The Campus Trilogy by Anonymous

instance.” I looked astonished. No one had ever complained before. “There have already been complaints this term from a student about Harry’s behaviour.”
    “Untrue and unsubstantiated,” I interrupted indignantly.
    “So we know Harry has a tendency towards this kind of behaviour,” continued Barraclough magisterially.
    “My staff are always complaining about how rude he is,” said Sloth. During this discussion, Randolph looked out the window, and Parham fiddled with her hair. Neither made eye contact with me or Penelope.
    The Vice-Chancellor then asked me to present my account of events. I stressed that the number of students in my first year Christian ethics class had risen dramatically at the beginning of term. Randolph smirked and muttered something to Parham who frowned. I then explained that I had initially asked Jenny to order additional copies of my textbook. I had had no response. As a result, I sent her additional emails and eventually wrote a letter asking that she deal with the matter. It was her delay, I said, which had created the current problem. In my view, there were no reasonable grounds for an oral warning. I had acted properly throughout. Jenny, on the other hand, had neglected her responsibilities as a librarian.
    The Vice-Chancellor took notes as I spoke. He took the Staff Handbook from the bottom of his pile of papers, opened it to the section dealing with discipline, and read out the regulations. The difficulty, he said, was that although there was an attempt at an informal solution to the problem, this had not been achieved.
    Penelope shifted in her chair. “Look,” she said. “Dr Pilkington gave no opportunity for an informal solution. Professor Gilbert was willing to apologize for upsetting Mrs Sloth, but Dr Pilkington insisted this would not be sufficient. He was determined to issue an oral warning from the start.”
    Barraclough looked through his papers and pulled out a letter from Pilkington. He read it out loud:
    “Dear Vice-Chancellor,
    It is with regret that I am writing to you about an unfortunate incident involving a member of my department. Several weeks ago Professor Harry Gilbert contacted one of the librarians, Mrs Jenny Sloth, requesting additional books for his Christian ethics class. This was due to an increase in student numbers at the beginning of term. This was followed by a series of emails and eventually a highly critical letter. As you know, the library is extremely busy at the start of term. Mrs Sloth was unable to respond immediately to Professor Gilbert’s request due to the pressures of work. Professor Gilbert, however, was insensitive to the situation. Instead of patiently waiting for a response, he adopted a hectoring tone throughout. I have always been concerned for the welfare of my department as well as for staff throughout the university. It appears to me that Professor Gilbert has misused his position as a professor in acting in this tactless way. It is for this reason that I have had no option but to issue an oral warning.”
    Yours ever
    John
    Dr John Pilkington,
    Head of the Department of Theology”
    Neither Randolph nor Parham had said anything during the meeting. The Vice-Chancellor asked if they would like to ask any questions. There was no response. He then asked if I wanted to make a final comment.
    “Look, Vice-Chancellor,” I said. “I have been an academic here for ten years. Prior to this year, I never had a complaint from either staff or students. I have always tried to be courteous; it was never my intention to cause offence. I’m sorry if Jenny was upset by my request for books. I only had the welfare of my students in mind. I told my Head of Department that I was prepared to write an apology to Jenny. But, I must stress thatI don’t think I was wrong to persist in asking for these books. Nor do I think my requests were in any sense abusive. The real question is why Jenny is so sensitive. I’m sorry she had to take time off for