OIA
The Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education
Cc: Ms K Worsey HE Policy & Funding Welsh Assembly Government
HEFCW / QAA
Secretary & Academic Registrar University of Wales Lampeter
Interim Vice Chancellor University of Wales Lampeter
Senior Vice Chancellor Federal University of Wales
Initial Evidence to the Pathfinder Project
University of Wales Lampeter & the Federal University of Wales
Addendum to letter dated 26th November 2008
1. Suicide Risk
2. Whistle blowing
Main Points
1. I attach a letter to the University of Wales Lampeter dated the 2nd December 2007 on the issue of suicide.
2. Also attached is a copy of an email to Ms Worsey of the Welsh Assembly Administration dated the 25th November 2008 reiterating my concerns and raising the issue of public liability insurance.
3. With regard to whistle blowing, the Federal University has a policy in its financial regulation under Appendix J which as a matter of policy covers all students registered at universities within the federation.
4. I have discovered that these procedures under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 and grandiose claims to the highest standards are for display purposes only, and not to be used under any circumstances, least of all by a student making a complaint?
5. The University of Wales Lampeter is breaking the law by not having a policy of its own as required under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
6. The Federal University of Wales is not only in breach of the Higher Education Act 2004 but also of Administrative Law as set out by the Nolan Committee and guidelines set out by HEFCW, as they refuse to establish a complaints procedure and allow students to complain to the OIA as permitted under the Act.
7. Procedures within the Federal University for dealing with financial irregularities concerning the concealment of corruption and non-compliance with procedures are also ignored; however, the implementation of the Charity Act 2006 may open up the possibility of accountability for charity funds.
8. In my opinion these matters are not for the OIA, they are for regulators and government all of whom have done there best to conceal the corruption that goes onside Welsh Universities.
I will add the evidence to these points in due course and welcome the opportunity of presenting the true picture of the corruption that is rife within Welsh higher education. However, there is nothing that either the regulators HEFCW/QAA or the Welsh Assembly Government does not know about. The issues here are to have my evidence verified and to alert the public to what has been allowed to go on without any form of regulation in the interests of students as vulnerable consumers.
Trevor Mayes
