University discriminated, says rejected Irish doctor (From Tewkesbury Admag)

University discriminated, says rejected Irish doctor

A CHIPPING Campden academic has accused Warwick University of race discrimination after being rejected for the job of a researcher.

Dr Patricia Walls, a self-employed researcher, told a Birmingham Employment Tribunal preliminary hearing that the woman who was given the job was not as qualified as her.

Dr Walls, who is seeking compensation for race discrimination, originally came from Northern Ireland.

She has a doctorate of philosophy but complained at the tribunal hearing that the British woman appointed did not have a PhD

"The university interviewing panel did not follow the correct procedure when I was interviewed," she said. "There was no scoring system. Their equal opportunities policy was outrageous."

Dr Walls said that when she sought feedback on why her application had been rejected it was two months before she received a reply.

The tribunal was told that the university had allegedly told Dr Walls that it could appoint whoever it liked.

Dr Walls complained she had been treated badly and had been ill at one stage.

Dr Walls' application to have her claim heard at a full hearing was opposed by the university because it said the application had been made too late. It also denied the discrimination claim.

Tribunal applications have to be made within three months of the alleged incident. Dr Walls' application was two weeks over the deadline.

A university spokesman said that Dr Walls' main issue was that a woman had been given the job without a PhD.

Tribunal chairman Mr Asleem Ahmed said such issues were not for discussion at a preliminary hearing and told Dr Walls she could go ahead with her compensation claim for race discrimination.

The full hearing is to be held later this year over three days.