A TOP level investigation into the suspension of a Glasgow college principal has come under fire from unions.

Officials from the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) have written to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) asking them why they intervened in the case.

The intervention came after the SFC launched review of a decision by the board of Glasgow Clyde College to suspend its principal Susan Walsh.

Mrs Walsh, who was awarded an OBE last year for services to education, was removed from her duties on full pay following a meeting of the college board last month amid concerns over her style of management.

However, the SFC immediately launched a review of the decision and wrote to board chairman George Chalmers raising concerns over the "discharge of his responsibilities" and responses he made to the organisation over his actions.

The letter from Laurence Howells, chief executive of the SFC, dated March 6th, states: "I remain dissatisfied with particular aspects of those responses which further augment concern regarding the governance and management of the college and specifically the discharge of your responsibilities as chair."

However, a bulletin to members from Jim O'Donovan on behalf of the EIS Glasgow Regional Committee describes the SFC's actions as "baffling".

He said: "Members will probably be baffled at the highly publicised intervention of the SFC into what would normally be regard as an internal matter - the suspension of a member of staff by the board of Clyde College.

"SFC's actions in this matter have been extremely uncharacteristic, displaying a fervour and determination that is very much at odds with the usual inertia, procrastination and evasion that those who have had dealings with them have come to expect as inevitable."

The bulletin goes on the highlight the SFC's decision to also hold a review into the over-arching Glasgow Colleges Regional Board.

The board should have been in a position to take over the administration of the £80 million total funding for Glasgow's three colleges in April, but the date has now been moved back to August.

The SFC do not believe the board, under the control of chairman Henry McLeish, the former First Minister, has made sufficient progress and has already suggested parachuting its own official into the organisation.

Mr O'Donovan said: "At the meeting of the board immediately prior to the public attack, the chair of the SFC, in the presence of Mr Howells, noted that the board was well placed to become a beacon of good practice and to lead real change in Glasgow.

"Why, then, does the SFC now think that it is necessary not only to criticise the board, but to denigrate it such a public fashion? What has changed in so short a time?"

A spokesman for the SFC said the body had a responsibility for the performance of further and higher education in Scotland and intervened only when officials had cause for "serious concern".

He said: "This happens rarely because Scotland's colleges and universities are well-run institutions. When there is a need for SFC to act, our focus is on the interests of the learners, communities and businesses served by colleges and universities.

"At the moment, we are trying to understand the quality of governance and management at Glasgow Clyde College and have appointed DLA Piper to carry out an investigation. As part of this they will look at how the college is supporting the participation of student members on its board.

"Separately, SFC believes the Glasgow Colleges Regional Board has made insufficient progress towards becoming responsible for around £80m of public money each year. We are therefore proposing a review and the secondment of a senior director from the funding council to help the regional board prepare to fulfil its new role."