Swansea University dismissed three employees, including the Vice Chancellor, Richard Davies, and Dean of the School of Management, Marc Clement, in 2019 after an extensive investigation into suspected gross misconduct.
An investigation into an irregular termination payment to the former Registrar, Raymond Ciborowski, led to evidence indicating Raymond Ciborowski and several other employees had significant undeclared interests and stood to make financial gains in a personal capacity from the University’s participation in commercial projects with which they were involved as University employees. These gains included salaries from future appointments and equity potentially worth millions of pounds. The evidence suggested that there were material and serious interests that should have been declared under the University’s policies and procedures.
Marc Clement, Steve Poole and Bjorn Rodde, who were employed at the University's Business School were suspended and a leading employment law barrister, with no previous connection to the University, was appointed as Investigation Manager to conduct a disciplinary investigation. Following her investigation, which included multiple interviews with the suspended individuals and the review of a substantial number of documents, the Investigation Manager delivered a report to the University in May 2019 recommending that there was evidence of gross misconduct and that the allegations against all the individuals be considered by a disciplinary panel.
In July 2019, the disciplinary panel, having reviewed the evidence and conducted interviews and receiving representations from the individuals, summarily dismissed Marc Clement and Steve Poole for Gross Misconduct.
Richard Davies (former Vice-Chancellor) was also suspended in connection with the investigation. He was summarily dismissed for gross misconduct and gross negligence in July 2019. Richard Davies was not a suspect in the criminal investigation undertaken by the Police.
All three individuals appealed and those appeals were rejected by the University. These three individuals, along with Bjorn Rodde, who was suspended but resigned prior to the outcome of the disciplinary process, have lodged Employment Tribunal claims.
The decision by the Crown Prosecution Service that it is not in the public interest to prosecute suspects comes after a two-year investigation by the Regional Organised Crime Unit. The decision was not made on the basis that there was insufficient evidence to bring a prosecution.
The criminal investigation and the University’s internal disciplinary processes are and have always been entirely separate. The dismissals were for serious breaches of the University’s procedures, and not for a finding of criminal conduct and the decision by the CPS has no bearing on this whatsoever.
The University cannot comment any further as there are ongoing proceedings.