ICAC investigating University of Wollongong as chancellor grilled at Inquiry

Documents he saw MWM It shows the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is investigating the University of Wollongong. Stephanie Tran reports.

MWM ICAC understands officers went to the University of Wollongong last week and seized laptops as part of an investigation At a time when allegations of governance failures, conflicts of interest and misuse of public funds are increasing. ICAC declined to comment.

The developments emerged as follows: NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the University Sector A tense hearing took place on Wednesday.

During the hearing, University of Wollongong Chancellor Michael Still faced sustained questioning over his role in key decisions that reshaped the institution, including the sacking of former Vice-Chancellor Patricia Davidson and the appointment of an interim figure who was a partner in a consultancy firm that later secured multimillion-dollar contracts to implement a sweeping redundancy programme.

Chancellor questioned over interim VC appointment

The decision not to appoint a permanent vice-chancellor following Patricia Davidson’s departure, but instead to appoint Professor John Dewar as interim vice-chancellor for a period of approximately 8 months, has still been questioned.

During questioning, Still told the inquiry it would take “many months” to appoint a permanent vice-chancellor and that Dewar’s experience meant he could implement “significant change” quickly.

But committee members objected to the logic of granting broad authority to an interim figure who was known to be temporary from the start, especially when those decisions involved mass layoffs and removals of senior executives.

“There seems to be a disconnect between the amount of power given to someone who is temporary and who also has the same attitude towards the university as the consultancy firm,” one MP said.

Still, he responded, “John Dewar is one of the university’s most respected administrators.”

“He immediately knew what needed to happen,” Still said. “He said [the university] “It was not functioning as any university should operate, and the council gave him the authority to establish the university in a manner suitable for proper administration.”

Conflict of interest concerns

Dewar’s appointment came under scrutiny because he was a partner at consultancy firm KordaMentha, which was paid almost $3 million to carry out operational reviews that later supported large-scale redundancies at UOW.

It was acknowledged at the hearing that Dewar worked nine days every fortnight for the university and stayed one day every fortnight to “maintain contact” with KordaMentha, to whom he planned to return after his secondment. He nevertheless said he did not know whether Dewar continued to benefit financially from KordaMentha during this period, but maintained there was “no conflict”.

Documents previously obtained under freedom of information laws Reported by Illawarra Mercury show Still was aware as early as June 2024 that Dewar would continue to work with KordaMentha on a fortnightly basis, despite the university making it clear during the tender process that he was on leave from the firm.

When asked about the public perception of the regulation, Still said he understood the logic but insisted safety measures were in place.

Resignation of the vice-chancellor and centralization of power

The investigation also examined the circumstances surrounding Davidson’s departure from his role as vice-chancellor in April last year. Still stated that he had “many discussions” with Davidson, including “the possibility of resignation.”

Still, he refused to resign, stating that Davidson “resigned voluntarily.”

Committee members highlighted the rapid resignation of senior executives following Davidson’s departure and questioned whether authority over appointments had become increasingly centralized under his leadership.

He still rejects suggestions of improper consolidation of power, describing the changes instead as a “centralization of oversight.”

Review of $62,000 installation ceremony

The investigation also examined the chancellor’s personal expenses, including the cost of Still’s installation ceremony.

Committee chairman, Labor Party MP Dr. Sarah Kaine questioned the outlook for the decision amid claims the university faces a looming financial crisis.

“What would it look like if our understanding was there was a cash crisis and it was on your public record?” “Did you spend more than $62,000 on your own inauguration as chancellor?” Kaine asked.

Still, he said he wasn’t aware of the cost at the time and called the expense “unfortunate.”

When Kaine pressed him about who approved the $62,000 in spending, Still said he didn’t know and agreed to ignore the question.

Greens MLC Abigail Boyd told the inquiry the ceremony was highly unusual, citing evidence that budget estimates showed such an installation had not been installed at the University of Wollongong since 1975.

Boyd also noted forecast evidence showing that almost $300,000 had been spent on expenses related to the chancellor’s role over an 18-month period from January 2024.

Still, he said the figure was a “huge surprise.”

MWM It does not imply that the chancellor engaged in any improper conduct.

A playbook for interruptions

Two former UOW academics who were made redundant in recent restructurings have slammed the university’s management and dependence on external consultants.

Dr Adam Lucas said the use of consultants in the inquiry had become a mechanism to impose predetermined outcomes under the guise of consultation.

“Consultants provide a playbook. Managers implement that playbook. It’s a fait accompli,” Lucas said. “There is a simulation of consultation, but it always has a predetermined outcome.”

Lucas argued that humanities and social science disciplines were disproportionately targeted not because of actual financial losses but because they encouraged critical inquiry and dissent.

“There is a real lack of transparency,” he said, adding that council business is almost entirely secret, with minutes rarely made available to staff or the public.

Professor Fiona Probyn-Rapsey, who left UOW under a voluntary redundancy plan earlier this year, described what she called a “uniquely strange and chaotic management arrangement” in which the chancellor assumed powers normally exercised by a vice-chancellor.

“How did the Council and Chancellor Michael Still effectively hand over the management of a public body to a private consultancy firm?” he asked.

Probyn-Rapsey criticized the Chancellor’s lack of education, stating that in her meeting with the Chancellor she had to “draw a diagram to explain how academic workloads consist of teaching, research and administration.”

Expansion abroad due to layoffs

The inquiry also heard criticism of UOW’s expansion abroad through its subsidiary UOW Global Enterprises, which has campuses in Dubai, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and India, and recently announced plans to establish a campus in Saudi Arabia.

Probyn-Rapsey questioned how compatible the expansion was with the university’s legal obligation to serve the Illawarra region, particularly while cutting local jobs and programmes.

“How does UOW justify spending money on a campus in Saudi Arabia and not using that money to support the university’s public mission?” he said.

The committee has heard that since Still took on the role of Chancellor, UOW More than 270 people were dismissed and made a $29 million severance payment.

University response

In the statement made by MWMA UOW spokesman denied any allegations of wrongdoing.

“The University of Wollongong denies any allegation of impropriety,” the spokesman said.

“The University operates within established frameworks of governance, integrity and delegation, and important decisions are made through documented processes under appropriate oversight.”

“It would be inappropriate to comment on speculative or unsubstantiated allegations. With respect to any questions regarding integrity bodies, the University does not comment on speculation and any inquiries regarding the existence or status of investigations should be directed to the relevant body.”

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