Kwantlen University Sells Reputation

By Debbie McBride: More unsavoury details are coming to light regarding the Kwantlen Polythechnical University and Century Holdings “partnership” on the Southlands and those details, obtained under a Freedom of Information request in March 2009, while relevant and important to Delta, are having grave repercussions on an international level. The Province’s Brian Lewis called it our ongoing soap opera.

The Memorandum of Understanding that Kwantlen worked out with Century is not business as usual for Universities. Academia takes great pains to prevent this type of “partnership” occuring because it can taint their research. Yes, companies sponsor research but those partnerships are made public so those considering the studies can decide for themselves the validity of the information. Only after Kwantlen and Century knew the information had inadvertently been released did it appear in an obscure part of the Southlands website. Nor did Kwantlen or its’ researchers ever reveal their financial arrangement as it made presentations to the public. This is much more than a common partnership, it is a paid for lobbying effort.

This has caused outrage among academic institutions worldwide and so it should. Backroom “arrangements” agreed to behind closed doors don’t usually hold up well in the light of scrutiny. Academic research projects and reports need to be free from even the perception of collusion and collaboration because they are supposed to be done without undue influence from those who could profit from what their findings say. The Kwantlen/Century arrangement does not meet these standards and is being widely condemned for this breach.

In November 2006, amid a cloud of controversy, Kwantlen president David Atkinson resigned as Carleton University president after serving only 15 months of a 6 year contract. In January 2007, new Carleton president Samy Mahmoud stated that Mr. Atkinson “did not have much in the way of research background” and that “there’s a learning curve (for) how to administer a university with a comprehensive research program”. This lack of knowledge seems to have been a boon for Century but a disaster for Kwantlen in its’ quest to be taken seriously as an independent academic source of information.

In an interview with Kwantlen’s Jason Dyer, executive director for research on Friday, he admitted that the research and report on the Urban Agriculture study was not yet completed and it was “unusual” for a study to be presented and discussed before its’ completion. He also revealed since Century paid for the report, it is under no obligation to reveal its’ findings. He also stated the land and building being “donated in trust” to Kwantlen will belong to Century Holdings, so the developer will still control 2/3’s of the land to do with what he will.
After three generations of residents have continuously fought to preserve this land it must be worth preserving. It’s developers who use tainted surveys and questionable tactics and reports from “experts and academics” to push their belief it is their God given right to buy land, no matter it’s location and designation and build on it, that has turned this into a soap opera.