Bullying and harassment are just plain wrong. (Alyson Fox, director of grants, Wellcome Trust)
A top geneticist has lost her funding based on bullying allegations, reports Nature.
The top scientist, Nazneen Rahman, was accused by scientists and staff at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London of bullying behavior. Following the allegations, the ICR commissioned a law firm to carry out an independent investigation. Rather than waiting for a disciplinary hearing, Ms Rahman instead notified the ICR that she would leave after her research grant would be finished come October.
Now the UK biomedical charity which funded Ms Rahman's research has decided to act earlier, and pulled her funding. This, the Wellcome Trust claims, is in line with their new anti-bullying policy. In this, the Trust, as a first in the UK, followed the lead of the US National Science Foundation.
While the NSF's policy focused on sexual harassment, the Trust's policy takes things a bit further.
Their policy defines bullying as a misuse of power that can make people feel vulnerable, upset, humiliated, undermined or threatened. It says harassment is unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating someone else's dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.
It should be noted though that the Trust bases its decision on allegations without having detailed knowledge of these allegations; nor has Ms Rahman been able (or willing) to defend herself against these allegations.
The Trust states that bullying "causes significant harm, stops people achieving their full potential and stifles good research."
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 22 2018, @06:54PM (4 children)
Where do they draw the line with regard to correct and justifiable use of authority or maintenance of correct professional and interpersonal boundaries? Not everyone aspires to be an emotional tampon that third parties shove around however and wherever they please.
This anti-bullying policy for example? People who stand up for themselves shouldn't fear being accused of bullying which is how we've all seen these kind of "anti-" policies go.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 22 2018, @08:08PM (1 child)
Where do you draw the line for allowable amounts of abuse of subordinates?
(Score: 3, Informative) by DannyB on Wednesday August 22 2018, @08:59PM
Someone will inevitably ask: did they agree to the abuse as a condition of employment?
Sort of like a cable tv or ISP or mobile phone "agreement".
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 22 2018, @09:20PM (1 child)
All authority makes me feel vulnerable and threatened.
ANARCHY!!!
(Score: 2) by Bot on Wednesday August 22 2018, @10:27PM
Well we can have anarchy for your sake, use it to snuff you out without legal repercussions and return to the rule of law, so you represent only a temporary problem.
Account abandoned.