On June 16, 2025, we issued a bulletin summarizing the experience of APUO Members and staff who attempted to attend a Board of Governors (BOG) meeting in person. On May 27, 2025, APUO Members went to the CRX building to observe the meeting but were denied access to the space. In light of this refusal, the APUO contacted the Chair of the Board of Governors, Jennifer Adams, to express our concerns over this decision.
In response to our letter, we received an invitation to meet Annick Bergeron, Secretary General of the University of Ottawa. She informed us that, due to ongoing renovations in the Tabaret Senate Room, the Board of Governors meetings had been moved to a new location, and that the new room was not able to accommodate observers. This led to the meeting being broadcast via Microsoft Teams. She also mentioned recent demonstrations at Carleton University that had disrupted a Board of Governors meeting on that campus, which explained the increased presence of the University of Ottawa Protective Service at the May 27, 2025, BoG meeting. We concluded our meeting by agreeing that future BoG meetings will be held in a room that can accommodate observers.
On July 7, 2025, Jennifer Adams, Chair of the Board of Governors, confirmed that, as of September, Board meetings will be held in a room on the 4th floor of the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS), with a dedicated space for public participation.
The next Board of Governors meeting is scheduled for September 25, 2025, at 4 p.m., also on the 4th floor of the FSS. The APUO will convene a group to attend the meeting in person and will send out a reminder in early September 2025.
In the meantime, you can register to join the September 25, 2025, group by emailing nicole@apuo.ca.