The University of Prince Edward Island is appealing a P.E.I. Human Rights Commission ruling that said the university discriminated against three staff members when it forced them to retire at age 65.

The university is asking the Supreme Court of P.E.I. for a judicial review.

In a decision released Feb. 23, the commission found in favour of the employees who were forced to retire in 2005.

The commission didn't give enough weight to the university's reasons for mandatory retirement, said Gary Bradshaw, UPEI's vice president of finance and facilities.

"Those reasons are related to the university having a bona fide pension plan, which the university does, as well as the Supreme Court ruling back in the early 1990s that allowed mandatory retirement to exist based on the need for academic renewal," said Bradshaw. "If the panel's decision is found to be binding on us then it has long-term financial implications as well as, again, it will impact the university's ability to have renewal in both our faculty complement and eventually academic programing."

Retired professor Thomy Nilsson, one of the employees who brought the case before the human rights commission, said, "I think it's rather sad. It shows that our university clearly has not much respect for human rights. It's also, I think, sad that it means they are not seeking to have the best quality of education available for our students."

Nilsson said he's not sure if the appeal will delay any plans he has to return to work.