Controversy at Macquarie University

We were trying to recall the circumstances of the Macquarie University controversy over artworks and the vice chancellor. The story was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald here, Feb 8, 2007. Basically, the issue was bigger than artworks, and included leave entitlements, credit card expenses, board appointments, and other governance issues.

But the incident will be remembered primarily because of the artworks scandal, in which Dianne Yerbury, the former VC of Macquarie is alleged to have "mingled" art owned by the University with her own collection. Professor Steven Schwartz was apparently the administrator who led the crusade against Yerbury, after succeeding her as V-C and presumably discovering the irregularities.

This is an important if controversial piece of the University's history, but you won't find anything about it on the University's website - in their news or press releases section. Indeed, there is no real recognition of it in Wikipedia, except a brief one-line reference to the SMH article above, which is how I found it.

Wikipedia, and the University press releases section, do acknowledge a more recent controversy 'though, concerning the management and governance of student funds collected by the former student union organisation. As a result of fraud allegations and other issues, this organisation was disbanded and reformed in a different model in the middle of 2007.