‘Marital conflict of interest’ claims as University of St Andrews chiefs give evidence at lecturer’s employment tribunal

A lecturer suing the University of St Andrews for racial discrimination has been accused of “gender bias” by an ex-colleague, who he claims was caught up in a “conflict of interest” over her husband’s role at the institution.

Counter-terrorism expert Akali Omeni was also dubbed “unprofessional” in his communications with director of teaching Mathilde von Bulow during his time at the School of International Relations.

Omeni, who is claiming constructive dismissal and race-related harassment, argues he was “tone policed” by Von Bulow and another university boss.

On the third day of the tribunal in Dundee, where he is representing himself, Von Bulow discussed a message he sent to her, which she claimed was in breach of the university’s respect and dignity at work policy.

It came as she asked staff to confirm their teaching intentions for the year ahead.

‘Conflict of interest’ claims

In the email, Omeni argues Von Bulow’s marriage to Phillips O’Brien, his line manager and the head of school, is a “clear conflict of interest”.

But she described his complaint as “gender bias”.

She said: “I was deeply shocked by that email, I didn’t see any conflict of interest and perceived it as gender bias.

“I was being treated as ‘the wife’ of the head of school and I found this deeply upsetting.”

Von Bulow added that her marriage to O’Brien was not the only one within the school, adding that she was appointed before her husband.

She claims she was “simply trying to employ the workload rules”.

Von Bulow raised an informal complaint against Omeni after finding his tone in the email “aggressive, dismissive, intimidating and insulting”.

She says she had to do something about the “unprofessional way” in which Omeni had engaged with her, however, she didn’t want the matter taken “beyond the school”.

When asked if race played any part in her decision to escalate matters, she said: “Absolutely no, all I saw was gender bias, I would have responded this way regardless.

“If I had received that email from any other staff member I would have raised an informal complaint.”

‘You were married to my line manager’

Omeni says, for black people, “tone policing” goes back to the days of slavery and constitutes racial abuse.

During cross-examination, he argued his email was only to highlight the conflict of interest.

He previously claimed O’Brien described his teaching as average.

In response to claims of gender bias, he explained how he was unable to lodge a grievance with his line manager given he was married to the person he was complaining about.

Omeni said: “I have the right to take issues to my line manager, but I couldn’t confidently do this given you were married to my line manager.”

Fiona McCallum Guiney, deputy head of the school, also took issue with the tone of Omeni’s email to Von Bulow.

As the school’s No2, she claims she was his line manager at the time of the dispute with Von Bulow.

Omeni argues McCallum Guiney had “no authority” to deal with the issue and she was never officially his line manager.

McCallum Guiney implied an agreement is in place whereby the deputy head of school steps in for the school leader when they are out of office.

She said: “I had full authority as the deputy head of school to deal with that issue”.

Omeni asked McCallum Guiney if he was the “first person she had tone policed” and if she is qualified to tell a black person if they have been racially abused.

She said: “I do not accept that it was tone policing.”

And to Omeni’s second question, she replied: “No.”

He has also accused the university of failing to reduce his workload and failing to credit him for teaching and admin work.

The university denies this, with both members of staff arguing the work expected of Omeni was in line with the standard teaching expectation.

The tribunal hearing continues on Friday.