The West Australian
         Saturday April 27, 1996
         
	 Rindos inquiry under fire
         
         BY MICHAEL DAY
         
         THE University of WA has
         attacked Rindos inquiry chair-
         man Barry House MLA for say-
         ing this week that universities
         did not think they were account-
         able to anyone.
         
         UWA deputy vice-chancellor Alan 
	 Robson said yesterday it
         was a matter of concern that a
         Member of Parliament who was
         chairing an inquiry into the pro-
         priety of particular university
         processes should have such little
         understanding of the context in
         which universities worked.
         
         Professor Robson's critlclsm
         follows an objection by Educa-
         tion Minister Colin Barnett to
         the inquiry by the Legislative
         Council government agencies
         committee into UWA's denial of
         tenure by UWA to senior archae-
         ology lecturer David Rindos in
         
         Others to object this week to
         the inquiry into what they said
         should have remained an inter-
         nal university dispute, included
         WA academic union president
         Sandra Penrose and the vice-
         chancellors of Edith Cowan and
         Murdoch universities.
         Joining them yesterday was
         the vice-chancellor of Curtin
         University, Professor John
         Maloney, who said such disputes
         should not be settled in Parlia-
         ment but within the unversity.
         
         Replying to the critics, Mr
         House said it was clear universi-
         ties did not think they should be
         responsible to anyone.
         
         Professor Robson said yester-
         day that far from being unac-
         countable, universities were
         reaching a point at which the
         need to respond to the demands
         for reports on their actions to
         legal agencies were diverting
         valuable resources from teaching
         and research.
         
         "Accountability is almost
         becoming an industry in its own
         right," he said.
        
         UWA was financially account-
         able to the State and Federal
         Governments, the State and Fed-
         eral industrial relations commis-
         sions and agencies responsible
         for equal opportunity, freedom
         of information and health and
         safetY.
         
         "Above all, individual mem-
         bers of the university are
         accountable through internally
         imposed systems, ultimately to
         the governing body and to their
         peers, for the professional stan-
         dards by which they conduct
         their work," Professor Robson
         said.
         
         UWA recognised the need for
         accountability but would be
         greatly concerned for the effec-
         tiveness of its operations if the
         current level was extended.