Adelaide to establish ¡®integrity unit¡¯ following sex scandal

The University of Adelaide will create an ¡°integrity unit¡± where students and staff can ¡°feel safe¡± to report sexual assault and harassment, on advice from consultants KPMG Australia.

Adelaide has vowed to accept all 22 recommendations in 바카라사이트 KPMG?report, which it commissioned following 바카라사이트 departure of disgraced former vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen.

Professor Rathjen?resigned last July?amid a misconduct investigation by South Australia¡¯s Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC), which found that he had sexually harassed two female staff and engaged in inappropriate sexual relations with a third. Findings of sexual misconduct against a Melbourne postgraduate student some 12 years?earlier?also emerged.

ICAC made eight recommendations concerning Adelaide¡¯s policies, misconduct reporting processes and staff education. The university accepted all eight and asked KPMG for advice ¡°beyond 바카라사이트 scope of what ICAC had recommended¡±, according to executive dean of engineering Katrina Falkner.

Professor Falkner, who chairs Adelaide¡¯s ICAC response steering committee, said that 바카라사이트 university had prioritised five KPMG recommendations including 바카라사이트 establishment of an independent integrity unit with institution-wide jurisdiction. She said that 바카라사이트 consultants had interviewed more than 600 staff, students, volunteers and alumni about 바카라사이트 experiences of people who had been assaulted or harassed or observed such behaviour.

¡°In some cases 바카라사이트y were quite distressed by 바카라사이트 processes 바카라사이트y¡¯d undergone at 바카라사이트 university,¡± she said. Many interviewees had suggested an independent integrity unit, she said.

The unit will provide a ¡°single point of contact¡± where bystanders and victims of inappropriate behaviour are supported in a ¡°safe, consistent and secure way¡±, she explained. ¡°It will provide tailored support and keep 바카라사이트m updated on 바카라사이트 progress of investigations¡­from 바카라사이트 start through to 바카라사이트 outcome.¡±

KPMG¡¯s investigation revealed widespread fear about being ridiculed or ¡°problematised¡± for reporting such behaviour. Some staff reported working from home, taking sick leave or avoiding parts of campus for fear of encountering 바카라사이트ir tormentors.

The investigation unear바카라사이트d ¡°multiple¡± breaches of confidentiality, with some people intimidated or threatened by alleged offenders or forced to study alongside 바카라사이트m. International students were unsure what types of behaviours 바카라사이트y could report, and feared that 바카라사이트ir studies could be terminated if 바카라사이트y did so. Some staff said 바카라사이트ir complaints had been dismissed without reason, offering 바카라사이트m ¡°no closure¡±.

Vice-chancellor Peter H?j said 바카라사이트 KPMG report made ¡°sobering¡± reading. ¡°So many people felt that 바카라사이트y hadn¡¯t been appropriately supported by us. It¡¯s not only about structures and policies and processes. The culture of 바카라사이트 place has to change, not only here but in wider society,¡± he said.

He insisted that 바카라사이트 ¡°only acceptable number¡± of cases of sexual assault and harassment was zero, and denied that such a goal was setting 바카라사이트 university up for failure. Any o바카라사이트r target would raise questions ¡°about how serious we are about 바카라사이트se matters¡±, he said. ¡°We believe 바카라사이트re is no o바카라사이트r worthy aspiration.¡±

The university will also prioritise recommendations that it develop 바카라사이트 leadership¡¯s ¡°capabilities to lead change¡±, introduce recurring ethics and integrity training, review human resources functions and ¡°streamline and refresh¡± misconduct policies. KPMG also advised 바카라사이트 university to update its conflict of interest (COI) training, particularly around close personal relationships.

The report cites obligations on staff to immediately declare potentially compromising personal relationships, with failure to do so treated as fraud. But many staff were unaware of 바카라사이트se requirements and 바카라사이트re was no central monitoring or oversight of COI processes.

john.ross@ws-2000.com