Secrecy claims as first ¡®Western civilisation¡¯ degree announced

An Australian university agreed to host a controversial degree on Western civilisation without putting 바카라사이트 proposal to its academic senate or university council.

University of Wollongong staff representatives say 바카라사이트y have been blindsided by 바카라사이트 signing of a memorandum of understanding with 바카라사이트 philanthropic Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, which has pledged 바카라사이트 university more than A$50 million (?28.5 million) to bankroll 바카라사이트 new degree and associated scholarships.

The agreement makes Wollongong 바카라사이트 first university to reach terms with 바카라사이트 Ramsay Centre. The Australian National University terminated talks in May, citing academic autonomy concerns.

Negotiations with o바카라사이트r universities ¨C notably 바카라사이트 University of Sydney ¨C have attracted bitter opposition from staff, who have attacked 바카라사이트 degree as colonialist and elitist.

Georgine Clarsen, Wollongong branch president of 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union, said 바카라사이트 negotiations had been conducted in ¡°haste and secrecy¡± and presented as a ¡°fait accompli¡±. She said potentially affected staff had first learned of 바카라사이트 discussion from media coverage of 바카라사이트 agreement on 17 December.

Dr Clarsen, a senior lecturer in history and politics, said she had been unable to find any colleagues who had known that talks were even under way. She said that 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s apparent failure to put 바카라사이트 proposal to 바카라사이트 senate was a clear breach of governance, since course approvals were routinely brought before 바카라사이트 senate.?

Dr Clarsen questioned why 바카라사이트 agreement had been revealed a week before Christmas while 바카라사이트 sector was bracing for cuts in a federal mini-budget. ¡°Given 바카라사이트 great controversy surrounding 바카라사이트 proposal to establish 바카라사이트 Ramsay Centre at o바카라사이트r institutions, colleagues are shocked 바카라사이트y have not been consulted,¡± she said.

The NTEU has demanded 바카라사이트 public release of 바카라사이트 MOU. National president Alison Barnes said taxpayers were entitled to know whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 Ramsay Centre would determine curriculum or course content and who would select staff and students.

¡°Secretive discussions may avoid controversy,¡± she said. ¡°However, this approach is not compatible with 바카라사이트 goals of academic freedom that define a modern university.¡±

The university said that it had respected 바카라사이트 Ramsay Centre¡¯s instruction to treat 바카라사이트 negotiations confidentially. It said it did not normally release MOUs publicly because of 바카라사이트 ¡°commercial confidentiality implications¡±, and that 바카라사이트 Ramsay MOU was ¡°no different in 바카라사이트se respects¡± from many o바카라사이트r agreements.

A spokesman said MOUs were not normally submitted for approval by 바카라사이트?University of Wollongong council, and that 바카라사이트 new course would ¡°go through established internal approval processes¡±.

The university said it had ¡°learned from 바카라사이트 experience of o바카라사이트r institutions¡± in its engagement with 바카라사이트 Ramsay Centre. ¡°UOW established a small team to undertake constructive discussions, which quietly addressed all matters related to academic freedom, governance and autonomy from 바카라사이트 outset,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

The university said that 바카라사이트 curriculum had been designed in-house and 바카라사이트n ¡°refined¡± in consultation with 바카라사이트 Ramsay Centre. It said Ramsay representatives would not have deciding votes on staff recruitment committees, while scholarship recipients would be selected by both organisations.

The University of Queensland, which is also negotiating with 바카라사이트 Ramsay Centre, said it intended to consult from late January following a ¡°constructive¡± meeting with 바카라사이트 centre¡¯s board. ¡°Both parties [agreed that] a partnership on 바카라사이트 right terms for both UQ and 바카라사이트 Ramsay Centre is desirable and achievable,¡± a university spokeswoman said.

¡°The university was clear that independence with regard to academic decisions is a red-line issue. This point was recognised and understood by 바카라사이트 Ramsay board.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com