By Gabriel Princewill-
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), renowned for its illustrious history and commitment to the performing arts, has found itself embroiled in a perplexing controversy.
At the heart of this issue is a £5,000 goodwill gesture paid by RADA’s new principal, Niamh Dowling(pictured) to a former student who lodged a litany of complaints against the school and her former lecturer, a decade after graduating.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
The enormity of the complaint at the time cast doubt on the principles that guide the institution, but a subsequent discovery from the former lecturer of the student that a core part of the student’s complaint was false, has mystified observers of this unusual story.
The female student was granted anonymity when she first brought her story to The Eye Of Media, though later withdrew her blessing to the publication of the story in the face of pound notes she explicitly stated not to match her grievances.
However, in the face of the payment not amounting to any admission of liability, and given the seriousness of the complaints, we pressed on with our investigation, only to be surprised at what would unfold.
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
The saga began with the student’s assertion that RADA had unceremoniously dismissed her from her course in 2011, leaving her feeling aggrieved and marginalized.
The complainant claimed that many of her emails featuring serious complaints she had about her perceived ill treatment had gone unanswered, exacerbating her sense of abandonment.
Moreover, she alleged ill-treatment and discriminatory conduct by the lecturer, asserting that other students had been afforded privileges denied to her, stating that this had caused her much stress.
A pivotal point in the former pupil’s grievances centered on an exam she had failed by a mere four marks.
Essentially, the thrust of her complaint is that she believes the failed exam was a reflection of their ill treatment she received, which included her subsequent complaints being ignored- a claim the school will later state to be errenous.
The complainant claimed to have been initially led to believe that an appeal was not possible, only to later discover that she could indeed challenge the result
The student’s complaint came a staggering 11 years after she had left RADA, contending that the ill-treatment she endured amounted to a wasteful expenditure of the £14,000 she had paid for her course.
Following the goodwill gesture, The Eye Of Media.Com decided to confront the lecturer against whom her bitter complaints had been made.
The lecturer’s identity has also been anonymised following several communications with her legal representatives, and an eventual discrediting of an important aspect of the complainant’s claim.
The payment on the face of it appeared to be an inadvertent admission of fault on the part of the institution, but we explored other potential reasons such a payment may have been made.
Goodwill Gesture Is No Admission Of Liability
A good will gesture is legally not an admission of liability, but a good gesture to quell the issue of complaint.
The former student claimed she had suffered loss of earnings as a result of the alleged ill treatment because she could not get jobs which would have been open to her had she successfully completed her masters degree.
Although she sought to have the story withdrawn, we deemed it necessary to fully explore her allegations and get to the bottom of the matter.
She had expressed discontentment with the money paid to her, but was evidently happy enough not to escalate her complaint in pursuit of what she deemed appropriate compensation for her alleged treatment.
Denials
A legal firm-JLO Solicitors- hired by the lecturer against whom the allegations were made, strenuously denied all the claims, threatening legal action in the event their client- the lecturer in question- was identified by us.
They insisted it would be defamatory for us to identify their client, but legal advice we sought suggested we would be justified to publish the allegations in the face of the money paid out to her- a defense to defamation being truth.
While the truth of the allegation was unascertainable, what was undeniable was the fact a payment had been made to the complainant due to the entirety of her grievance, and written complaints.
On those grounds, we were prepared to identify the lecturer, unless the lecturer could refute the allegations made, which was the underlying essence of any legitimate public interest in the story in pursuit of accountability.
JLO Solicitors acting on behalf of the lecturer, threatened a legal suit if their client was identified in the context of allegations they insisted were false.
Eventually, the solicitor firm provided crucial insights into the student’s academic performance, about which she had bitterly complained.
They revealed that ”the student had been given ample time to complete her end-of-term project, including an extension to meet the deadline.
”However, when her deadline arrived, she had only submitted 1,000 words of a 4,000-word assignment.
‘Despite being given additional time, the student failed to produce any more work, leading to her failure in the project.
These revelations from the lecturer are shocking to the bone, seemingly depicting a student prepared to misrepresent the truth to express other grievances she had.
One perplexing question is why the was so confident to present erroneous grounds to an institution over a decade later.
More so that an fallacy in those grounds could be discovered.
A Complex Case and a Puzzling Goodwill Gesture
The goodwill payment raises significant questions about the decision-making process within RADA, and the potential motivations behind such an offer.
Why the student was compensated before a thorough investigation could confirm the veracity of her claims is an intriguing question in this case.
In a situation where allegations span over a decade and are as serious as discrimination and mistreatment, conventional thinking suggests it is imperative to follow due process and meticulously examine the evidence.
One can only speculate on the reasons that led to the payment of the goodwill gesture.
Some have opined that the new leadership at RADA under Niamh Dowling, wished to avoid a confrontation with the lecturer involved.
One plausible reason for that would be if the lecturer was notorious for attracting complaints with the university, one her solicitors have vehemently denied, but has not been confirmed by the drama school.
Another plausible reason is that Ms Dowling sought to appease the complainant in the pursuit of peace making.
Regardless of the motivations, the fact remains that the student was compensated without a full examination of her allegations.
RADA’S New principal Niamh Dowling paid £5000 to complaining former pupil
The matter questions the mechanisms in place to ensure transparency and accountability within educational institutions like RADA.
Students’ grievances ought to be handled with care and fairness, while institutions should be held accountable for their actions or inactions.
Institutions like RADA are expected to strike a balance between addressing student complaints, protecting their reputation, and ensuring that justice is served.
The goodwill gesture raises questions about whether such compensation might inadvertently set a precedent for future claims.
The case highlights the importance of clear communication, robust complaint resolution procedures, and due diligence when considering compensation.
The enduring lessons from this case emphasize the importance of transparency, accountability, and a commitment to justice- principles that should remain at the forefront of any academic institution’s values.
The principal of RADA was questioned for comment in relation to this matter.
She declined to comment.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar