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The Independent
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Interim head appointed at university after damning report into financial crisis
A new interim principal has been appointed at the University of Dundee less than 24 hours after a damning report prompted his predecessor's resignation. Professor Nigel Seaton will take on the role on a short-term basis after Professor Shane O'Neill and two other senior officials at the university stepped down on Thursday. Prof O'Neill's departure was hastened by a report into the financial crisis facing the institution, which is struggling with a £35 million black hole. The report found management had 'failed' to 'properly respond to the worsening situation'. It identified Prof O'Neill, former principal Professor Iain Gillespie and ex-chief operating officer Jim McGeorge as a 'triumvirate' at the top of the institution who were believed by other staff to be making 'key university decisions'. In his resignation statement, Prof O'Neill said it was important for the university to be able to 'move on'. Prof Seaton – who served as principal and vice-chancellor of Abertay University between 2012 and 2022 – was previously the interim provost at Dundee University before taking the top job. He said he is 'honoured' to take up the position, adding: 'The university faces considerable challenges in its recovery from a difficult financial position, and from what I know has been a very difficult period for staff. 'I am ready to work with my colleagues and with the university court to set the university on its way to a sustainable and successful future. 'In all this, we should not lose sight of the things that make this university such a great place. 'Prime among those is graduation, and I look forward to playing a part in the ceremonies next week to celebrate the achievements of our wonderful graduates.' Dr Ian Mair, the deputy chairman of the university court, said he is 'grateful' Prof Seaton is willing to 'lend us stability at this challenging time'.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Interim head appointed at university after damning report into financial crisis
A new interim principal has been appointed at the University of Dundee less than 24 hours after a damning report prompted his predecessor's resignation. Professor Nigel Seaton will take on the role on a short-term basis after Professor Shane O'Neill and two other senior officials at the university stepped down on Thursday. Prof O'Neill's departure was hastened by a report into the financial crisis facing the institution, which is struggling with a £35 million black hole. The report found management had 'failed' to 'properly respond to the worsening situation'. It identified Prof O'Neill, former principal Professor Iain Gillespie and ex-chief operating officer Jim McGeorge as a 'triumvirate' at the top of the institution who were believed by other staff to be making 'key university decisions'. In his resignation statement, Prof O'Neill said it was important for the university to be able to 'move on'. Prof Seaton – who served as principal and vice-chancellor of Abertay University between 2012 and 2022 – was previously the interim provost at Dundee University before taking the top job. He said he is 'honoured' to take up the position, adding: 'The university faces considerable challenges in its recovery from a difficult financial position, and from what I know has been a very difficult period for staff. 'I am ready to work with my colleagues and with the university court to set the university on its way to a sustainable and successful future. 'In all this, we should not lose sight of the things that make this university such a great place. 'Prime among those is graduation, and I look forward to playing a part in the ceremonies next week to celebrate the achievements of our wonderful graduates.' Dr Ian Mair, the deputy chairman of the university court, said he is 'grateful' Prof Seaton is willing to 'lend us stability at this challenging time'.
The Independent
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Dundee University report must be ‘watershed moment', Tories say
A damning report into the financial crisis at Dundee University must be a 'watershed moment', the Scottish Tories have said. Professor Pamela Gillies released the findings of her investigation into the causes of the £35 million black hole at the institution on Thursday, criticising senior leaders. Within minutes of the report, interim principal Professor Shane O'Neill – who was part of a 'triumvirate' including the former principal and the former chief operating officer which was heavily criticised – announced he and two other senior officials would be standing down. The report accused former principal Professor Iain Gillespie of 'hubris' and refusing to take criticism, as well as hitting out at internal monitoring of the university's finances. Responding to the publication of the report, Scottish Tory education spokesman Miles Briggs said: 'This is a devastating report into the gross mismanagement that has existed for far too long at the University of Dundee. 'In light of the damning findings it is welcome they have done the right thing and resigned from their roles instantly. 'Senior figures were told what they had to do to get Dundee University into a sustainable position but they repeatedly failed to act, and covered up the true state of its financial position.' He added: 'The report is scathing about the inexcusable failures by those in leadership roles. 'It is now essential that this is a watershed moment to ensure no Scottish university will ever face such a situation in future.' Local Labour MSP Michael Marra accused former leaders of 'financial vandalism'. 'The report shows that the institution was failed catastrophically by a small group of executive leaders entirely out of their depth and cowed by a hubristic principal who brooked no dissent,' he said. 'Details of Iain Gillespie's leadership style are deeply troubling – sidelining, speaking over or publicly criticising women in the university who dared to speak up. 'There were also clear failures of governance, with inaccurate reports which masked the true financial picture and public statements by the principal that were purposefully misleading.' Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said the crisis had been 'devastating' and urged there to be a new leadership team in place 'without delay'. 'It is not an exaggeration to say that the staff and students have been betrayed,' he said. 'The oppressive behaviour from the top together with inadequate reporting and governance from the court has led to this failure. 'It is right that the whole leadership team has now gone.' In the wake of the crisis, the university announced it would have to make redundancies, with the initial estimate of 700 jobs to be cut eventually dropping to around 300. The University and College Union successfully balloted its members for strike action as a result of the plans. The union's Scotland official Mary Senior said the report laid bare 'abject failings' of management. 'Given the clear failings of management, it should not be staff and students that are left to pay the price in cuts to their jobs and cuts to education,' she said. 'We are clear that the university should now commit to rule out the use of compulsory redundancies.' When the university announced it would be reducing the number of redundancies, bosses said cuts would be made through a voluntary redundancy scheme.
Sky News
20 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News
University of Dundee bosses quit after 'scathing' report into financial crisis
The interim principal of the University of Dundee and two senior members of its governing body have stepped down following a scathing report into the institution's financial deterioration that led to a £22m government bailout. The independent investigation into the university's finances was ordered after it announced there would be hundreds of job losses to address a £35m deficit. The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) - an arms-length public body of the Scottish government - provided a £22m support package. Key findings from the Gillies Report for the SFC include poor financial judgment, inadequate management and reporting, and lack of agility by leadership in responding to a fall in income. Interim principal and vice-chancellor Professor Shane O'Neill quit in the wake of the report. The university also said Tricia Bey, acting chair of the university court, and Carla Rossini, convenor of the finance and policy committee, who were both due to step down this summer, are now bringing this forward and leaving with immediate effect. Professor O'Neill said: "It is with a very heavy heart, having committed myself fully to the recovery process over these past months, that I have decided to step aside from my position and will be leaving the university. "It is important that the university can move on and I recognise that this will be easier with new leadership." Members of the university executive group (UEG), which included the "triumvirate" of Professor O'Neill, former principal Professor Iain Gillespie and ex-chief operating officer Jim McGeorge, were found to have "failed" last year to "properly respond to the worsening situation" and disclose the looming crisis to other university officials. The report found the root causes of the financial issues included the decline in overseas postgraduate students coming to the university and the growth agenda proposed by leaders. According to the report, the "credibility and accuracy" of reports given to senior leaders regarding the financial situation were "poor". The report said there was "insufficient corroborated evidence" to suggest members of the executive team had sought to suppress information about the scale of the crisis, while there was "circumstantial" evidence. Prof Gillespie, who left the university last year when news of the crisis became public, was described as someone who "did not welcome difficult conversations". An email sent by the former principal in March of last year, claiming the university was "moving into a surplus position", was branded "misleading" by the report, while his management style was criticised, particularly in how he dealt with women. The report stated: "Female members of staff in particular reported being spoken over, sidelined or discussed in public as being obstructive if they attempted to be heard, and there were reports that the university policy on dignity and fairness was not upheld in a number of instances." Dr Ian Mair, deputy chair of court, the university's governing body, said: "There is much in this report on which we have to reflect. We will take a short time to digest the full implications of the report but we will act on the findings." Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said it was "evident" from the report's finding that "there are serious questions which must be answered by the University of Dundee's management team". Ms Gilruth added: "Whilst the university is an autonomous institution which is ultimately responsible for decision-making around its day-to-day operations, the Scottish government will do everything possible to secure a positive future for Dundee. "I will be updating parliament with a more detailed statement on the findings of the report and on future government support next week." MSP Miles Briggs, the Scottish Conservatives' shadow cabinet secretary for education, branded the report's findings "damning". He added: "The report is scathing about the inexcusable failures by those in leadership roles.
The Independent
21 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
University principal resigns after criticism in report into financial crisis
The interim principal of the University of Dundee has resigned after the publication of a report on the financial crisis which has engulfed the institution. Professor Shane O'Neill apologised to those impacted by the issues facing the university – which last year announced it was wrestling with a £35 million black hole. The news of his resignation came minutes after a report by former Glasgow Caledonian University principal Professor Pamela Gillies hit out at Prof O'Neill and former leaders of the university for their actions in the lead up to the announcement of the crisis. Members of the university executive group (UEG), which included the 'triumvirate' of Prof O'Neill, former principal Professor Iain Gillespie and ex-chief operating officer Jim McGeorge, were found to have 'failed' last year to 'properly respond to the worsening situation' and disclose the looming crisis to other university officials. The report found the root causes of the financial issues included the decline in overseas postgraduate students coming to the university and the growth agenda proposed by leaders. According to the report, the 'credibility and accuracy' of reports given to senior leaders regarding the financial situation were 'poor'. It said: 'Information was neither collated nor presented in a manner that easily supported a complete, full and accurate understanding of the position on a timely basis. 'This applied equally to income and capital expenditure and their respective impacts on cash.' The report added senior officials at the university could have accessed such information 'with appropriate challenge'. In a statement, Prof O'Neill said: 'It is with a very heavy heart, having committed myself fully to the recovery process over these past months, that I have decided to step aside from my position and will be leaving the university. 'It is important that the university can move on and I recognise that this will be easier with new leadership. 'I have done all I can to set the university on a path to recovery, engaging with internal and external stakeholders to find the best way forward. 'I had hoped that we would be further along that path by now, and it will now be for others to steer that course into the future. 'I am truly sorry for the impact this financial crisis has had on many people, particularly our staff and students.' Acting chair of the university court Tricia Bey and the convener of the finance and policy committee, Carla Rossini, also announced on Thursday they will bring forward their departures and leave immediately. While there was criticism of the available information, the report did, however, find there was 'insufficient corroborated evidence' to suggest members of the executive team had sought to suppress information about the scale of the crisis, while there was 'circumstantial' evidence. The report concluded the internal systems of the university had 'laid the foundation' for the near-collapse of the institution. 'The magnitude of the financial situation the university properly identified from November 2024 and onwards was not simply a function of poor student recruitment over the preceding 15 months,' the report found. 'The ineffectiveness of internal systems and control in FY24 laid the foundations for the financial collapse in FY25.' Prof Gillespie – who left the university last year when news of the crisis became public – was also heavily criticised in the report. An email sent by the former principal in March of last year, claiming the university was 'moving into a surplus position', was described as 'misleading' by the report, while his management style was criticised, particularly in how he dealt with women. Prof Gillies's report found: 'A considerable proportion of submissions from individuals from across the spectrum of roles in the university covering professional, administrative and academic positions commented on the way in which dissent, or challenge, was routinely 'shut down', particularly by the principal who, we understand, did not welcome difficult conversations. 'Few dared to speak truth to power, although one member of UEG (VP (International)) is reported to have challenged the principal in a variety of different settings. 'Female members of staff in particular reported being spoken over, sidelined or discussed in public as being obstructive if they attempted to be heard, and there were reports that the university policy on dignity and fairness was not upheld in a number of instances.' The vice-president referenced was former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said there are 'serious questions' to be answered, pledging to give an update to Holyrood next week on the report and any future Government support. 'It is evident from the findings that there are serious questions which must be answered by the University of Dundee's management team,' she said. 'This is obviously a difficult time for the university but I welcome the decisive action which has been taken with the changes in leadership. 'It is vital that we now move to a period of stability to ensure the institution can move forward and thrive into the future. 'The report recognises the vibrant community of committed staff and students – they remain our priority during this challenging period. 'Whilst the university is an autonomous institution which is ultimately responsible for decision-making around it's day to day operations, the Scottish Government will do everything possible to secure a positive future for Dundee.'
