Abertay University is “operating smoothly” despite its leadership crisis, a senior manager has claimed.
Professor Steve Olivier, who is acting vice-principal, has written to staff in the wake of press reports about the dispute that has rocked the university in recent months.
In his email, he refers to the article carried on Tuesday by The Courier which included leaked details of three grievances raised against Professor Nicholas Terry, who is now acting principal after the enforced retiral of Professor Bernard King.
Professor Olivier told staff, “The story makes unpleasant reading and it would be naive to suggest otherwise, but I wanted to offer you some context and some reassurance that we need not, indeed should not, allow ourselves to be dismayed by the situation.
“I want you to know that if you wish to raise anything at all about your employment with the university, the university will take its obligations to respect your confidentiality very seriously indeed, and we will treat instances of leaking of confidential documents or information with the same seriousness.”
He added, “Secondly, there is clearly a perception that the recent negative press stories could destabilise the university and create a climate of fear and uncertainty.
“My second reassurance to you, therefore, is that I sincerely believe this is not happening.”‘Confident’ universityProfessor Olivier said, “Considering all that has happened over the past six months, and all that we have achieved most notably the new strategic plan, the medium-term financial plan and last week’s highly successful graduation ceremony I see around me a confident, assured university operating smoothly and moving forward in the way we all want it to.
“The newspaper stories this week all relate to matters that first arose many months ago matters that were dealt with confidentially, as is proper, at the time.
“We have moved on a very long way since then, and must not allow a couple of days’ bad press coverage to divert us from continuing to do what we do so well.”
One of the people who raised a grievance, Professor Rositsa Bateson, is shortly to leave the university.
An Abertay source said her resignation “shows that the matter is not behind us, by any stretch of the imagination. Several distinguished members of the professoriate are contemplating jobs elsewhere.”
The source added some senior staff were questioning the wisdom of pursuing the strategic plan at present, feeling it could be changed when a principal is appointed.