USPGATE: SACKED Professor JANUSZ Jankowski had exercised the USP's Whistleblowing Policy to accuse AHLUWALIA with litany of wrongdoings. 'I have read emails, accusatory in tone, where middle grade staff felt anxious and intimidated by VCP PAL AHLUWALIA.'

"In my first Zoom meeting with the SMT, I witnessed an event that still haunts me. I saw one DVC suddenly explode in a meeting, shout ‘Bxxxxxd’, and then throw a punch at the face of a Head of School and in the process narrowly missing a female member of staff who was sitting in between. If it had not been for DVC Paunga who instantly intervened to separate the parties, it would have been more unpleasant. I have reflected on this event and how the female staff were just expected to put up with this without even an apology. The subsequent handling of this event was such that the Head of School stepped down, but the DVC remains in his post...On speaking with others this person has had explosive outbursts before in other social situations. They need anger management support and probably psychological counselling. However, the upshot of this event has meant this particular DVC is now ‘beholden’ to the VCP in gratitude for his lenient treatment."
​Janusz Jankowski to USP Council, 16 May 2023

Fijileaks: The particular DVC identified has a long history of alcohol abuse on a daily basis. His base is the Staff Club and Student Bar. Long hours of inebriation, fraternizing with female students and junior staff etc. ​

Fijileaks: We suggest that PAP-NFP'S 'Election Poster Boy' (whose deportation was exploited for electoral gain and who has never stopped since being allowed back into Fiji from praising the 'Power of One Vote' and how great Rabuka is as Prime Minister) be suspended as Vice-Chancellor and President, outstanding grants and payments be withheld until a full inquiry is completed into Jankowski's allegations to the USP Council. Also, Ahluwalia is yet to respond to our questions regarding Biman Prasad's wife Rajni Chand's link to the Global Girmit Institute and the USP hosting the two-day international conference at the USP, where Ahluwalia was Chief Guest Speaker.
*We had supported Ahluwalia during his fight with the FFP government and had published all the leaked documents authored by Ahluwalia.
*We cannot allow the 'Power of One Vote' to dismiss JANKOWSKI's litany of complains against PAL AHLUWALIA

*At the very least he [PAL AHLUWALIA] has probably not met his basic KPI’s. There is also evidence for investigation suggesting ineptitude, lack of professionalism, lack of accountability, gross lack of transparency, and perhaps even integrity too. This latter characteristic is something the VCP has made his “sword of honour”, but it is right that the wider facts are investigated to constructively challenge this compensatory narcissistic narrative.
*In my 4 months working 50% remotely, I have witnessed gross misconduct in the form of expletives and violence at the USP, most executive board, seen women treated as second class citizens, seen coercion and intimidation used in several fora, had 2 contracts issued and then rescinded, been implicated in wrongdoing for raising transparency, seen financial mismanagement on several fronts, seen documents doctored to avoid full transparency.

"This paper serves to inform and seek appropriate action from the Council. The paper highlights serious issues, concerns, and breaches with both USP policies and procedures as well as perhaps also Fiji Criminal and Employment Relations Acts....Contracts have been made with external bodies and they have not been honoured by the VCP without a major fight from me."
*One is the ongoing issue with the University of Bergen in Norway where vulnerable students are being deprived of their dependence allowance. This has already caused major stress, angry responses, and reputational damage to USP from staff and students alike.
*I have seen threats of ‘exceptional audits’ used to [in] a punitive way to senior directors to intimidate them.
*All the key metrics of financial health, student numbers, staff vacancies, staff welfare, student experience and support are heading in the wrong direction, but this data is not being included in the version I managed to get access to. I have been told by an executive preparing the report, 'that the council only expect to see a 'positive PR document''. Furthermore, there is written evidence that the Secretary to the Council and Senate Secretariat is actively suppressing information from the staff committee from getting into the Council report. I have been asked to ensure you get these documents unadulterated.
SACKED Professor Janusz Jankowski to USP Council, 16 MAY 2023

Dr. Hilda Cathy Heine, Pro-Chancellor and
Chair of USP Council

PAL AHLUWALIA

Professor Pat Walsh Deputy Pro-Chancellor & Deputy Chair of Council
Also Government of New Zealand Representative

From Professor Janusz Jankowski

​Dear Hon. Hilda Heine and Prof Walsh,
​
I write to inform you of my formal submission of a series of complaints under the University of the South Pacific ‘Whistleblowing Policy’.  

I have been in consultation with The Chair and deputy Chair of the USP Council on two previous occasions in March and April 2023.

I have reflected on these communications carefully and it appears there are no other options left to me other than activate this avenue of progression.

Despite my many attempts to ‘mend fences’ in a diplomatic way, there have unfortunately been further, and very worrisome, developments. In the last few weeks, I have also received many additional desperate communications from staff and students since we last spoke.

Far from things improving there have been no SMT meetings for 2 months and despite requests I have had no direct email from the VCP of any kind in over 7 weeks. I have reached out several times to improve communication, but my attempts have gone unanswered (with only one brief 2-word patronising response on Friday).
 
Background

This paper serves to inform and seek appropriate action from the Council. The paper highlights serious issues, concerns, and breaches with both USP policies and procedures as well as perhaps also Fiji Criminal and Employment Relations Acts.
 
Issues

1. Lack of Governance

There are several examples of lack of adequate governance within USP. But perhaps those affecting the fiscal aspects of the University are the most pressing.

1. Contracts have been made with external bodies and they have not been honoured by the VCP without a major fight from me.
   1. One is the ongoing issue with the University of Bergen in Norway where vulnerable students are being deprived of their dependence allowance. This has already caused major stress, angry responses, and reputational damage to USP from staff and students alike (see appendix 1).
   2. My own contract and work visa has turned into a complete fiasco (see appendix 2).
2. ​Finance. With lack of due process unpredictable holes open continuously in the USP budgets.
   1. N-POC Costs. Due to the lack of adequate budgeting from the VCP despite being copied into the appropriate emails there is now a need to find F$785,000 dollars over the next 3 years.
   2. ‘Ineligible Expenses’. Due to lack of adequate budgeting and oversight I have been informed several donors have audited USP accounts and may withhold or request returning funding of between F$0.25m – F$1m over the next year. [this is an estimate as we don’t have any facts to discuss at the SMT yet].
   3. Student numbers. What is the USP strategy to deal with falling student numbers?

 

1. Lack of Accountability
   1. VCP attributes blame to others.
      1. N-POC lack of governance blame was attributed to the Research Office and DVC Paunga, despite the fact the VCP was the accountable officer.
      2. Storm damage lack of insurance was attributed to DVC Paunga despite the fact the VCP was the accountable officer and had not prepared adequate risk registers for USP.
      3. Absence of my contract completion attributed to the HR Team, despite the VCP’s micromanagement of the process.
      4. Absence of adequate USP finances on VCPs deportation and Fiji Government budget loss, despite the fact there is no coherent strategy to grow the budget. Once certainly hasn’t been shared with me or the SMT.
      5.  Absence of adequate research income on my predecessor the DVC RI, despite evidence to the contrary.
   2. Lack of constructive challenge allowed.
      1. I have been told that raising governance issues at the SMT and Senate was ‘not helpful’ by the VCP.
      2. The VCP then blames me for bringing his own errors to his attention by saying ‘I am also concerned that  Janusz, who does not have the full picture, is raising this in various forums  as a failure of USP to honour its commitments.’

 

1. Breach of HR Policies and Welfare by VCP
   1. ‘Poison spread’ about his colleagues.
      1. I have been written to and told that arguably the most successful academic in terms of outputs, grants and networks was ‘manipulative’.
      2. I have been told certain staff in the Research Office are inadequate for their purpose and should be replaced asap, despite evidence to the contrary.
      3. I have been told that the entire HR function of USP is unfit for its purpose, even though the VCP micromanages every process in HR.
      4. I have heard my predecessors described as ‘corrupt’ (paraphrased) in meetings at least once.
   2. Welfare of staff neglected.
      1. I have received emails and verbal communications from staff indicating that their mental health has suffered either indirectly or directly from the VCPs actions. In some cases, there is a real feeling of desperation and emotional distress with real concerns of self-harm. Yet in many cases these issues have gone unanswered by the VCP and his team for years.
   3. Coercive behaviour.
      1. I have been told by the VCP in front of other witnesses ‘that complete loyalty is expected, or else I should consider whether I come to USP’.
      2. I have seen threats of ‘exceptional audits’ used to [in] a punitive way to senior directors to intimidate them.
      3. I have read emails, accusatory in tone, where middle grade staff in the Research Office have felt anxious and intimidated by VCP.
   4. Nepotism in the handling of gross misconduct.
      1. In my first Zoom meeting with the SMT I witnessed an event that still haunts me. I saw one DVC suddenly explode in a meeting shout ‘Bxxxxxd’ and then throw a punch at the face of a Head of School and in the process narrowly missing a female member of staff who was sitting in between. If it had not been for DVC Paunga who instantly intervened to separate the parties, it would have been more unpleasant. I have reflected on this event and how the female staff were just expected to put up with this without even an apology. The subsequent handling of this event was such that the Head of School stepped down, but the DVC remains in his post. There has been no transparent handling or due process followed, were told that this incident would be handled in the ‘annual appraisal’ process.  This is clearly woefully inadequate response and many including myself felt this process has been misogynistic, nepotistic, and perhaps even racist in tone. On speaking with others this person has had explosive outbursts before in other social situations. They need anger management support and probably psychological counselling. However, the upshot of this event has meant this particular DVC is now ‘beholden’ to the VCP in gratitude for his lenient treatment. This is also apparent in the cronyism style of management of other controversial areas such as the “N-POC Dependency Allowance Debacle”.

 

1. Leadership Personality and Integrity
   1. Persona. Many view the VCP are either incapable and/or unwilling to discharge his duties in a transparent, effective, and collegiate fashion. Any trauma from his prior disputes and deportation cannot alone account for such actions, particularly the recent ‘doubling-down’ of his behaviour. The level of trust is no longer sustainable.
   2. Lack of action. There is a real disconnect between what is said to be valued and what actually happens. One area where this is particularly evidence is in the progression of female staff which remains exceptionally low. Currently in the SMT there is only one female executive (and she was nearly punched in an SMT meeting). I have seen no strategy remedy this and have been told by the VCP to ‘wait until I am there to act’.
   3. Capricious change in decisions. The VCP has threatened several staff with oaths of loyalty (myself included), punitive audits, restricted travel in quite unsettling ways. People can feel a little uncomfortable around the VCP, myself included.
2. Lack of training leave and hypocrisy . I was told explicitly several months ago, that USP did not have a Professional development scheme (witnessed again by others). I was denied support for a Psychological Coaching course to help deal with difficult management conversations already prebooked for 2024. In fact, USP has developed a policy for Professional Development Leave for SMT members on the 2nd of March 2016. This policy provides the VCP and SMT members the principles that support and encourage their professional development as an integral component of employment. I have since learnt that the VCP had over $20,000 of per diem paid for professional development himself on one occasion alone and had used withholding reimbursement of this as an item of complaint against the previous PC. This counselling course would help me deal in ways with troubled managers needing bespoke psychological approaches.

 

1. Lack of Transparency.
   1. The annual report that is being prepared for the Council, by the VCP and his acolytes, is currently just 'smoke and mirrors' and lacks objectivity, excluding any negative data. All the key metrics of financial health, student numbers, staff vacancies, staff welfare, student experience and support are heading in the wrong direction, but this data is not being included in the version I managed to get access to. I have been told by an executive preparing the report, 'that the council only expect to see a 'positive PR document''. Furthermore, there is written evidence that the Secretary to the Council and Senate Secretariat is actively suppressing information from the staff committee from getting into the Council report. I have been asked to ensure you get these documents unadulterated. 
   2. There have been no Senior Management Team meetings for 2 months. I still haven’t seen the minutes of this meeting despite requesting them. Several of the SMT members requested a formal vote so that any subsequent decisions the VCP tool could be reconciled with the objective cadre of support by the SMT.
   3. The Senate meetings are coercive. I was told that raising issues of student numbers, PhD completion rates, lack of any staff survey for at least 5 years ‘was unhelpful’ by the VCP. During the senate meeting several staff members silently sent me supportive messages by the chat function, but indicated they were too intimidated to speak out. One issue the VCP touted was that he ‘made no compulsory redundancies’ but on the chat function I was reliably told many people left under his regime. “The vacancy rate is increasing and left the staff and the students with an unenviable student to staff ration of ~ 36 to 1. The University needs a total overhaul, and many will agree...”
   4. I have had only one 1 to 1 meeting with the VCP since early February.

 

1. Missed KPIs for VCP for 2019-2024.
   1. The SMT was to be changed to be accountable, effective, and transparent. Failed from what I see.
   2. Strengthen the HR function. Failed from what I see.
   3. Improved Audit and Risk Reporting. Failed from what I see.
   4. Improved relationships with stakeholders. Failed according to those I have dealt with thus far.
   5. Financial Targets. Failed isn’t enough to explain how bad it really is, with basic fabric of the buildings unsuitable.

I had wanted to table these issues at the SMT or through the USP grievance procedure, and these routes of escalation were also discussed with very senior colleagues. There was a minority view that I should wait until I am ‘actually on the ground at the end of June’. However, the majority consensus was that the problems are now too pervasive and too urgent. Since the Council has ruled out a direct mentoring relationship between the DVCs and itself, this is the only recourse of action I have left. Staff, (including an experienced DVC, several Directors, and many others unofficially) have asked me to act as a 'conduit to expose the nepotism, lack of transparency and absence of accountability' in the VCP and members of the leadership team. I have been told that since my appointment and remote working in January, ‘staff now feel more courageous to speak up’.  

Given the integrity of the Secretariat of the Council and Senate is also in question, please can this email be sent directly to the appropriate council members, as you see fit.

If the council wish me to step back, I am open to consider this. However, I have worked on the basis that the Council will want to have sight of the ‘dishonouring’ of the laudable USP ethos and founding principles. The reputation of USP has suffered under the current leadership and is likely to deteriorate further. 

I am passionate to empower the Peoples of the Pacific nations and have already been impressed by their wish to find vital regional and global impacts from their own collective endeavour.  There are so many superb Pacific Islanders here that deserve a chance to excel and progress with the right collegiate, and transparent leadership.
 
I feel personally very vulnerable. My predecessor left abruptly at the hands of the current VCP, and from the media and staff I have spoken with, he did his job well. Secondly, I have already been targeted by the VCP for trying to engender more transparency at USP, specifically in his email ‘I am concerned that Janusz is raising…’ [24th April 4.43pm]. Third, I am now spending most of my time trying to deal with the mess left to me by the VCP. My dealings with the Council have not yet convinced me that they, in turn, ‘have my back’.

I would appreciate this report is acknowledged and I understand what the next steps are please? Given the time before council I have not had time to prepare a complete dossier but if even a fraction of this were true it would merit investigation and intervention.
 
Options for the Council regarding the VCP.
 
a. Do Nothing. Do nothing and carry on hoping against all the evidence that the situation will improve? This will merely prove to the USP community that the VCP now has complete impunity and can continue to ‘double-down’ on his methods. Indeed, there is already evidence of this, as I have already raised issues with the council, and I have been reassured the VCP has been spoken to. Each time there has been no improvement, but instead a further worsening of his actions.
 
b. Discipline and Remove the VCP. I am a practicing Justice of the Peace in the UK. I have looked at the USP policies and there is more than enough in this report and other documents submitted to the Council to indicate a case to answer. At the very least he has probably not met his basic KPI’s. There is also evidence for investigation suggesting ineptitude, lack of professionalism, lack of accountability, gross lack of transparency, and perhaps even integrity too. This latter characteristic is something the VCP has made his “sword of honour”, but it is right that the wider facts are investigated to constructively challenge this compensatory narcissistic narrative.
 
c.  Wait until I arrive in person at USP at the end of June. How does this strategy help USP and me? It merely transfers all the burden to a later date. I am in a stronger position now to raise these issues from afar. When I arrive my room for manoeuvre will be controlled on a daily basis by the chaos and micromanagement. I may myself be subjected to found less accusations, as has happened to others.
 
d. Transition to a new Leadership Structure now. This is the preferred option by the USP community. I am personally not in favour of the VCPs immediate removal, but I think his role should change from executive lead to a ‘titular title’ only role in June. It allows him a compassionate transition period to reflect on his next steps away from USP, including recovery from his own traumas. However, there needs to be a separate leadership team chaired by someone else, perhaps in a ‘Provost pro tem’ role, to allow effective governance and business of USP to continue. The VCP should them step down next year when his contract expires. This new leadership team should include the current SMT and all directors, as well as the staff and student reps.
 
Suggestions to improve matters.
 
a. These allegations need formal investigation and statements could be collected from the SMT, Directors and Head of School, as well as RO staff.
 
b. There needs a formal investigation of the incident of gross misconduct in the SMT. Psychological help may also be necessary for the defendant and the recipient as well as witnesses.
 
c. The SMT is not functioning and has no clear leadership. We need an acting Provost to act in a collegiate way to pull the strands together. DVC Paunga, and I could share this role temporarily. The VCP has lost the confidence of many at USP at all levels. There is inadequate accountability and challenge from either the Executive SMT or the University Senate. For example, in these fora when I have raised issues of;

1. failure of progression of female staff (~30%), 
2. failure of employability of our students (~52%), 
3. poor student to staff ratios (~36 to 1), 
4. poor international students <1% 
5. poor PhD completion rates of 20-30% and 
6. failure to honour signed contracts (personal contracts as well as major international contracts). 

On each occasion I was told explicitly 'that it was not helpful to raise these matters' by the VCP. By 'direct chat function' in Zoom many faculty have sent supportive messages that i was raising issues that should have been managed before. Many made it clear, however, they felt uncomfortable to speak out. 
 
d. The SMT needs to be expanded to include a wider cohort including the Directors too as well as student and staff rep.
 
e. The Senate is toothless and does not hold the VCP or the SMT to account. This body needs to be able to vote anonymously and register satisfaction and even raise a vote of confidence on issues and people. Need for Open Staff Question and Answer sessions by the SMT (at the end of the Senate). The Senate needs to allow more constructive challenge in its discourse instead of more micromanagement. The SMT has failed to act as a check and balance to the VC and in turn the senate has failed to act as a check and balance to the SMT. The faculty don't have a proper voice, and many have left, with more planning to leave. One particular pressing area is the need for an effective strategy to manage student enrolment. There is also a dramatic fall in student enrolment in 2023 down by 5-10% so this will adversely affect income, and morale further. Why did we only find this out at the end of the first semester? What plans are in place to adapt, improve, and monitor progress for the student intake for 2024? There isn't a transparent strategy to deal with these things above and we aren't even measuring them diligently. "You change what you measure". 
 
f. There is no transparency on the documents that are passed to the Council. I have been told that certain documents have been sent as regards student numbers, PhD completions finances but these have not been shared or discussed with my colleagues and me.
 
g. What welfare and protection can I expect and from whom? In my 4 months working 50% remotely I have witnessed gross misconduct in the form of expletives and violence at the USP most executive board, seen women treated as second class citizens, seem coercion and intimidation used in several fora, had 2 contracts issued and then rescinded, been implicated in wrongdoing for raising transparency, seen financial mismanagement of several fronts, seen documents doctored to avoid full transparency.
 
h. the staff need urgent welfare and wellbeing support.
 
i. the teaching loads are excessive with consequential poor student experiences. More staff are needed.
 
j. we need contacts that are longer term to attract faculty.
 
k. we need a staff development budget for all not just the VCP.
 
l. there needs to be an annual appraisal process to equitably manage the workload.
 
m. females are treated as second class employees we need a PVC for EDI
 
n. we need anonymised 360-degree reviews of ALL senior management.
 
I feel traumatised by these events, and I have not mentioned them all. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I have been retraumatised by writing this whistleblowing Report, having to relive all the injustices to the USP staff and students. The question that arises is, how complicit the board is now that I have made these allegations? Where is the open dialogue, strategy and collegiate team building to rectify this. The financial situation is also in no part due to the tumultuous fight with the previous Fiji government. Many are left wondering was the USP regime then any worse than the current one, financially we are in dire straits, and this continues to slide.
 
Many of us have little trust in the VCP. If a staff survey were done it would be insightful for you. Without some structural change I will merely become another casualty of managerial narcissism at USP. Many people feel like this but are afraid to speak up. I have been challenged by the USP community to be their voice. It has been a tremendous pressure writing this report. I have spoken with several senior leaders at USP, and they have agreed that my report is very accurate, they are afraid to speak up, but will corroborate many aspects when your formal investigation starts. One key quote for you, as the wider Council to reflect upon from a very experienced USP leader is; “Janusz, this whistleblowing report is very accurate, and there is much more to be exposed! The issue isn’t the merely the points you raise, but how much the Council care enough to listen and actually do anything.”
 
As a whistle-blower, what protections will the Council afford to me please?
 
What are the Council going to do to alleviate this burden for USP, especially the lack of adequate leadership by the VCP please?
 
 
Yours sincerely
 
16th May 10am BST (9pm Pacific Time)
Prof Janusz Jankowski JP
MBChB MSc MD PhD PGCM PGCE AGAF FRCP FACG SFHEA

​Fijileaks: Log of USP Contract for J Jankowski

1. Contacted by HH’s to consider post March 2022.
2. Shortlisted and interview September 2022.
3. Offer letter 4th October 2022.
4. 20 emails of exchange documents and visa paperwork completed October 2022
5. Council appointment 13th November with 5 documents exchanged for press.
6. 29th November first version of contract issued.
7. 10 emails regarding clarification of travel and clinical work in December
8. January 17th 2023 signed the consultancy and the main contract.
9. 3rd February 2023 I was informed the USP had unilaterally rescinded my original contract and wanted me to sign a less advantageous contact for 3.7 years instead of the previous 5-year period.
10. During this time, I have been requested to submit ALL my documents three times; first to the HR director, then to the new HR officer counter signed by a Justice of the Peace and yet again in February by a notary public.
11. Since the original contract was unilaterally rescinded by USP I have understandably become more cautious. In the current contract I have asked that the appropriate email concessions are made explicit in the revised contract to avoid further confusion. These include premium economy travel to and from work, clarification of remote working periods to be with my son during his exams and again during his A-level results (as promised), correcting the revised employer superannuation from 6% to 7% (as promised), ensuring the supplied vehicle is registered and has road insurance (as promised), ensuring there is an annual training budget to maintain skills and annual budget to be provided (as promised), for agreed clinic time medical practice allowance to be provided in day time hours to suit patients (as promised), USP to actively support communication with the medical registration authorities to enable my registration to be completed (as promised), to be allowed to maintain current UK board commitments on a remote basis (as promised), to be provided with a prepaid sim card, phone and laptop for exclusive USP work (as promised).
12. In March it was agreed I could start face to face in June 2023. This was subsequently rescinded a week later unilaterally.
13. Final Modified Contract sent to me on Monday 13th March with corrections.
14. Email 3.19 am with an ultimatum to sign the contract by 8am the same day.
15. Contract signed same day.
16. 28th March I was told my medical report had expired and I needed to go through the whole long medical report submission procedure again. On the same day I queried this and asked to see the regulations. None were ever forwarded.
17. 3rd of April I informed HR my 3-month remote contract was due to expire on the 16th.
18. 4th April HR indicated my Medical Report had expired as it was submitted on the 11th of November 2022, 3-month window apparently. I indicated that it was Easter, and my doctor was away for 2 weeks.
19. 11th of April. I wrote to HR [to] ask if the original medical report could be counter signed to prevent delays. No response was ever received.
20. 13th of April a month contract extension granted to mid-May instead of until 22nd June when I have agreed to arrive in person, and this has been agreed and witnessed by USP. I have queried this twice.
21. 17th April UK time in the middle of emails my account locked with no warning.
22. When I queried this, I was told that this was because I have not signed the 1-month extension. So, I was ‘locked out’ without warning from my USP accounts for 7.5days.
23. 24th April new contract issues. Some dates were still wrong that I had to change by hand.
24. I remained lock out of USP permissions for another 2 days. My diary appointments were lost, and I was unable to undertake several internal and external meetings.
25. 28th April Medical report resubmitted with another signature from my GP.
26. 3rd May HR mentioned they needed another stamp.
27. 3rd of May medical report with new stamp resubmitted to HR.
28. As of Friday the 12th of May, no documents have been submitted at any time by USP to the Fiji Government for my work permit.
29. Fijileaks: Whistleblower Jankowski is SACKED by Ahluwalia on 26 May 2023.

 

​www.fijileaks.com/home/uspgate-usp-staff-report-and-recommendations-to-council-lay-bare-dysfunctional-state-of-affairs-under-vc-ahluwalia-staff-departures-indicate-usp-no-longer-employer-of-choice-for-regionals-or-expatriates