The Sunday Times [Perth], 3 March 1996

	 EDITORIAL
         
Rindos: UWA Inquiry still falls short

THE University of WA has met only part of its moral obligation with its
decision to hold an inquiry into the controversy surrounding former UWA
academic David Rindos and the university's archaeology department. 

The terms of reference for the UWA senate's inquiry announced by UWA
Vice-Chancellor Professor Fay Gale this week failed to spell out directly
the need to investigate serious allegations of misconduct against
Professor Sandra Bowdler, who is alleged to have had sexual relations with
some female students. 

That is a bad omission. It still leaves the university open to the charge
that it is not inclined to treat these claims seriously. 
         
If this is the case, it is hard to understand the university's thinking.
In a sense, the questions over Professor Bowdler's conduct are more
serious than why Dr Rindos was not granted permanent tenure. 

It is alarming when senior university academics Professor Neville Bruce
and Professor Charles Oxnard say there is at least prima facie evidence,
in the form of documents tabled in Parliament, which implies that
students' complaints about Professor Bowdler's activities over many years
had been ignored. 
         
Professor Gale said the committe of inquiry would have the power to call
any member of staff and/or the student body to give evidence related to
the terms of reference.  The committe would also be able to widen the
terms if it deemed it to be appropriate. 

That might have sounded good but it does not go far enough.  The terms of
referce should be amended forthwith to specifically include an
investigation of the claims against Professor Bowdler. They are too
serious to be swept under the carpet.