L'administration de la Faculté des arts de l'Université d'Ottawa vient de suspendre brusquement les admissions au programme spécialisé en Antiquité grecque et romaine (au sein du Département d'études anciennes et de sciences des religions). Elle avait déjà suspendu les admissions à la maîtrise en Antiquité tardive en 2024, qui s'était bâtie une réputation mondiale en vingt ans. Rares sont les programmes qui reprennent après une telle suspension : une fois suspendu, il est peu probable qu'un programme soit rétabli.

Pour manifester votre désaccord, je vous prie de bien vouloir signer la pétition pour le maintien de ce programme spécialisé en Antiquité grecque et romaine:

Merci de votre solidarité!

Karin Schlapbach, Présidente de l'ASEA

Open Letter in Support of Classics at the University of Ottawa

The Situation
The Faculty of Arts at the University of Ottawa has abruptly suspended admissions to the Honours programme in Greek and Roman Studies (Department of Classics and Religious Studies), effective immediately. This decision was made without consultation with department members, students, or the broader academic community.

This suspension follows the 2024 closure of the M.A. in Late Antiquity, a programme that had built an international reputation over twenty years. Together, these decisions will end advanced instruction in Latin and stop all teaching of Ancient Greek. These languages have been taught at the university since it was founded in 1848.

Why This Matters
For Franco-Ontarians: The University of Ottawa is the only institution in Ontario where ancient languages can be studied in French. This decision cuts off access to this important part of our cultural heritage for French-speaking students across the province.

For Academic Excellence: Every major research university in the world maintains robust teaching and research in Classical studies. The suspension undermines the University of Ottawa's reputation as a comprehensive research institution. 

For Interdisciplinary Scholarship: Classics supports research and teaching across multiple faculties: Law (Roman law), Medicine (medical terminology), Education (pedagogy), History, Philosophy, Political Science, Art History, Literature, Modern Language study, and more.

For the Community: This is not just about what happens on campus. The department has strong connections with the wider community. Students and staff maintain links with the Franco-Canadian and Greek communities across Ontario and beyond, and with educational institutions across Canada and globally. The Museum of Classical Antiquities offers educational activities and outreach, including partnerships with organizations such as the Ottawa Mission.

For Governance: The decision was made without due consultation and at extremely short notice.

Our Request
We call on the University of Ottawa administration to:

1. Immediately reverse the suspension of admissions to the Honours programme in Greek and Roman Studies;
2. Undertake a comprehensive review of Humanities programming through proper consultative processes before making further programme decisions;
3. Recognize the unique role of the University of Ottawa as the only French-language institution in Ontario offering instruction in ancient languages;
   So that future generations of students, both Francophone and Anglophone, continue to have access to these foundational disciplines at the University of Ottawa.