Linda Newman, the President of the UCU, seconded the NEC’s new boycott resolution to be sent to UCU Congress. She stood for and won the Presidency in 2007. During her election campaign she made the following statement of her position to Engage. She was elected in good faith in a ballot of the whole membership as a candidate who would oppose proposals to exclude Israelis from the academic community. She has now reneged on her promises and she should resign immediately:

Colleagues,

Thank you for your enquiry. As you know I am standing for election as President of UCU. I hope that my election statement will give you a flavour of my approach to division of opinion within the union.

To answer your specific questions:
1. I opposed the earlier call to AUT for boycott of Israeli universities for two reasons. I felt that the boycott would be ineffective and I did not believe that it was supported by a majority of members. I think the subsequent decision by the extra AUT Council endorsed my belief that the boycott was not supported by a majority. I was a strong supporter of the former AUT policy on international solidarity that emerged from that Council and which imposes tests prior to boycotts.

2. I will seek to promote and gain support from UCU for increased links between Israeli and Palestine academics. I will also seek to ensure that any proposal for an academic boycott is subject to a vote of all members if such a proposal is passed at a future Congress.

I trust this answers your questions. I hope I can rely on your support.

Linda Newman
Presidential candidate, UCU
Sussex University.