‘It’s Pathetic’: UEG Members Turn on Each Other in Government Meeting

By Connor Bertie & Eva Milne

At Holyrood today the Education Committee meeting featured three culprits of incompetence: Jim McGeorge, Amanda Millar and Peter Fotheringham.  

Incompetence Culprits: (Left to right) former Chair of Court Amanda Millar, former Chief Operating Officer Jim McGeorge and former Director of Finance Peter Fotheringham. Source: Scottish Gov

The questioning focused on the evidence provided by the Gillies Report and the AAB Accountancy Audit which was released last week. The large topics of discussion focussed on both the financial mismanagement and toxic culture at the top of the institution.  

The Jute Journal hosted a live stream for the Education Committee meeting featuring former university senior management this morning. Another livestream was also held in the Global room on campus.  

Kicking the meeting off, McGeorge stated that he did his ‘very best’ for the university. Convener Douglas Ross replied, saying:

‘if this is your “very best” it’s pathetic, and you are one of the worst offenders’ 

Chief Operating Officer Jim McGeorge. Behind: Tánaiste Custance. Source: Scottish Gov

Jim McGeorge, the university Chief Operating Officer, acted as Principal Gillespie’s number two, and directly oversaw and condoned the incompetence of himself and other senior management figures.  

All three former senior staff members struggled to answer many questions presented to them by the education committee; often presenting as perplexed and speechless.  

An hour and a half into the questioning Ross expressed frustration toward former COO Fotheringham, regarding his lack of action (and his claimed lack of knowledge) of the worsening financial circumstances of the university:

“How can we expect you to trust your evidence when it’s so clear and so obvious and so simple to refute it? Of course you were aware of this!” 

Director of Finance Peter Fotheringham

Fotheringham was mocked for his claimed lack of knowledge when Director of Finance surrounding the institutions finances; despite being informed by the SFC of sector wide financial pressures.  

Fotheringham stated that he was unaware of the poor financial situation until September 2024 when students and staff were returning to university for the next academic year. Convenor Ross exclaimed, “people on the street were aware of this, how were you not?” 

On June 11, Peter Fotheringham was employed by Caledonia Housing Association. He has since been let go and removed from their website. Source: WayBack Machine

In addition, Millar’s competence in the role was questioned in depth. Consistently struggling to provide coherent answers to the panel’s questions, it appeared that she did little to prepare for today.  

MSP Willie Rennie asked if she felt she had appropriate experience for the role, noting that her two previous jobs as chair of Samaritans and the Scottish Law Society only had turnovers of £1 mil. and £11 mil. A stark disparity compared to Dundee University’s £300 mil turnover. Millar further added that she does not have any financial qualifications.  

Rennie further pressed her, asking if she regretting applying for the Chair of Court role, to which she replied an extremely hesitant “no”.  

The former Chair of Court was often left speechless and at a loss for words. Behind: Tánaiste Custance expressing his disgust. Source: Scottish Gov

Students and Staff React

Besides exams in the Dalhousie building today, the mood is excitable among staff and students. Many were feeling very ready to watch the show.  

Just over 10 were in attendance. The Global room reported another 10. Students that wanted to attend but couldn’t expressed their regret for a number of reasons: graduation, exams, summer holidays, or quite simply they had moved back home. Had this been held during the first or second semester, we likely would have seen far more here. Back in March, for the previous education committee, at least 30 people were in attendance.  

Six staff members were in attendance. During the broadcast, one jokingly asked “where are the hecklers when you need them?”  

Another, a member of dentistry staff, who will remain anonymous, said that the meeting went "as he expected. The management of the UEG has led to a 10-year-long culture of incompetence that has also infected the Deans of the schools." Complaining before about this to management, he said that his concerns had gone nowhere.  

Towards Gillespie’s hearing tomorrow, he said with a smile, “I’m looking forward to it.”  

This feeling was echoed by all members of staff present to witness the livestream; likely this can be attributed to many more across campus.  

“No accountability, it was like watching the TV show The Traitors, they all just backstabbed each other,” said TJJ Head of Photography, Alex Stewart, after the event.  

Other comments from Staff members said, "It's good they are being held accountable, but what will this accomplish?

The university won’t get its money or months of anxiety back."

MSP Michael Marra expressed his belief that if McGeorge and the UEG had not been caught up in their lies last year, they would be continuing to perpetuate the crisis secretly to the present day.  

Tomorrow a solo questioning of former Principal Gillespie will take place, beginning at 8.30am. To catch up on his exploits, click here. The former staff members present today tended to shift the blame, if not on each other, toward Gillespie. The Global Room will again be showing the livestream.