UNIVERSITY VC HITS OUT AT SUSPENSION
THE suspended vicechancellor of Swansea University has accused senior officials at the institution of damaging his reputation, and claimed the university took action against him on the basis of a “negligently flawed investigation”.
In a 10-page grievance letter to members of the University Council leaked to us, Professor Richard Davies also outlines the devastating impact he says the suspension has had on his own mental health.
Professor Davies and Professor Marc Clement, dean of the university’s management school, were suspended from their roles in November along with two other members of staff.
While the university has not confirmed the reasons for the suspensions, sources have suggested a connection with the controversial £200 million Delta Lakes (Llanelli Wellness Village) City Deal project.
In his grievance, Professor Davies says the project takes up 75% of the “column centimetres” in the suspension letter he received, with the rest detailing allegations he “failed to assure appropriate due diligence, governance and systems of control around major projects and commercial activities of the university”.
Professor Davies goes on to name and strongly criticise two men he claims are primarily responsible for the action taken against him – the university registrar and now acting vice-chancellor Andrew Rhodes, and businessman Sir Roger Jones, who chairs the University Council.
Professor Davies claims Mr Rhodes was trying to “seize the position of vicechancellor” and says that the council, chaired by Sir Roger, has been “negligent in permitting his manifestly unfair concentration of power in the hands of one person”. In response to his allegations about the university council and Mr Rhodes’s actions, a spokeswoman for Swansea University said that there had been a “thorough and wide-ranging internal investigation”. She said: “The suspensions were made following a through and widereaching internal investigation.
“This is still ongoing, so it would not be appropriate to comment in detail at this time, but the university has at all time acted fully in accordance with its own Ordinances, and offered appropriate support to Professor Davies.” In his grievance letter Professor Davies sets out his own achievements as vice-chancellor – which include building a new £700 million science and innovation campus, winning this year’s Welsh University of the Year award and being runner-up in the UK University of the Year award. He writes: “Suspending a vice-chancellor of a research-intensive university is unprecedented in my memory. It could have been anticipated that it would attract wide- spread attention in the media and on social media.
“The reputation of a university is critical in today’s highly competitive student recruitment market with more places on offer than applicants to fill them.
“Just a modest 5% drop in home student numbers would reduce income by around £2 million, increasing to £6 million per year if sustained.
“Overseas student recruitment will also be impacted adversely. However, other financial losses are likely to be an order of magnitude greater through the effect on major projects being developed with private and public sector partners.
“Faced with these potential consequences to the vice-chancellor and the university, there must have been a particular imperative and urgency for council to hold Andrew Rhodes to account to ensure that his decision was based upon an investigation ‘ conducted in a fair and reasonable manner’; that this was at a level of thoroughness commensurate with the severity of the potential consequences; that all options were considered taking into account the financial and other risks associated with each option; and that a full risk management plan were in place.
“Based on the information I have been provided with to date, it is