Under-fire Dundee University chief faces resignation questions after Holyrood grilling

Professor Shane O'Neill says he will remain in the top job despite being quizzed about why he failed to identify the crisis during his time as deputy principal.

By Alasdair Clark

March 19 2025, 3:37pm

Dundee University interim principal Shane O'Neill. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

Dundee University chief Shane O’Neill says he will not stand down despite facing intense questions about his credibility in the role.

Speaking to The Courier after a bruising evidence session in Holyrood, Professor O’Neill insisted he planned to continue the job at the troubled institution.

He was grilled on Wednesday by MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s education committee about the £35 million financial crisis and how it appeared to have gone unnoticed.

The university, together with the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), will soon launch an independent investigation.

Dundee University scottish parliament — Interim finance director Helen Simpson, vice principal Blair Grubb, principal Shane O’Neill and acting court chair Tricia Bey (left-right). Image: Scottish Parliament

But Mr O’Neill – deputy vice-chancellor, provost and deputy principal for more than three years before replacing Iain Gillespie in the top job in December – conceded the situation could have been avoided if better decisions had been taken.

He said: “There was a false assumption that towards the end of the last financial year we were close to break even.

“We were well off a break even position, and that only became clear in November [2024].”

The committee also heard:

Criminality at the institution could not be ruled out
The university could run out of cash by June without SFC support
Plans to hire a £200,000-a-year transformation chief had been scrapped

Asked if he was a credible leader in light of the revelations, and whether he would step down, Mr O’Neill said: “I am planning to continue because we need to deliver a successful outcome for the university.

“I will work with everyone who has any suggestions as to how we can improve the plan.”

Acting chair of the university’s court, Tricia Bey, conceded a change in leadership might be necessary on the governing body.

Ms Bey was previously the court’s deputy chair under predecessor Amanda Millar, who resigned suddenly last month.

She told MSPs: “If it transpires as a result of the investigation that something was wrong, then if people need a change of the people on court, then that’s probably the right thing to happen.”

Mr O’Neill also told committee convener Douglas Ross he “wasn’t aware” the number of job losses had been included in the password for the university recovery plan sent to trade unions.

But the interim principal agreed with Mr Ross this was “crass and inappropriate”.

He added: “I need to learn more about what you have told me.

“That is the first I have heard of it.”