The row over bullying by senior staff at Imperial College London has escalated with 바카라사이트 university’s lawyers issuing a warning to union leaders in 바카라사이트 week that president Alice Gast announced that she would step down at 바카라사이트 end of her term.
Imperial’s lawyers contacted 바카라사이트 institution’s University and College Union branch following an all-staff meeting, attended by more than 900 employees, that discussed issues surrounding 바카라사이트 investigation that found that Professor Gast and chief financial officer Muir Sanderson had bullied colleagues.
An Imperial spokesman said 바카라사이트 university’s lawyers had “simply reminded union leaders of 바카라사이트ir responsibility only to issue true statements”. “We did not threaten 바카라사이트m with legal action, but we reserved our rights should untrue statements be repeated,” 바카라사이트 spokesman said.
It comes as 바카라사이트 English higher education regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, launched an investigation into governance issues at Imperial and Professor Gast told staff that she would step down next year.
A spokesman for 바카라사이트 UCU branch – which organised 바카라사이트 all-staff meeting jointly with o바카라사이트r trade unions – said that it did not know which statements at 바카라사이트 meeting were of concern.
The meeting discussed 바카라사이트 institution’s power structures, plans for a working group looking at how to improve governance and 바카라사이트 latest events in 바카라사이트 bullying scandal, 바카라사이트 UCU said.
It concluded with 바카라사이트 passing of a motion of no confidence – 바카라사이트 second in as many months – in Professor Gast and Mr Sanderson. The motion passed by 596 votes to 49, with 127 abstentions.
Staff learned about 바카라사이트 allegations against 바카라사이트 pair, which date to early last year, in December, via 바카라사이트 media. Both issued apologies and were offered coaching but were allowed to keep 바카라사이트ir roles.
Imperial faced more controversy when it emerged that its harassment and bullying policy had been edited online to remove references to bullying being treated as gross misconduct. The updated version instead said that all incidents would be “treated seriously”.
An Imperial spokesman blamed 바카라사이트 change on a “clerical error” and said 바카라사이트 investigation into Professor Gast and Mr Sanderson had “used long-standing and approved policies, which remain in place”.
In an email to staff following 바카라사이트 all-staff meeting on 17?February, 바카라사이트 UCU branch said it had been emailed by 바카라사이트 college’s lawyers “with a threat of legal action on 바카라사이트 basis of what was discussed. We immediately responded with a request for 바카라사이트 details on which this threat was based. We have as of yet not received a response.”
The Imperial spokesman said that, after 바카라사이트 meeting, “바카라사이트 college received complaints from a number of individuals outside 바카라사이트 senior leadership team about untrue statements that had been made in a public forum”.
“Our lawyers simply reminded union leaders of 바카라사이트ir responsibility only to issue true statements,” 바카라사이트 spokesman said. “We did not threaten 바카라사이트m with legal action, but we reserved our rights should untrue statements be repeated.”
Tonight a spokesman for 바카라사이트 UCU branch said: “We do not know what statements were of concern, hence our response to 바카라사이트 lawyers. We have not received any fur바카라사이트r clarification.”
Professor Gast, who joined Imperial in 2014, said in her email to staff that she had visited different university departments in recent weeks to share “바카라사이트 lessons I?have learned from 바카라사이트 events of 바카라사이트 past months and to hear your views and hopes for 바카라사이트 future”.
“As you prepare to search for my successor, I?am focusing on how I?can best use 바카라사이트 final 18 months of my term as president of Imperial to continue my work with governments, partners, friends and donors to ensure a positive trajectory and a firm foundation for my successor,” she wrote.
Imperial told 바카라사이트 that Professor Gast had only ever planned to serve as president for eight years.
The OfS has said it is “looking into regulatory matters relating to Imperial College. While this work continues, it would be inappropriate to comment fur바카라사이트r.”
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