Rathjen rebuked

Sexual conduct ‘inappropriate’

THE Independent Commissioner Against Corruption has found UTAS and Adelaide University former vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen groped staff and treated them with “egregious disrespect”.

As part of the inquiry into maladministration at Adelaide University, ICAC commissioner Bruce Lander found that Prof Rathjen kissed two employees in conduct that was “entirely inappropriate” and lied to then Chancellor Kevin Scarce to protect his position.

FORMER Adelaide University and UTAS vice-chancellor Peter Rathjen hugged and kissed two employees in conduct that was “entirely inappropriate”, the Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Bruce Lander, has found.

Professor Rathjen, who was vice-chancellor at the University of Tasmania from 2011-17, also lied to then chancellor Kevin Scarce to protect his position, Mr Lander said.

Mr Lander on Wednesday issued a public statement but honoured the requests of the two women involved in the case by not issuing the full report from his inquiry into maladministration at Adelaide University.

“The vice-chancellor engaged in conduct that was entirely inappropriate by treating the women with egregious disrespect,” Mr Lander said.

“It was all the worse having regard to his position within the university and the two women’s relative positions in the university.”

He said the two women had suffered great embarrassment and humiliation.

“It may be because of the brevity of this statement compared with the report that the seriousness of the conduct will not be understood,” he said.

“However, that is better than the victims suffering further hurt.

“… I have rejected the vicechancellor’s evidence in every respect where he sought to disagree with the accounts given by the two women or to minimise his conduct,” Mr Lander said.

“I have found contrary to the evidence given by Professor Rathjen that his conduct was sexual in nature and advertised by him to the women as sexual.”

Mr Lander found Rear Admiral Scarce had been commissioned by the university to confront Professor Rathjen.

“The university also accepted that the conduct was ‘repugnant to the university’s values of honesty, respect and fairness as those terms are defined in the university’s code of conduct’,” he said.

The university had engaged a solicitor in private practice who had advised that the chancellor should handle the matter rather than the university’s governing body, the council.

That had led to the chancellor issuing a formal warning to Professor Rathjen.

Mr Lander said the council should have been involved and Professor Rathjen’s behaviour was a breach of university policy and “amounted to serious misconduct” under the ICAC Act.

Professor Rathjen in a statement said he “deeply” regretted the distress and embarrassment that he had caused to the two women and apologised to both.

Professor Rathjen first took leave in May and then resigned from his post on July 20.