Imperial students call for VC Alice Gast to resign after she admits to bullying claims

Students are set to protest on Queen’s Lawn this week


Outraged students plan to protest this week after Prof Alice Gast and Muir Sanderson, another senior executive at Imperial College London, have finally owned up to the bullying claims that have been circling the university.

The two executives sent out an open email admitting they bullied colleagues after the university bowed to the release the previously covered up report.

The protests, which are due to take place on Queen’s Lawn at midday Wednesday 16th December, plan to put pressure on the corporate partners of the university and force the resignation of Gast and Sanderson.

Gast and Sanderson both sent out emails ahead of the protests to offer their apologies for their behaviour and the university have stated that both senior figures will undergo bullying and harassment training in line with the recommendations of the report.

“I am very sorry that I bullied someone,” wrote Gast in the email, just days after graffiti demanding her resignation appeared on walls outside of her residence. This apology also emerged whilst students, MPs, unions and academics pushed for the report to be release because of the senior nature of the bullying.

Meanwhile Sanderson stated he had bullied two colleagues: “The bullying was done during a three-week period earlier this year when I was under significant pressure.”

Protestors are also trying to get Chevron to remove Gast from their Board of Directors because of the events that have come to light.

Gast is the highest paid university staff member in the country and her actions have been under such a spotlight due to the close nature of Imperial’s Covid work with the government. Another reason why protestors are so angry about the events which have unfolded.

The Felix carried out a survey into the feelings of Imperial student and the results were that 81 per cent of voters felt that Gast should resign for her actions.