Related Links
Bullied Academics Blogspot - a blog containing useful information on bullying in academia
Kingston University London Dissenter's Blog - Site exposing management incompetence and heavy handedness at Kingston University
One Banana Short - site by Prof Tom Robinson, with information on management practices at public higher education institutions
UCU Uncensored Blogspot - a blog containing a critical review of University and College Union's actions in support of its members
Bucking the System: Andrew Wilkie and the Difficult Task of the Whistleblower - a great article, by Brian Martin, detailing common techniques used in coverups
Choose Your Boss Carefully - an interesting article for those considering working at Kingston University
Silverdale Consulting - an HR consulting firm, headed by former Kingston University Personnel Director, Liz Lanchbery (aka Liz Scholey) and former Kingston University Secretary, Rafiq Abdullah
Kingston University Employee Relations - a link to an article published in Indymedia on KU employee grievance statistics.
Times Higher Education Article on Employment Tribunal Finding Against Kingston University - a link to an article describing wrongdoing by KU management in the unfair dismissal of a senior lecturer. Here is the complete case judgment.
Wiki Leaks - a link to a story and documents concerning alleged witness intimidation of KU former employees.
Unofficial Guide's Kingston University Reviews - a site containing uncensored opinions by KU students.
Office of Fair Trading Citation Against Kingston University for Unfair Contract Terms - details of OFT's finding against Kingston for unfairly misleading students, and attempting to avoid liability for negligence.
University allegedly bullies students in connection with National Student Survey responses - the KU administration side of the story, whereby allegations have arisen that students were bullied by University officials to write positive responses to the NSS. Here is another take on the story:- National Student Survey Scandal
Government's Response in Parliament to the National Student Survey Scandal at Kingston
The Kingston University Scandal - American article on Ars Mathematica.Net site that gives a good oveview of scandals at Kingston University
Author Not Very Creative With Uni Students' Marks - Article in the Surrey Comet about alleged mark inflation at Kingston University.
Bureaucratic Excercises in Preparation for QAA Audits to be Penalized - Times Higher Ed Supplement reports that universities that engage in 'Goldplating' i.e. preparation of module boxes, ISRs, and other similar 'rehearsal' activities in preparation for QAA Audits are wasting valuable staff resources and will be penalized as a result.
'Not Enough' Done Against Campus Anti-Semitism - Guardian article on the ongoing problems with anti-Semitism in UK Higher Education.
Kingston University May Lose ?1M Thanks to Dropouts - Surrey Comet article on the underreporting of dropouts at Kingston University
Not in my name - V-C loses fight for his domain - Times Higher Ed Supplement reports that Sir 'Peter' Scott has lost his WIPO complaint against Dr Howard Fredrics
Article in Managing Intellectual Property - Includes a section on the WIPO case against Dr Fredrics
Fredrics Cleared of Harassment Charge - Article from July 2010 appearing in the Times Higher Education on an important Free Speech case.
Skorupski's Law - A website by Declan Quigley concerning corruption in British Higher Education and collusion with the legal profession.
Raphael Golb's Dead Sea Scrolls Blogger Article- Article by American Dead Sea Scrolls blogger convicted of multiple felonies for exposing alleged academic misconduct. A related set of evidence, correspondence by Prof Lawrence Schiffman may be found HERE.
Stop The Threats - A petition to stop the use of bullying tactics at University of Ulster to achieve staff reductions.
Young people are going to bad universities - Daily Telegraph article on the gap in quality and employability of New University degrees.
Bergen Bel Canto Studios - The voice teaching studio of Lori Fredrics.
A Degree of Uncertainty - An investigation into grade inflation in universities - A report by Reform indicates the widespread problem of grade inflation in British universities.
The Personal Injury of Workplace Bullying - useful article on the definition, impact and legal implications of workplace bullying.
From the BBC's Education Website:-
Whistleblower warning on degrees
Blind Eye' turned to exam cheats
University cheats 'not expelled'
Overseas students 'buying essays'
Lecturer's student warning
Student walks out over standards
First-hand views from university
Call for action on 'degree fraud'
MPs asked to probe degree 'fraud'
Degree standards 'need scrutiny'
Moves to tighten degree scrutiny
Universities Reject More Scrutiny
A particularly good posting from Bullied Academic Blogspot is reproduced here:-
July 5, 2009
Open letter
An extract from an open letter to my prestigious research university - prompted by Carl's death. I apologise to friends and family of Carl for using the space in the way that I have done. I hope you will understand. I think Carl would have done.
...these practices feel relentless and yet you claim there is no evidence of workplace bullying. As teachers we know that until you get the behaviour right it is impossible to achieve any real learning. If you can't 'get the behaviour right', with the support of some of the governors, then I don't believe anyone can. The power is in your hands.
We have to address the reality and speak the truth; that requires both courage and trust - a philosophical opportunity to review what is happening. Not just using the jargon without touching real life.
Cases of alleged workplace bullying such as mine (and Carl's) are very serious. You know that.
I do not know if you are aware of the case at Solent University which is currently being debated on the Times Higher blog. There are some links to my case so you may find it useful to review what is being said.
I can assure both you and the university that I am mentally very strong so I would assure you that there is no danger that I would take my own life as Carl has done. In saying this I do not mean any disrespect to Carl - in some ways his death has helped me. It could so easily have been the other way round. However - I do believe that the university - key members of senior management - have taken completely unacceptable risks with regard to my ability to cope with this situation.
On the Times Higher blog you will see reference to Carl's university and the kind of debates that his death has prompted in this space that new technology has created. There is also testimony from a close friend of Carl's - both on this blog and the Times Higher blog. She describes the effects of the long-term humiliation on Carl - crying in his kitchen after yet another meeting where he had been humiliated.
In the end he could no longer cope with the pain and took his own life. We can read about the response of the university - their defence that no one had taken out a grievance against the manager of Carl's department.
There are others - Diana Winstanly from Kingston - whose death is recorded somewhere on this blog. My pain is also recorded on this blog - over a period of years. This blog has been and continues to be my lifeline in my darkest and bleakest moments... when the bottle of pills seems so tempting.
Carl's close friend is now under police surveillance and cannot defend herself. The state too colludes it would seem in these cases. She has been threatened 3 times with legal action by the university... 1984 is alive and well.
As you have agreed - cases of workplace bullying are very serious. As is evidenced by Carl's case they can spiral out of control in ways that cannot be foreseen. - sometimes with a tragic loss of life.
I would agree that spaces such as blogs are not the best place to debate these issues - yet they are the only spaces available for those of us who believe that we are targets of workplace bullying.
Silence and denial is not the way forward. I would ask that the university...
**********************************
I cannot include any more as that would reveal to my university who I am.
I would urge anyone who is concerned about workplace bullying to speak out in their university - find someone with the power and the courage to help you.
Write a letter to you MP.
Write to anyone who has the power to take this issue forward before we have any more deaths.
In solidarity - and thinking of you Carl - that last walk...
Aphra Behn
Source: http://bulliedacademics.blogspot.com/2009/07/open-letter.html
Examples of Legal Cases Against Kingston University involving alleged discrimination, bullying and victimization:
Diana Winstanley & Jean Woodall v Kingston University - Tribunal finds that Kingston University discriminated against Profs Winstanley and Woodall on the grounds of their sex.
Agi Oldfield v Kingston University - Link to article in the Times Higher Ed. Supplement where a Tribunal finds that Prof Oldfield was threatened and constructively dismissed. Here is the actual full Tribunal decision.
Anita Dutt v Kingston University - Tribunal ruled that Ms Dutt was harrassed by her employer
RB v Kingston University - Tribunal ignored key evidence in its reasons for finding against Dr B
Francois Greeff v Kingston University - Disabled postgraduate student was allegedly harassed and expelled by the University to the point where he found it necessary to obtain a court injunction to prevent further acts of harassment
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