Clean sweep at top of Curtin Uni

Curtin University is facing big changes in 2006 after chancellor Eric Tan announced he would retire when his current term expires in March.

This will be followed by the previously-announced retirement of Curtin vice chancellor Lance Twomey when his contract expires in April.

Curtin will also be losing its pro vice chancellor research & development Barney Glover in February, after he decided to accept a position at the University of Newcastle.

The decisions of Dr Tan and Professor Glover come just a few weeks after Curtin and Murdoch University decided to abandon their proposed merger.

The two universities said this decision was in response to a merger feasibility study, which found that the costs would have been higher than originally expected and the benefits not guaranteed.

There has also been speculation that personality issues at the top of both universities contributed to the breakdown of merger negotiations.

Professor Twomey announced to staff last Friday that Dr Tan would not be available for an extension of his appointment as chancellor and would step down when his three-year term expired early in March.

“He has many commitments in both the business and humanitarian spheres, and is unable to continue to give the university the time required of its chancellor,” the staff announcement said.

Dr Tan’s decision follows his retirement from listed company Medical Corporation Australasia, which had been his main public business undertaking.

He was managing director of MedCorp until October 2004 and continued as a non-executive director until September this year.

MedCorp had been seeking to commercialise several medical technology products but in the past 12 months wrote-down its two major projects and reported big losses.

Professor Twomey said Dr Tan had worked tirelessly to benefit Curtin and raise its academic and research profile, particularly within the South East Asian region. He said Dr Tan’s involvement with Curtin would continue, after it conferred on him the title of Chancellor Emeritus.

Professor Glover said he was very disappointed the merger was not proceeding but emphasised that he was looking for new opportunities irrespective of its outcome.

He said the move to Newcastle involved a promotion to deputy vice chancellor.

In related news, Curtin has agreed to appoint deputy vice-chancellor Jeanette Hacket as vice-chancellor from April 2006 until a permanent replacement is found for Professor Twomey.

Pro chancellor Michelle Dolin will be acting chancellor in that role if it is not filled before Dr Tan steps down.