CIUT, U of T’s community radio station at St. George campus, has fired its manager over an unspecified issue.
The station’s Board of Directors voted to cancel then-station manager Brian Burchell’s contract last Monday. Ken Stowar is now the station manager in addition to his previous role as program director.
“We’ve asked Ken Stowar to serve at least until the annual general membership meeting in March,” said Gage Averill, chair of CIUT’s Board of Directors.
Stowar said Averill asked him about accepting the position on September 27.
“[Averill] asked if I would consider stepping in as the acting station manager, and I said yes.”
Stowar added that Burchell was dropped because of an audit issue.
“[Burchell was] requested to work in cooperation with internal audits of the University of Toronto and as to what that is about specifically, I really have no idea,” said Stowar. “I was just asked to step in and here’s why.”
U of T’s spokesperson said the university is unable to give any additional information. Averill said he could not specify what exactly led to the change, but explained it had to do with another company managed by Burchell.
“We had a process of review over the last few months and decided to terminate the contract with a company that Brian Burchell runs that had management contracts for CIUT,” said Averill.
Burchell is publisher of Gleaner Community Press. Averill said he wasn’t sure if this is the company in question, and that it was registered as a set of digits followed by “Ontario Inc.”
Burchell did not respond to requests for comment. CIUT completed its week-long fall membership drive yesterday.
