The Welsh Language Board today expressed disappointment that Bangor University has appointed a non-Welsh speaker as new Vice-Chancellor.
Earlier this year, when the job advertisement was published, the Welsh Language Board held a statutory inquiry to determine whether the University had broken its language scheme by not making it a condition in the job specification that the successful candidate should be a Welsh speaker or learner.
The Board concluded that the University had broken the spirit of its language scheme, and had acted in a way that totally undermined the image they were trying to create as Welsh language champion among Welsh universities.
Meirion Prys Jones, Chief Executive of the Board, said:
"I'm very disappointed that the University’s Court has decided to give this important job to an individual who can’t speak Welsh, a language central to both the University and local community life. It makes absolutely no sense that not one senior manager in a Gwynedd university can now speak Welsh.
"Looking forward, the University must set a firm timetable for Professor John Hughes to learn and become fluent in the language. In the meantime, the University’s Council and Court will need to give the new Vice-Chancellor a clear message that he must appoint senior managers who have bilingual skills.
"We will seek an early meeting with the Vice-Chancellor and with the Chairman of the University Council to discuss their plans in supporting and developing the use of Welsh in the University’s administration and academic provision."