A University of Canterbury academic has returned a student-voted award in a stand against racism, Stuff.co.nz reports.
Associate Professor Ekant Veer yesterday returned his 2014 Lecturer of the Year award for the College of Business and Law.
I returned my 2014 UCSA - University of Canterbury Students' Association #LOTY award this morning - here's a... http://t.co/iGTe8ZidFj
— Ekant Veer (@VeerOffTrack) October 7, 2014
Veer thought the university was a “wonderful organisation” that was not racist, events like the Engineering Society (Ensoc) RoUndie 500 event encouraged racism and sexism through participants being told to choose inappropriate themes, the website said.
“My race is not inappropriate. The gender of my daughters is equally not inappropriate but for people to jump on these old chestnuts in order to cause offence just continues to highlight this ugly underbelly. This is offensive and inappropriate.”
He was disappointed with the response from the university students association, saying they had not taken ownership.
Students’ Association president Sarah Platt said it was "upsetting" and disappointing Veer felt the association was not doing enough and had to return the award.
