HALIFAX -- A dentistry student at Dalhousie University has agreed to return to a disciplinary hearing investigating his role in a Facebook page that contained sexually violent content aimed at his classmates, his lawyer said Monday.
In a letter to the university's senate, Bruce MacIntosh said student Ryan Millet is willing to continue with the hearing before the school's academic standards committee on Wednesday even though MacIntosh believes the process is flawed.
"We are of the opinion that the process followed to date has been irreparably harmed as a consequence of lack of due process," the letter says.
MacIntosh has said that even though Millet helped expose the Facebook page, he was nonetheless stripped of clinical privileges and is facing disciplinary measures for alleged unprofessional conduct.
He is one of 13 male students accused of being part of a private Facebook group where sexist and misogynistic comments about female classmates were posted.
His disciplinary hearing started last Tuesday but was adjourned after MacIntosh complained about unfairness.
In the letter to the senate, MacIntosh says he is hoping the committee will reinstate Millet's clinical privileges and allow him to return to his fourth-year classes.
But if the committee decides to impose disciplinary measures and maintain the suspension, he will ask the senate to "explore other options," MacIntosh says.
As well, MacIntosh has left open the option of seeking a judicial review if his client is not satisfied with the outcome of the hearings.
The secretariat for the senate referred calls to university spokesman Brian Leadbetter. Leadbetter couldn't be reached for comment.
MacIntosh contends that Millet, a married father of three young children, forced the removal of some Facebook entries he found disrespectful and alerted one woman who was named in the posts.
The 13 students who were part of the Facebook group have been ordered to attend classes apart from the other students and are suspended from clinical duties, which could affect their ability to graduate.
Dalhousie University has announced an independent task force will look into what happened and a restorative justice process will hear from those involved. Fourteen women and all of the 13 men in the group, except Millet, will take part in the restorative justice process.
