Conclusions of the Anti-mobbing and Anti-Discrimination Committee of the State Higher School of Film, Television and Theatre named after Leon Schiller in Łódź, from the completed explanatory proceedings regarding the complaint made by Ms Anna Paliga on March 16, 2021.

REPORT

In the period from March 22 to April 12, 2021, the Committee composed of:
Monika Żelazowska, MA – Rector's Plenipotentiary for Counteracting Discrimination, Chairwoman of the Committee;
Prof. Julitta Siękiewicz-Kisiel – Acting Dept. representative;
Joanna Jasińska-Koronkiewicz, PhD – Cinematography and TV Production Dept. representative;
Magnus von Horn, MA – Film and TV Direction Dept. representative; Jacek Snopkiewicz, MA – Film Art Organization Dept. representative; Monika Grochowska, MA – non-academic staff representative; Monika Dembińska, MA – PhD Student Council representative;
Luiza Pietrzak – Student Council representative,

conducted an investigation into the allegations made by Ms Anna Paliga.

In the course of its work, the Committee carried out:
 • hearing of Ms Anna Paliga;
 • hearing of Prof. Mariusz Grzegorzek;
 • hearing of Mariusz Jakus, PhD;
 • hearing of Michał Staszczak, PhD;
 • hearing of Dr. Grzegorz Wiśniewski;
 • hearing of Prof. Bronisław Wrocławski;
 • hearing of Dr. Waldemar Zawodziński;
 • hearing of persons who were participants or witnesses of the described events, who agreed to be interviewed by the Committee;
 • analysis of applications and testimonies related to the teachers indicated in Ms Anna Paliga's complaint (submitted to the Committee in the course of its work directly, via the e-mail trust box bezpieczni@filmschool.lodz.pl or an anonymous online form);
 • analysis of archived student questionnaires in terms of the signals reported in the past about violations of the lecturers’ work ethics;
 • drawing up the final report based on the collected material, formulating conclusions and submitting them to the Rector as a recommendation for further actions.

COMMITTEE PROVISIONS RELATING TO LECTURERS (alphabetical order)

1. The decision in the case of Prof. Mariusz Grzegorzek

Due to the extremely divergent assessments of events concerning Prof. Mariusz Grzegorzek and subsequent allegations contained in the reports from students and employees, the Committee states that the case of Prof. Mariusz Grzegorzek should be explained by the Disciplinary Commissioner , who has the possibility of hearing witnesses provided for by the relevant provisions of law. The committee unanimously decided to refer the entire case to the Disciplinary Commissioner.

2. The decision in the case of Mr. Mariusz Jakus, PhD

The committee found that Mariusz Jakus, PhD, used unacceptable methods of working with students. In the opinion of the Committee, the charges against Mr. Mariusz Jakus may constitute a premise for the termination of an employment contract on their basis subject to the notice period. At the same time, the Committee took into account students' votes in defence of the lecturer, testimony of his kindness towards students and examples of help provided to them. The committee also took into account the opinion expressed by Mr Mariusz Jakus - willingness to change the way of working. The committee recommends that the decision on further employment of the lecturer be taken after the evaluation of his current work with students. The case of Mr Mariusz Jakus is currently under examination by the Disciplinary Commissioner.

3. The decision in the case of Mr. Michał Staszczak, PhD

The committee unanimously stated that the allegations formulated by Ms Anna Paliga against Mr. Michał Staszczak were not sustained. Responsibility of Mr. Michał Staszczak as Vice-Rector for Teaching and Students for possible omissions should, in the opinion of the Committee, be considered as part of determining the responsibility of the Acting Department authorities in connection with the suspected lack of proper response to the reported abuses by lecturers and irregularities in the evaluation process. The Committee points to the need to initiate proceedings against the then authorities of the Acting Department by the Disciplinary Commissioner.

4. The decision in the case of Dr. Grzegorz Wiśniewski

The committee, by a majority of votes, with one abstaining vote, states that the employment contract with Dr. Grzegorz Wiśniewski should be terminated pursuant to Art. 52 § 1 of the Labour Code due to a serious breach of the duties of an academic teacher. After the proceedings on Dr. Grzegorz Wiśniewski were completed, the Committee received reservations from Dr. Grzegorz Wiśniewski regarding the work of the Committee. They were included in the report. Mr. Grzegorz Wiśniewski - due to the lack of trust in the Committee - asked to refer his case to the Disciplinary Commissioner. The Rector instructed the Commissioner to handle the case of Dr. Grzegorz Wiśniewski. The Committee's proposals are currently being formally and legally examined by an external expert.

5. The decision in the case of Prof. Bronisław Wrocławski

The committee unanimously stated that Ms Anna Paliga's allegations against Bronisław Wrocławski had not been sustained. The committee recommends that Prof. Bronisław Wrocławski exercise more care regarding the areas of eroticism and sexuality during classes and undertaking a training in the area of "informed consent".

6. Decision in the case of Dr. Waldemar Zawodziński

The Committee found that pursuant to Art. 288 of the Act of July 20, 2018, Law on Higher Education and Science, there was a statute of limitation for the described event which took place in the academic year 2012/2013. The Committee did not find any other circumstances that would constitute grounds for instituting disciplinary proceedings or termination of the employment contract. At the same time, the Committee recommends that Dr. Waldemar Zawodziński verify his methods of working with students in the light of modern techniques of teaching the art of acting.

ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE PROPOSALS

1. Due to the suspicion of systemic concealment of abuses at the Acting Department, the Committee is sending a request to the Disciplinary Commissioner for clarification of the case.

2. The Committee also recommends taking the following actions:
 • verification of the Acting Faculty's working methods and adaptation to new educational requirements;
 • describing the methods and exercises used in the syllabuses;
 • verification of the graduate's profile;
 • additional verification of lecturers: anonymous questionnaires, class visits with the participation of employees of other School departments as well as students and doctoral students;
 • conducting compulsory training to improve teachers' competences in the field of constructive criticism and communication;
 • introduction of workshops for lecturers and students on the principles of safe work in erotic and violent scenes - "informed consent";
 • introducing basic classes in the field of stunt skills;
 • limiting the competences of the tutor supervising students of a given year;
 • introducing greater inter-departmental cooperation so as to break with the hermetic nature of the Acting Department and ensure its transparency;
 • creating conditions for the integration of female and male students from all faculties;
 • training students on their rights and obligations and the deadlines for reporting abuse;
 • banning nudity in the theatre and during classes;
 • compliance with health and safety rules when working with students - preventing rehearsals at night and those without working time limits required by law.