--------------------------------------------------------Colleagues and comrades,
I would like to thank all of you who agreed to add your signature to the open letter asking for the reinstatement of Professor James Newell to his post as Professor of Politics at Salford University. I'd especially like to thank Mike Finn from Exeter who managed to capture over 40 signatures from academic staff and colleagues. We now have 68 signatures. Please do consider adding your name to the open letter. This travesty is something that affects us all and there has never been more clear evidence of the marketisation of HE in the UK, something that needs to be resisted at all costs. We don't, as yet, have any signatures from Salford and an open display of solidarity from as many institutions as possible is much needed. Solidarity at all costs is how we win the struggle for our education system.
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out— Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
As always, in solidarity,
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An appeal to reinstate Professor James Newell to his position at Salford University with immediate effect
On June 12th 2018, Professor James Newell was dismissed from his position as Professor of Politics at Salford University after 27 years of service. The reason given by the institution is that Professor Newell had failed to meet arbitrary targets linked to the successful capture of external funding, targets that were introduced retroactively following his appointment to Professor in 2005 and thus not part of the original contract. This has enormous ramifications for academics working at universities in the United Kingdom. Gearing the academic enterprise towards economic logics rather than the production of knowledge for its own sake should be a cautionary tale for all researchers, academics and lecturers employed at the coalface of Higher Education.
Professor Newell is, without doubt, a highly respected academic veteran, an internationally renowned scholar and the most eminent UK researcher in the field of Italian politics. Over the past twenty-seven years, Professor Newell has published 5 monographs (with two on the way), 11 edited anthologies, 44 peer-reviewed journal articles and 48 book chapters. He has written for The Guardian, The Conversation, and has appeared on the BBC to share his expertise in Italian politics. Professor Newell’s dismissal on purely economic grounds should serve as a cautionary tale to those who value the UK’s treasured institutions of learning and research. We are in the process of being besieged by market forces, which are rapidly and radically changing the very principles of Higher Education and Learning that many hold dear.
We, the undersigned, ask that Vice Chancellor, Helen Marshall, reinstate Professor Newell with immediate effect in light of what can only be described as a serious attack on the principles of higher education, with Professor Newell the latest victim of the damaging shift towards the continued marketization and corporatisation of higher education in the 21st Century.
The Executive Committee of the Italian Politics Specialist Group of the UK’s Political Studies Association have set up a petition, asking for the reinstatement of Professor James Newell, which is closing in on 3000 signatures as of this writing. Please use the following link to make your voice heard.
Signed:
Professor Mona Baker, University of Manchester
Professor Martin Barker, Aberystwyth University
Professor Stewart Barr, University of Exeter
Professor Anita Biressi, University of Roehampton
Professor Nigel Byott, University of Exeter
Professor Ian Cook, University of Exeter
Professor Fiona Cox, University of Exeter
Professor Des Freedman, Goldsmiths University
Professor Rebecca Gould, University of Birmingham
Professor Peter Golding, Northumbria University
Professor Danielle Hipkin, University of Exeter
Professor Lee Hogarth, University of Exeter
Professor Joanne Horton, University of Exeter
Professor Neville Morley, University of Exeter
Professor Melissa Percival, University of Exeter
Professor Angelique Richardson, University of Exeter
Professor Clarissa Smith, University of Sunderland
Professor Richard Toye, University of Exeter
Professor Mike Wayne, Brunel University
Professor Matt Whiteman, University of Exeter
Dr Ana Antic, University of Exeter
Pura Ariza, Manchester Metropolitan University
Dr. Stephanie Allen, Bournemouth University
Dr Adrian Bailey, University of Exeter
Dr Claire Beaugrand, University of Exeter
Dr Chris Campbell, University of Exeter
Dr James Cresswell, University of Exeter
Dr Adrian Curtin, University of Exeter
Dr Ana Duarte, University of Exeter
Dr Jane Feaver, University of Exeter
Dr Christine Bicknell, University of Exeter
Jess Bowyer, University of Exeter
Mandy Brown UCU London Regional Secretary and NEC
Dr Carl-Henrik Bjerstrom, University of Exeter
Dr. Steve Cannon, University of Sunderland
Carol Cody ,City of Liverpool College UCU NW Women's Equality Rep
Dr Joseph Crawford, University of Exeter
Dr Rohit K Dasgupta, London Borough of Newham/ Loughborough University
Roger Domeneghetti, Northumbria University
Dr Marcus Vinicius Peinado Gomes, University of Exeter
Deepa Govindarajan Driver, University of Reading
Ken Fero, Coventry University
Dr Mike Finn, University of Exeter
Dr Claire Foullon, University of Exeter
Dr João Florêncio, University of Exeter
Dr Emily A. Bernhard Jackson, University of Exeter
Rhian Keyse, University of Exeter
Dr Jennifer Lea, University of Exeter
Junxiong Li, University of Exeter
Dr. Ann Luce, Bournemouth University
Dr. Richard McCulloch, University of Huddersfield
Dr Martin Moore, University of Exeter
Christian Mossman, University of Exeter
Dave Muritu, UCU Chair of Equality Committee, NEC
Marian Mayer, Bournemouth University
Dr Jon Morgan, University of Exeter
Dr. An Nguyen, Bournemouth University
Christina Paine, London Metropolitan University
Dr. William Proctor, Bournemouth University
Dr Anandi Ramamurthy, Reader, Sheffield Hallam University
Dr Matthias Reiss, University of Exeter
Dr Peter Riley, University of Exeter
Nita Sanghera, SCCB, Bournville College. UCU Vice President
Dr Severine Saintier, University of Exeter
Dr Hester Schadee, University of Exeter
Dr Gajendra Singh, University of Exeter
Malaka Mohammed Shwaikh, University of Exeter
Dr. Einar Thorsen, Bournemouth University
Dr Iowerth Thomas, University of Exeter
Hannah Willis, University of Exeter
BU is a Disability Confident Employer and has signed up to the Mindful Employer charter. Information about the accessibility of University buildings can be found on the BU DisabledGo webpages. This email is intended only for the person to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential information. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender and delete this email, which must not be copied, distributed or disclosed to any other person. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Bournemouth University or its subsidiary companies. Nor can any contract be formed on behalf of the University or its subsidiary companies via email.Dr. William ProctorSenior Lecturer in Transmedia, Culture and CommunicationThe School of Journalism, English and CommunicationBournemouth University
Fern Barrow
PooleBH12 5BBOffice: W334 (third floor, Weymouth House)Narrative Research Group (NRG): http://microsites.bournemouth.ac.uk/cjcr/narrative-research-group/Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture and Community
http://research.bournemouth.ac.uk/centre/journalism-culture-and-community/BU is a Disability Two Ticks Employer and has signed up to the Mindful Employer charter. Information about the accessibility of University buildings can be found on the BU DisabledGo webpages<http://www.disabledgo.com/en/org/bournemouth-university>
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