A COLLEGE which suspended its principal just months after she was awarded an OBE has been accused of a "dereliction of duty" by student leaders.

National student body NUS Scotland made the allegation against Clyde College in Glasgow after it took disciplinary action against Susan Walsh.

Mrs Walsh was suspended on full pay at a meeting of the college board earlier this week, but no student representatives were in attendance.

By law, every college in Scotland has to have two staff and two student representatives on its board, although under the college constitution they are not allowed to vote on disciplinary matters.

NUS Scotland has written to George Chalmers, the chair of the board, to formally raise "deep concerns" at the exclusion of the two students representatives.

Gordon Maloney, president of NUS Scotland, said: "We are deeply concerned by the behaviour we've recently seen towards the two student board members at Glasgow Clyde College.

"On such a key decision over the suspension of the principal, to exclude the student representatives is beyond belief. The college exists to serve students and learners, and they seem to have forgotten that in this case.

"We have worked incredibly hard with colleges and government to put learners at the centre of the college sector and to exclude student board members over such a fundamental decision flies in the face of all this hard work."

However, the college board said it was surprised by the "tone and contents" of the NUS Scotland letter.

A spokesman said: "NUS Scotland and the student association are aware of the college's constitution which states that student representatives on the board have no vote on certain staff employment matters, including the suspension of a member of staff. On this the college constitution is in accordance with the legislation set down by parliament.

"The secretary of the board acted properly and constitutionally in asking the two student representatives to leave the board meeting.They were understandably disappointed by this decision. Once the matter had been discussed the chair invited them back into the meeting."

The Herald revealed on Tuesday Mrs Walsh had been suspended on full pay pending a review. She was last year awarded an OBE for services to education,

The board refused to comment on why action was taken, but sources close to the college said there had been particular issues over Mrs Walsh's "robust" management style in meetings.

College unions were also said to have been reluctant to take part in a survey of staff opinion about the running of the institution unless it went straight to the board