Disgraced former vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen left Adelaide University with $326,400
Former vice-chancellor of Adelaide University Peter Rathjen walked away with an enormous sum of money, which was revealed in an extraordinary message to staff on Monday night. It follows his resignation just weeks before the ICAC’s damning finding on his sexual misconduct.
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Disgraced former vice-chancellor of Adelaide University Peter Rathjen received $326,400 when he resigned from the top job.
In an extraordinary message to staff on Monday night, the payment and more detail on the scandal were outlined by Chancellor Catherine Branson and the governing Council.
“There has been commentary about the payment made to the former vice-chancellor upon his resignation,” Ms Branson wrote.
“On 2 July 2020 the former vice-chancellor resigned under the terms of his employment contract on grounds of ill-health.
“In accordance with his contact, he was paid $238,600 in lieu of a reduced notice period, and $87,800 in statutory leave entitlements.”
Prof Rathjen resigned just weeks before then Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander found he had committed “serious misconduct” by groping two women staff during a work trip to Sydney in April 2019.
Mr Lander found Prof Rathjen touched the women on their bottoms and twice kissed one woman on her lips.
Prof Rathjen also lied about other allegations of sexual behaviour to then chancellor Kevin Scarce and to Mr Lander.
Prof Rathjen was being paid more than $1 million a year, and there had been speculation his payout exceeded a year’s entitlement – although this was rejected by his lawyer.
In the message, Ms Branson defends the payout on several grounds.
When Prof Rathjen negotiated his settlement, he had been on paid leave pending the outcome of the ICAC investigation and the university was unaware of its progress or outcome.
He presented “a substantial specialist medical report that supported the claim of ill-health”.
In a veiled criticism of Rear Admiral Scarce, the letter from Ms Branson and the Council goes on to say “another factor” was the way in which the allegations against Prof Rathjen had been handled by Mr Scarce.
Acting on legal advice, Mr Scarce had told Prof Rathjen the allegations by the two women did not warrant dismissal.
Prof Rathjen had denied any further misconduct.
“The secrecy provisions surrounding the ICAC inquiry meant that the university was unaware that evidence of additional misconduct by the former vice-chancellor had in fact been found,” Ms Branson said.
The message also highlights the fact that the university’s Council and its own internal lawyers were not aware of the allegations by the two women until nearly a year after the April 2019 incidents.
Mr Lander found Mr Scarce had acted on external legal advice in handling the matter himself and not involving the Council or its committees.
Mr Lander disagreed with the advice but accepted Mr Scarce’s decision to abide by it.
On Wednesday, Ms Branson will hold an online forum for staff on the university’s response to the ICAC report.