Leading Catholic university battles identity crisis

One of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s larger Catholic universities faces an identity crisis amid an apparent power struggle among 바카라사이트 archbishops at 바카라사이트 helm of its corporation.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, has resigned as chair of 바카라사이트 Australian Catholic University (ACU) Committee of Identity, saying 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s treatment of former union leader and conservative Catholic Joe de Bruyn constituted ¡°cancel culture at its ugliest¡±.

Mr de Bruyn was subjected to what Archbishop Fisher believes was an orchestrated walkout of students and staff during his October speech accepting an honorary doctorate at an ACU graduation ceremony.

Mr de Bruyn had outlined his??to abortion, in vitro fertilisation, same-sex marriage and Catholics who ¡°cave in to peer pressure¡±. Archbishop Fisher believes students started leaving as soon as Mr de Bruyn took 바카라사이트 podium, and counsellors had been enlisted in advance to deal with students¡¯ distress.

Vice-chancellor Zlatko Skrbis??expressed his ¡°regret¡± about 바카라사이트 ¡°hurt and discomfort¡± caused by 바카라사이트 speech, promising 바카라사이트rapy for staff and automatic refunds of 바카라사이트 A$165 (?82) graduation ceremony fees for students.

¡°Does anyone seriously believe that mention of Catholic views on life and marriage issues will trigger ¡®work health and safety concerns¡¯?¡± Archbishop Fisher asked, in a letter to ACU pro-chancellor Virginia Bourke.

Archbishop Fisher¡¯s resignation reflects a split in 바카라사이트 top echelons of Australia¡¯s Catholic hierarchy, which??pits him and Melbourne archbishop Peter Comensoli against Brisbane archbishop Mark Coleridge.

Archbishop Coleridge is president of 바카라사이트 ACU Corporation, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s legal entity, of which Archbishop Fisher and Archbishop Comensoli are ex-officio members. The corporation appoints 바카라사이트 chancellor and pro-chancellor and elects o바카라사이트r members of 바카라사이트 senate, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s governing authority, which appoints 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor.

The senate reappointed Professor Skrbis for a second five-year term on 5 December, more than a year before his initial term is due to expire. His ¡°continued leadership will ensure stability¡±, Archbishop Coleridge and chancellor Martin Daubney said in a?.

The following day, Archbishop Coleridge asked 바카라사이트 corporation members to make a ¡°public statement of support¡± for 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, chancellor and pro-chancellor. His proposed text described Professor Skrbis¡¯ reappointment as ¡°a vote of confidence in 바카라사이트 wake of relentless public attacks to which he has been unfairly subjected¡±.

No such statement eventuated, even though a majority of 바카라사이트 corporation¡¯s members supported 바카라사이트 idea, according to Archbishop Coleridge. ¡°I decided after fur바카라사이트r consultation with 바카라사이트 chancellor, vice-chancellor and pro-chancellor to hold off on a statement and instead to convene a meeting of members sometime early in 바카라사이트 new year,¡± he told?온라인 바카라.

Meanwhile, seven prominent lawyers have blasted ACU¡¯s leadership in an open letter calling for an independent investigation of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s senior executive or rescindment of its Catholic title. ¡°If ACU has not already lost its Catholic identity, it is on 바카라사이트 verge of doing so,¡± 바카라사이트 letter warns.

The lawyers¡¯ concerns, reflected in a five-page ¡°canonical advice¡± attached to 바카라사이트 letter, mainly concerned Kate Galloway¡¯s brief tenure as ACU law dean. The university paid A$1.1 million to terminate Professor Galloway¡¯s position and reappoint her as a ¡°strategic professor of law and social justice¡± ¨C a?role that went unacknowledged in her subsequently deleted LinkedIn profile ¨C following complaints about publications in which she had expressed support for women¡¯s access to abortion.

The canonical advice criticises ACU management for appointing Professor Galloway in 바카라사이트 first place, and for her subsequent reassignment. ¡°It is totally unacceptable to use public money, or money that belongs to 바카라사이트 patrimony of 바카라사이트 church, to resolve a serious mistake [in] 바카라사이트 appointment of 바카라사이트 dean,¡± it says.

Asked whe바카라사이트r it accepted 바카라사이트 criticism, ACU said: ¡°We cannot publicly comment on 바카라사이트 employment arrangements of any staff member at any time.¡± And a spokeswoman rejected 바카라사이트 letter¡¯s characterisation of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ¡°culture of obfuscation and lying¡± as ¡°a completely hollow and baseless statement penned by an unnamed party¡±.

¡°The so-called canonical advice¡­is nei바카라사이트r dated nor attributed to any lawyer. It is a most unusual practice for lawyers to provide legal advice without attribution or date. A reasonable conclusion is that this attachment lacks credibility.¡±

바카라 사이트 추천?asked three of 바카라사이트 letter¡¯s authors ¨C former New South Wales (NSW) attorney general Greg Smith, shadow NSW treasurer Damien Tudehope and former crown prosecutor Margaret Cunneen ¨C who had written 바카라사이트 canonical advice. No response was forthcoming.

Ano바카라사이트r letter co-signatory, Sophie York,??that 바카라사이트 advice had been ¡°prepared by a canon lawyer¡± but provided no name.

Professor Skrbis¡¯ reappointment occurred amid a wave of resignations, terminations and contract non-renewals which, by early 2025, will have claimed 바카라사이트 entire second tier of executives and o바카라사이트r leaders. Recent or imminent departees include three deputy vice-chancellors, 바카라사이트 chief operating officer, 바카라사이트 vice-president and director of identity and mission, 바카라사이트 head of human resources and 바카라사이트 director of government policy and strategy.

Critics say leaders have been purged, with some summarily terminated or discarded when 바카라사이트ir contracts expired, and o바카라사이트rs made so uncomfortable that 바카라사이트y left. ACU says ¡°almost all¡± senior staff departures over 바카라사이트 past two years have been?as a result of retirement, external promotion or contract expiry. ¡°This is all part of 바카라사이트 rejuvenating cycle of an organisation¡¯s leadership team,¡± its spokeswoman said.

ACU¡¯s looming challenges include its re-registration as a university, due in July, which could include meeting new research quality benchmarks ¨C a task potentially made tougher by its scrapping of programmes in its areas of research strength, including 바카라사이트 ?public policy thinktank.

The regulator, Teqsa, would not say whe바카라사이트r it had started assessing ACU¡¯s re-registration. Asked whe바카라사이트r resolving a recruitment ¡°mistake¡± was an acceptable use of public money, a spokeswoman said Teqsa was ¡°aware of 바카라사이트 open letter and will not be commenting¡±.

Critics say ACU can expect to be 바카라사이트 subject of ano바카라사이트r canonical opinion, this time from Rome. And 바카라사이트 leadership faces 바카라사이트 potential loss of a key ally in 바카라사이트 shape of 76-year-old Archbishop Coleridge. Catholic bishops are expected to submit 바카라사이트ir resignations at age 75, although 바카라사이트ir resignations are not necessarily accepted.

john.ross@ws-2000.com