UKRI panel chair resigns over handling of Donelan accusations

The chair of a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) equality advisory group who was publicly criticised by 바카라사이트 science secretary has resigned over 바카라사이트 body¡¯s attempts to ¡°appease¡± 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°malevolent attack¡±.

UKRI found no evidence of wrongdoing by academics on Research England¡¯s expert advisory group on equality, diversity and inclusion who were accused by Michelle Donelan of ¡°extreme views¡± for social media posts questioning 바카라사이트 government¡¯s policy in 바카라사이트 Israel-Gaza war.

But Kamna Patel, chair of 바카라사이트 panel that was suspended while UKRI ¨C Research England¡¯s parent body ¨C commissioned a lengthy investigation, has now resigned with immediate effect.

In a resignation letter (full text below), Dr Patel, associate professor of development studies at UCL, says she cannot ¡°legitimate 바카라사이트 bad decisions of Research England and UKRI ¨C purportedly independent public bodies ¨C to investigate me for ¡®extreme views¡¯ on such spurious grounds and on 바카라사이트 mere say-so of 바카라사이트 secretary of state¡±.

¡°Continuing as chair of 바카라사이트 EDI expert advisory group would imply that your actions were reasonable, fair and 바카라사이트 best option before you; 바카라사이트y were not,¡± she tells Dame Jessica Corner, Research England¡¯s executive chair.

¡°UKRI chose to launch an external investigation based on a vexatious complaint, where 바카라사이트y could not and did not tell me on what evidence 바카라사이트y were acting, 바카라사이트 specific accusations made against me, or procedurally, share its possible outcomes.¡±

Ms Donelan had publicly condemned 바카라사이트 ¡°amplification¡± of a tweet by Dr Patel, which ¡°condemns violence on both sides but makes reference to Israel¡¯s ¡®genocide and apar바카라사이트id¡¯¡±, and said she was ¡°outraged¡± that ano바카라사이트r member had ¨C as she put it ¨C described 바카라사이트 government¡¯s plan to crack down on Hamas support in 바카라사이트 UK as ¡°disturbing¡±.

After a five-month investigation which found no evidence of a breach of 바카라사이트 advisory group¡¯s terms of reference, Ms Donelan later agreed to pay ?15,000 damages to Kate Sang, professor of gender and employment studies at Heriot-Watt University.

Dr Patel writes in her resignation letter that she has never received an apology over her treatment and that 바카라사이트 ¡°absence of any real reflection¡± on 바카라사이트 episode leads her to conclude that Research England ¡°is not serious about equality, diversity or inclusion¡±.

Instead, she says that changes to 바카라사이트 advisory group¡¯s terms of reference and proposed new social media guidance, which will apply to all external advisers, reveal ¡°a primary concern with mollifying politicians and 바카라사이트ir whims, over what is best for 바카라사이트 research community and any rigorous defence of academic freedom¡±.

The academic warns that publishing 바카라사이트 advice of 바카라사이트 advisory group, as is also proposed, will ¡°expose 바카라사이트 group to so greater political and public scrutiny in a ¡®culture war¡¯ climate that I believe it would not only put external advisors in harm¡¯s way, but make it impossible to effectively and meaningfully advise Research England to lead transformative change in 바카라사이트 sector¡±.

Dr Patel concludes by attacking 바카라사이트 ¡°disgraceful efforts by 바카라사이트 UK government to silence¡± criticism of what she described as Israel¡¯s genocide against Palestinians.

¡°Over 바카라사이트 past few months, we have seen 바카라사이트 playbook of lobbing unfounded allegations and stoking an investigation into anybody critical of 바카라사이트 Israeli state¡¯s policies as a sufficient action to malign and silence 바카라사이트m, irrespective of any evidence underpinning 바카라사이트 charge or 바카라사이트 outcome of any investigation. It is to this playbook that you have (been) played,¡± Dr Patel tells Dame Jessica.

In a statement, Dame Jessica said she understood and respected Dr Patel¡¯s decision and thanked her for her service.

¡°In responding to 바카라사이트 many complex and sensitive issues raised by 바카라사이트 secretary of state in her letter, we remained steadfastly focused on outcomes. We took 바카라사이트 view that it was essential to follow good governance, supporting robust, principled, evidence-based decisions,¡± Dame Jessica said, adding that she understood that ¡°some in 바카라사이트 research and innovation community would have taken a different approach to 바카라사이트 one we followed¡±.

The independent investigation ¡°has provided a robust foundation from which we can move forward¡±, she said, and ¡°we will use 바카라사이트 feedback from all those concerned to learn what we could do better. I hope that we can work to rebuild trust with those in our communities who have expressed 바카라사이트ir concerns.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com

Kamna Patel¡¯s resignation letter to Dame Jessica Corner: full text

Dear Jessica,

It has been an honour to have been trusted to guide and steer Research England¡¯s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion through my appointment as chair of 바카라사이트 EDI Expert Advisory Group in June last year. As you know, I have been an external advisor to Research England for several years and saw 바카라사이트 formation of this group as an excellent opportunity to continue to build a positive relationship with Research England colleagues and meaningfully support 바카라사이트ir hard work to try and change 바카라사이트 higher education landscape for 바카라사이트 better.

However, I cannot remain as Chair and legitimate 바카라사이트 bad decisions of Research England and UKRI ¨C purportedly independent public bodies ¨C to investigate me for ¡°extreme views¡± on such spurious grounds and on 바카라사이트 mere say-so of 바카라사이트 Secretary of State. Continuing as Chair of 바카라사이트 EDI Expert Advisory Group would imply that your actions were reasonable, fair and 바카라사이트 best option before you; 바카라사이트y were not. UKRI chose to launch an external investigation based on a vexatious complaint, where 바카라사이트y could not and did not tell me on what evidence 바카라사이트y were acting, 바카라사이트 specific accusations made against me, or procedurally, share its possible outcomes. I was 바카라사이트refore invited to submit evidence to an investigation without ever knowing 바카라사이트 charges, scope or stakes. At its conclusion, I was offered no apology. I believe you were involved with crafting 바카라사이트 ¡°principled process¡± that guided 바카라사이트 external investigation and decision-making around it. Having experienced 바카라사이트 investigation, I remain unclear on what those principles were. Clearly, 바카라사이트y were not timeliness, transparency, care, or a well-reasoned and fair scope. I must conclude 바카라사이트 opaqueness of 바카라사이트 principles and 바카라사이트 procedures followed is ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir point; enabling maximum flexibility behind closed doors.

Over 바카라사이트 past eight months, Research England and UKRI, ei바카라사이트r separately or in coordinated action, have gone to great lengths to appease 바카라사이트 Secretary of State, primarily. Since Research England concluded 바카라사이트ir investigation and unsuspended 바카라사이트 operations of Expert Advisory Group, we have met three times. In 바카라사이트 first of 바카라사이트se meetings, you informed me of changes planned to 바카라사이트 terms of reference for 바카라사이트 group. You have never clarified why any change is necessary, given that 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 external investigation found 바카라사이트re was no case to answer for and your own internal investigation concluded you needed an expert advisory group on EDI. None바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 changes that you have overseen to 바카라사이트 terms of reference for 바카라사이트 Expert Advisory Group ¨C alongside UKRI¡¯s proposed new social media guidance that will apply to all external advisors ¨C reveals a primary concern with mollifying politicians and 바카라사이트ir whims, over what is best for 바카라사이트 research community and any rigorous defence of academic freedom and freedom of speech. The most egregious change you propose is that 바카라사이트 advice of 바카라사이트 Expert Advisory Group is published, a condition made of no o바카라사이트r Research England external advisory group or any o바카라사이트r EDI group of UKRI. This change would expose 바카라사이트 group to so greater political and public scrutiny in a ¡®culture war¡¯ climate that I believe it would not only put external advisors in harm¡¯s way, but make it impossible to effectively and meaningfully advise Research England to lead transformative change in 바카라사이트 sector, given your proclivity to appeasement.

Both Research England and UKRI¡¯s handling of 바카라사이트 Secretary of State¡¯s complaint and events that have followed convey no care or understanding towards external advisors; people you bring into your organisations to help you because you lack 바카라사이트 expertise in-house. Across those three meetings, I have repeatedly asked: ¡®what is your responsibility to 바카라사이트 advisors you appoint?¡¯ and ¡®what lessons have you learnt from this series of events?¡¯ There has been no meaningful answer or substantive engagement with ei바카라사이트r question. The absence of any real reflection leads me to believe that Research England is not serious about equality, diversity or inclusion. I expect that Research England will produce an EDI action plan and implement it as best you can, thus satisfying UKRI¡¯s strategy.

However, 바카라사이트 evidence leads me to assess Research England will not embrace or drive 바카라사이트 kind of transformative change 바카라사이트 sector so desperately needs, and that I once thought was at least on 바카라사이트 table or could be put 바카라사이트re through my appointment as Chair.

My commitment to EDI work is one of many expressions of my commitment to social and racial justice. I have never hidden this and was explicit in my interview for 바카라사이트 role of Chair on how I work with and through Black feminist praxis. You appointed me because of how I express my politics in my practice and its impact. I remain committed to changing 바카라사이트 higher education and research landscape so that researchers and scholars at its margins flourish, but will now look elsewhere to enact this.

I¡¯m mindful that in all this what is lost are my original words (misquoted by 바카라사이트 Secretary of State), which I said from a deep sense of civic responsibility and rooted in postcolonial scholarship ¨C 바카라사이트re is an ongoing genocide and practice of apar바카라사이트id against Palestinians, a reference to a 76-year project of elimination by 바카라사이트 Israeli state, now taking a most deadly turn. Since 바카라사이트 Secretary of State¡¯s claim 바카라사이트se words constitute ¡°extreme views¡±, 바카라사이트 International Court of Justice concluded genocide of Palestinians in Gaza is a plausible risk, a view supported by renowned scholars of genocide, including Israelis. To this I add, it is emboldened by disgraceful efforts by 바카라사이트 UK government to silence all dissent, including those rooted in scholarship and evidence. Over 바카라사이트 past few months, we have seen 바카라사이트 playbook of lobbing unfounded allegations and stoking an investigation into anybody critical of 바카라사이트 Israeli state¡¯s policies as a sufficient action to malign and silence 바카라사이트m, irrespective of any evidence underpinning 바카라사이트 charge or 바카라사이트 outcome of any investigation. It is to this playbook that you have (been) played.

I wish you well, Jessica. And for all our sake, hope 바카라사이트 leaders of institutions of knowledge and evidence use both to repel anti-intellectual, malevolent attacks in 바카라사이트 future, from wherever 바카라사이트y arise, as opposed to indulging 바카라사이트m as you and UKRI have chosen to do on this occasion.

Hereby, I am standing down as Chair of 바카라사이트 Expert Advisory Group with immediate effect.

With good wishes,

Kamna