Simon Francis Lee (born 29 March 1957 in Gillingham, Kent, England) is a Professor of Law at Aston University,[1] Visiting Fellow, St Edmund's College, Cambridge, and Emeritus Professor of Jurisprudence at Queen's University Belfast. He was Rector of Liverpool Hope University from 1995 to 2003.

Early life

Lee attended school in Gillingham before winning the Brackenbury scholarship to read Jurisprudence at Balliol College, Oxford. In 1977, he won the Sweet & Maxwell Prize for the University of Oxford "Best Distinction in Law Moderations". In 1978, he won the Winter Williams Essay Prize and in 1979 took first class honours. He then attended Yale Law School studying for the LLM as a Harkness Fellow.

Career

Lee taught law at Trinity College, Oxford, and then King's College London.

He writes about law, ethics, religion, politics, history and sport.

Belfast

In 1989 he was appointed Professor of Jurisprudence at Queen's University, Belfast. Dean Godson, in Himself Alone, his 2004 biography of David Trimble, wrote that Lee's appointment in 1988 at the age of 31 to the chair, ahead of the insider candidate David Trimble, was because he was a 'superstar' academic 'with good media credentials'. He then became a regular commentator on BBC television and radio in Northern Ireland and in the press. Whilst at Queen's he co-founded "Initiative '92" with Robin Wilson,[2] through which opinions were sought across the Northern Ireland community and political parties on ways forward. It was chaired by Torkel Opsahl from Norway.

Liverpool

On his return from Queen's, Lee became Gresham Professor of Law (1995-1998).[3] Also in 1995, Lee became Chief Executive and Rector of Liverpool Institute of Higher Education (LIHE).

Liverpool Hope became the first college in the UK to secure degree-awarding powers under the government's new system. Lee's leadership of this ecumenical church college is discussed in a book of essays, The Foundation of Hope, edited by R John Elford and published by Liverpool University Press in 2003. At Liverpool Hope he served under bishop David Sheppard. Hope won the Freedom of the City of Liverpool and a Queen's Anniversary Prize for the work of Hope One World with Tibetan refugee children in Ladakh. On 26 January 2016, Liverpool Hope University presented Lee with an honorary degree in recognition of his time as Rector and Chief Executive of Liverpool Hope University College from 1995 to 2003. During this time, he proposed the name 'Hope', the development of the Creative Campus at Everton, and the Network of Hope partnership. He suggested 'educating the whole person to sum up Liverpool Hope, adding 'in mind, body and spirit'.[4]

Leeds

Following Lee's appointment as vice-chancellor at Leeds Metropolitan University in 2003, he announced in his inaugural lecture that the university would develop a Rose Bowl behind the Civic Hall.[5] A partnership with Leeds Rugby resulted in the rugby and cricket stadium becoming an extension of the Headingley campus, with its Carnegie Stand for rugby giving the University's Carnegie campus a permanent base at the Stadium. The Carnegie Pavilion replaced the existing YCCC media and player facilities at Headingley Carnegie Stadium and enables the venue to continue to host international fixtures. The £21m Carnegie Pavilion project was supported by Yorkshire Forward, Leeds Council, HSBC, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Sport England.

The university agreed to pay back £8 million of public money as the price, described as "staggering" by Phil Willis MP, for handing back its controlling interest in the rugby club, which was arranged by Lee, a rugby enthusiast.[6]

In 2007, the University won awards for Arts & Business, for its partnership with Northern Ballet, and for being the most environmentally friendly university in the country, in the inaugural league table compiled by the green action group, People & Planet. In 2008, the university won the bidding process for the UK Centre of Coaching Excellence through to the 2016 Olympics and the national award for the best coaching environment of any organization in the country. In 2009, the University came third in the BUCS league table for all UK university sport, having risen from 27th during his leadership.[7]

Lee replaced the university's previous owl logo with a Yorkshire rose.

In November 2008, the chair of governors at Leeds Beckett University (then Leeds Metropolitan University), Ninian Watt, informed Lee that serious complaints regarding his treatment of staff had been made by a number of staff in the university which could not be ignored. Rather than face a suspension, Lee opted to resign and signed a compromise agreement.[8]

Leeds Metropolitan University announced Simon Lee's resignation on 14 January 2009.[9] The resignation of Lee was preceded, two days earlier, by the resignation of Sir Brendan Foster, in support of Lee.[10] In accepting Foster's resignation, Watt made the following comments about the future of the university and his appreciation of Lee's contributions, commenting that "Dr Geoff Hitchins, a former vice-chancellor of the university, was appointed acting chief executive on Wednesday." Watt said Hitchins would lead the university's management team until a new vice-chancellor was appointed. He added: "The whole board want to acknowledge the transformation of the university under the leadership of Professor Lee. The university is in a very strong position and we will build on that."[11]

In an article for the Times Higher, Lee outlined the issues for leaving Leeds Metropolitan University and discussed the issues surrounding his resignation. This included the following statement from Watt "I should like to thank you, personally and on behalf of the board of governors of the university, for the very considerable success you have had as vice-chancellor over a period of what will be six years," Watt wrote. "In particular you have led the transformation of the university's estate, revitalised the 'Carnegie' brand, transformed the external perception of the university and achieved the designation of the UK Centre for Coaching Excellence. For all of this I thank you most sincerely. May I also wish you every success in your future career."[12] Following Lee's departure, an audit of senior managers' expenses, as well as accusations about Lee, was undertaken by KPMG. The outcome resulted in a complete exoneration of Lee.[13]

Current role

Lee currently undertakes a research leadership role and is a professor at the Aston University Law School.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.aston.ac.uk/latest-news/influential-professor-joins-aston-law-school
  2. ↑ 'Initiative '92, "A citizens' inquiry"'
  3. ↑ Gresham College old website, Internet Archive - List of professors
  4. ↑ "Honorary Doctorate". Liverpool Hope University. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  5. ↑ Simon Lee, "Beyond Boundaries: Bradford to Brown to Botham", Leeds Metropolitan University, 18 November 2003.
  6. ↑ "Exclusive: University to pay rugby club £8m over failed deal". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  7. ↑ Wilson, Andy (6 April 2006). "From ivory tower to sporting cathedral". The Guardian. London.
  8. ↑ "Leeds Met forced to reveal that Lee's exit followed governors' ultimatum". Times Higher Education. 5 February 2009. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Anthea Lipsett, Shock as Leeds Metropolitan installs acting vice-chancellor, The Guardian, 29 January 2009"
  10. ↑ "Ex-Olympian quits university role". 28 January 2009.
  11. ↑ "Ex-Olympian quits university role". 28 January 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  12. ↑ "Fees, not bullying, led to my exit, says Lee". Times Higher Education (THE). 6 February 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  13. ↑ "Leeds Met expenses probe 'exonerates' Lee". Times Higher Education (THE). 11 September 2009. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
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