After decades of careful brand building at ACU, the University’s reputation for inclusivity received a battering at the hands of graduation organisers on Monday, when they handed the microphone for the graduation address honour to staunch conservative unionist Joe de Bruyn.
Hundreds of graduands and staff walked out of Monday’s graduation ceremony in protest at the speech by former union leader Joe de Bruyn, which condemned gay marriage and said abortions worldwide killed more annually than World War II. Those walking out included many staff involved in the academic procession, who were seated on stage.
Mr de Bruyn was invited to deliver the address after receiving an honorary doctorate in recognition of his contribution to workers, education and welfare.
For an institution that has spent tens of millions of dollars over decades in building an image of inclusivity, picking a delicate path between occasional culture clashes Catholic heritage and the determination to foster a liberal, inclusive culture, the address was a body blow to the University’s reputation.
Mr de Bruyn has made his position clear on a range of social issues as hard-line leader of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association. The University emphasised that the comments were made in a personal capacity.
Staff and students have spoken out publicly to condemn Mr de Bruyn’s speech.
“Graduation is a special day and it’s important to us that our graduates and their families have a positive experience,” an ACU spokesperson said.
“The university understands that many of our staff, graduates and their families disagreed with the content of Mr de Bruyn’s speech and we regret that this occurred.
“ACU is committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for students and staff of all beliefs. Education, faith, respect and acceptance are at the heart of our mission as a Catholic university.”
Students and staff yesterday protested against the speech, calling for an apology from the university, a repudiation of his views and revocation of Mr de Bruyn’s honorary doctorate.
A graduation ceremony is a challenging time to test the potential conflict between the University’s commitment to freedom of expression while also maintaining inclusive and respectful environments. The one certainty is that national headlines exposing fissures in an inclusive culture are likely to do little to assist 2025 enrolments.
