A 78-year-old scholar has had his emeritus professorship reinstated at Plymouth Marjon University following intervention by academic freedom campaigners, in what supporters are celebrating as a triumph for free speech in British higher education.
Dr David Harris was stripped of the honorary title, which he has held for over a decade following 37 years of service at the institution, last September after publishing research critical of critical race theory.
The Committee for Academic Freedom stepped in to challenge the university’s decision, cautioning that the removal was “procedurally improper”.
The institution has now reversed course, returning the title it originally bestowed upon Dr Harris when he retired in 2011.
Internal correspondence obtained by The Telegraph revealed that university administrators had characterised Dr Harris’s work as “controversial” prior to stripping him of his title.
Emails between two senior staff members in April 2025 indicated that Vice-Chancellor Prof Claire Taylor held this view of his research, stating he “had made it clear to me that the research he undertakes in the Marjon name is poor quality and often controversial”.
Dr Harris believes these remarks stemmed from his self-published critique of critical race theory in 2024, in which he concluded the framework “has done some useful research” but “tends to find prejudice and things like microaggressions everywhere”.
Dr David Harris has had his emeritus professorship reinstated at Plymouth Marjon University following intervention by academic freedom campaigners
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PLYMOUTH MARJON UNIVERSITYWhen removing his title, Prof Taylor informed Dr Harris that “the tone and content of your recent communications have not been in line with the values and standards we expect from those that are affiliated with the university”.
Dr Harris lodged a formal complaint, prompting the university to bring in external HR consultants BRHR to investigate. They found his “perception of unfair treatment” was “understandable”.
After being reinstated, Dr Harris expressed his satisfaction at the outcome, telling The Telegraph he was “really pleased”.
“I think CAF [Committee for Academic Freedom] was crucial in giving the university external advice and reminding them they needed proper procedures, so I think that’s what sobered them up, really,” he said.
“I’m an old chap now, so I will slow down, I’m sure, but I’ve still got some material that I want to investigate. I still want to pursue the issues of racial stratification and race relations and racism in Britain. There’s still work to do there.”
The reinstatement comes with fresh conditions that Dr Harris considers problematic, notably the absence of library access.
“My title has been fully restored now, although with new terms and conditions,” he explained. “They do not give me access to the library, for example. I think this is a mistake.”
The CAF has advised the university that emeritus academics require library facilities, email addresses and electronic journal access to conduct meaningful research.
Dr Freddie Attenborough, the organisation’s research manager, welcomed the restoration but cautioned: “We welcome Plymouth Marjon’s decision to restore Professor Harris’s emeritus title.
“The episode raises serious questions about how easily lawful academic research can end up being labelled ‘controversial’ inside university administration, with damaging consequences for the individuals involved.
“Professor Harris isn’t the first emeritus we’ve had to go to bat for, and we doubt he’ll be the last.”