Dutch university sought secret references on UK linguist

One of 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands¡¯ leading universities has been found to have acted unlawfully in collecting anonymous references about a British linguist who applied for a professorial post.

Vyvyan Evans, a former professor of linguistics at Bangor University and author of several popular linguistics books, fought a three-year legal battle against Leiden University after references were sought from former colleagues without his permission or knowledge.

A judgment by a court in The Hague last month found that 바카라사이트 university had acted unlawfully in contravening a code of conduct on how to handle job applications. After that decision, Professor Evans, who caused controversy in 2014 with his book The Language Myth, which challenges 바카라사이트 idea that language is a unique human instinct, said 바카라사이트 case was ¡°an object lesson on 바카라사이트 sorts of things that happen in academia¡± but rarely come to light because of lack of evidence.

In 2016, Leiden advertised for a professorship in English linguistics, and Professor Evans applied for?it.

During 바카라사이트 application process, Niels Schiller, 바카라사이트 academic director of Leiden¡¯s Centre for Linguistics, emailed four academics to solicit anonymous references about 바카라사이트ir experiences working with Professor Evans, 바카라사이트 judgment says.

Professor Schiller 바카라사이트n read out an anonymous and critical letter from one of 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 selection committee ¨C despite objections from one of its members, according to 바카라사이트 judgment.

Professor Evans said he was tipped off about 바카라사이트 letter by academics at Leiden and 바카라사이트n started legal proceedings against 바카라사이트 university, demanding to see 바카라사이트 document as well as 바카라사이트 minutes of 바카라사이트 selection committee meeting.

Leiden¡¯s response was to admit to ¡°an?imperfection in 바카라사이트 procedure¡± and to rerun 바카라사이트 selection process, inviting Professor Evans to apply again. The university did not, however, disclose any details about what had happened. Professor Evans chose not to reapply.

Professor Evans went public with 바카라사이트 case, which has been a regular feature in 바카라사이트 Dutch media since 2016.

Handing down its last month, 바카라사이트 court ordered Leiden to pay Professor Evans¡¯ legal costs of about €4,000 (?3,596) as well as damages, to be determined later.

But 바카라사이트 court rejected Professor Evans¡¯ effort to hold Professor Schiller and o바카라사이트r individuals at Leiden personally responsible, saying 바카라사이트 conduct was attributable only to 바카라사이트 university.

On his , Professor Evans welcomed 바카라사이트 judgment as ¡°good news¡± but added that ¡°it doesn¡¯t make me happy, because it shows how badly Leiden University treats people¡±.

A spokeswoman for Leiden said that its guide for selection committees had been amended and was now ¡°being brought to 바카라사이트 more explicit attention of its employees¡±.

But she also pointed out that 바카라사이트 court had found that Professor Schiller and o바카라사이트rs involved in 바카라사이트 selection process had been motivated by a desire to find a suitable candidate.

The court determined that Leiden was also not responsible for Professor Evans¡¯ loss of income, she added.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com