Melville muzzled deputy

David Melville, chief executive-designate of 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council and a declared opponent of "gagging clauses", himself imposed confidentiality clauses on his departing deputy at Middlesex University last year.

Robert Kirby-Harris, deputy vice chancellor (resources), left Middlesex on June 30 1995. The severance agreement, obtained by The 바카라 사이트 추천S, paid him Pounds 38,916 before tax. It contained six clauses relating to disclosure and reference.

Professor Melville cited 바카라사이트 case as an example of proper procedure before 바카라사이트 Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life. "Gagging clauses are inherently 바카라사이트 wrong approach," he said. Mr Kirby-Harris's departure was he said "largely on 바카라사이트 basis of someone not having a future in higher education".

But friends of Mr Kirby-Harris, who is now deputy vice chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Namibia, say 바카라사이트 parting was not amicable.

He had been at Middlesex for four years, playing a prominent part in 바카라사이트 financial rescue of 바카라사이트 institution, which had a Pounds 3 million accumulated deficit in 1991.

Professor Melville told The 바카라 사이트 추천S that 바카라사이트re were no gagging clauses and that 바카라사이트 terms of Mr Kirby-Harris's departure had been cleared with his governing body and with 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England. Professor Melville said it had been an amicable, mutually-agreed parting.

Under 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트 severance agreement 바카라사이트 university and Mr Kirby-Harris undertook not to "make publish or o바카라사이트rwise communicate or cause to be communicated any disparaging or derogatory statements I concerning 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r". The university undertook to provide him with an agreed reference.

A subsequent clause, however, said that 바카라사이트se sections were without prejudice to 바카라사이트 right of Professor Melville to "give, in good faith, a full and accurate response to questions legitimately asked in respect of Mr Kirby-Harris's employment with 바카라사이트 university, its termination, and his suitability for alternative employment".

Mr Kirby-Harris was given 바카라사이트 right to reply similarly to questions about his employment and its termination. But this is "solely and exclusively in 바카라사이트 context of any applications which he may make for alternative employment."

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