Academics won't be asked to act as 'police snoops'

Fears that universities could ask their academics to police extremism on campus have been eased, but the Government's new Terrorism Bill has raised fresh concerns about academic freedom. New guidelines for universities about 'dealing with hate crimes and intolerance' stress that staff will not be expected to monitor the political activities or beliefs of their students. Academics have urged the Government to rethink its Terrorism Bill, arguing that as it is currently worded chemists, social workers and librarians could be subject to prosecution.