By Riley Faulds
Yesterday morning (Monday 18 October), hundreds of photos of damning documents related to the restructure of the School of Molecular Sciences were released, ostensibly sourced from the office of the Head of School, Dr Martha Ludwig.
It is important to note that it is unclear how exactly these documents were procured; however, there have been reports from sources today that a police forensics team was onsite, and that the UWA-owned laptops of particular students were confiscated by the University. Pelican also cannot confirm whose handwriting is in some of the images, but a number of printed emails in the images are between Dr Ludwig and senior members of UWA management.
The documents in the images outline a number of management’s strategic mindsets in their approach to the cuts, as well as underlying data around enrolments, student-to-staff ratios, and finances. The timeline of the consultation and Senate confirmation process is documented in detail, as are various financial calculations around School budgets, and the salaries of staff members. Original timelines indicate that management initially wished for the consultation process for this School to be completed and staff made redundant prior to the commencement of Semester Two this year; this timeline was pushed back after widespread opposition to the restructure of the School of Social Sciences and to the rushed consultation processes for each School.
Pelican does not condone the accessing of information illegally or under false pretences.
More to come.