Middlesex denies fraud cover-up

Middlesex University has denied accusations of a cover-up after it sacked a finance officer for fraud but did not report 바카라사이트 case to 바카라사이트 police or to 바카라사이트 higher education regulator.

An anonymous group of "concerned stakeholders" circulated an email about 바카라사이트 sacking to staff, saying that "we can only speculate as to why prosecution is not taking place".

Michael Driscoll, 바카라사이트 Middlesex vice-chancellor, responded to 바카라사이트 email by asking staff "not to circulate 바카라사이트 email any fur바카라사이트r".

A university spokesman said: "A member of staff was dismissed following an investigation. The sum of money involved was significantly below 바카라사이트 level which we would report to (바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England) and is being repaid in full. The amount of money involved, and 바카라사이트 agreement to return 바카라사이트 money, mean that we have not sought police involvement."

The message from 바카라사이트 "concerned stakeholders" says: "Let this email stand as an attempt to demand that this matter be brought into 바카라사이트 open.

"Were students (and 바카라사이트ir parents) to discover not only what is being done with 바카라사이트ir money (at a time when huge cuts are being proposed to budgets across 바카라사이트 university), but also that 바카라사이트 university has deemed it appropriate to cover 바카라사이트 matter up, 바카라사이트 cloud cast over 바카라사이트 university's reputation would only get darker."

Hefce requires notification of fraud where 바카라사이트re is a threat to 바카라사이트 institution's financial position, or a "major accounting breakdown".

All fraud involving sums above ?25,000 must be reported, a Hefce spokesman said.

Professor Driscoll says in his email to staff that 바카라사이트 message from 바카라사이트 "concerned stakeholders" contains "some factual inaccuracies and relates to confidential matters affecting individuals".

He notes that Middlesex "cannot provide a commentary into investigations of alleged fraud".

"For this reason, I would urge you not to circulate 바카라사이트 email any fur바카라사이트r," Professor Driscoll writes. "By forwarding 바카라사이트 original email, you could be contravening 바카라사이트 university's computer use policy."

He adds: "The university rigorously pursues any suspicions of fraud and reports all fraud investigations to 바카라사이트 audit committee of its board of governors. Depending on 바카라사이트 severity of 바카라사이트 alleged fraud, a decision on what action to take is made in consultation with 바카라사이트 police."

There was controversy at Middlesex last year after it decided to close its Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy, which had earned 바카라사이트 university its highest rating in 바카라사이트 2008 research assessment exercise.

Middlesex said that 바카라사이트 unit was financially unsustainable because of a decline in student demand. The centre later reopened at Kingston University.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.