Toronto's Massey College reviewing Margaret Wente appointment amid campus uproar

Globe and Mail columnist Margaret Wente reflects on Sept. 11 as she accept her National Newspaper Award for columns in Calgary on Friday, April, 26, 2002. The appointment of former Globe and Mail columnist Wente to a senior fellow position with Toronto's Massey College is under review amid fierce opposition from students and staff. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

TORONTO — The appointment of former Globe and Mail columnist Margaret Wente to a senior fellow position with Toronto's Massey College is under review amid fierce opposition from students and staff.

Controversy emerged after the school, affiliated with the University of Toronto, announced Wednesday that Wente was one of 46 people in various fields named a senior fellow and member of the Quadrangle Society.

The news sparked a petition signed by students, faculty, staff, alumni, and donors urging the college to rescind the post due to her history of inflammatory columns dealing with race and multiple accusations of plagiarism.

It also prompted U of T professor Alissa Trotz to resign from the nomination committee with a strongly worded letter that called into question "non-transparent mechanisms of selection."

Massey College principal Nathalie Des Rosiers says Wente's appointment is under review because of "new information that we did not have at the time of her appointment." She did not elaborate.

Des Rosiers says COVID-19 precautions disrupted the normal nomination process which might have made it more difficult for committee members to review candidates.

Reached by email, Wente declined to comment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2020.