The business of criticising the critics

Criticising those of his staff who dare to raise complaints against him appears to be a speciality of Hugh Jenkins, dean of the Anglia Polytechnic University business school.

Last week Whistleblowers revealed that business school division head John Watts remains suspended on full pay seven months after he raised complaints of nepotism and bullying against his boss, Professor Jenkins.

Professor Jenkins's response to Mr Watts's allegations against him was to turn the tables, and raise allegations against Mr Watts. With his lecturer son, Jonathan, Professor Jenkins made 24 allegations, which were investigated by pro vice-chancellor Robin Smith. Mr Smith concluded that there was "a case" for disciplinary action against Mr Watts in relation to just five points, which all related exclusively to his attempts to raise his concerns.

Although the Higher Education Funding Council for England has since ruled that Mr Watts raised his concerns in "good faith", Mr Smith ruled that Mr Watts's whistleblowing led to the "harassment" and "denigration" of the Jenkinses and amounted to "gross misconduct".

Meanwhile Professor Jenkins threw criticism back on another staff member who internally criticised him and the position of his son in the business school.

"There is not a single member of staff at Cambridge against whom complaints have not been made at one time or another," wrote Professor Jenkins, in response to a formal letter of complaint to him from the staff member. "It may be as well to take your experience as an example. I have had to speak to you about your unavailability to see students. I have received a number of criticisms regarding your management and supervision I I do not raise these to discomfit you I I am sure you do not want me to continue in this vein. Your letter to me appears to be overwrought and perhaps indicates the strain that you must be under."

Professor Jenkins's specialist interests, the university's promotional literature reveals, "are in the areas of leadership, team-building, and interpersonal relationships".