Editor:

In his letter to UBC
Reports of Sept. 5, 1996, Dr. Campbell Clark argues that UBC’s Policy on
Discrimination and Harassment fails “to abide by the commonly held precepts
of justice in the Canadian judicial systems.” I disagree.

Dr. Clark says that UBC’s policy does not recognize respondents as innocent
until proven guilty, and furthermore, that the policy is not concerned with
matters of proof. Dr. Clark is wrong on both counts.

UBC’s policy conforms both to Canadian human rights statutes, in particular the
British Columbia Human Rights Act, and to normative practices in Canadian law.
The policy ensures the rights of respondents to natural justice; that is, the
rights to be heard, and then, to be judged innocent or guilty by unbiased
parties. Specifically, the policy directs a three-person panel to recommend
“whether on the balance of probabilities, and with the onus of proof being on
the complainant, there has been a violation of the policy” (paragraph 32). The
balance of probabilities is the common standard of proof in non-criminal
cases.

Dr. Clark also complains that the policy does not recognize “mutual consent
between two adults as the underlying premise for normal sexual relationships.”
Again, he is wrong. UBC’s policy is not concerned with sexual relationships
between consenting adults where there is no conflict of interest. Rather, the
policy addresses sexual relationships in which one party exercises professional
power over the other. UBC’s Policy on Conflict of Interest requires individuals
who engage in intimate relationships with those in subordinate positions to
disclose such relationships to their administrative heads to ensure that those
in subordinate positions may be supervised fairly and evaluated accurately.

Sharon E. Kahn, PhD
Associate vice-president, Equity

UBC’s traffic
culture–it’s
yours

Editor:

This is to inform the UBC driving community of ongoing enhancements to traffic
flow and convenience in the heart of campus.

As many drivers know, two years ago Campus Planning & Development
(C-P&D) put a stop to cars illegally speeding along East Mall. They made it
legal. Then, it put in crosswalks so that pedestrians would feel perfectly
safe, and also installed thousands of dollars worth of tiny nubbles and
brightly-painted speed bumps along the road.

Fortunately, however, the nubbles-and-bumps actually heighten driving
enjoyment. At 50 km/h they create a pleasant tingly sensation on the back of
one’s thighs. Alternatively, as many drivers already do, you can enjoy swerving
back and forth so as to miss the bumps altogether. Incidentally, I use 50 km/h
merely as a nice round figure. On East Mall no speed limit at all is
enforced.

As for other areas of central campus, C-P&D has installed yellow plastic
posts to create the impression that cars and trucks can’t just roar around at
will in “pedestrian zones.” Look more closely, however, and you will notice
that none of these “barriers” is ever complete. So like the nubbles-and-bumps,
the posts are mainly there for comic effect.

Also, if you wish to drive from East Mall to Student Union Boulevard, don’t
miss the new short-cut provided for your convenience. Behind Main Library, veer
sharply east across the “pedestrian zone” that leads past the north end of the
SUB. UBC has installed a nice ramp over the curb so that you don’t hurt your
tires. The only problem you’ll run into is all those cars and trucks allowed to
park anywhere they like along the SUB’s north and west sides. Although you will
encounter hundreds of pedestrians along this route, that’s no problem if you
have mastered the swerving manoeuvre I described earlier.

Anyway, now that university planners have shown in so many practical ways that
“it’s yours,” it’s up to drivers to nurture UBC’s traffic culture as creatively
as possible. This is a place where research is valued, so feel free to
experiment. And finally, please share your research results with CP&D.

Dennis Danielson
Professor, Dept. of English

UBC Reports welcomes letters to the
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which may be edited for length, style and clarity, to 300 words. Deadline is 10
days before publication
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