Australian Catholic University has been accused of endorsing the views of a pro-life organisation, after two bulk emails were sent out to students yesterday advertising an upcoming Right To Life fundraiser. Students say the emails are inappropriate for a public university which proclaims to be open to students and staff of all beliefs.
More than 4400 students would have received the emails yesterday morning, which were addressed to the Melbourne St Patrick’s campus-wide email list. The emails, obtained by Crikey, advertise an upcoming Right To Life hike, which is aiming to raise at least $50,000 so the anti-abortion lobby group can expand the operations of its hotline.
One email sent to students comes with an attached copy of a brochure for a Right To Life hike while another, sent by Associate Vice-Chancellor Chris Sheargold, also advertises the upcoming fundraiser. Right to Life Australia advocates against abortion through the lobbying of government. The group also operates a hotline to help families experiencing a “crisis pregnancy”.
ACU midwifery student Jacinta Cross says she’s tried to ask the university why they appeared to be advertising such political content, but has so far received no response. She says at least 17 students are prepared to make an official complaint about the emails.
“It’s not hugely surprising that a Catholic organisation is anti reproductive choice,” she told Crikey. “The issue in my view is that this is a public tertiary institution with no entry requirements regarding the religious status of students or staff.”
A spokesperson for the ACU told Crikey the emails did not amount to an endorsement of the political views of Right To Life.
“As a Catholic university, ACU does from time to time circulate matters of Catholic interest to our staff and students, which they are free to read or disregard as they wish,” the spokseperson said. “We have confidence in our students’ ability to question and determine their view on these matters independently.”
But Cross says the emails should not have been sent to all students as they “clearly endorse” a particular view about reproductive choice.
“ACU is a public university that accepts students from all religious backgrounds,” she said. “The university also trains nurses and midwives such as myself who will potentially need to assist women to have terminations in the course of their work.”
Asked about the endorsement of the message by a senior staff member, a spokesperson said ACU was is “in no way” connected to Right to Life: “ACU is open to, and welcoming, of staff and students of all beliefs. As head of the campus, the Associate Vice-Chancellor reserves the right to circulate matters of interest to staff and students.”
There are also concerns — denied by the university — the emails contravene the university’s email code of conduct. According to ACU email policy, emails sent to campus or university-wide mailing lists must abide by certain guidelines.
Emails must be relevant to the university or campus as a whole, or at least provide information with a direct connection to the university, the code states, while advertising events or causes which have limited relevance should be sent to subscription-only email addresses.
The latest mass email comes after staff and students expressed concern over an email sent last month which appeared to advise them not to vote for the Greens.
As an ACU student, it’s concerned me in recent years the trend towards taking political stances on certain issues. I’m with Jacinta – while it’s no surprise that a Catholic group holds their positions, ACU is a public university open to all & should not be engaging in the business of taking political positions on issues.
I’m a former ACU student, it was not my first choice of a university and I certaintly did not choose it due to it being a catholic uni, it just ran the dip ed course I wanted. I complained in 2008 about an anti abortion display in the Melbourne campus. I took up this complaint to the Vice Chancellor who responded that it is a catholic university and that basically they are entitled to promote their views. My point was that the university is different to primary and high schools, families choose those schools due to their catholic beliefs, a university is applied to by anyone and should remain politically neutral.
They may have some credibility if they championed the cause of children, now adults who were raped and sexually assaulted by catholic clergy. The fact, that Cardinal Pell’s policy of treating complainants has as its top priority to save the church’s money coupled with the quest to keep the complaint, the perpetrator and the person complained to sworn to secrecy is appalling. This is the only organisation that is allowed to NOT inform the police of a crime. I can’t do it, nor can any other individual – we’re subjected to State & Federal Laws – only the cc is allowed to use the applicable Canon Law to keep the perps out of the eye of the Law!
Let this university take on this issue – and I might have some time for them! Protecting life as far as the church is concerned stops when the child goes to school – as thousands of adults can attest!
I do not agree that Australian Catholic University claims to be open to staff of all beliefs. The university is currently advertising 4 posts: lecturer in education, a fund raiser, a facilities manager and a sustainability coordinator. All of them specify that ‘Applicants should demonstrate commitment to the specific mission and Catholic ethos of the institution’.
However, I agree that the broadcast email attacking the Greens was outrageous. The one promoting Right To Life Australia is surely to be expected at a catholic university.
Presumably similar stuff gets sent round Notre Dame Australia University, which is a sort of pre Vatican II version of Australian Catholic University, altho established after ACU. Notre Dame Australia is still formally private, altho heavily subsidised by the Australian and WA governments, and is likely to move to only government subsidised students in the next few years. It will be interesting to see if and how it tries to maintain a private character.
I couldn’t quite believe the new euphamism for ‘abortion’ : “anti-reproductive choice”. lol. Haven’t heard that one before.! No baby involved in that ‘event’. Anyway, with regard to a Catholic university promoting a pro-life agenda, it seems to be a rather obvious position for a Catholic university to take. Seriously, there are dozens of universities that have no religious affiliation. Why did you enrol at the Catholic University? Being open to all people, doesn’t mean that the Catholic University has to deny its moral foundations. Catholic schools are open to everyone too, but (hopefully) if you go there you will hear the Catholic/Christian perspective on a whole range of things.
I do think the Catholic University has made a rod for its own back by trying to attract anyone and everyone to its university. I think they have not been clear enough about their Catholic identity.
With regard to abortion. I think it is really sad to think that a midwife is thinking about assisting women with abortions…. surely you are becoming a midwife to assist new life to come into the world. Just really sad that you have already positioned your mind to an abortion mindset.