We’ve read the headlines.
We know Dundee University has a deficit of £35 million, that its survival is in question, that an inquest will investigate mis-spending, 700 jobs could be lost.
We know Sheli McCoy, aka Sabre from Gladiators, narrowly missed out on becoming its Rector.
But scratch the surface of the news and the human cost and ripple effect on Dundee becomes clear.
Take the nursery owner certain her business will fold, given half the children in her care have parents employed by the university or Ninewells Hospital.
Like many, she knows the links with our 50-year-old hospital are deep rooted – from the medical school for students to jobs reliant on partnership between the two mainstays of our city.
‘Interesting decision’
I spoke to a hugely talented and experienced medic who relocated his whole family from another country to Dundee because the university funded a place for him to work at the hospital.
Now, he has no idea if he’ll have a job in a month, if he should start looking elsewhere or wait it out like his many colleagues.
How many students will be put off applying to our university for next year because of the uncertainty around it?
How many bar owners, surviving in difficult conditions with rising costs as it is, fear huge dips in spending should students stay clear?
How many restaurants will count the cost of Christmas bookings by lecturers for their annual night out?
Balancing the books is hard – a few key bookings could spell the end of trading.
There are landlords reliant on students and car dealerships reliant on people with income to spend.
Is there a sector unaffected?
It was an interesting decision by former Dundee University principal Iain Gillespie to initially turn down an invitation from Holyrood’s education committee to question him.
I say interesting because the Scottish Government is being asked to provide an “industrial-style bailout” of up to £75m to the university because of misgovernance.
It’s like asking your bank manager to pay off your astronomic gambling debts…and refusing to meet him for a coffee to ask how they accrued.
‘What would we say if this was Edinburgh?’
For while we who are passionate about Dundee – about its people, its economy, its institutions in which we have so much pride like Ninewells or Dundee University – say we need this bailout, let’s imagine this crisis was happening at another institution.
How would we feel if a few people in charge at Edinburgh University had lavished money on first-class travel or five-star accommodation with financial turmoil just around the corner?
How would we feel if the government’s pot of emergency money intended to help any Scottish university in need was largely being spent on a bailout in the capital?
We would ask for heads to roll. And roll they must in Dundee.
The independent inquiry – led by Dundonian Pamela Gillies, a former Glasgow Caledonian University principal – is essential.
One of the many tragedies about this story is that the university itself – thanks to its exceptional teaching and experience – is ranked among the best UK-wide.
To jeopardise its solvency is nothing short of shameful.
We need a bailout now to save Dundee University, the jobs on its payroll and the many thousands more across the city and beyond.
Dundee’s strength is multifaceted.
We are not insular – we are innovative and welcoming.
That greed and ineptitude have put the fabric of our success at risk is embarrassing.
How this was allowed to happen must be addressed and there has to be accountability.
For now, though, we need help and we need it fast.
We need a team of honest people to lead Dundee University back into the light – and the black.
Conversation