Petition to the University of Canterbury

Note: I, Joel Hayward, did not know of the existence of the Petition copied verbatim below until after Associate Professor Martin Lally of Victoria University of Wellington (whom I have never met), acting on his own initiative, created and began circulating it.

I offer no comment on the points of the Petition, and advise readers to read it carefully and to contact Professor Martin Lally (contact details given below) if they wish to criticise it, comment on it, or sign it.

Petition Organiser:

Martin Lally, Associate Professor,

School of Economics and Finance,

Victoria University of Wellington,

PO Box 600,

Wellington

(martin.lally@vuw.ac.nz).

PETITION: TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CANTERBURY

In relation to the masters thesis of Joel Hayward at the University of Canterbury, we note the following events, of which the first five are detailed on the University’s own website:

1. Joel Hayward was awarded a Masters degree by thesis, with first class honours, by the University of Canterbury in 1993, in accordance with the procedures that the University employed at the time.

2. It was subsequently argued by an external party that the degree should be revoked.

3. The University of Canterbury established a Working Party in 2000 to examine this claim.

4. The Working Party concluded that the thesis was not dishonest, and therefore could not be "amended, removed, downgraded or altered". It further concluded that the thesis was flawed and did not deserve the award of first class honours.

5. The University accepted these conclusions, apologised to those who were offended by the thesis, and stated that it did not support holocaust revisionism.

6. Dr Hayward resigned from his position at Massey University in 2002, apparently as a result of the ongoing hostility towards him arising from the previous events.

Recently, Dr Thomas Fudge of Canterbury's History Department wrote a review of these events, for inclusion in the University’s journal 'History Now'. Although the journal was printed with this article, the Head of the University’s History Department (Professor Peter Hempenstall) destroyed copies of the journal, with the concurrence of the University’s Vice-Chancellor (Professor Roy Sharp). As a result of this action by the University, the editor (Associate Professor Ian Campbell) has now left that position, and Dr Fudge has indicated his intention to resign from the University.

Our views on these events are follows. Notwithstanding any personal misgivings or objections that individual signatories may have as to the content of the thesis, we believe that certain fundamental principles have been breached by the University. First, we accept that a University has both the right and the obligation to revoke any thesis on the grounds of proven dishonesty. However, in the event of it not revoking a thesis on those grounds, we believe that it is totally inappropriate for any university administrator or sponsored body to issue negative public judgements about it, or to apologise to anyone who may be offended by it. No student should be subject to a de facto second round of assessment as to the quality (as opposed to the honesty) of their thesis, particularly after having just been exonerated of the charge of dishonesty.

Secondly, we believe that the Working Party's actions in criticising the quality of the thesis, and the University’s public reiteration of that, constitutes the very 'downgrade' that the Working Party asserted to be unwarranted. We consider it inconceivable that the University and the Working Party did not understand the contradiction involved here.

Thirdly, we do not believe that it is the business of any university administrator to issue public pronouncements upon any historical issues that are unrelated to the University. This is a matter for individual academics in the relevant area, in the normal exercise of their professional duties.

Finally, whilst there may be a range of opinions concerning the University’s action in destroying copies of 'History Now', we view the destruction of any published academic work with considerable concern. These concerns are not ameliorated by the University’s earlier and clear breaches of the fundamental rights of a thesis student, of its own judgement that the thesis could not be downgraded, and of the proper boundary between academics and administrators in the issuing of public statements.

We further consider that the effect of the University’s actions has been to send a clear signal to potential students and other researchers at the University as to the acceptable conclusions to be reached in a particular area of enquiry, and this is antithetical to the proper function of any university. Furthermore, the effect of the University’s actions is likely to have contributed to the general climate of hostility towards Dr Hayward, and therefore to his subsequent resignation from Massey University.

These University actions are improper, and place an obligation upon the University of Canterbury to acknowledge its errors and to offer appropriate remedies to Dr Hayward.

As signatories, we understand that this petition may be placed as an advertisement in various newspapers.

Signatories

Martin Lally, Associate Professor of Finance, Victoria University, PhD (Victoria University)

Glenn Boyle, Professor of Finance, University of Otago, MA (Canterbury), PhD (University of Texas, Austin)

Beverley McNally, MBA (Henley), PhD student

Tim Beal, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Victoria University, DBA, PhD (Edinburgh)

Benoit Julien, Assistant Professor in Economics, University of Miami, PhD (Western Ontario)

Vincent Orange, Reader in History (ret), Canterbury University, PhD (Hull)

Stephen Brewster, Accountant, Ministry of Economic Development, CA, BCA MBA (Victoria University), MTax student

Scott Chaput, Lecturer in Finance, University of Otago, MBA (UIC), PhD (Oklahoma)

Robert Mann, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Studies (ret), University of Auckland, PhD (University of California, Berkeley)

Geoff Bertram, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Victoria University, D Phil (Oxford)

Bryce Wilkinson, Capital Economics, BSc Hons, MCom, PhD (University of Canterbury)

Rodney Hide, Member of Parliament, MSc (Canterbury and Lincoln), MSc (Montana State)

Richard Marriott, Managing Director, Altair Financial Consulting Pty Ltd, formerly Senior Lecturer in Finance at Victoria University, MCom, MBA, B.Eng (elec)

Alan Wilkinson, Company Director, BSc Hons, PhD (University of Canterbury)

Richard Martin, Lecturer in Economics, Victoria University, PhD (Simon Fraser University)

Stephen Burnell, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Head of School of Economics and Finance, Victoria University, PhD (Cambridge)

Clare Gardner, Lecturer in Accountancy, University of Otago, Mcom

Arie Brand, Associate Professor, Dept of Sociology and Anthropology (ret), University of Newcastle (NSW), MA, PhD (Leiden)

Charles Corrado, Professor of Finance, University of Auckland, PhD (University of Arizona)

Anna Carr, Lecturer in Tourism, University of Otago, Postgraduate Diploma in Tourism Studies, PhD student

Bryan Sinclair, Strategic Adviser, LLB, BMS

Jerry Bowman, Professor of Finance, University of Auckland, PhD (Stanford)

Michael Naylor, Lecturer in Finance, Massey University, MSc (University of London)

Matthew Ryan, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Auckland, PhD (Yale)

Andrey Ivanov, Research Assistant, Dept of Economics, University of Auckland, BCom Hons, PhD student

Roger Kerr, MA (University of Canterbury)

Rhema Vaithianathan, Lecturer in Economics, University of Auckland, PhD (University of Auckland)

Stephen Poletti, Senior Tutor, Dept of Economics, University of Auckland, PhD (University of Newcastle, England)

Maureen Coulter, Teacher, MA, PhD student in English and French

Tony Chad, Musician/Poet/Editor

John Randal, Lecturer in Finance, Victoria University, MSc PhD (Victoria University)

Katie Drake, Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations and Security Studies, MA student

Andrea Bennett, Lecturer in Finance, Massey University, BSc Hons (Canterbury), MBS Hons (Massey University)

John Jensen, Professor in History (ret), University of Waikato, MA, PhD (University of Pennsylvania)

Francis Jensen, BEd (University of Waikato)

Trevor Reeves, writer/publisher, Dunedin

Christopher Milne, BComm LLB (University of Otago), CA

Jeff Sluka, Associate Professor, Social Anthropology Programme, Massey University, PhD (University of California, Berkeley)

Tania Hinehou Butcher, Poet, GradCert ResAn, BA, PGrad Cert Def Strat Studs

Mary Beth Taylor, Language Education Consultant, MA (University of Washington)

Rick Boebel, Senior Lecturer in Finance, University of Otago, MBA (Chicago), PhD (University of North Carolina)

Blair Simpson, Student Teacher, BA (Massey University)

John Ross, Hon Research Fellow in English, Massey University, MA (VUW), PhD (University of London)

Joseph Tanner, Engineer, MA in Philosophy

John Irvine, Poet, Writer and Editor, Coromandel

Adrian Phillips, Director, Kanuka Grove Educational Resource Centre, Massey University

Carl Bradley, Masters student in Defence Studies, Massey University

Emma Hamilton, BSLT, Masters student in Speech and Language Therapy, University of Canterbury.

Doreen D’Cruz, Senior Lecturer in English and Media Studies, Massey University, PhD (University of Michigan)

Brendan Judd, Engineer, BA Hons, MA (Massey University)

Ananish Chaudhuri, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Auckland, PhD (Rutgers)

Roger Openshaw, Professor of Social and Policy Studies in Education, Massey University College of Education, MA, D.Phil (University of Waikato)

Cary Nederman, Professor of Political Science, Texas A&M University, formerly lecturer in Political Science at Canterbury, MA, PhD (York University, Canada)

James Corum, Professor of Comparative Military Studies, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, MA (Brown), M. LITT (Oxon), PhD (Queen’s University)

Simonne Walmsley, Legal Secretary, BA (History) student

Alan Papprill, Teacher, Auckland, BA, Dip TCh

Kris Vette, General Manager in the National Health Service, UK, BSc, Dip Bus, Dip Bus. Admin, M.Phil (Massey University)

Lazar Drazeta, PhD (Massey University)

Garth Martin, Manager, Rotorua

Paul Dunmore, Associate Professor of Accounting, Victoria University, BSc Hons, PhD MBA (McMaster University, Ontario)

Judith Lawrence, Copy Editor, formerly librarian at Massey University, MA Hons in English (Massey University)

Tania Lamb, Counsellor, B.Ed, M.Phil, M.Management

Philip Meguire, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Canterbury, MBA PhD (University of Chicago)

S Naguleswaran, Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering, University of Canterbury, BSc, PhD (Birmingham)

Paul Callister, Callister & Associates, PhD (Victoria University)

Robert Siebers, Senior Research Fellow, Wellington School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Cbiol MIBiol, FNZMLS, FNZIC

Don Walker, Company Director, member Wellington Canterbury Alumni Committee, MA History (University of Canterbury)

David Bromell, Senior Policy Analyst, MA Hons, BD Hons, PhD (University of Otago)

Sue Fitzmaurice, Business Consultant, BA Hons (University of Canterbury), MBA (Massey University)

Clem Devine, Designer, Wellington

George Preddey, Education Consultant, BSc Hons PhD (Victoria University)

Michael Amer, Company Director, Aarts, BSc, BCom, MPP (Victoria University)

Paul Sheehan, former tutor in Classics at Canterbury, BA Hons in History (University of Canterbury)

Bill Swallow, General Manager, Environmental Science and Research, PhD (University of Canterbury)

Albin Mark, Lecturer in Anthropology (ret), University of Otago, BA, MA (University of Arizona)

Judith Holloway, Writer and Editor, Teachers’ Cert

Lois Turner, Christchurch, MA (University of Canterbury)

Peter Bradley,Salvation Army Oficer, MTheology (University of Otago)

Deena Gillies, Company Director, Melbourne, BA (University of Canterbury)

Peter Graham, Barrister, Hong Kong, LLB Hons (Victoria University)

David Christoffel, Associate Professor in Physics and Earth Sciences (ret), Victoria University, MSc (University of Canterbury), PhD (Nottingham)

Douglas Taylor, retired, BA History student (Massey University)

Richard Sadleir, Professor of Biological Sciences (ret), Simon Fraser University, BSc Hons, PhD (University of Western Australia)

Brendon Smith, Dean at Wainuiomata High School, H.Dip Tch., Cert Ed Management, TTC

Stephen Paea, Computer Studies student, Palmerston North

Richard Studholme, Modern Language Teacher (ret), MA (University of Cambridge)

Derek Bolt, Writer/researcher/actor, MA (Cantab.)

David Bolitho, retired, formerly CEO of Aoraki Polytechnic, MA in History (Victoria University)

Jill Southon, Team Leader Contact Energy, Diploma in Sales and Marketing (Christchurch Polytechnic)

Roddy Morrison, Broker, BSc (University of Auckland)

Colin Moir, Teacher of Chemistry at Riccarton High School, BSc Hons (University of Canterbury)

Helen Donnelly, student, BA in English, Film and Art History (Victoria University)

Gordon Davidson, Davidson Management Advisers, MA Hons in History (University of Canterbury)

Kenny Kerr, IT Project Manager, UK, BA Hons in Business, PostGraduate Diploma in Information Technology (University of Paisley)

Murray McDowall, BA English student (Massey University)

Rutherford Ward, Barrister and Solicitor (ret), LL.B. (Victoria University), LL.M. (University of London)

Kazuaki Hojo, Professor of English and Linguistics (ret), Kyoto Sangyo University, MA (University of Hawaii)

Kelly Badman, student (Massey University)

Rachel Holden, salesperson, BA (Massey University)

Murray Holden, Section Commander, New Zealand Army, NZA

Murray Darroch, Public Servant, BA History (University of Canterbury)

Gwenda Jensen, Lecturer in Accounting, Victoria University, BSc, Diploma of Accounting, BCA Hons (Victoria University)

Alexander MacKenzie, Urologist, M.B., Ch.B., Ch.M., M.D., FACS (University of St Andrews), Diplomate American Board of Urology

Robert Amor, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Auckland, MSc., PhD (University of Auckland)

Ernst Zollner, Lecturer, Department of Planning, University of Auckland, M.Plan (University of Cape Town)

Matthew Campbell, Associate Research Fellow, Anthropology Department, University of Auckland, PhD (University of Sydney)

Paul Barker, Associate Professor of Physics, University of Auckland, PhD (Manchester)

Glynn Owens, Professor of Psychology, University of Auckland, Professor of Forensic Clinical Psychology, University of Wales (Bangor), DPhil (Oxon)

Ruth Lyons, Senior Lecturer, Department of Physics, University of Auckland, PhD (University of Auckland)

Anthony Robins, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science, University of Otago, BSc Hons (University of Canterbury), MA, DPhil (Sussex)

Joanne Thakker, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, University of Waikato, BA Hons, PhD (University of Canterbury)

Les Foulds, Professor of Management Studies, University of Waikato, MSc (Auckland), PhD (Virginia)

Zaeem Bakesh, formerly Dept of Sociology (University of Auckland) and Dept of Sociology and Dept of African-American Studies (Berkeley), PhD (University of Auckland)

Deborah Mudie, Writer/Administrator, Bachelor of International Communication (Unitec)

Spike Quinn, Senior Teaching Fellow, Dept of Information Science, University of Otago, BSc Information Science (University of Otago)

Damien Mather, Senior Teaching Fellow, Dept of Marketing, University of Otago, BE Electrical and Electronic (University of Canterbury)

Alan Stent, Senior Lecturer, Dept of Finance and Quantitative Analysis, University of Otago, PhD (University of New South Wales)

John Burke, Associate Professor in Accounting, University of Otago, BSc (Canterbury), MBA (W Aust), PhD (Toronto)

Carolyn Stringer, Lecturer in Accounting, University of Otago, M.Bus (Monash University)

Graham Butterworth, Public Historian, MA (Victoria University)

Susan Butterworth, Public Historian, MA (Massey University)

Nigel Jamieson, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Otago, BA, LLB (Victoria University), LLD (University of Otago)

Juergen Gnoth, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, University of Otago, PhD (University of Otago)

James Wilkins, Associate Professor of French and French Literature, Lee University, Cleveland, Tennessee, PhD (Ohio State University)

Boris Baeumer, Lecturer in Mathematics, University of Otago, PhD (Louisiana State University)

Petition Organiser: Martin Lally, Associate Professor, School of Economics and Finance, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington (martin.lally@vuw.ac.nz).

Further signatories are very welcome, and should if possible be communicated to me [Martin Lally] by email. Contributions to the cost of this advertisement are also welcome.