Dear Chancellor Still and members of University Council

We write as members of the University of Wollongong community. We are students, alumni, current and former staff, families and community members who care about this University and its future.

This letter does not prejudge any inquiry, and it takes nothing away from UOW's academic and professional staff, who continue to support students, teaching and research in very difficult circumstances. It is about institutional confidence and integrity. UOW is bigger than any individual or administration. The value of every qualification it issues, and the integrity of its research both past and present, depend on confidence in the institution behind them.

Given the extraordinary scrutiny now facing the University, we respectfully ask Chancellor Still to consider whether remaining in the role throughout this period is in the best interests of the Univerity, and if not, to step aside while these matters are examined. We further urge Council to consider this question as a matter of urgency and call a meeting, ahead of the commencement of the ICAC inquiry on 22 June 2026.

We make this request because confidence in the university's governance is now under pressure from several directions at once. The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption will hold a public inquiry from 22 June to 10 July 2026 (Operation Scandi) into allegations concerning the University, and its announced scope includes the conduct of the Chancellor. The NSW parliamentary inquiry into New South Wales Univerity Sector has found university governance arrangements are not fit for purpose, using UOW as a case study, and has recommended the Minister use powers under section 21D of the University of Wollongong Act 1989 to require a report from Council on the commercial activities of the University and its related entities, including UOW Global Enterprises. UOW's re-registration with TEQSA remains pending, against a framework that requires demonstrated governance, accountability, risk management, research integrity and financial sustainability. The 2025 Annual Report recorded a consolidated deficit of $16.9 million, with significant transformation and redundancy costs across 2025 and 2026. Throughout, current and former members of the community have raised serious concerns about staff morale, wellbeing and psychological safety. Where there are credible signs of declining trust or continuing harm, that is a governance matter, not only an operational one.

These are not ordinary circumstances. Students, alumni, staff, researchers, research partners, regulators and the wider community all need confidence that the University is being governed safely, ethically and transparently, and that its degrees and its research hold their value. It is not enough to say these matters are being taken seriously. The community needs to see that Council understands the scale of the risk and is prepared to act in the University's interests.

We therefore respectfully ask Chancellor Still to consider whether continuing in the role through this period of extraordinary scrutiny is in the best interests of the University, and, if it is not, to step aside so that appropriate interim arrangements can be put in place.

We would expect a matter of this significance to be before Council already, and we hope it is. If it is, we ask only that it be given the weight this moment requires. If it is not yet on the agenda, we respectfully urge Council to take it up as a matter of urgency and call a meeting, before the ICAC public inquiry opens on 22 June, rather than defer it to a later sitting. 

This is not a call for any finding of wrongdoing, and should not be read as one. Stepping aside during a significant inquiry is a recognised step taken to protect an institution, not a conclusion about any person, precisely because outcomes are not yet known and institutional confidence must come first.

The University of Wollongong belongs to more than its current leadership. It belongs to its students, staff, alumni, communities, future generations and the Illawarra region. We urge Council to put the institution and regional responsibility first.

Sincerely

We sign as students, alumni, current and former staff and community members of the University of Wollongong.