The Corruption and Crime Commission has found a former Curtin University academic pressured three female overseas students for sexual favours in exchange for higher marks.
The Corruption and Crime Commission has found a former Curtin University academic pressured three female overseas students for sexual favours in exchange for higher marks.
The CCC report into the allegations was tabled in parliament today and it contains five opinions of serious misconduct against Nasrul Ali.
However, there will be no action against the academic because the CCC says none of the complainants are prepared to be involved in criminal prosecutions and Dr Ali is no longer working at the University.
The CCC found that while there was no sexual conduct between Dr Ali and the students, he asked three of the students for something to convince him to change their marks.
The CCC said the evidence supports the student's belief that he was asking for sex.
In the case of a fourth student he refused to increase her mark from 45 to 50 when she didn't meet him while they were separately visiting Malaysia.
Commissioner Len Roberts-Smith QC said Curtin University has accepted the five recommendations made in the report to improve practices, policies and procedures.
"The University acted very quickly to protect the victims and has taken a number of steps towards improving its systems for the detection, reporting and management of misconduct," he said.
The Commission's report is critical of some of Curtin's internal procedures and practices, and includes recommendations for change.
Vice-Chancellor Jeanette Hacket said she had been deeply shocked to learn of the allegations, which were made in 2009.
She said the academic, who was employed as a casual in 2004 and worked in the university's School of Economics and Finance, was sacked in mid-2009 shortly after the allegations of misconduct were made.
Prof Hacket said she was aware that Dr Ali was now working at another university in WA.
"I am extremely disappointed that the educational experience of these students has been so negatively impacted," she said.
"Our integrity has been called into question, and I acknowledge that the trust placed in us by our students and the broader community has been breached by this staff member.
At the time of his employment, Curtin University did not conduct any background screenings or police checks of employees, Prof Hacket said.
"The university now has in place a sessional staff policy and procedure which will provide (that) every person employed at Curtin will undergo rigorous screening," she said.
"Through a CV check, through reference assessment, through interview and through police screening and then these staff will undergo mandatory training and monitoring."
See statement from CCC below:
A former Curtin University of Technology academic pressured three young, female overseas students for sexual favours in exchange for higher marks according to a Corruption and Crime Commission report tabled in the Parliament today.
He reduced the marks of a fourth female student because he was angry with her when she did not meet him while they were separately visiting Malaysia.
The report contains five opinions of serious misconduct against the academic, Dr Nasrul
Ali, but as none of the complainants are prepared to be involved in a criminal prosecution and Dr Ali is no longer employed by Curtin University, the Commission made no recommendation for further action.
The events took place last year while Dr Ali was employed as a sessional academic in
the Curtin Business School where he worked as a tutor, lecturer and unit coordinator.
Three of the students were from China and one from Malaysia.
While there was no sexual contact between Dr Ali and the students, the report said he targeted young, vulnerable, full fee-paying overseas female students.
The students were being financially supported by their families, needed to pass their units and were at risk of losing their student visas.
The report said Dr Ali asked three of the female students aged 24, 22 and 20 to think of
something to convince him to change their marks. The evidence supports the students' belief that he was asking them for sex.
Dr Ali refused to increase the mark of the fourth female student from a fail of 45 to a pass of 50 because he was angry she did not contact him when she was in Malaysia at the same time as he was there.
He also marked down a paper from a group of three students that included the fourth female student from 73 to 50 out of 100 as he was annoyed with her.
Commissioner Len Roberts-Smith QC said Curtin University has accepted the five recommendations made in the report to improve practices, policies and procedures.
"The University acted very quickly to protect the victims and has taken a number of steps towards improving its systems for the detection, reporting and management of misconduct," he said.
The Commission was initially notified of the allegation by Curtin University and Dr Ali was the only staff member about whom an opinion of misconduct was made.
