Uni of Melbourne banned by Snow Medical Research Foundation

The University of Melbourne has been banned from future grants by a major $100m benefactor after giving its highest award to six white men.

University of Melbourne honorary doctorate recipients awarded on 28 February. From left: Peter Donnelly, Leigh Clifford, Francis Gurry, Colin Wilks, Mark Schipp and Allan Fels.

One of Australia’s largest private benefactors to university research, the Snow Medical Research Foundation, has banned the University of Melbourne from future grants because its latest honorary doctorates awarded last week went to six white men, leaving out women and people from other ­diverse backgrounds.

Speaking on International Women’s Day, Snow Medical chair Tom Snow said he was “deeply upset” by the university’s decision to go ahead with the ceremony, which was shown in a photo on the university’s website.

“That photo was sending a message to every young woman trying to achieve in their fields that no matter how hard you work, white men will be awarded ahead of you,” he said. “This is their most prestigious award. It should be an opportunity to inspire.”

Mr Snow, a former University of Melbourne Rhodes Scholar whose family owns Canberra Airport, is major figure in Australian medical research. In the past four years, his foundation has committed nearly $100m to research projects, with University of Mel­bourne researchers receiving $16m, and other major grants going to Monash University, the Australian National University and medical research institutions.

In a further blow to the University of Melbourne, political leaders from both sides backed Snow Medical’s action.

Tom Snow

Opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said she sincerely hoped it would lead to change. “Good on Snow Medical for taking a stand like this. There are many women and people of ­diverse backgrounds who deserve to have their achievements recognised too,” she said.

Federal Financial Services Minister Jane Hume, a University of Melbourne graduate, said she expected the university to do better. “I find it incredible they couldn’t find as least one female recipient. This perpetuates the problem which several University of Melbourne academics can tell you (about),” she said.

Doug Hilton, head of WEHI medical research institute which has close ties with the University of Melbourne, said Snow Medical’s move had sent repercussions through the Australian academic community. “To me it’s fabulous when a foundation or funding organisation links their culture or aspirations to the money,” he said.

University of Sydney deputy vice-chancellor (research) Duncan Ivison said Snow Medical was a “really exceptional foundation” and its statement had given universities a “great challenge”.

“It provides a very strong incentive for universities to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. I’m sure Melbourne is really committed to addressing the issue.”

Robyn Ward, pro vice-chancellor of the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health, said from her personal perspective, the honorary doctorates awarded by the University of Melbourne were “a window into a wider problem” of lack of diversity in universities and poor representation of women at senior levels.

Mr Snow said he had sought an explanation from the university after last week’s honorary doctorate ceremony, but was “underwhelmed – I don’t think they appreciated there is a deep ­cultural issue at the university.”

He said it was a “failure from the top”, given the chancellor, barrister Allan Myers, and vice-chancellor Duncan Maskell sit on the committee that selects awardees for honorary doctorates.

The University of Melbourne said it was ready to confer honorary doctorates to additional people last week including three women and an indigenous man. But because they were unable to attend in-person, they missed the event and will receive their awards later.

Mr Snow said the university should have responded by postponing last week’s event. “Not one person along the way said ‘it’s not right, we should be deferring the ceremony’,” he said.

The university went ahead and conferred honorary doctorates last week on businessman Leigh Clifford, former Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Alan Fels, genomics researcher Sir Peter Donnelly, IP lawyer Francis Gurry, veterinarian Mark Schipp, and veterinary researcher Colin Wilks.

In a statement, the University of Melbourne acknowledged there were areas where it needed to improve in its approach to diversity, but said that Snow Medical had made its decision on the basis of a single event.

“This event is not a true reflection of who we are as a university and the steps we are taking, and continue to take, to build a diverse university community, reflective of broader society,” it said.

It also noted that five of six recent appointees to its senior leadership roles were women.