Irony Watch.

Lecturers have voted unanimously to oppose government plans urging them to fight against extremism on campuses.

They had been asked to monitor and report suspicious behaviour amongst Muslim students.

But at the University and Colleges Union annual conference in Bournemouth, delegates rejected the demands, saying they amounted to spying on students. ...
"Universities must remain safe spaces for lecturers and students to discuss and debate all sorts of ideas, including those that some people may consider challenging, offensive and even extreme.

Well that's good to know, the UCU will defend academic freedom and oppose the demonisation of minorities.

University lecturers threatened yesterday to provoke international condemnation by forcing their union into a year-long debate over boycotting work with Israeli universities.

Delegates at the first conference of the new University and College Union in Bournemouth voted by 158 to 99 for "a comprehensive and consistent boycott" of all Israeli academic institutions, as called for by Palestinian trade unions in response to Israel's "40-year occupation" of Palestinian land.

Except when they don't support academic freedom and ethnic demonisation.

( via Harry's Place & House of Dumb )

Update: More wacademia from the UCU over at ATW.

All negative characterisations by teachers of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender people, identity and lifestyle should be outlawed and classified as an act of discrimination and an incitement to hatred based on sexual orientation.

So when the UCU reps were clamouring for the freedom to discuss ideas 'that some people may consider challenging, offensive and even extreme.' they only meant view that other people might find 'challenging', not those that they themselves find offensive.