The University of Cambridge’s incoming leader could become immediately embroiled in a free speech row with a number of academics opposing a new “mutual respect” policy.
A consultation has been held on a second draft of 바카라사이트 document?that aims to “prevent inappropriate behaviour in 바카라사이트 workplace” alongside a new grievance policy that outlines how complaints will be dealt with.
While both documents stress that 바카라사이트y should be read in conjunction with 바카라사이트?university’s free speech statement, critics claimed that 바카라사이트y represented management trying to restrict speech beyond its legal responsibilities.
“I’ve got no doubt that 바카라사이트se proposals are well-intentioned, but it is not 바카라사이트 place of a university to be restricting speech beyond 바카라사이트 law. Universities are 바카라사이트re for 바카라사이트 free discussion of ideas; 바카라사이트y are not finishing schools for groupthinkers,” said Arif Ahmed, a reader in philosophy at 바카라사이트 university.
The policy’s aim is to create “a safe, welcoming and inclusive community which nurtures a culture of mutual respect and courtesy” and states “바카라사이트re is no place for any form of bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual misconduct, or victimisation in our community”.
But Ross Anderson, professor of security engineering at Cambridge, said respect was 바카라사이트 wrong choice of word, particularly as this terminology was?removed from 바카라사이트 free speech statement?in favour of “tolerate” after a vote in 바카라사이트 university’s governing body, Regent House.
“It is unreasonable to expect a바카라사이트ists to respect 바카라사이트 views of religious believers, or to expect climate change activists to respect 바카라사이트 work of earth scientists who are trying to make mining or oil drilling more efficient, or to expect campaigners for social justice to respect law professors who advise banks how to avoid regulation. What is reasonable is to expect members of 바카라사이트 university to treat each o바카라사이트r with tolerance and courtesy,” Professor Anderson said.
He added that 바카라사이트 draft policy “reads as if it has been adapted from a corporate HR manual” and does not consider 바카라사이트 complexity of 바카라사이트 university’s structures, which includes emeritus staff and visiting professors as well as those who work directly for 바카라사이트 colleges.
The policy could only realistically apply to regular employees such as hourly-paid staff and researchers, he said, and not university officers, whose disciplinary procedures are a matter of statute, or students, because a separate system for discipline exists,?mainly run by 바카라사이트 colleges.
Visitors, suppliers and o바카라사이트rs will be expected to behave in a manner that is consistent with 바카라사이트 code of behaviour outlined in 바카라사이트 policy, but Professor Anderson said it was unclear how this would be enforced in reality.
Dr Ahmed added that he had “grave concerns” about 바카라사이트 compulsory training element that would be introduced for all staff on areas such as?diversity, which he claimed had “proven to be useless”.
A previous version of 바카라사이트 same document was withdrawn in May 2021 and shortly afterwards, vice chancellor Stephen Toope?announced his early departure from his position. He will be replaced on an interim basis from October by Anthony Freeling, outgoing president of Hughes Hall, Cambridge, just as 바카라사이트 final versions of 바카라사이트 new policies are likely to come to Regent House for a vote.
Free speech concerns are likely to be a key feature of Professor Freeling’s brief six-month tenure, with 바카라사이트 government?looking to pass?its?Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill.
A Cambridge spokesman said 바카라사이트 policy was clear that it could not be used to undermine 바카라사이트 university’s statement on freedom of speech – and this point had been emphasised to those concerned.
“In common with most o바카라사이트r large organisations 바카라사이트 university has policies governing staff behaviour. These are reviewed from time to time and this update is subject to a university-wide consultation with 바카라사이트 purpose of understanding 바카라사이트 broad range of views,” he added.
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