Peter Rathjen | |
---|---|
Born | |
Nationality | Australian |
Alma mater | |
Occupation(s) | Biochemist and academic administrator |
Vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide | |
In office 8 January 2018 –20 July 2020 | |
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Tasmania | |
In office 2011–2017 | |
Peter David Rathjen (born 12 February 1964 in Cambridge,England) is an Australian scientist and medical researcher. He was the 22nd vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide,from January 2018 [1] [2] through July 2020. He was previously the vice-chancellor of the University of Tasmania from 2011 to 2017.
Born in the United Kingdom,Rathjen moved to South Australia in 1965 when he was a child. He was educated at Blackwood High School in Adelaide. He studied Science at the University of Adelaide,majoring in biochemistry and genetics,and completing an honours degree.
Rathjen was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to New College,Oxford in 1985. He was awarded a DPhil in 1987,and then worked as a postdoctoral researcher on embryonic stem cells from 1988 to 1990.
Rathjen returned to the University of Adelaide,where he worked as lecturer in biochemistry from 1990 to 1995 and professor in biochemistry from 1995 to 2006. He was appointed to the chair of biochemistry in 1995. He became head of the department of molecular biosciences in 2000,and became foundation executive dean of the faculty of sciences in 2002,a role he kept until 2005.
He was appointed dean of the faculty of science at the University of Melbourne in 2006;in 2008,he became dean of the graduate school of science,and from 2008 to 2011 he served as deputy vice-chancellor (research). He was involved in Melbourne's controversial program of 'focused excellence',that shed some staff positions in order to reduce a growing debt.
In April 2011 Rathjen took up the role of vice-chancellor at the University of Tasmania. [3] During his vice-chancellorship,he promoted the university as a driver of socio-economic prosperity in Tasmania,including plans to move University of Tasmania campuses into CBD districts in Burnie,Launceston (yet to be completed),and Hobart (yet to be completed). During his vice-chancellorship,the university launched new associate degree programs. [4] [5] However,controversies during Rathjen's vice-chancellorship included the use of university funds for what was perceived as "travelling the globe in style",spending $50,000 in less than 6 months. [6] [7] In August 2020,a freedom of information request from the ABC revealed Rathjen spent more than $277 thousand on business travel over four years during his tenure as vice-chancellor. His wife,Joy Rathjen,also a University of Tasmania employee,accompanied him on nine of the business class trips,costing the university $57,083. [8]
In 2018,Rathjen returned to the University of Adelaide in the roles of vice-chancellor and president, [1] in succession to Mike Brooks.
In May 2020,Rathjen commenced an indefinite leave of absence after University of Adelaide chancellor Kevin Scarce resigned without public explanation the previous day. [9] Later in the week,the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) confirmed he was investigating allegations of improper conduct by the vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide. [10] Rathjen,accused of engaging in "a personal relationship with a staff member", [11] was succeeded by acting vice-chancellor Mike Brooks. Rathjen formally resigned in July 2020, [12] "due to ill health". [13] In August 2020,the ICAC found that Rathjen had committed "serious misconduct" by sexually harassing two University of Adelaide colleagues,had lied to the then chancellor Kevin Scarce,and also lied to the commissioner in his evidence with respect to an investigation of sexual misconduct with a postgraduate student when he was employed at the University of Melbourne. [14] The ICAC Commissioner Bruce Lander acknowledged there were "further issues" in the full 170-page report on the investigation which he chose not to release due to privacy concerns surrounding the victims,instead releasing an abridged 12-page version ‘Statement about an Investigation:Misconduct by the vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide’. [15] In determining his findings,the Commissioner relied in part on the personal blog of US journalist Michael Balter who documented Rathjen's prior history of sexual harassment,and was largely responsible for bringing the matter to the public's attention,and ultimately ICAC's. The ICAC Commissioner's damning findings against Rathjen have put the University of Adelaide's culture under intense scrutiny in both the local and international media. [16]
The University of Adelaide is a public research university located in Adelaide,South Australia. Established in 1874,it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on North Terrace in the Adelaide city centre,adjacent to the Art Gallery of South Australia,the South Australian Museum,and the State Library of South Australia.
Deakin University is a public university in Victoria,Australia. Founded in 1974,the university was named after Alfred Deakin,the second Prime Minister of Australia.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is an integrity agency of the Government of New South Wales responsible for eliminating and investigating corrupt activities and enhancing the integrity of the state's public administration. The commission was established in 1989,pursuant to the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act,1988 (NSW),modeled after the ICAC in Hong Kong.
Phillip John Aspinall is an Australian Anglican bishop who served as Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane from February 2002 until December 2022,and was also the Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia from July 2005 until he stood down on 4 July 2014.
Glyn Conrad Davis,is an Australian academic and public servant,who serves as the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. He was appointed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on 30 May 2022,and commenced on 6 June 2022.
Anthony Bernard Kelly is an Australian former politician,who was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council representing the Australian Labor Party from 1997 until 2011.
Edward Moses Obeid is a retired Australian politician and convicted criminal,who served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1991 and 2011,representing the Labor Party. He was the Minister for Fisheries and the Minister for Mineral Resources from 1999–2003. Prior to the March 2015 expiry of his term in the Legislative Council,Obeid announced his decision to retire early on 10 May 2011,citing family reasons.
Rear Admiral Kevin John Scarce,is a retired Royal Australian Navy officer who was the 34th Governor of South Australia,serving from August 2007 to August 2014. He was succeeded by Hieu Van Le,who had previously been his lieutenant governor. He was Chancellor of the University of Adelaide from 2014 to 2020.
Lindsay Michael Birt,AO,CBE was the inaugural vice-chancellor of the University of Wollongong between 1975 and 1980,and the fourth vice-chancellor of the University of New South Wales between 1981 and 1992.
David O'Byrne is an Australian trade unionist and politician. A prominent union leader prior to entering politics and the brother of fellow politician Michelle O'Byrne,he has been a Labor Party member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly since 2018 and previously served from 2010 to 2014,representing the electorate of Franklin.
Professor Richard Higgott was born in 1949 in Nottingham,UK. He is based in the Brussels School of Governance,the Vrije Universiteit Brussel where he is Distinguished Professor of Diplomacy. From 2020 he has been a Visiting Professor in the Department of Social,Political and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Siena in Italy. He is also a part time visiting fellow at the Robert Schuman Center at the European University Institute.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is a South Australian integrity agency and is associated with the South Australian Office of Public Integrity. It was established by the Government of South Australia in 2013. The Commissioner is Ann Vanstone,a former justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia.
Peter Bordier Høj is a Danish-Australian academic and Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide. Peter Høj is one of the longest serving Australian Vice-Chancellors having served for 16 years across three universities. He has previously served as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Queensland and the University of South Australia. Educated at the University of Copenhagen,Høj completed a Bachelor of Science where he majored in biochemistry and chemistry,a Master of Science in biochemistry and genetics and a Doctor of Philosophy in Photosynthesis. He has worked in Denmark and Australia as a researcher and published multiple scientific articles. Høj has also served on a number of different company boards in a variety of roles,including current roles on the boards of CSIRO,Wine Australia and of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation. In 2017 he was elected chair of the Group of Eight,a lobby group that represents Australia’s research-intensive universities. He was the vice-chancellor of the University of Queensland from 2012-2020.
Warren Arthur Bebbington was the 20th Vice Chancellor of the University of Adelaide. He was previously the Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Melbourne. He commenced his position at the University of Adelaide in July 2012,and retired in April 2017.
Antipodean Resistance (AR) is an Australian neo-Nazi hate group. The group,formed in October 2016,uses the slogan "We're the Hitlers you've been waiting for" and makes use of Nazi symbols such as the swastika and the Nazi salute. AR's logo features the Black Sun and Totenkopf with an Akubra hat,a laurel wreath and a swastika.
Fraser John Ellis is an Australian politician. He was elected as a Liberal member of the South Australian House of Assembly at the 2018 state election,representing Narungga. On 18 February 2021,Ellis suspended his membership of the Liberal Party after being charged by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption (ICAC) with offences relating to travel allowances.
The Integrity Commission is a Tasmanian integrity agency established in 2010 to deal with complaints about public sector misconduct.