Greg Craven will continue as vice chancellor of the Australian Catholic University until 2022. Professor Craven became VC in 2008, joining from the University of Notre Dame. He has navigated ACU across the high seas of demand driven funding growth and between the scylla of the Pyne plan to deregulate undergraduate fees and the charybidis of attacks on teacher education (important to ACU). Christopher Pyne’s teacher education ministerial advisory group, which Professor Craven chaired has saved the teacher educ industry from far worse criticism on student standards than it cops (CMM November 29).

Yesterday ACU chancellor John Fahey “warmly welcomed” Professor Craven continuing, saying his; “contributions to external forums in higher education, government and the church have strengthened the university’s profile and standing.” Not to mention his understated commentary, for example describing Kevin Rudd as a “short-term Australian messiah, a veritable cross between Hercules and Popeye the Sailorman” (CMM November 14).