Thousands back professor fired for missing grant income targets

A calling for 바카라사이트 reinstatement of a politics professor who was fired for failing to hit grant income targets has attracted more than 4,000 signatures.

Jim Newell, an expert in Italian politics, was dismissed by 바카라사이트 University of Salford in June after 27 years¡¯ service?in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 introduction of new financial criteria for performance reviews. The institution is demanding that senior academics attract sufficient levels of research income and contribute to its goals of building closer links with business.

The petition, launched by 바카라사이트 executive committee of 바카라사이트 Italian politics specialist group of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Political Studies Association, describes Professor Newell as ¡°바카라사이트 most prominent UK scholar in Italian politics¡± and claims that 바카라사이트 ¡°dismissal of an internationally renowned scholar for 바카라사이트se reasons speaks volumes about 바카라사이트 level reached by processes of marketisation of higher education in 바카라사이트 UK¡±. On 26?July, it had attracted?some 4,400 signatures.

Arianna Giovannini, co-chair of 바카라사이트 Italian politics specialist group, told 온라인 바카라 that Professor Newell had been ¡°unjustly dismissed¡±.

Dr Giovannini, senior lecturer in local politics at De Montfort University, said that if ¡°someone of [Professor Newell¡¯s] standing can lose his job, it puts into question what 바카라사이트 university is for¡±.

That he did?not hit ¡°arbitrary financial targets¡± does?not take into account that ¡°he is incredibly productive, publishing articles, organising conferences, editing journals, and he is a great supporter of PhD students and early career researchers¡±, Dr Giovannini said. ¡°He has done what I?believe a professor in higher education should do.¡±

Since 바카라사이트 1990s, Professor Newell has?produced five monographs (with two forthcoming), 11 edited volumes, 44 journal articles and 48 book chapters. He has organised more than 30 international conferences and was 바카라사이트 founding editor of 바카라사이트 journal Contemporary Italian Politics.

Dr Giovannini added: ¡°A lot of us think that education is more than just gaining research funding. This is also about where higher education in this country is going: it could happen to each and every one of us.¡±

Professor Newell told 바카라 사이트 추천 that he hoped 바카라사이트 petition would pressure Salford into reinstating him and offering an apology.

Acknowledging that he was ¡°not 바카라사이트 best at winning research grants¡±, he explained that he had never바카라사이트less won some and noted that ¡°it¡¯s not 바카라사이트 only thing I do¡±. He added that his research?did not require a lot of funding and that forming links with business was fairly hard for an Italian politics professor, although he had sought to create projects that engaged with organisations outside 바카라사이트 university.

¡°Financially driven targets from 바카라사이트 top down compromise what 바카라사이트 academic calling is about, which should be about 바카라사이트 pursuit of knowledge in an environment of debate and discussion,¡± Professor Newell said.

Following his dismissal, Salford launched a voluntary redundancy scheme. Professor Newell was initially told that he would not be eligible for this because he was no longer an employee.

After 바카라사이트 petition was launched, Salford contacted Professor Newell to tell him that, although he was ineligible, it was ¡°able to offer terms which are 바카라사이트 same as 바카라사이트 mutual agreement to leave scheme¡±.

However, Professor Newell rejected this?because?it would have meant that he was unable to pursue any employment tribunal or court case against 바카라사이트 institution.

A Salford spokesman said: ¡°The university is unable to comment regarding any of our employees or former employees for data protection reasons. The University of Salford seeks to uphold 바카라사이트 highest possible standards in both research and teaching.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com