As I was reading this article, I got out my old York-calibrated-BS-Meter, pointed it at said article, and it exploded. Once again, administration does what it likes, and completely ignores the consequences (because, as an institution of "higher learning, they are better than that). Dont' forget, these are the people the government is think about giving carte blanche to set their own tuition. Do YOU think they'll be responsible? Me neither.

Issue: York University Agrees to Independent Review on Land Deal

York University chairman Marshall Cohen announced the university will submit to an independent review regarding the controversial university land sale with developer Tribute Communities.

Premier Dalton McGuinty produced a letter written by York president Lorna Marsden in which she wrote, “We emphatically reject the thrust of these articles…and believe that we have followed all the appropriate steps in approving the land developments, which have been in the planning for more than eight years.”

NDP leader Howard Hampton is urging the auditor-general to investigate the “shady land deal”. The Premier denied the request. “As usual, the NDP wants to take it a step too far. They not only want to ensure that…the Auditor General has full authority to conduct audits of colleges, universities, hospitals and school boards, they want us now, apparently on an individual basis, to be very selective, in terms of those things that suit our particular passing fancy, of where they’re going to conduct an audit.”

University spokesperson Richard Fisher said, “The Provincial Auditor would have no jurisdiction because it is not a grant (of money) that is the issue.”

Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Mary Anne Chambers said she will look into extending the Freedom of Information Act to universities. “You have to remember, we have 18 universities and 24 publicly funded colleges and we don’t exactly see this popping up as an issue every day, so I don’t think we should be too quick to react to a story.”

Ontario chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students Jesse Greener said, “There is a growing concern over the idea that university administrators are exempt from disclosing details of the deals they are negotiating with corporate brokers.”