E-mail from Mr Cairns to the Committee
on 23 March 2009
In response to your email, I hereby relate the
circumstances in which I was formally expelled from the Academic
Board of the Manchester Metropolitan University at its meeting
of Wednesday, 18/3/2009.
The question of the Select Committee submissions
made by Susan Evans and myself arose during the Vice-Chancellor's
Report (Agenda item 3). He expressed his disquiet and disappointment,
repeated the disgraceful slur that the contentious mark increase
for International Business Law was largely due to the poor standard
of my teaching, and invited comments.
I immediately raised my hand, to be met with
an icy stare from the Vice-Chancellor coupled with the question
"Can I ask you to speak last?" I complied, taking this
to mean that I would be given an opportunity to respond to all
the flak—including that thrown by the V-C himself—that
would be cast in my direction from various other Board members.
The latter duly complied. This included Dennis Dunn, a senior
Academic Board member who falsely claimed that he had been part
of an Academic Board Panel of Enquiry organised to investigate
this matter—and Stuart Horsburgh, who was the Chair of the
Board of Examiners relating to the 2005 International Business
Law results. The Dean of my own Faculty, Ann Holmes also weighed
in heavily against me.
The Vice Chancellor then said: "These contributions
fully confirm my own views on the subject. I therefore propose
a vote of no-confidence in Mr Cairns which, if it succeeds, will
cause him to leave this Board". The motion was duly seconded,
the members of the Board (with one exception) duly raised their
hands, and I was asked to leave—which I did.
I therefore find myself expelled having had
no opportunity to defend myself, and having been misled into the
belief that I would be given that opportunity. This, I believe,
amounts to unwarranted and vicious retaliation by the University's
authorities. I hereby request the Select Committee on IUSS, more
particularly its Chair, to take appropriate action.
March 2009
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