Oxford
University Press Release
*27 October 2003*
RE:
Professor Andrew Wilkie (Nuffield Professor
of Pathology)
The
Vice-Chancellor has accepted the
recommendation of the Visitatorial Board that
Professor Wilkie should be suspended from his
academic duties within the University,
without pay, for two months. Suspension is
the most serious penalty that the University
can impose, short of dismissal or removal
from office. The decision follows an
investigation by the Board of matters
surrounding an email which Professor Wilkie
sent in response to an enquiry from an
Israeli student regarding the possibility of
graduate study in his research group. The
Board has made other recommendations,
including that Professor Wilkie is required
to undergo further equal opportunities
training.
|
|
No
place for any form of discrimination
at Oxford
|
This
ruling reflects that there can be no place
for any form of discrimination within the
University of Oxford other than on the
grounds of merit. Professor Wilkie fully
accepts the gravity of the situation and is
determined to make full use of training to
ensure that his actions and those of his
staff reflect best practice in future. He
particularly wishes to make it clear that he
greatly values the diverse backgrounds of the
staff and students with whom he works and
looks forward to applications from able
candidates, whatever their
background.
The
University runs a comprehensive staff
training programme which includes a number of
programmes covering equality and diversity
issues. It is also the University's practice
to include a statement on equal opportunities
with all contracts of employment and to
circulate the University's policies and
guidance. We will now be looking at the
recommendations of the Visitatorial Board to
see whether processes and training in this
area can be further improved.
*Notes
to editors:*
*
Statement issued by Pembroke College
www.admin.ox.ac.uk/po/pembroke.shtml
*
The proceedings of Visitatorial Boards are
usually confidential.
The
text of this statement has been agreed by
both parties and no further comment will be
made.
*
Under the statutes of the University, the
Vice-Chancellor is empowered to reduce
penalties recommended by the Board, but
cannot increase them. In this case, he has
adopted the recommendations as made by the
Board, and Professor Wilkie has been informed
accordingly.
*
Professor Andrew Wilkie was appointed
Nuffield Professor of Pathology in May 2003.
Professor Wilkie has been instrumental in
developing the Oxford Craniofacial Unit into
a world-class centre for genetic research
into craniofacial disorders and hopes to
develop this approach to cover other facets
of plastic surgery.
*
The University of Oxford began a thorough
investigation as soon as it became aware of
the correspondence between Professor Wilkie
and Amit Duvshani. Based on the information
that was collected during this process, and
in the light of all the circumstances,
particularly the importance attached by the
University to fair processes of selection,
the Vice-Chancellor, Sir Colin Lucas, took
the view that this matter should be referred
for consideration by the University's
disciplinary panel for academic staff, known
as the Visitatorial Board.
*
Visitatorial Boards are convened to consider
charges against a member of the University's
academic staff when the Vice-Chancellor
considers that the alleged conduct or
performance of that person may constitute
good cause for dismissal or otherwise give
grounds for some other disciplinary sanction.
Each Board has five members - an external
chair and four members who are selected
randomly from an existing panel.
Additional
Statement issued on behalf of Pembroke
College
*27 October 2003*
RE:
Resignation of Professor
Wilkie
Pembroke
College announces that, in the light of the
ruling by the University of Oxford announced
today, Professor Wilkie offered his
resignation as a Fellow of the College and as
a member of its Governing Body. This has been
accepted by the Governing Body of the
College. Professor Wilkie's resignation takes
immediate effect.