Board faces sack threat at ‘ bullying’ row college
EDUCATION Secretary Angela Constance has threatened to axe college bosses over the suspension of a principal.
Glasgow Clyde College has run up legal bills of around £100,000 since taking action against Susan Walsh in February.
It followed reports of accusations by the Educational Institute of Scotland staff union of bullying and harassment by Mrs Walsh.
Writing to board chairman George Chalmers, Miss Constance said: ‘It seems to me the board may have committed repeated breaches of terms and conditions of a grant made to it (by the Scottish Funding Coun- cil) and may have mismanaged its affairs.’ She added that she was ‘considering what action’ to take and ‘one possible outcome is Scottish ministers making an order to remove you and other board members.’
Miss Constance is understood to be furious at the size of the legal bill and the fact the college has been without a principal for six months.
However, college sources say most of its costs are down to an inquiry launched by government quango, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
Mrs Walsh, awarded an OBE for services to education last year, was due to attend a college hearing in July, but that was postponed because of the investigation. The college also denies a claim in the report by SFC lawyers that she was suspended in a corridor in earshot of other staff.
A college spokesman said: ‘The board representatives answered the specific allegations and concerns in the Cabinet Secretary’s letter and we are now providing a detailed written response to every point.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The board has been given time to respond fully to the concerns outlined in her letter.’
Laurence Howells, chief executive of the SFC, said: ‘We carried out a review of Clyde College to support our advice to Scottish ministers.
‘Clyde College decided to test a legal question about our right to undertake the review and incurred legal costs in doing so.’
The National Union of Students Scotland – which has its own issues with the college board – urged Miss Constance to take ‘decisive action’, claiming i ts members had been undermined by Mr Chalmers.
NUS Scotland president Vonnie Sandlan said: ‘No one should accept returning to the days when college students were denied a voice and strong representation. No college students should be expected to accept a chairman who wilfully allows that to happen.
‘This letter would seem to indicate the Scottish Government is looking at the full range of options, but it’s quite clear who the issues lie with and what needs to happen.’
‘Decisive action’