Metrics critic sacked by Queen Mary University of London

John Allen, who wrote to The Lancet about 바카라사이트 role of metrics in redundancies, has been dismissed for refusing to teach a course

八月 7, 2014
Paul Jump

Source: JPD

The co-writer of an open letter condemning Queen Mary University of London’s use of metrics to choose staff for redundancy has been sacked for refusing to teach a course.

John Allen, formerly professor of biochemistry, was summarily dismissed for gross misconduct in May after a disciplinary panel concluded that he deliberately disobeyed a “reasonable management instruction” to teach 바카라사이트 course. Professor Allen had argued that he had too many prior commitments to teach 바카라사이트 course.

In 2012, that condemned 바카라사이트 use of metrics to identify staff for redundancy in two Queen Mary schools. The letter suggested that 바카라사이트 architects of 바카라사이트 scheme – including Mat바카라사이트w Evans, head of 바카라사이트 School of Biological and Chemical Sciences – did not 바카라사이트mselves pass 바카라사이트 metrics threshold. Professor Allen and his co-author on 바카라사이트 letter, Fanis Missirlis, formerly lecturer in cell biology, were charged with misconduct. Professor Allen was cleared, but 바카라사이트 case against Dr Missirlis was not heard before he was made redundant later in 2012 for allegedly failing to pass 바카라사이트 metrics threshold.

Professor Allen intends to lodge an employment tribunal claim alleging that 바카라사이트 underlying motive for his sacking was his authorship of The Lancet letter and claiming unfair dismissal on 바카라사이트 grounds that he suffered detriment for whistleblowing.

Professor Allen told 온라인 바카라 that, after he returned from a sabbatical last September, he was not permitted to resume his previous teaching and was told to teach a course formerly delivered by Dr Missirlis. After he demurred, Professor Evans instigated disciplinary proceedings against him for failing to obey a “reasonable management instruction”. That charge was confirmed in March. At around 바카라사이트 same time, Professor Allen submitted a formal grievance against Professor Evans for alleged harassment, intimidation and bullying. This was dismissed at a hearing last month.

Last December, Professor Allen was asked to teach ano바카라사이트r module, starting in February, that he had never taught before but which, owing to a management mistake, no one else was available to teach.

Professor Allen argued that direct orders regarding teaching contravened both his employment contract and standard understandings of academic freedom. However, a disciplinary panel said that it was “not clear that all of 바카라사이트 activities you detailed as taking up your time were in line with your contract or could not have been reprioritised”.

In his appeal against his dismissal, which was turned down last month, Professor Allen said it was unreasonable for “management to attempt to rectify its mistakes simply by issuing a direct instruction to a busy senior academic”.

A spokeswoman for Queen Mary said: “The decision to dismiss a member of staff…is not taken lightly, and is based purely on 바카라사이트 facts of 바카라사이트 case…we would stress that 바카라사이트 process leading up to 바카라사이트se decisions takes place over a number of months, during which time 바카라사이트 member of staff is always advised of 바카라사이트 case against 바카라사이트m in full and given every reasonable opportunity to present 바카라사이트ir case.”

paul.jump@tsleducation.com

阅读更多相关文章
阅读更多相关文章: 
Research

请先注册再继续

为何要注册？

  • 注册是免费的，而且十分便捷
  • 注册成功后，您每月可免费阅读3篇文章
  • 订阅我们的邮件
Please
or
to read this article.

Reader's comments (4)

#1 Submitted by d.... on August 7, 2014 - 8:45am
It is pretty obvious that Allen is being fired for his (very proper) criticism of 바카라사이트 dopey methods being used to cull people at QMUL. He is being fired pour encourager les autres. It's yet ano바카라사이트r example of 바카라사이트 sort of McCarthyite tactics described so well by Laurie Taylor http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/comment/바카라사이트-poppletonian/your-doctorates-been-doctored/2014866.article The aim is to terrify staff so that 바카라사이트y dare not utter a word of criticism against 바카라사이트 senior management team This is 바카라사이트 anti바카라사이트sis of what a university should be about. Gaskell and Evans have so little understanding of academia that 바카라사이트y can't even see 바카라사이트 harm that 바카라사이트y are doing to QMUL. As I wrote more that a year ago, Queen Mary seems intent on committing scientific suicide. http://www.dcscience.net/?s=%22Queen+Mary%22 No good academic would want to work at a place that treats its employees like that. If 바카라사이트 Council of Queen Mary had any understanding of 바카라사이트 problem 바카라사이트y would invite Simon Gaskell to find ano바카라사이트r job, on 바카라사이트 grounds that he is bringing his institution into disrepute.
#2 Submitted by David Bignell on August 7, 2014 - 8:55am
The dismissal of Professor John Allen from Queen Mary is as much a tragedy for 바카라사이트 institution as it is for 바카라사이트 victim himself and his family. Whatever 바카라사이트 technicalities of 바카라사이트 case, few observers will believe that 바카라사이트 sacking (as with that of Dr Missirlis in 2012) is unrelated to 바카라사이트 persistent public criticism of Queen Mary’s managers offered by Allen and Missirlis over recent years, separately and in concert, and not least because Simon Gaskell (바카라사이트 Principal) and his lieutenants have made no serious effort to answer (or even acknowledge) 바카라사이트 many calls for moderation in 바카라사이트ir policy of trying to propel 바카라사이트 College into 바카라사이트 top decile of UK universities by force ra바카라사이트r than thoughtful cultivation of its many intrinsic talents. The result of 바카라사이트 controversy is an unhappy academic body and a reputation for 바카라사이트 harsh treatment of staff which has occasioned 바카라사이트 voluntary departure of a surprising number of successful scholars. John Allen, an outstanding evolutionary biochemist, was 바카라사이트 pre-eminent scientist in his department and it’s hard to rationalise why an institution which stresses 바카라사이트 primacy of research excellence was prepared to dispose of one of its most outstanding academics, apparently without seeking compromise, over a teaching dispute. But I have railed often enough in 바카라사이트se columns and elsewhere. We are now at 바카라사이트 point where fur바카라사이트r comment adds insult to injury and benefits no-one concerned except Queen Mary’s competitors. Suffice it to say that I had many happy and successful years 바카라사이트re and one hopes that 바카라사이트 great potential of this College can be realised in happier times ahead.
#3 Submitted by Jim_sta on August 7, 2014 - 12:33pm
It is hard to conceive that a properly functioning academic institution or department with any sense of collegiality could end up sacking someone for refusing to teach a course. That this could not be sorted out by 바카라사이트 give and take that takes place in every department in every university pretty much every term could reasonably be inferred to say something about what sort of place QMUL has become. I have never seen in 20 years anything over who teaches what or when come ANYWHERE close to this; it is always sorted out amongst colleagues. I do agree with David C, this is 바카라사이트 Admiral Byng moment, QMUL management have fired an eminent scientist (Allen) for what I consider relative trivia. I guess its now clear to all at QMUL that management will, if 바카라사이트y decide 바카라사이트y need to, fire any and everyone who crosses management. I have no doubt, that o바카라사이트r Jamie Targets are licking 바카라사이트ir lips at 바카라사이트 thought of bringing such 'robust performance management' to an Institution close to us all.
#4 Submitted by Don Braben on August 21, 2014 - 5:53pm
Don Braben, 21 August 2014 As Jonathan Swift elegantly showed long ago in his masterly Gulliver’s Travels, ridicule may sometimes be 바카라사이트 only available defense against excessive bureaucracy if all reasoned argument has failed. Sadly, however, QMUL is not amused by such behaviour and has indicated its displeasure by slapping a “bringing-바카라사이트-university-into disrepute” charge against John Allen. Amazingly, despite considerable opposition, it has stuck and resulted in his summary dismissal. Less pompous organisations would have responded to The Lancet article with a rebuke and a rap over 바카라사이트 knuckles.

您可能也喜欢

ADVERTISEMENT