UCU ‘in internal court war’

Reports of a legal clash between the trustees of the University and College Union and its executive were circulating on Wednesday afternoon.

The JC was told that the trustees had gone to the High Court ahead of publication, due on Thursday, of the list of motions to be debated at UCU’s annual congress in Bournemouth at the end of the month. It is understood that the trustees were seeking an injunction to prevent publication of the list in case it contained an anti-Israel boycott motion.

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Oxford blocks Neturei talk

A lecture by the leader of the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta sect was relocated after Oxford University’s largest graduate college refused to let him speak on campus.

Ahron Cohen was the guest speaker at the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford’s (MECO) monthly forum on Thursday last week.

The event had been due to take place at Wolfson College but was relocated to a private venue after the college cancelled the booking.

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New boycott threat from UCU

Anti-boycott campaigners fear that a fresh attempt could be made to implement sanctions against Israeli universities when higher education lecturers meet at their annual union congress at the end of the month.

The University and College Union refused to comment on whether any debate on Israel would take place, saying that the agenda for the meeting in Bournemouth in three weeks will be published next week.

But the JC has learned that the union’s national executive has approved the submission of three motions on “Palestine”, raising the alarm among anti-boycott activists.

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Collaboration on Jewish studies

Trainee Progressive rabbis will be taking degrees at a leading academic institution where Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks is a visiting professor.

King’s College, London has for several years offered an MA in Jewish studies in conjunction with the Orthodox London School of Jewish Studies.

Now King’s has entered into a similar partnership with the Leo Baeck College, London’s Progressive rabbinic academy.

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Equality Bill will help us

The government’s new Equality Bill, which received its first reading this week, will finally put an end to the problem of students being forced to sit examinations on Shabbat or festival days.

It will also mean that observant Jews will be able to leave early for Shabbat and take festivals off without taking them out of their holiday allowance — and without fear of discrimination by their employer.

The new legislation also bars discrimination in private members’ clubs, so Jews and their guests cannot be refused entry or access to a bar.

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European students are ejected

The European Union of Jewish Students was thrown out of the conference after taking part in demonstrations against the Iranian president.

Its accreditation and that of its 100 participants was withdrawn for the vociferous way they showed their anger at Mr Ahmadinejad’s speech.

Among the group were Jewish students from Britain who were part of a political task force co-ordinated by Union of Jewish Students campaigns director Yair Zivan.

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Big role in Durham

Sunderland University lecturer Simon Henig is the leader of the new Durham unitary authority, providing services previously offered by eight councils.

“It’s a new era for County Durham and I look forward to the challenges ahead,” he said.

The 40-year-old Labour councillor is following in a family tradition as his father Stanley was MP for Lancaster and his mother Ruth sits in the Lords. His late grandfather Sir Mark Henig was Lord Mayor of Leicester and the first chairman of the English Tourist Board.

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Campus aid for disabled

A disability charity is rolling out a new initiative across campuses offering support for disabled Jewish students.

Working in conjunction with UJS Hillel, Jewish Blind and Disabled aims to give the students greater independence through providing specialist equipment, help with living arrangements and improved access to facilities. JBD chief executive Hazel Kaye said: “We’re really testing the water to see what students need from us.”

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