Senior lecturer at the Prince and Princess of Waless old university takes it to tribunal alleging racial discrimination
A senior lecturer has accused one of Scotlands most prestigious universities of racial discrimination.
A senior lecturer has accused one of Scotlands most prestigious universities of racial discrimination.
Akali Omeni has taken the University of St Andrews to an employment tribunal after accusing it of both constructive dismissal and racial discrimination.
Yesterday Mr Omeni, representing himself against the university once attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales, made a series of claims against the institution he was employed by until June this year.
He said white colleagues were offered support he was not, his teaching was dismissed as average despite having won a series of awards, and the university failed to address a conflict of interest in that two of his bosses were married.
Mr Omeni, who was the only black associate professor and is an expert in counter-terrorism and terror studies, told employment judge Jennifer McCluskey: St Andrews made a catalogue of mistakes with regard to my case.
Akali Omeni (pictured) made a series of claims against the institution he was employed by
Mr Omeni has taken the University of St Andrews (pictured) to an employment tribunal after accusing it of both constructive dismissal and racial discrimination
Prince William walking in his graduation gown with Charles and Camilla in June 2005
Kate Middleton pictured at her and the Prince of Waless graduation in 2005
He said there was a pattern of discrimination which led to a breakdown of trust, which included a racial microaggression which left him deeply offended.
The issues at the highly ranked School of International Relations came to a head in March this year when he said he felt he had to submit his resignation.
Mr Omeni told the Dundee Tribunal Hearing Centre yesterday: My mental health was completely frayed at that time.
I cant articulate the thoughts I was having in my office that day. I had to resign.
The academic began working at St Andrews in September 2020, and he told the tribunal that in the first year at the institution he was handed more work than average.
Tribunal judge Jennifer McCluskey was told that several of his white colleagues had reported having a lower workload during their first year, which he said was in line with its new starter policy, but he did not.
The tribunal heard he was tasked with putting together a teaching module, but Mr Omeni said bosses had not awarded him appropriate credit.
He told the tribunal he kept pressing the issue with managers, and in one exchange was told by one department boss she did not appreciate his tone when he was trying to resolve the matter.
The Princess of Wales met her future husband Prince William in 2001 during their first week as Psychology students at the Scottish university. Pictured on their graduation day in 2005
The University of St Andrews said it would not comment on an ongoing case
The counter-terror expert, who described it as tone policing, said context was important in understanding the offence the comment caused, and it was a phrase which goes back to the age of slavery.
He said: It was beyond problematic. This is a clear racial microaggression.
The tribunal heard the exchanges damaged his mental health and that his wife, who was watching him give evidence yesterday, noticed he had changed as a result.
Mr Omeni said: It got to a point where I had to go see a doctor and I was medicated for the first time in my life.
As well as the module creation, the tribunal was told he was also not credited with being a Director of Impact and Innovation.
Mr Omani said he was not supported when a student complained their paper had not been marked anonymously.
He said he had never received anonymous papers at the university, and the school admitted its failure in that.
He quit and only then was he offered occupation health, he said, despite having mentioned mental health difficulties.
The University of St Andrews said it would not comment on an ongoing case.
The case continues.
