Uni investigation Campaigners back dismissal of professor
JEWISH campaigners have welcomed the dismissal of a professor at a West university whose alleged comments about Israel had sparked an investigation.
The University of Bristol has announced that following an investigation by a QC it no longer employed Professor David Miller.
The investigation was launched in March after Jewish student groups formally complained about the political sociology professor’s remarks.
The matter was also raised in Parliament, with ministers urged to take tougher action to ensure Jewish students were protected from anti-Semitism on campus, with one senior MP comparing the situation to “1930s Germany”.
The University of Bristol has now confirmed that following its investigation Professor Miller had been dismissed – but added he was entitled to appeal the decision and it did not find his comments constituted unlawful speech.
It said: “We have a duty of care to all students and the wider university community, in addition to a need to apply our own codes of conduct consistently and with integrity.
“Balancing those important considerations, and after careful deliberation, a disciplinary hearing found Professor Miller did not meet the standards of behaviour we expect from our staff and the university has concluded that Professor Miller’s employment should be terminated with immediate effect.
“The university regards the principle of academic freedom as fundamental and would like to reiterate that we take any risk to stifle that freedom seriously.
“The investigation included an independent report from a leading Queen’s Counsel who considered the important issue of academic freedom of expression and found that Professor Miller’s comments did not constitute unlawful speech.
“We recognise that these matters have caused deep concern for people on all sides of the debate, and that members of our community hold very different views from one another.
“Given the degree of public interest in this matter we hope our community will appreciate the care and attention with which the university must approach it.
“We cannot provide any further update on this process; in line with ACAS guidance, such internal processes should remain confidential. Professor Miller has a right of internal appeal, which he may choose to exercise, and nothing in this statement should be taken to prejudge that prospective process.”
Professor Miller confirmed to the Electronic Intifada website that he would be appealing the decision and would be “fighting it all the way”.
He has also received some support from within the academic community and left-wing circles, with famous names like Noam Chomsky and Roger Waters lending their support.
In a joint statement, the Union of Jewish Students and Bristol Jewish Society said they were delighted with the decision, albeit two years after complaints were first made.
They said: “This announcement concludes months and years of tireless campaigns and actions by students to try and get the university and authorities to listen, and we are pleased that action has finally been taken.”
Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “Finally, a decision has been made. Jewish students should not have to endure anti-Semitic conspiracy theories from the very people employed to teach them.
“Whilst this is the right decision by Bristol University, it is embarrassingly overdue.
“I want to put on record my thanks and admiration to all the brave Jewish students and the Union of Jewish Students who campaigned tirelessly on this, often at huge personal risk.”
Thangam Debonnaire, MP for Bristol West, spoke out against Professor Miller at a rally organised by the Union of Jewish Students, alongside Countdown presenter Rachel Riley.
In a new statement to the Post she said: “For several years now, University of Bristol students have raised very serious concerns about David Miller, which I have taken up with the university.
“I’m pleased that the university has confronted this unacceptable behaviour, while maintaining important principles of academic freedom.”