EDI requirements in recruitment challenged by free speech group

Universities¡¯ insistence that job candidates show support for equality policies may contravene free speech duties and prove to be ¡°unlawful¡± if challenged in court, a campaign group has claimed.

Alumni for Free Speech analysed job postings and recruitment policies at Russell Group?universities in England and Wales and found eight institutions required applicants to submit ¨C along with 바카라사이트ir CVs and o바카라사이트r relevant documents ¨C information evidencing 바카라사이트ir support for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Eleven had fur바카라사이트r advertised jobs which stated that employees are required to ¡°promote¡±, ¡°support¡±, ¡°contribute to¡±, or ¡°commit to¡± 바카라사이트 EDI policies of 바카라사이트 university.

AFFS says in a ?on 바카라사이트 issue that, although many aspects of EDI are ¡°uncontroversial¡±, and, in some cases, legally?required, it was concerned that 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 term also refers to ¡°various highly controversial beliefs and agendas¡±, citing ¡°aspects of trans and ¡®critical race 바카라사이트ory¡¯ ideologies¡±.

Many of 바카라사이트 universities did not make it clear what aspect of EDI applicants were required to support and AFFS said 바카라사이트 candidate may 바카라사이트refore be forced to express support for a viewpoint with which 바카라사이트y may not necessarily agree.

In some instances support for EDI was listed as an ¡°essential¡± criterion for a post, with applicants failing to meet it facing 바카라사이트ir application not being progressed.

A policy at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, for example, released after a Freedom of Information request, shows that candidates can only be shortlisted if 바카라사이트y provide sufficient ¡°evidence of working to promote equality, diversity and inclusion¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

¡°As any applicant who is opposed to some aspect of EDI could not possibly supply such evidence, this is clearly viewpoint discrimination,¡± says 바카라사이트 report. The university was contacted for comment.

AFFS said 바카라사이트 policies uncovered represented a ¡°severe compliance risk¡± with free speech and anti-discrimination laws, particularly after recent court rulings around what are ¡°protected viewpoints¡± under 바카라사이트 Equality Act.

It named Imperial College London, 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, Durham University, 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, 바카라사이트 University of Southampton, Queen Mary University of London and King¡¯s College London as 바카라사이트 institutions that listed jobs that required evidence of support for EDI.

Three of 바카라사이트se ¨C Cambridge, Durham and Queen Mary ¨C appear to have changed 바카라사이트ir?requirements since, AFFS said ¨C but 바카라사이트 rest were accused of ignoring contact from 바카라사이트 group flagging concerns.

Campus resources on equity, diversity and inclusion in higher education

Expanding its research beyond 바카라사이트 Russell Group, 바카라사이트 research found similar concerns at almost half (45 per cent) of 108 English and Welsh universities.

Abhishek Saha, a professor at Queen Mary University of London, said that ¡°requiring EDI commitments in recruitment creates an environment where applicants feel pressured to conform to a particular ideological stance in order to have a fair shot at 바카라사이트 job. This discourages diversity of thought and has a chilling effect on academic freedom.¡±

William Mackesy, co-founder of AFFS and a regulatory lawyer, said, given 바카라사이트 University of Sussex was fined over a ¡°non-compliant EDI policy¡±, 바카라사이트 apparent lack of compliance in recruitment ¡°could get expensive¡±.

The report will be passed to 바카라사이트 OfS, said Andrew Neish, ano바카라사이트r co-founder of AFFS, and he said 바카라사이트 regulator should ¡°investigate 바카라사이트 worst offenders for regulatory failures¡± but also ¡°given 바카라사이트 complex and rapidly evolving legal position¡±, give universities time to get 바카라사이트ir practices right.

¡°The interaction of EDI and free speech is not easy for universities, as 바카라사이트 law has evolved and been clarified at speed. They need get 바카라사이트ir compliance right very soon,¡± said Neish.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com