Adam Smith College
| Adam Smith College | |
|---|---|
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| Motto | Inspiring Learning |
| Established | 2005 |
| Type | College |
| Chancellor | Gordon Brown |
| Principal | Dr Craig Thomson |
| Admin. staff | ~900 |
| Students | ~35,000 |
| Location | Fife, Scotland |
| Website | www.adamsmith.ac.uk |
Adam Smith College is a Scottish further and higher education college located over various campuses across the county of Fife.
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[edit] History
The college was formed on August 1, 2005 by the merger of Glenrothes College and Fife College and is named after Adam Smith, the founder of modern economics, who was born in Kirkcaldy. Smith's best known work is The Wealth of Nations. Today the college runs a wide range of NQ, HNC and HND courses. It also provides several degrees through University of Abertay Dundee[1] and a degree in Quantity Surveying from Heriot Watt University.[2] The Chancellor of the College is Gordon Brown,[3] the former Prime Minister.
[edit] Campuses
The main campuses are St Brycedale (St Brycedale Avenue, Kirkcaldy) and Stenton (Stenton Road, Glenrothes).
Additional campuses are located at Levenmouth (Victoria Road, Leven), Lochgelly (Main Street, Lochgelly), Priory (Victoria Road, Kirkcaldy) and Southfield (Southfield Road, Glenrothes).
Outreach centres are located in Anstruther, Bowhill, Burntisland, Crosshill, Kelty and St Andrews.
[edit] Students' Association
The college students' association caused controversy in 2005 when they rejected the name of Adam Smith, stating that "He is associated with socio-economic policies that work against the people, that were synonymous with Thatcherite and Reaganite governments". Instead they chose to use the name, Jennie Lee Students’ Association, after a local socialist MP.[4]
In April 2008, the students took the decision rename the association the Adam Smith College Students' Association.
[edit] Controversy
The College has become embroiled in controversy amid claims of systemic abuse, bullying and victimisation of staff and students, and misappropriation of finances, by senior management. This led to internal investigations by the college's Board of Governors and Vice Principal of HR. [5][6]
According to the Interested Parties of Adam Smith College (an anonymous group thought to be made up of college staff), the investigations recommendations for dismissal of two Executive Directors, and for the misappropriation of finances, were halted by the senior Board staff.[5][6] The senior staff of the Board of Governors are the Principal Dr. Craig Thomson and the Chairman of the Board, Graham Graham Johnstone.
Following this three Board members including the Vice Chair resigned, as did the Principal’s Secretary, the Secretary of the Board, and the Vice Principal of HR. [5][6]
In response, the college’s staff appealed to the Government Cabinet Secretary for Education Michael Russell to step in and act upon the findings of the investigations, and also suspend the Principal and the Board of Governors, while a “transparent investigation by an independent third party” is carried out into their actions. [5][6]
On Jan 26 2012 the Interested Parties of Adam Smith College group launched the ItsOurCollegeNotCraigs website, which allows staff and public to comment on the situation and sign a petition to the Government.[5][6] The Government Minister David Torrance was one of the first to comment on the site, encouraging any staff to contact him in confidence.
As of Jan 26 2012, the agenda and minutes of the Board since June 2011 have not been available on the College’s web site, which is a requirement of the Constitution and Standing Orders[7] of the Board of Governors.
On Jan 27 2012 after an emergency Board meeting the Chairman of the Board resigned. [5][6]
On Jan 28 2012 these events were reported in the national press, [5][6]
Government Minister David Torrance confirmed that he had been inundated by complaints from staff for months regarding bullying, intimidation, and financial misappropriation, and that the Board and staff resignations had occurred. He said “I have arranged a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Education Michael Russell to call on a full external enquiry into these allegations..”. [5][6]
An Adam Smith College spokesman confirmed that two Executive Directors were already being investigated, saying “These are being fully investigated and will comply with our official procedures.” [5][6]
[edit] References
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Wilson, Charlene. “College’s chairman resigns”, The Courier, Fife, 28 January 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Marshall, Chris. “We don’t reward bullying, college insists”, The Scotsman, UK, 28 January 2012.
- ^ http://www.adamsmith.ac.uk/Downloads/Guide/constitutionstandingorders.pdf
[edit] External links
- Adam Smith College
- BBC News- "Finishing touches for new college"
- Adam Smith College Students' Association
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