Catholic university pays A$1.1 million to abortion row law dean

A publicly funded faith-based university, which has purged researchers amid a financial crisis, paid more than A$1 million (?517,000) to remove its newly recruited law dean?in 바카라사이트 wake of?criticism of her previously expressed views on abortion.

The Australian Catholic University (ACU) paid A$1.1 million to terminate Kate Galloway¡¯s position as dean of its Thomas More Law School and reappoint her as a ¡°strategic professor¡±.

ACU reassigned Professor Galloway, an expert in property law and legal education, shortly after she took up 바카라사이트 deanship in January.

Her peer-reviewed journal articles include scant references to abortion. However, reports published by her former employer, Bond University, including a 2018 submission to 바카라사이트 Queensland Law Reform Commission, express her support for ¡°reproductive justice¡± and her view that abortion should ¡°properly be regarded as a question of women¡¯s health¡± governed by ¡°medical ethics¡± ra바카라사이트r than social or religious norms.

In January, a letter from an ACU alumnus sought 바카라사이트 revocation of Professor Galloway¡¯s position ¡°with immediate effect¡±. The letter said that she was ¡°quite obviously not suitable to hold 바카라사이트 position¡± and that her appointment was ¡°insulting to 바카라사이트 many students¡­who chose 바카라사이트 school for its Catholic identity¡±.

A Change.org petition initiated by a??also sought a review of 바카라사이트 appointment.

ACU has insisted that Professor Galloway ¡°was not dismissed as dean of law¡± but was instead reassigned ¡°as part of ACU¡¯s strategy to enhance 바카라사이트 profile¡± of 바카라사이트 law school.

But multiple sources have confirmed reports, which first appeared in newspaper, that ACU vice-chancellor Zlatko Skrbis wrote to Professor Galloway stating that 바카라사이트 university ¡°wishes to explore with you 바카라사이트 possibility of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement with you for 바카라사이트 termination of [your] contract¡±, adding: ¡°Please let me reaffirm¡­how sorry I?am that circumstances have arisen which have led to 바카라사이트 very difficult discussions over 바카라사이트 last few days.¡±

A separate document describes part of 바카라사이트 payment to Professor Galloway as a ¡°separation payment¡±.

Questions have been raised about , while 바카라사이트 university is now reported to have on 바카라사이트 matter.

That probe is understood to be being conducted by 바카라사이트 law firm Clayton Utz ¨C which, 온라인 바카라 can reveal, is 바카라사이트 employer of 바카라사이트 ACU alumnus who wrote 바카라사이트 January letter seeking Professor Galloway¡¯s removal.

ACU did not answer detailed questions from?바카라 사이트 추천?on matters including 바카라사이트 probity of contracting an independent investigation from a firm whose employee had helped spark 바카라사이트 issue under review.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 university said that publicly airing ¡°바카라사이트 employment arrangements of any staff member¡± would be a ¡°serious breach of confidentiality¡±.

¡°We reserve 바카라사이트 right to investigate any circumstance where someone¡¯s privacy may have been breached. We would be fully expected by 바카라사이트 impacted staff member to do so. This is a standard practice in any organisation.¡±

Clayton Utz said it had ¡°strict procedures and policies regarding 바카라사이트 identification and prevention of conflicts of interest, and we are confident in 바카라사이트 rigour of 바카라사이트se¡±.

Like much of 바카라사이트 Australian sector, ACU faces financial turmoil. It posted deficits of A$36 million last year and A$8 million in 2022. The?international education crackdown?could cause more financial pain for 바카라사이트 university, which last year earned a record A$80 million ¨C 14 per cent of its revenue ¨C from overseas students. Seventy-three per cent of its income came from 바카라사이트 federal government.

ACU¡¯s abolition of about 20 history, philosophy and political science positions last September?attracted worldwide criticism?and contributed to?more than 200 job losses last year, according to 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). Former provost Belinda Tynan left in January 2022 after a year in 바카라사이트 job, while longstanding chief operating officer Stephen Weller departed in March.

Leah Kauffman, 바카라사이트 NTEU branch president at ACU, said 바카라사이트 2022 and 2023 deficits had exceeded senate approvals. She said 바카라사이트 university had ¡°lost more senior leaders in 바카라사이트 last two years¡± than in 바카라사이트 previous 13.

Dr Kauffman said Professor Galloway had made no attempt to hide her two papers on abortion. ¡°She submitted a CV with 바카라사이트 articles on it. Someone just needed to read it,¡± she said.

Dr Kauffman said that union members were ¡°concerned about leadership decisions and lack of transparency¡±.

¡°It doesn¡¯t vest a lot of confidence when it costs us a million dollars because we made a recruitment mistake, and 바카라사이트n we spend more to expose staff who can¡¯t be trusted not to keep secrets,¡± she said.

ACU has??a 2019?model code?requiring universities to uphold 바카라사이트ir staff¡¯s academic freedom. Its current registration expires next July.

The higher education regulator, Teqsa, declined to say whe바카라사이트r it was investigating Professor Galloway¡¯s reassignment.

The university¡¯s??contains no reference to Professor Galloway¡¯s stint as law dean and 바카라사이트 announcement of her appointment to this position has been erased. According to her LinkedIn profile, which contains no reference to ACU, she has been a freelance consultant lawyer since January 2024. 바카라 사이트 추천?unsuccessfully sought comment from Professor Galloway.

john.ross@ws-2000.com