By Laurel Fortin The Fulcrum University of Ottawa

A prolonged period of depression, overwork and personal stress impaired the University of Ottawa's dean of social sciences normal judgement last week, resulting in his arrest for the attempted murder of his mother and his resignation from the University of Ottawa.

Henry Edwards' lawyer, Bob Wakefield, says his client is undergoing voluntary treatment for acute depression which led to what police suspect was an overdose of sleeping pills administered to his 85-year-old mother Rosalbina.

Regional police found Edwards' mother in need of immediate medical attention after Edwards, 57, walked into the Casselman provincial police station on Tuesday, October 15 and told officers to check on her.

She was taken from her apartment, which is adjacent to the Edwards family home, to Ottawa Civic Hospital for treatment, and released later that day.

Detective-Sergeant Marc Pinault said Edwards was released on $5,000 bail and under conditions that he

not return to his Nepean home and that he seek medical treatment at the Royal Ottawa Hospital. Edwards will appear in court again on November 25, and may enter a plea to the charges at that time.

If convicted of attempted murder, Edwards could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Students, professors and administrators in the faculty of social sciences are regrouping after learning of Edwards’ arrest last week. The university rector accepted Edwards' letter of resignation with regret on Tuesday, said Jacques Pallascio, university

communications officer.

"It is a tragic event," said U of O legal counsel Darryl Grandbois. Staff and faculty are being referred to the university counselling services for assistance and support. Director Lise Chislett said these services were offered immediately after the university was notified of Edwards' arrest.

"Professors are ina state of disbelief and concern for Henry asa person," said school of psychology director Richard Clement.

"The doctor is very appreciative of the support and sympathetic concern shown by

U of S Stands Against Student

SASKATOON (CUP) -- The University of Saskatchewan violated a student's freedom of expression when they expelled him for repeatedly displaying art work they deemed libellous, says ahuman rights commission.

Christopher Lefler, a former fine arts graduate student at the U of S, was suspended from the university in 1993 after the university removed his artwork from a student exhibition. A binder placed with his exhibit identified a prominent member of the Saskatchewan government as beinghomosexual.

Lefler had the right to appeal his expulsion to the university but instead accused the university of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

He then threatened to publish three hundred pages of letters and transactions between himself and the university and document the entire issue -- an enterprise he said would be funded with a grant he was awarded by the Saskatchewan Arts Board.

When the arts board subsequently withdrew its grant offer, Lefler filed human rights complaints against the

The Panther

University Recoiling After Dean's Arrest

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his colleagues at the university, students and all of his past associates," said Wakefield.

The dean's arrest and resignation is only the latest in aseries of misfortunes incurred by the social sciences faculty. It comes on the heels of allegations of sexual misconduct by other professors in the faculty. Criminology professor Robert Ross is facing 19 charges in a Kingston court ranging from rape to breach of trust, and sociology professor Jean Lapointe continues to teach despite admitting to misconduct.

"Students are in total shock," said criminology

U of S and the SAB saying they had neglected his right to freedom of expression and discriminated against him because of his sexual orientation.

The commission says “there is probable cause to believe" that the U of S did indeed interfere with Lefler's freedom of expression. The sexual orientation complaint has been rejected as have the complaints against the Saskatchewan Arts Board.

"Whether Mr. Lefler's artwork might be the subject of legitimate criticism is for others to debate. Our only conclusion is that, whatever reaction his artwork might provoke from the viewer, university officials were not justified in stifling his expression activity," the commission wrote in its report.

The U ofS still maintains that its actions were justified because they could have been threatened with legal action by the individual identified by Lefler's exhibit.

"We were advised that the artwork presented potential liable, defamatory, or civil suits against us, so we removed the artwork and asked [Lefler] not to replace them," said

October 2

student Alan Wilson. "I heard the news and as soon as I came to campus students were talking about it. Everyone is waiting to see what the administration will do." Edwards has been a member of the U of O community since receiving his doctorate in psychology in the 1960's. He has held various positions including dean of psychology and dean ofsocial sciences. His work in the psychology of language acquisition was pivotal in recommending the university offer sheltered courses that eased students into a second

language.

university secretary Iain MacLean.

"We haven't heard from Mr. Lefler yet, but negotiations are’ the next” step,"

acknowledged MacLean. "The university's position is that we stand by our original decision [to permanently expel Lefler]. Successful negotiations are doubtful and we may very well have to go to the board of

Lefler, who has since moved to Toronto, said that he and his lawyer are currently appealing the three rejected complaints, but declined further comment.

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