UNE VC REINSTATES RETRENCHED ACADEMICS AFTER ACCEPTING REVIEW COMMITTEE RULING
April 17, 2007
The NTEU is pleased to confirm that the University of New England Vice Chancellor, Professor Alan Pettigrew has handed down the long awaited decision today to rescind the retrenchments of two of the University’s prominent Mathematicians, Drs Imre Bokor and Beatrice Bleile.
The decision to overturn the earlier dismissal of the two academics was based on recommendations made to the VC in a report written by an internal University Retrenchment Review Committee. The Committee made its recommendations following a rigorous internal appeal process instigated at the request of Drs Bleile and Bokor immediately after the retrenchment notices were delivered more than 12 months ago. The Committee was constituted under the previous University Enterprise Agreement. Its membership consisted of the University PVC for Research, the Chair of the University Academic Board & Senior Legal Academic, and a Senior Lecturer from the Social Sciences Faculty.
Dr Rhonda Forrest, NTEU Branch President at UNE stated that “the NTEU is satisfied that the outcome reflects the Vice Chancellor’s commitment to a very important principle for the Union ie. following proper process, and the provisions of its Collective Agreement – namely that the VC has seen fit to uphold the recommendations of an internal University Appeal Panel.”
Ms Chris Game, State Secretary said that “the Committee found that the process which led to the retrenchment decision was seriously flawed and has made additional recommendations in an attempt to improve similar University procedures. Such changes will prevent such a blatant miscarriage of justice affecting other staff of UNE. The NTEU looks forward to working with the University in the development of protocols which will assist in the improvement of these processes.”
Ms Game also stated that the NTEU applauds the actions of the Vice Chancellor in his acceptance of the Review Committee’s Recommendations given that, in many similar circumstances, the majority of University managements either overlook or simply ignore such findings or recommendations.
For further information or comment, contact:
Dr Rhonda Forrest, Branch President, UNE Branch: (02) 6773 3830
Ms Chris Game, NTEU NSW Secretary: (02) 9212 5433