Former vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen defends taking payout from Adelaide University despite misconduct findings
Under fire over his sexual misconduct, ex-boss of Adelaide University Peter Rathjen says there were cordial talks and mutual agreement on how much he should be paid out when he resigned.
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Disgraced former vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen has defended taking a payout when he resigned from Adelaide University.
As anger grows about his sexual misconduct, he hit back at criticism of him by the university’s new leadership.
Professor Rathjen resigned from his more than $1m a year role in July – a day after giving evidence to an inquiry into his behaviour by the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption.
His lawyer Nicholas Iles said: “The settlement reached with the university in July 2020 regarding Professor Rathjen’s resignation on the grounds of ill health, and the payment in lieu of notice, reflected his contractual entitlements.”
The payout was confidential but Mr Iles rejected speculation it exceeded $1m, saying it was “nowhere near” that mark.
“Nor would it have been appropriate for the university to pay, or Prof Rathjen to accept, the sums that have been claimed at a time of austerity in the university sector,” he said.
The National Tertiary Education Union, which supported staff taking a 3.5 per cent temporary cut to save jobs, has called for the payout to be returned.
ICAC head Bruce Lander on Wednesday said he had found Prof Rathjen committed “serious misconduct” by groping two female staff after a university function in Sydney in April 2019.
Chancellor Catherine Branson said the university was “deeply disappointed” in Prof Rathjen. On Friday, acting vice-chancellor Mike Brooks added to that, saying the conduct was “shocking”.
Prof Brooks said an email hotline had been set up for any staff or students to report sexual assault or harassment by anyone and pledged the university’s “full support” for anyone who came forward.
Through Mr Iles, Prof Rathjen said his payout came after lengthy negotiations in which he consistently asked the uni “whether his ongoing employment was tenable”.
The fresh criticism of Prof Rathjen by the new leadership was “at odds” with the negotiations, which had been “cordial” and the outcome mutually agreed.
Mr Iles added that findings of a Melbourne University investigation by Wendy Harris QC into alleged misconduct by Prof Rathjen from his time there had not been relayed to his client.
Melbourne University said it had co-operated with ICAC but no further comment would be made in order to respect the confidentiality of the woman involved, a postgraduate student.
An Adelaide University spokeswoman said it would not disclose details of the payment to Prof Rathjen, and that it has not received details about the Melbourne University report.
Adelaide University’s Women’s Collective will hold a protest on sexual harassment issues on Monday.