Volume 96, Issue 21
Thursday October 3, 2002
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Clitheroe one of Western's many shames
From
the far lane
Emmett MacFarlane
News Editor
There's an embarrassment at Western that adds extensively to its list of shames, i.e. a reputation as a school for the rich, the architecture of the Social Sciences Building, outrageous food pricing on campus, small armies of Gap-wearing idiots, 8 a.m. classes, Sheila Copps as an alumna... you get the idea.
The most recent embarrassment I refer to is found in the form of our chancellor, Eleanor Clitheroe.
For those of you who may not be aware, Clitheroe is the former CEO of Hydro One, Ontario's publicly owned electricity grid. She earned a whopping $2.2 million last year, but was fired this past July for allegedly abusing credit card privileges, getting renovations done to her home with company resources and several other questionable practices.
Recently it was revealed that Clitheroe helped out with Premier Ernie Eves' leadership campaign while she was still head of the public corporation, another example of her malnourished ethics.
The position of Western's chancellor is largely an honorary one – making it all the more confusing why Western hasn't tossed her out on her allegedly corrupt ass.
Clitheroe is supposedly one of the primary fundraisers for Campaign Western, the major goal of which is to raise $270 million to invest into the university. However, with her ruined public image, she'll be about as effective at helping raise money as George W. Bush would be at teaching algebra.
The most onerous part of her job is appearing in a fancy gown at convocation ceremonies. You have to wonder what kind of accommodation and travel expenses the university ends up paying whenever Clitheroe honours us with her presence.
As chancellor, Clitheroe is considered a key representative of Western and its students (sort of analogous to Mike Tyson representing sanity). Awarded the position in August 2000, her term is supposed to last until 2004.
It is apparently too much to expect members of Western's administration, such as President Paul Davenport (whose presidency is currently under review for renewal), to have the integrity and courage to pursue Clitheroe's resignation or her dismissal by the Board of Governors.
The University Students' Council could perhaps show some guts by pressing to replace the chancellor (insert ironic chuckle), however, more often than not, student politicians lack the same amount of backbone and initiative as the "real" politicians.
Unfortunately, Western students are condemned to having a disgraced public figure representing them. On the bright side, this black eye will fade away in a couple of years, unlike those other shames.