[csaa-forum] RE: csaa-forum Digest, Vol 49, Issue 19

[TED Clark]

Hi CSAA list

Felicity Colman has invited me to give a union comment to this list on the demotion of Dr Paul Mees by the University of Melbourne.

At the outset can I just quickly say the union has been defending Dr Mees's right to speak throughout the review process and  acted to represent him and acted with him to defend his position against the review. 

Earlier the Union demanded that the University not proceed with the review at all.

In a not unexpected reversal the damage done to the reputation of the university now has arisen because the University would not defend the principle of academic freedom in this case. 

The publicity and current debate is now about whether the University has brought itself into disrepute by punishing its staff for speaking out in areas they are expert in and passionate about. The severity of the punishment was obviously meant to  intimidate not just Dr Mees but all staff at the university. It certainly sends a contradictory message to staff in relation to  the  statements that Peter McPhee (the Provost) made in the press about support for staff who make public comment on areas they were expert in. 

The issue now is alive in academic circles and in the press and it will not go away because despite the University's possible expectation that Dr Mees would be silenced it is likely that there will now be ongoing debate and further legal argument about this particular case and the issue of academic freedom is now more firmly on the agenda. 

The Union will be putting a motion to its members at its meeting next Wednesday condemning the University. In enterprise bargaining we will argue for a strengthening of the defense of academic freedoms and whistle-blower protections by agreement.

The union will continue to represent and defend Dr Mees and will seek assurances from the university by industrial agreement that academic freedoms are central to the interests of the university and its staff.

Thanks Felicity for the invitation and for your list's interest in this issue.

Ted Clark 
President University of Melbourne Branch
NTEU


-----Original Message-----
From: Felicity Colman
Sent: Wed 21/05/2008 4:34 PM
To: TED Clark
Subject: FW: csaa-forum Digest, Vol 49, Issue 19
 




-----Original Message-----
From: csaa-forum-bounces at lists.cdu.edu.au on behalf of csaa-forum-request at lists.cdu.edu.au
Sent: Wed 5/21/2008 4:02 PM
To: csaa-forum at lists.cdu.edu.au
Subject: csaa-forum Digest, Vol 49, Issue 19
 
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Today's Topics:

   1. query: academic freedom? (Felicity Colman)
   2. Re: query: academic freedom? (Stephen Muecke)
   3. Re: query: academic freedom? (Vincent O'Donnell)
   4. Re: query: academic freedom? (Andrew Murphie)


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Message: 1
Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 14:45:27 +1000
From: Felicity Colman <fcolman at unimelb.edu.au>
Subject: [csaa-forum] query: academic freedom?
To: csaa-forum at lists.cdu.edu.au
Message-ID:
	<4DF8AFCD071BD643BA91AC4D996905800143840A at IS-EX-BEV1.unimelb.edu.au>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hello list,

What is the opinion/position of other academics on the recent events at the University of Melbourne, and the related public debate on academic freedom? (articles pasted below)

What is the role of the academic in Australian society today?

Are there historical precedents in Australia of this sort that might provide some insight?

thank you.

Letters (in the opinions section) in Age newspaper May 21, 2008 begin with this:

'WHEN academic freedom - a fundamental principle of democracy - is compromised by a Labor government, it is time for all thinking Australians to be afraid ("Melb Uni demotes transport dissident", The Age, 20/5). I am no longer surprised by the arrogance and haughtiness of this Brumby Government, but I am stunned and outraged at the steps taken by a craven Melbourne University administration in demoting outspoken public transport advocate Paul Mees [...].' 
http://www.theage.com.au/news/letters/this-craven-move-should-frighten-us/2008/05/20/1211182799831.html

as a response to this item:

'MELBOURNE University has demoted one of its most outspoken academics after a complaint against him by the State Government. [ ...]
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/melbourne-uni-demotes-transport-dissident/2008/05/19/1211182704265.html


and further discussed here:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/uni-accused-of-hatchet-job-on-lecturer/2008/05/20/1211182801445.html


http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/uni-damaged-over-lecturers-demotion/2008/05/20/1211182764879.html


Dr Felicity Colman
Lecturer, Screen Studies
Honours Coordinator, Cinema Program
School of Culture & Communication
http://www.culture-communication.unimelb.edu.au
The University of Melbourne  Victoria  3010 Australia Tel: 61-3-83445565\tFax: 61-3-8344 5563 
fcolman at unimelb.edu.au
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