U of T law school returns Amazon donation amid criticism

The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law will return a USD $450K donation from Amazon after facing criticism over a purported lack of transparency. The Varsity and The Logic report that the Amazon gift was put toward a staff member’s salary and funding a webinar featuring speakers who were allegedly sympathetic to Amazon’s position against anti-monopoly legislation. The gift was reportedly not publicly disclosed. The Globe and Mail reports that the situation has been criticized by CAUT Executive Director David Robinson and the University of Toronto Faculty Association. “The Faculty of Law upheld the University’s firm commitment to academic freedom, institutional autonomy and integrity,” said U of T Faculty of Law Dean Jutta Brunnée. “Nonetheless, we acknowledge the important questions raised about the lack of full transparency pertaining to the gift, and the perception of external influence on our academic activities.”