Thompson Rivers University administrator sexually harassed women, made racist comments: report

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-Kamloops this week

Thompson Rivers University has completed its investigation into complaints against two senior executives, one of whom is no longer at school.

TRU Vice President of Finance and Administration Matt Milovick and former Associate Vice President of People and Culture Larry Phillips were the subject of complaints filed in February 2021 by employees current and former of the university.

At a press conference at TRU on Tuesday, January 17, it was revealed that a subcommittee of the university board had received the report from two independent investigators on December 21, 2022. The over 500-page report has reviewed 55 allegations. of eight plaintiffs. Twenty-two allegations were made against one of the directors, while 33 allegations were made against the other director.

The inquest cleared one director, while noting that 10 allegations by four plaintiffs against the other director were founded. Seven of these substantiated allegations involved inappropriate comments amounting to sexual harassment against women in the workplace or in social settings. Another allegation was considered harassment targeting a particular age group, another involved a derogatory comment towards Indigenous peoples and another was personal harassment.

A total of 45 of the 55 allegations were not substantiated by investigators. These were four cases where investigators made no findings because the case had already been reviewed, the allegations (in two cases) were too general to investigate, or the parties did not agree. were unable to provide information to investigate the allegation.

In addition to interviewing the two directors and eight complainants, investigators interviewed 34 witnesses and reviewed hundreds of documents, including TRU policies, emails, media reports, social media posts reports, text messages, TRU audit reports and minutes of various meetings.

Due to freedom of information and privacy laws, the university said it could not identify which of the administrators cleared all allegations and which of the administrators had 10 substantiated allegations against him. The university also did not disclose what sanction, if any, was imposed on the administrator whose allegations against him were substantiated.

Phillips left college in December 2021, but TRU did not say why he left. Milovick remains employed at the school.

While the investigation focused on 55 allegations from eight complainants, there were more current and former employees who made allegations. Some of the allegations made by these complainants were not taken into account by the investigators. KTW interviewed numerous complainants over a period of several months in 2021.

The inquest was originally scheduled to end on March 31, 2022. That date, however, was canceled after TRU said additional witnesses needed to be interviewed before the report could be completed.

“There is a lot of pain in the TRU community right now,” said university president Brett Fairbairn. “I am thinking of the complainants who, according to the investigators, suffered inappropriate conduct. This shouldn’t happen. On behalf of TRU, I apologize to them for what they went through and urge TRU to improve in the future.

Fairbairn said the events will serve as a catalyst for change at TRU, noting that the university has developed safe and trauma-informed ways for employees to report concerns. Additionally, he said, initiatives are underway to create safe spaces for employees to talk about workplace culture and discuss ways to improve it.

“TRU continually evaluates its internal policies, protocols and practices,” Fairbairn said. “I want TRU to be a place that includes everyone. I am strongly committed to working for a culture that supports individuals across our workforce.

Marilyn McLean, chair of the TRU board and sub-committee, said the investigation was thorough, trauma-informed, respectful of a fair process and fully met the expectations of the board sub-committee. She noted that investigators reviewed the complaints against a substantive legal framework guided by human rights tribunals, tribunals and relevant statutes.

“It took several months – much longer than expected – to reach this end,” McLean said. “And we know it has been extremely difficult for many people, whether directly or indirectly involved. This investigation was an extraordinary accommodation of the concerns and interests of these complainants, designed to ensure that they had a safe environment in which to share their stories. The Board fully accepts the findings.

Nathan Matthew, TRU chancellor and board sub-committee member, said the allegations in the complaints had been properly investigated.

“Complainants have had every opportunity to raise their concerns,” he said, noting that the media’s publicity of anti-Indigenous or racist comments at TRU has caused harm to Indigenous communities. He noted, however, that only one allegation of such behavior has been substantiated against an individual.

“Eliminating racism is a cornerstone of TRU’s commitment to reconciliation,” said Matthew. “I know that Indigenous peoples are resilient and will pursue their social and cultural development using education as a catalyst for positive change.

In total, the report cost TRU approximately $1 million in legal fees.

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sexual harassmentThompson Rivers University

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