Former academic Peter Rathjen facing historical sexual misconduct allegation
Peter Rathjen lied about an investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct from his time at prestigious Melbourne University in order to keep his job as vice-chancellor of Adelaide University, an anti-corruption commissioner has found.
Victoria
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Adelaide University’s former Vice-Chancellor Peter Rathjen is under investigation over a “very serious” historical claim of sexual misconduct at Melbourne University.
But he lied about it in order to save his prestigious $1 million-a-year job, the SA Independent Commissioner Against Corruption has found.
SA ICAC Commissioner Bruce Lander reported on Wednesday that Mr Rathjen was told in August 2019 that he was under investigation for a previous claim of sexual harassment or abuse from a female postgraduate student during his time in Melbourne.
Mr Rathjen was employed at Melbourne University as Dean of Science in 2006 and was Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research from 2008 to 2011.
But in 2019 he told the then Adelaide University Chancellor Kevin Scarce that “there was nothing that the Chancellor needed to know in relation to his past conduct”.
“Plainly that was untrue,” Mr Lander said in his report.
“The allegations were very serious. It was not important for the purpose of my investigation whether the claims are true, only that they were made,” Mr Lander said.
He said Mr Rathjen had advice from his lawyer to deny the University of Melbourne investigation.
“I have found that the Vice-Chancellor lied to the Chancellor because he knew, if he told the Chancellor the truth, that he was subject to investigation in relation to a previous claim of sexual misconduct, it would jeopardise his tenure at the University of Adelaide.”
Mr Lander found Mr Rathjen guilty of touching two female staff members in a sexual manner and then lying about it in an “egregious” and “disrespectful manner”.
Mr Rathjen resigned from Adelaide University in July, citing ill-health.