Former Lecturer of School of International Relations Claims Racial Discrimination in Ongoing Employment Tribunal

Dr Akali Omeni, a former School of International Relations lecturer who specialises in counter-terrorism, has claimed dismissal and racial discrimination in an ongoing employment tribunal. The Courier has reported on the case throughout November.

Omeni was employed by the University in 2020 and resigned in June of this year, citing several reasons for doing so, including alleged microaggressions and a lack of support for his mental health. 

In the tribunal, Omeni stated that he was given a heavier workload in his first year than what should have been allowed based on University policy. He told Tribunal Judge Jennifer McCluskey that this differed from his White colleagues, who he said reported a lower workload. The University claimed that changes in the School of International Relations resulted in everyone having the same workload.

A key issue in the tribunal centres on an email exchange from February 2024 between Omeni and the School’s Director of Teaching Dr Mathilde von Bulow, who believed Omeni’s correspondence was in breach of the University’s respect and dignity at work policy, according to The Courier. Von Bulow requested that staff confirm their teaching intentions for the year ahead, as is in line with her role. Omeni had recently asked that work he carried out during a period of leave be acknowledged by his superiors and took exception to von Bulow asking about future teaching while his concerns were unresolved. 

Von Bulow and another staff member described Omeni’s tone as “aggressive and insulting,” which Omeni viewed as “tone policing,” The Courier reported. He believes that such comments are a form of racial abuse, as they reflect broader societal and historical attitudes towards Black people. 

The University maintained that the feedback would have been given to any staff member, regardless of their race, and claimed that Omeni refused several offers to meet his superiors. Omeni did not believe that his grievances would be treated fairly due to his line manager and the Head of School of International Relations, Phillips O’Brien, being married, as stated by The Courier.

He also claimed that his teaching was dismissed as “average” by O’Brien, despite being recognised as an ‘Outstanding Teacher (Arts/Divinity)’ in the 2023 student-presented Teaching Awards. He believes that, had he been White, his performance would have been judged more favourably. The University denies that O’Brien described Omeni’s teaching as average, but rather that his teaching ‘load’ was average.

Omeni additionally told the tribunal of his mental health struggles that were caused by these disputes were not addressed by the University. He claimed that he was only offered a session with the Occupational Health Team upon resigning, despite having mentioned his difficulties before.

According to the University’s document on mental health strategy, the Occupational Health Team “currently operates a model of prioritised reviews with a commitment to see […] all staff within 30 days; staff with work-related stress within 14 days; staff with mental health crises within 48 hours.”

The University has not publicly commented on the tribunal due to it being an ongoing trial.