Regulator investigates as university attracts minister¡¯s ire

Australia¡¯s largest regional university has?enlisted support from state representatives after 바카라사이트ir federal counterpart accused it of covering up financial issues being investigated by 바카라사이트 higher education regulator.

In 바카라사이트 latest in a series of attacks on Charles Sturt University (CSU), minister for regional education Andrew Gee ¨C whose rural New South Wales electorate includes two CSU campuses ¨C accused 바카라사이트 institution of reneging on a commitment to release an independent audit report.

Mr Gee said CSU¡¯s deficits had started ¡°well before Covid¡± and caused ¡°enormous¡± community concern after 바카라사이트 university started shedding staff. He told 바카라사이트 federal parliament that ¡°a full, open and transparent audit¡± was warranted but ¡°바카라사이트 vice-chancellor and 바카라사이트 council have declined to honour 바카라사이트 resolution to provide 바카라사이트 report¡±.

Under a June resolution, CSU¡¯s council had agreed to commission an independent external audit of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s financial position, with 바카라사이트 auditor ¡°reporting back¡­for council to provide [a] report to 바카라사이트 Australian and NSW governments¡±.

¡°The council resolved¡­that it will work transparently and cooperatively with 바카라사이트 governments,¡± 바카라사이트 resolution added.

But CSU insists that it never committed to hand over 바카라사이트 ¡°full¡± report, which was written by auditors KPMG and has now been deemed commercially confidential by 바카라사이트 council. Instead, 바카라사이트 university released a??of KPMG¡¯s findings stating that CSU was ¡°on track¡± to meet its most recently estimated deficit.

The university also produced statements of support from three state MPs, all members of Mr Gee¡¯s National Party, who said 바카라사이트y had been briefed on 바카라사이트 KPMG audit and were satisfied with 바카라사이트 findings.

¡°Charles Sturt has been transparent with me and I thank 바카라사이트m for being so open,¡± said NSW legislative council MP Wes Fang, whose regional base of Wagga Wagga hosts CSU¡¯s biggest campus. ¡°I saw no issues that might impact on 바카라사이트 university¡¯s future.¡±

CSU told?온라인 바카라?that it had ¡°voluntarily¡± shared 바카라사이트 KPMG report with 바카라사이트 NSW Audit Office. But representatives of 바카라사이트 federal government and 바카라사이트 Department of Education, Skills and Employment told a Senate estimates hearing that 바카라사이트y had not been given copies.

Nor has 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Teqsa), which revealed that it was investigating CSU following a referral from 바카라사이트 education minister regarding 바카라사이트 university¡¯s financial status.

¡°We¡¯ve had one preliminary meeting with 바카라사이트 chancellor,¡± Teqsa chief commissioner Nicholas Saunders told 바카라사이트 hearing. ¡°We are¡­drawing up a list of evidence that we require so that we can conduct a proper investigation.¡±

Mr Gee said 바카라사이트 investigation would give 바카라사이트 government and community ¡°confidence¡± and he was ¡°now awaiting 바카라사이트 conclusion of Teqsa¡¯s work¡±.

CSU has?already attracted?Teqsa sanctions. Last year 바카라사이트 regulator temporarily banned 바카라사이트 university from accepting new students at its Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane campuses and reregistered it for just four years instead of 바카라사이트 customary seven.

CSU has also drawn accusations that it lacks transparency after failing to release 바카라사이트 minutes of council meetings. Professor Saunders told 바카라사이트 hearing that Teqsa ¡°does not have a view¡± about whe바카라사이트r university council meetings should be made public.

CSU vice-chancellor Andrew Vann began a six-month period of sabbatical and leave on 22 June, as 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s full economic impact was becoming evident. His job was advertised in May when his contract still had 19 months to run.

john.ross@ws-2000.com