brown, community member
Ken Brown, community member
Jordie Brown, community member
Brittany Werth, community member
Helen Boutilier, community member
Arnold Boutilier, community member
Sandy Brown, community member
Ken Brown Sr., community member
Mark Boutilier, community member
Elena Boutilier, community member
Barbara Kirk, community member
Barb Pearce, community member
Nick Bulic, community member
Simone Weinstein, community member
Ian Thompson, community member
Valerie Pearcey, community member
Debbie Chapman, community member
Karen Whitman, community member
Elizabeth Oreilly, community member
Chris Sweitzer, community member, and possible future student
Malcolm Klimowicz, community member