In a letter leaked by the Guardian, nine academics from University College London’s (UCL) Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction said they had to break their “silence”, claiming complaints of bullying were “simply ignored”. It comes after UCL apologized for a decades-old “culture of bullying” at the Bartlett School of Architecture, which is housed in the same faculty as the school of sustainable construction. An investigation by intelligence firm Howlett Brown into the school of architecture found a “boys club” setting. It found that some people had been left “deeply traumatised” by their experiences in what was described as a “toxic” and “unsafe” learning environment. The exhibition sparked a backlash, with 30 architects and academics accusing the university of a “witch hunt”. They criticized the decision to release the findings of an investigation into alleged abuse at the school before a disciplinary process was completed. The letter from the Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction now claims there is nepotism when it comes to high-profile appointments within the academy, as well as harassment and intimidation of older and senior executives to “precipitate resignation or early retirement in order to be replaced by cheaper junior staff with fixed-term contracts”. The letter states: “We are writing to you because you collectively have a fiduciary duty to govern UCL in the best interests of its students and staff. This fiduciary duty includes ensuring that all reports of misconduct and fraudulent behavior within UCL are diligently investigated through a transparent process.” It claims: “We have seen our own academic careers and lives and the lives of our colleagues destroyed through bullying, harassment and other predatory practices and know that any attempt to raise issues of misconduct or fraudulent behavior would lead to retaliation putting our own career and lives.” Academics are calling for complaints to be dealt with appropriately and an end to the use of confidentiality clauses so people can speak out without retaliation. They accused UCL of not sufficiently considering the experience of staff in their research into the school of architecture. Academics from the construction school, speaking about their experiences, say they have witnessed alarming levels of “bullying and profound racism”. They claim this includes firing faculty members without due process or warning and “extending the probationary period with discrimination.” A UCL spokesman thanked the people for coming forward, promising to launch an investigation, adding that they were “sorry to hear about their experiences” and “disturbed” by their stories. “While the Howlett Brown investigation looked at the culture, educational practices and environment at the Bartlett School of Architecture, we know that unacceptable behavior occurs elsewhere at UCL and is not isolated to just one department or school,” they said. “We are committed to tackling inequalities and ensuring that our university is an environment in which students and staff can thrive in their diversity.” They added that others who are concerned should report it through university support services. “We guarantee that anyone who speaks to us will be treated with sympathy and confidentiality.”
