91茄子

A message from the Vice-Chancellor

6^th August 2024

Dear University Community Member,

Earlier today the University was referenced in an article in the national press, which contains confronting and disturbing references to incidents which took place in a student sports club a number of years ago.   If you need support having read the articles, details of how to access support are provided towards the end of this communication.

Our concern at the time was and remains with all of the individuals who have been affected by this case. From the outset I want to be clear, as I have been since starting at 91茄子 in 2021, any acts or words which harm or humiliate others are not and will never be acceptable in our community. Where the people responsible for causing harm or humiliation can be identified, their actions will face the full implications of the law and the University’s own disciplinary approaches. Despite our extensive efforts, establishing sufficient evidence to act against individual people was not possible in this case. We will continue to take steps to ensure that if incidents of this gravity arise, our community has the confidence to bring forward concerns as early as possible to give us the best chance of taking action. Importantly, we must focus on prevention of such incidents in the first place, and it is on this I want to remind you of our work to date, and what I continue to need from every member of this community.

Despite the journalists being in possession of the confidential full investigation report, we were disappointed they chose not to present the full facts of this case or the significant work that we have undertaken as a community to ensure that everyone's experience of 91茄子 Adams is based on respect. 

To remind you, since 2021 the University has developed implemented a Joint Respect Policy with the Students’ Union, which includes:

• For students: Annual mandatory training; expectation setting at all stages of the student journey, starting at open days for prospective students, through to graduates; access to safe reporting channels, backed by immediate access to wellbeing support services; and embedding of Respect into the 91茄子 Forward curriculum.
• For University staff: Respect training, collaboration events, and systems for conduct reporting. Ability for the Students’ Union to limit or cease funding for clubs or societies and exclude individual members that are found to be perpetuating unacceptable behaviours. 

In addition, our Respect Policy details how we work with external stakeholders, including:

• The Police, we support officers and they input into programmes of education and briefings for students.
• Local licensing teams to implement monitoring of and interventions on­ student activities in external venues, to ensure that the obligations of licensees for the safety of their patrons is upheld.
• Active interventions by an expert psychologist, who runs annual workshops jointly with the Students’ Union clubs and societies on Respect issues.

An independent review of our Respect Policy and associated actions was conducted in 2022/23 to identify what further steps we could take. This review has been acted upon and published: Independent Respect Review 2022/23 (PDF)

I know that we are all working together to improve our community at 91茄子 and for that I thank you.

Anyone who needs support or who has information which can help us tackle these types of behaviours is encouraged, as detailed in our Respect work, to reach out to student services via our dedicated email address: respect@harper-adams.ac.uk, where you will be supported by our specialist team.

I take this opportunity to remind the community that our range of wellbeing support services can be accessed by contacting wellbeing@harper-adams.ac.uk or visiting our dedicated .

I am concerned that the presentation of the University's actions and response in this report may act as a barrier to individuals seeking to report incidents of harmful behaviour. 

Therefore, I would like to make it clear that:

• A reported incident/such behaviour will never be dismissed as “tradition” or a “rite of passage” for students. Our position remains that they are abhorrent and unacceptable. 
• The wellbeing of those who have been harmed is paramount as it was in this case and we will always prioritise working with those individuals, including in determining next steps, to help them to feel safe. This means that we will offer well-being and other appropriate support during and after any process.
• Responses to reports will always be timely, but investigations into allegations may take time to gather evidence, as we will work with victims/those who report, to ensure that their wishes and feelings are given due consideration, to prevent further harm. If reports are made to external agencies, such as the police, this can limit us initially from undertaking any of our own investigation into an allegation, until such agencies have concluded their inquiries. This does not prevent us from taking actions to support wellbeing needs and acting subsequently. 
• We will continue to work closely with the Students’ Union and are jointly committed to furthering our Respect work and building on the work that we have done so far.

In closing, I go back to where I started with concern for everyone affected by this incident and any other incidents which cause harm, humiliate or abuse. These acts and their effects on individuals are not representative of the values of this community. Our values are reflected in the community-wide and student-centric approach to how we deliver our teaching, provide support, undertake research and make a difference to society.  For all the good we achieve, one case of this nature is a case too many.

I am looking to everyone in this community to reaffirm their commitment to securing an environment where everyone is respected and free from any form of humiliation and harm. It is on every one of us to make the choice to contribute positively to securing this. At a time when communities across the UK are facing violence and threats, we must stand firm at this University and be clear that any such or similar acts and approaches will not be tolerated here.

I look to you to join me in playing your part.

Prof. Ken Sloan
Vice-Chancellor
91茄子 Adams University