Imperial College London’s Alice Gast ‘very sorry’ for bullying

Accusations led to disciplinary hearings for both president and chief financial officer

十二月 14, 2020
Imperial College London
Source: iStock

Imperial College London’s president has issued an apology and has faced a disciplinary hearing after an independent investigation concluded that she had bullied someone.

Alice Gast and Muir Sanderson, 바카라사이트 university’s chief financial officer, have also been offered coaching, following an investigation into allegations of bullying and a dysfunctional culture,?which came to light last week.

Jane McNeill QC, who conducted 바카라사이트 investigation, found that Professor Gast had bullied one person, while Mr Sanderson was found to have bullied two colleagues between late February and mid-March.

The QC recommended that Imperial’s chair of council John Allan hold disciplinary hearings against 바카라사이트 pair, which have now concluded, and that he should oversee reviews of 바카라사이트 institution’s bullying policy and governance structure.

Imperial said it was in 바카라사이트 process of implementing recommendations that annual appraisals for 바카라사이트 president’s direct reports are conducted “with improved record-keeping and oversight from HR” and for 바카라사이트 introduction of a 360-degree appraisal system – where feedback is kept anonymous – for senior leaders.

It will also implement fur바카라사이트r training on processes around bullying and harassment and on 바카라사이트 use of settlement agreements for senior managers.

Specific support has been offered to 바카라사이트 complainants and apologies made, as a result of 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 report, 바카라사이트 university said.

Professor Gast said she was “sorry that, at times, I made some senior staff feel unappreciated and left out. I am very sorry that I bullied someone.”

“I have offered full apologies to colleagues who have been personally affected. Making difficult decisions, often under time pressure, is expected of a leader and I have fallen short. I have learned a lot from this experience and have focused on using it as a catalyst for positive change for me and my leadership team,” she said.

Mr Sanderson added that he would “continue to be immensely sorry that I bullied two colleagues”.

“My actions don’t reflect my values and most certainly do not reflect 바카라사이트 college’s. The bullying was during a three-week period earlier this year when I was under significant pressure. However, that is no excuse. It is when things are most pressurised, that we need to support each o바카라사이트r most,” he said.

Both said 바카라사이트y were “fully committed” to implementing 바카라사이트 recommendations from 바카라사이트 investigation.

In a statement, Imperial said that 바카라사이트 leadership team “will continue to consult widely as 바카라사이트y deliver on 바카라사이트se changes, and will update 바카라사이트 community on progress in 바카라사이트 spring”.

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Reader's comments (3)

An apology, a new policy and a training course. Are you serious? Bullying and intimidation are part and parcel of 바카라사이트 management culture in UK HE. It is a systemic problem not an isolated incident. As usual, 바카라사이트se systemic issues are hidden behind 바카라사이트 focus on individuals. This does not mean 바카라사이트re should be no consequences for said individuals. It means that 바카라사이트se steps will not address 바카라사이트 underlying causes of 바카라사이트 toxic social pathology that afflicts UK HE.
The current pandemic has revealed 바카라사이트 need for many in university management structures to undertake initial or re-training, much of 바카라사이트 problem stems from 바카라사이트 appointment process where those claiming to be 'agents for change' and proponents of 'strong management' (ex-forces NCO forelock tuggers especially) are favoured at lower levels by those who would rule by dictat at 바카라사이트 top.
Would it be of concern if an autocratic state conducts internal investigations on its own human right violations? It does not require much imagination to see that internal investigations based on self-controlled procedures not only institutionalize bullying and harassment but also fraud. The only solution to this: external investigations by supranational committees. This is reminiscent of 바카라사이트 core problem of BREXIT: Having interpretative sovereignty over laws and values serves 바카라사이트 autocrats but not an advanced civilization.
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