Professor reveals ‘mental anguish’
SWANSEA University Vice-Chancellor Richard Davies’s grievance letter tells in detail of the feelings of isolation he has felt since being suspended.
He writes: “The suspension was without warning and I was totally unprepared practically or mentally to deal with it or its consequences. For example, I had no mobile phone of my own, no telephone numbers including for those people listed in the suspension letter, no computer, and no email account. Despite duty of care being flagged around me by the executive officer in the vice-chancellor’s office to a number of people present as I was being escorted off the campus by the head of security, none of them initiated any immediate action. There was no check to ensure that I was safe to drive away and no follow-up for three weeks.
“My contract of employment requires me to occupy Danver House. This has been my family home for the last 15 years.
“The conditions of my suspension banned me and my family from unaccompanied access to our family home. I cannot understand how this could be considered fair or reasonable by any employer in order to affect the terms of a suspension.”
The decision was reversed after Professor Davies’s solicitors intervened.
He states in his grievance: “The suspension letter signed by Andrew Rhodes stated that I ‘must not make any contact with university officers, employees, or academic staff by any means’. Following 15 years in Swansea devoted to the university, almost all my friendships and contacts would fall into those categories.
“During this period I have felt unable to leave the house as I would be vulnerable to breaking the terms of the letter (as it would be almost inevitable that I would bump into people), except for my friend’s funeral, which I did attend.
“This social exclusion has left me lonely, with no support network and no connectivity at this time of crises.
“It is well described that social isolation will have a negative impact on mental health, wellbeing, and resilience. I am in no doubt that it has negatively impacted upon mine.
“Being housebound has greatly reduced my physical exercise, thus further impacting upon my physical health and wellbeing.
“I am being mentally tormented by the almost daily news in the media evidencing the damage this is all doing to the reputation of the university I love with serious implications for its future financial health, employment security for staff, and its ability to deliver economic and medical/health care benefits to citizens of the region.”
A spokeswoman for Swansea University said: “With regards to the comments about Danver House, Professor Davies had indicated that he and his family had moved out of the property in the summer of 2018.”