September 26, 2005 Source: Queen's University:
http://qnc.queensu.ca/story_loader.php?id=433876516e77c Statement by Principal Karen Hitchcock Queen's University condemns and apologizes for the lawlessness and dangerous behaviour associated with Homecoming events on Aberdeen Street this past weekend and profoundly regrets both the disturbance and harm experienced by our community neighbours and the risk faced by the attending police, fire and ambulance personnel. In the aftermath of Saturday evening's event, numerous Queen's students were in the community on Sunday morning cleaning up the neighbourhood, confirming that most of our students reacted as strongly against such deplorable behaviour as did all other members of the community. The University plans to take all steps necessary to prevent a recurrence of this behaviour. We will give our full cooperation to City of Kingston Police in any criminal investigations they undertake. Our own campus security staff will identify and actively investigate individuals contributing to the events of Saturday evening. To the extent that these include Queen's students, we will rigorously pursue all avenues of student discipline available to the University for breaches of our Code of Conduct, including suspension and expulsion. Assigning highest priority to this issue, I am appointing Dr. Patrick Deane, Queen's Vice Principal (Academic), to oversee this process and ensure it proceeds expeditiously. Despite the efforts of the University and the Kingston community over the past year, it is clear that we have not been successful in eliminating the lawless behaviour witnessed on Aberdeen Street and in the surrounding neighbourhoods on Saturday night. A comprehensive review and rethinking of traditions (such as Homecoming) and practices that may play a role in such offensive, illegal and dangerous behaviour will be carried out. We simply cannot tolerate any activities or behaviour that put members of the Kingston community and our students at risk. I would like to thank all those who have worked with us in recent months in support of our attempts to hold a successful and safe Homecoming this year – students, faculty, staff and members of the Kingston community, some of whom provided professional assistance this past weekend. Our most heartfelt thanks go to the City of Kingston Police, and Kingston Fire and Ambulance Services.
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