The WPIRG Board of Directors would like to invite faculty, staff, alumni, undergraduate and graduate students at UW, as well as individuals and organizations from the local community, to add their voices to our call for UW to reconsider the recent decision to fire Marilyn Boutilier, a food service worker at Browser’s Cafe since 2001, and a campus worker for the last 28 years. As detailed in the our public letter, according to the information that is currently publicly available, we believe the decision to fire Ms. Boutilier is unduly harsh and runs counter to UW’s stated goal of becoming an “employer of choice.”

Further, we are troubled by the fact that Ms. Boutilier’s treatment by UW relative to other recent and more serious breaches of trust (involving plagiarism and sexual harassment respectively) gives the appearance of the existence of a double standard that would seem to run counter to UW’s stated commitment to principles of equity.

Please read our letter for a fuller description of our concerns and consider adding your name and/or organization to our call for Ms. Boutilier to be reinstated. Over 140 staff, faculty, students, alumni, retirees and community members have already signed!

Media inquiries may be directed to WPIRG Board of Directors member Sepehr Mohaddes at ssmohadd@uwaterloo.ca.

In respect and solidarity,

The WPIRG Board of Directors