Suspension 'not enough' for Oxford don, say students

Oxford students today said they were disappointed at the university's decision to suspend a professor who refused to admit an Israeli PhD student on political grounds, claiming it did not go far enough to tackle discrimination.

Following an investigation, the university announced yesterday it had suspended Professor Andrew Wilkie, Nuffield professor of pathology and a fellow of Pembroke College, for two months without pay and had told him to undertake equal opportunities training. The professor immediately resigned as college fellow. The penalty is the most serious short of dismissal that the university can impose.

Professor Wilkie caused an international row earlier this year after he refused to offer Amit Duvashi, a student at Tel Aviv University, a place to work with him as a PhD student. He told him: "I have a huge problem with the way that the Israelis take the moral high ground from their appalling treatment in the Holocaust, and then inflict gross human rights abuses on the Palestinians because they [the Palestinians] wish to live in their own country."

Oxford student union issued a statement saying it was "disappointed that the university is not taking the lead in requiring every member of university and college staff to undergo equal opportunities training so that a damaging situation like this is never repeated". Dan Paskins, vice-president for graduate students at the union, said: "If Oxford University is truly committed to equal opportunities, then it seems to us that Professor Wilkie should also be barred from taking part in the formal admissions process in the future.

"This would send a clear message to potential applicants of all backgrounds that the university is committed to equal opportunities and access based on academic merit only."

The union also called on the university to formalise the ad hoc nature in which graduate students were recruited.

Louise McMullan, student vice-president for access, said: "Informal queries from graduates are hard to monitor, but often determine whether a graduate applies. In an admissions system like this, it is very important that all tutors are trained to be aware of equal opportunities and apply those principles."

Professor Wilkie's actions have been condemned around the world.

Dr Andrew Marks, the president of International Academic Friends of Israel, a group campaigning against an academic boycott of the country, said: "We consider Oxford University's strong reprimand of Professor Wilkie an encouraging indication that it will not tolerate breaches of academic and scientific freedom. All universities must foster an environment in which qualified individuals may contribute to academic and scientific advancement no matter what their race, religion, nationality, gender or the like."