The University of Wollongong is attempting to gag an outspoken critic of fee deregulation who dubbed Vice-Chancellor Paul Wellings "out of touch" for supporting the reforms.
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The University Council's alumni representative Misha Zelinsky announced last week he would host a summit aimed at snuffing out the incoming fee hikes, which would have "profound implications for families and young people in the Illawarra".
But late on Monday the Vice-Chancellor's unit accused him of breaching the council's code of conduct by publishing his views.
Mr Zelinsky was told to undergo "a follow-up induction session ... on the issues of conflict of interest and public comment" and to declare a conflict of interest at the council's next meeting, in August.
"Only the Chancellor is authorised to speak on behalf of the council ... several council members have contacted the university expressing their concern about your media comments," the UOW's chief administrative officer Melva Crouch said.
"I seek your assurance that you will refrain from further comment without making it clear that the views you express are personal."
The email from the Vice-Chancellor's unit accuses Mr Zelinsky of breaching multiple council rules, including its code of conduct.
"Making public criticisms of the Vice-Chancellor is damaging to the university's reputation and could be construed as breaching the following duties of council members ..." read the email, referring to sections of the University of Wollongong Act that require council members to act in the best interests of the university and not improperly use their position, including to "cause detriment to the university".
Mr Zelinsky told the Mercury he would take legal advice before he responded to the email or agreed to any additional induction.
He said he planned to go ahead with his summit on Thursday morning.
"The university has always held a special place for me and I was thrilled to be elected to the council, so I'm pretty gutted to be threatened with expulsion for standing up for what I believe is in the interests of the university and our community," he said.
"Ultimately the Vice-Chancellor's plan would put the dream of university out of reach for working class kids across our region, and frankly that would be a disgrace.
"I've decided to continue working with the community groups and student and employee representatives to stop his radical attack on our community."
Mr Zelinsky, who graduated from UOW in 2007 with law and economics degrees, and now works within the union movement, was elected to his position on the council late in 2013.
He said he "made it very clear" in initial media interviews he was voicing his opinion only.
"I certainly wasn't speaking for all council members. I was putting out an alternative view about what I think is a very serious issue."
The council is the university's governing authority.
It has the power to appoint and terminate academic staff, borrow and invest money on the university's behalf and impose fees, charges and fines.
Mr Zelinsky's initial comments followed a column published on June 23 in the Australian Financial Review, in which Professor Wellings noted that student satisfaction with the quality of their courses remained high in England, where university fees had tripled.
Prof Wellings acknowledged graduates with slow pay growth, and those who came and went from the workforce due to family and other commitments, would lose out under the new measures which take effect in 2016, but appeared to ultimately welcome the changes.
"If we can reach agreement on aspects of the graduate repayment system there is a real chance that [Education Minister] Pyne's reforms will increase the competitiveness of the sector while maintaining our ability to offer university education free at the point of delivery to all students, irrespective of their social circumstances," he said.