Union drops challenge to Ramsay Western Civ study

Short of Vandal hordes sweeping down the Bulli Pass western civ study seems safe at Uni Wollongong

The National Tertiary Education Union has withdrawn its legal challenge to the university decision to introduce a degree funded by the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation. The campus branch of the union argued Vice Chancellor Paul Welling’s approval of the course under a fast-track provision of the university rules was a breach of procedures. The university’s Academic Senate also opposed Professor Welling’s decision and called for the rule he relied on to be reviewed in a planned review of course approvals.

However, the university’s Council intervened last month to specifically approve the Ramsay degree. The university’s act of parliament authorises Council to, “act in all matters concerning the university in such manner as appears to the council to be best calculated to promote the object and interests of the university.”

So that’s that, as the union concedes. “The university Council’s decision to take the extraordinary step of itself approving the degree has taken the utility out of the litigation, and effectively shielded the Vice Chancellor’s decision from court scrutiny.”


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