Media Release
11 September, 1998

Sir John Monash Goes Missing

The bust of Sir John Monash, namesake of Monash University, has removed itself from its usual home in the foyer of the administration building at Monash. In its place was left a letter outlining Sir John's despair at the state of affairs at Monash, and demanding changes before he graced the university again.

Sir John has gone walkabout because of profoundly disturbing management decisions at Monash which will destroy the university's role as a community of learning and social responsibility. Sir John feels that given the contempt with which staff, students and the activity of learning are treated by senior management, and in particular Vice Chancellor David Robinson, he can no longer tolerate the use of his name and image by Monash University. The values which he cherished and sought to bring to the community - those of learning for its own sake and as a means of enriching the community, of knowledge of the world around us beyond a narrow vocationalism – have been hollowed out by Monash's pursuit of profit and the Federal Government's monocular focus on reducing outlays.

Sir John says, "From Ancora Imparo, I am still learning, Monash University has changed its motto to Ancora Dependo, I am still paying up. Students are made to pay through ever-higher charges because higher education is seen as solely an individual benefit delivering better job prospects. Staff are made to pay through job losses, the ever-increasing need to justify the instrumental worth of courses, the endless search for funding, and the iron grip of management. Universities are made to pay through ever-smaller operating grants from the federal government and the relentless pressure to deliver more and more students with less and less money. With this situation, and with no end to it in sight, I can no longer bear to see my name used as a façade. I will not be used as a justification for the destruction of decent higher education."

Sir John has indicated he may return to Monash if certain conditions are met. The most important of these are the immediate resignation of Vice Chancellor David Robinson, Deputy Vice Chancellor Alan Lindsay, Deputy Vice Chancellor Peter Darvall, and General Manager Peter Wade; the restitution by the Federal government of full funding to universities; no further job losses; the restoration of funding the faculties of Arts and Science and the scrapping of the restructuring models. These minimum conditions will be enough for Sir John to reconsider his move away from the institution that bears his name.

In the meantime, Sir John will tour Victoria to see how his much-loved community is faring. He has shown an interest in the upcoming Federal election, and will be following the education policies of all parties very closely.