THE recent summary dismissal of molecular biologist Ted Steele by the
University of Wollongong raises two important issues. The first is the
procedural question of how universities handle dissenting academics. The second
is a growing concern about academic standards in the Australian university
system.
Most of the facts of the case are not in dispute. Steele supervised two
honours students whose theses were both marked by an external expert assessor,
Robert Blanden, professor of immunology in the John Curtin School of Medical
Research at the Australian National University. Blanden regarded both theses as
poor pieces of work. In one case…
