BOSS OF CASH WOES UNIVERSITY QUITS AFTER BOOKING £4,300 LUXURY FLIGHTS
The principal of Dundee University, who told staff to prepare for 'inevitable' job cuts despite booking £4,300 business class flights to Hong Kong, has quit.
Prof Iain Gillespie stood down from his £305,000-a-year role as principal and vice-chancellor, the university announced yesterday.
It comes just weeks after he told staff that job cuts were 'inevitable', as the University faces a potential deficit of £30million in the next financial year.
However, last week BBC News reported that Prof Gillespie and another staff member expensed a £7,154 business trip to Hong Kong, with business class flights and accommodation included.
It was also reported that business class flights for a trip to China and Dubai were booked costing more than £8,300 before being rebooked with cheaper premium economy flights.
Prof Gillespie has also stepped down from his role as covener of umbrella body Universities Scotland.
Vice-chancellor Prof Shane O'Neill has taken over as principal.
Prof Gillespie served as principal of the university for four years, replacing Andrew Atherton who resigned amid a scandal over rent payments.
Mr Gillespie’s resignation was announced to staff at 10am in an email from chair of the university’s governing body, Amanda Millar, The Courier reported.
Ms Millar said: 'The university leadership group has been working intensively over recent weeks to develop a recovery plan to address this situation.
'Prof Shane O'Neill, as deputy vice-chancellor and provost, will take on the leadership of the University Executive Group.
'I am optimistic that they, working closely with our court, will re-establish a more stable financial foundation to allow the university to flourish again.'
It comes as fellow University president Koen Lamberts has come under fire after he reportedly claimed back thousands of pounds in expenses for business class long-haul flights, whilst forcing students to attend lectures on climate change.
Professor Koen Lamberts, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield, reportedly claimed £17,598 for upgraded travel in his annual expenses this year.
This included £16,778 on overseas business class flights and another £820 on upgraded train journeys.
He made the claims while Sheffield University faces a £50million shortfall, and is attempting to make £23m of savings in staff costs with a voluntary redundancy programme.
Psychology specialist Prof Lamberts has previously been criticised in reports for his expenses claims at both the University of Sheffield and the University of York.
In York, he is reported to have claimed more than £20,000 in expenses in a year, much of which was on flights.
But shortly after arriving at Sheffield, the long-haul-loving university boss implemented a regime that saw classes on climate change attached to every degree.
The professor is facing a crisis of leadership after 93.3 per cent of unionised university workers and postgraduate students under UCU, Unite and Unison banners said they had no confidence in him or other senior leaders.
The university, however, says this does not represent the views of the vast majority of staff.
Read more 2024-12-07T01:58:20Z