By Shumaila Mubarak, Vihaan Bhatnagar and Damola Omole

The former dean of the Faculty of Arts, Pamela Sugiman, has filed a lawsuit valued at over $2 million against Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) following her termination in 2024.

A statement of claim was delivered to TMU on Sept. 2 in which Sugiman accused the university of breach of contract without prior notice, violations of Ontario’s Human Rights Code and unlawful seizure of her research funds.

“High-handed, callous, cruel and malicious manner”

Sugiman was in her second term as dean when she was notified of her immediate termination on July 31, 2024, during a meeting with Provost and Vice-President, Academic Roberta Iannacito-Provenzano.

At the time, Sugiman was taking an extended bereavement leave following the death of her only daughter in November 2023.

During this leave, Sugiman used the time as a period of healing and reflection, according to the statement of claim obtained by The Eyeopener. Sugiman had also been instructed not to operate within her capacity as dean by the Provost during this leave.

Sugiman’s termination letter did not specify a reason for her dismissal, according to the aforementioned document.

The statement claims the provost told her verbally that it was due to irresponsible leadership, mismanagement of faculty budgets and a lack of effort to increase class sizes.

The Provost gave Sugiman a performance review in the summer of 2023, in which the former dean was not informed of any budget or performance-related concerns, according to the statement of claim. The statement notes that the termination was carried out in a “high-handed, callous, cruel and malicious manner,” since Dr. Sugiman had only received “positive performance reviews” prior to her leave of absence.

Jacqui Gingras, a professor of sociology at TMU, views the claims of Sugiman’s alleged budget mismanagement as “baseless.”

“[Sugiman] was absolutely defamed when it was suggested that somehow she has mismanaged the budget…[Sugiman] is blameless,” Gingras said.

According to the statement of claim, over the course of Sugiman’s time as a senior leader and as a dean at TMU, her research has explicitly focused on race, gender and oral history

“Dr. Sugiman became closely associated with equity for women, Indigenous scholars and academics of colour, and the creation of opportunities for research and teaching on issues of significance to historically marginalized communities,” the statement reads.

In her interview with The Eye, Sugiman said she was never fully acknowledged for her equity work by the university administration.

“I did receive support and got recognition from a former Provost, Michael Benarroch. However, more recently, I would say that I did not receive the recognition that perhaps I deserved,” she said.

The statement of claim alleges that Sugiman’s termination is part of a broader pattern of TMU “sidelining women in leadership, especially those who view their role at the university through an equity lens.”

“There’s no point—my name is a red flag”

Lila Pine, the chair of TMU Equity, said Sugiman’s dismissal was “cruel” and goes against the university’s vision for equity.

“By removing her unceremoniously from her role as Dean, the administration has shown that their understanding of equity is only skin deep, despite paying lip service to it,” said Pine in an email statement to The Eye.

Sugiman said she had a research account balance of $305,700 which was frozen and later drained by TMU, leaving only 36 cents. The claim for the tort of conversion is also part of the lawsuit.

After Sugiman’s removal as dean, she was allegedly defamed publicly by various members of the TMU community, including assistant vice-president, university relations Michael Forbes and President Mohamed Lachemi.

The Eye reached out to Lachemi, but he declined to comment on the allegations and criticisms, citing the ongoing lawsuit.

The claim states that as a result of her dismissal, Sugiman suffered “feelings of vulnerability, anxiety and despondence” as well as “loss of appetite, trouble sleeping and loss of confidence.”

Sugiman told The Eye that her dismissal has not only taken a toll on her mental health but could also harm her chances of securing future academic roles.

“Some people have sent me postings for different admin positions at other universities, and I’ve said…there’s no point—my name is a red flag,” she said. “Financial mismanagement’, [they] won’t want to go near [me].”

No court dates have been scheduled for the lawsuit at this time.

Correction: A previous version of this article said Lila Pine is an RTA professor. Pine is a New Media professor and the chair of TMU Equity. The Eye regrets this error.

Correction: A previous version of this article attributed a quote by Dr. Sugiman to an interview with The Eyeopener, when in actuality, it was made in the statement of claim. The Eye regrets this error.