A controversial Western Civilisation degree has been approved by the University of Wollongong
Updated
The first university to strike a deal with the Ramsay Centre to create a degree in Western Civilisation has announced it has taken the unusual step of intervening to approve the course in an attempt to shut down legal action from the academic union.
Key points:
- The Ramsay Centre is offering $50 million to universities to run a degree in Western Civilisation
- The National Tertiary Education Union threatened legal action over the University of Wollongong’s decision to fast-track approval of the degree
- ANU has rejected the degree, and University of Queensland and University of Sydney staff also say they don’t want it
In December, the University of Wollongong announced it had been successful in winning $50 million in funding from the centre to create the course.
In April, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) launched a legal challenge centred on Wollongong vice-chancellor Paul Wellings’ decision to fast-track the formal approval of the degree, arguing it had not followed the normal process usually applied for creating degrees.
The University’s council revealed today it used its legislative authority under the University of Wollongong Act 1989 (NSW) to independently approve the degree so it can start next year.
Secretary for the University of Wollongong Council, Melva Crouch, said the process could not be disputed.
“It is legislated the university council has the authority to act on any matter concerning the university,” she said.
“In 2003, when the council delegated approval of courses to the Academic Senate, they specifically noted that they reserved the right to intervene in course approvals should they consider it necessary.
“On Friday the council considered it necessary in this particular circumstance.”
Ms Crouch said the university was also calling on the NTEU to withdraw its court challenge.
“The university has invited the NTEU today to reconsider the court action and we would be suggesting that it is no longer relevant because the approval is now valid under the council’s decision.”
Ms Crouch also clarified the Ramsay Centre had no role in the council’s decision.
She added she did not believe the move would inflame the concern of academic staff, but provide the university with certainty.
The undergraduate degree in Western Civilisation as set out in the Board’s charter is “to advance education by promoting studies and discussion associated with the establishment and development of western civilisation”.
The Ramsay Centre’s website also says the degree would “re-invigorate the humanities and liberal arts in Australia”.
The NTEU UOW president, Georgine Clarsen, said the union had been blindsided by the move.
“This is an extremely controversial degree,” she said.
“The vice-chancellor of ANU has rejected it, staff at UQ and University of Sydney are both saying we don’t want it and, of our staff here and our faculty here, 73 per cent voted that they did not approve of a connection with the Ramsay Centre.”
She said the NTEU was considering its next move.
“We are canvassing our options,” Ms Clarsen said.
“We are trying to find out exactly on what basis this university council move was made.
“It is new to us. It is an obscure little by-law that we haven’t heard of, so we need to do fully our research and investigate and get proper legal advice on these issues.”
Previously the academic who designed the course, Professor Daniel Hutto, called on his colleagues and the community not to rush to judge the degree, adding it was nonsense to suggest anyone was trying to influence the course.
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