Dr. Reza Moridi accepted a “distinguished fellowship” award from New Westminister College founder Robert Goodwin. He later severed ties with the school.
Five Canadian Forces commanders, a former Liberal deputy prime minister and the politician in charge of Ontario's universities are resigning from a phantom school.
On Saturday, The Globe and Mail published a story about New Westminster College, which bills itself as a future global hub for studies in cybersecurity, intelligence and diplomacy, but currently lacks buildings, students or courses.
Despite this, the college took on an aura of respectability in recent years as its founder, Robert Lee Goodwin III, built his brand by offering "distinguished fellowships" to elites in Canada and beyond. Because dozens of political, military and academic dignitaries unquestioningly accepted these titles, they buoyed the reputation of the enterprise.
Now, however, certain fellows appear to be jumping ship.
One is Reza Moridi, the scientist-turned-politician who last year became Ontario's Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities – a portfolio that puts him in charge of $3.5-billion worth of operational funds spread across 20 universities. In 2013, while heading a lesser portfolio, he accepted a fellowship from New Westminster College.
On Tuesday, a staffer for the minister told The Globe that Mr. Moridi never did any work for the school, and wrote to sever ties earlier this week. "The Minister never did anything in terms of promoting it. He has since contacted Mr. Goodwin and requested that his name and any information listing him as a fellow be removed from the college."
He's not the only one. Former Liberal MP Sheila Copps – once the deputy prime minister of Canada – joined the enterprise in 2012 as a foundational appointee. Her nominal presence on the board of governors reassured other potential fellows that the school was worth joining.
However, Ms. Copps was never asked to go to any meetings. And on Tuesday, she copied The Globe on an e-mail she had just sent to a New Westminster College address. "Please strike my name from your references and remove me from any involvement whatsoever with your organization," it said.
General Jonathan Vance sent similar correspondence. Like several other top Canadian military commanders, he accepted a distinguished fellowship from the school – in his case, before he became Chief of the Defence Staff earlier this year.
"General Vance did send a letter confirming his resignation," said a spokesman, Major Paul Doucette. He added that four other serving senior Canadian Forces officers are also resigning their fellowships.
Maj. Doucette said a review found no rules were broken by anyone, but "we found that the involvement with the institution could be perceived as being inconsistent with current Canadian Armed Forces regulations."
New Westminster College is the brainchild of Mr. Goodwin, who left the U.S. Army as a private first class in 1976. After moving to Vancouver in 2011, he frequently announced himself as a retired four-star American general who was reinventing himself as an educator.
As it turns out, Mr. Goodwin received his military titles from three state governors, who signed edicts putting him in nominal charge of obscure, or even defunct, fighting forces. For example, records show one such 2004 order made Mr. Goodwin a four-star general in charge of the Missouri Naval Militia, which last floated a boat in 1947.
In less than five years of ostensible operation, New Westminster College boosted its claimed ranks of global fellows to include more than 45 diplomats, 50 government officials, 100 medical doctors and 120 military generals and admirals – plus four astronauts.
Marketing materials say each fellow fully endorses Mr. Goodwin's educational plans. Yet, when contacted by The Globe, several of them said they knew little about the school and did nothing besides accept an unsolicited title.
In an e-mail sent to The Globe last week, Mr. Goodwin held his ground. "New Westminster College is an honourable and ongoing noble endeavour in higher education," he wrote.
Colin Freeze