THE University of Dundee’s interim principal resigned today after a damning report into its £35 million financial meltdown that has left a fifth of its workforce facing redundancy.

Professor Shane O’Neill announced plans to cut more than 700 jobs in March after his predecessor, Professor Iain Gillespie, announced the black hole in November before promptly resigning.

Now a report commissioned by the Scottish Funding Council into the affair has slammed the actions of the “triumvirate” then in control of the university — Professors O’Neill, Gillespie and ex-chief operating officer Jim McGeorge.

Report author, former Glasgow Caledonian University principal Professor Pamela Gillies found, like others, the university faced a decline in overseas students, a situation compounded by the leadership’s growth agenda amid “circumstantial” evidence details of the growing crisis were suppressed.

Singling-out Prof Gillespie for particular criticism, she said: “Dissent, or challenge, was routinely ‘shut down,’ particularly by the principal who, we understand, did not welcome difficult conversations.

“Few dared to speak truth to power, although one member of the university executive group (vice-president, international) is reported to have challenged the principal in a variety of different settings.

“Female members of staff in particular reported being spoken over, sidelined or discussed in public as being obstructive if they attempted to be heard.”

That vice-president was former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander.

Announcing his resignation yesterday, Prof O’Neill said: “I am truly sorry for the impact this financial crisis has had on many people, particularly our staff and students.”

UCU Scotland official Mary Senior responded: “It’s clear that there were abject failings in senior management at Dundee.  

“It should not be staff and students that are left to pay the price in cuts to their jobs and cuts to education.

“We are clear that the university should now commit to rule out the use of compulsory redundancies.”

Dundee University Unison branch secretary Emma Preston said: “The university’s leaders who caused this mess had lost the trust of staff a long time ago.

“While they walk away with golden goodbyes, it’s staff who are paying for their mistakes. After seven months, here is still no plan to secure the university’s future.”

SNP Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “There are serious questions which must be answered by the University of Dundee’s management team.”