Close Menu
Honi Soit
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • Henry VI: Episode One — The French Menace
    • Students and Academics testify on USyd campus for the People’s Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine
    • “No public accountability”: NTEU report slams culture of university governing bodies
    • Surge Session: Electricity in Tyne-James Organ’s ‘The Other Side’
    • Strawmanning in the chat at the July SRC Council
    • Folk Reimagined, East In Symphony at the Sydney Opera House
    • Graeme Turner’s ‘Broken’ assesses our ailing university sector
    • MAPW addresses USyd’s retreat from “obligation to promote peace” in open letter
    • About
    • Print Edition
    • Student Journalism Conference 2025
    • Writing Comp
    • Advertise
    • Locations
    • Contact
    Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok
    Honi SoitHoni Soit
    Sunday, July 20
    • News
    • Analysis
    • Culture
    • Opinion
    • University
    • Features
    • Perspective
    • Investigation
    • Reviews
    • Comedy
    • Student Journalism Conference 2025
    Honi Soit
    Home»News

    USyd settles in legal claim with former Deputy Vice-Chancellor

    The University has declined to disclose how much the legal suit cost.
    By Elijah AbrahamJuly 20, 2018 News 2 Mins Read
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    USyd has settled a legal claim laid by former Deputy Vice-Chancellor Shane Houston, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

    Dr Houston claims rumours of a relationship with a junior male colleague were behind his dismissal in August last year.

    Dr Houston denied the rumours and alleges that he complained to human resources department and Vice-Chancellor Michael Spence multiple times. Despite this, the University did very little in response.

    At the time, USyd maintained that “Professor Houston’s departure from the University was related to a number of issues; best summarised as a developing management style that was both deeply inappropriate and incompatible with a publicly funded institution.”

    However, a number of days before he was dismissed, Dr Houston received an email flagging concerns about his close personal relationship with another male member of staff, Honi reported.

    After being dismissed, he lodged a legal suit against the university claiming $1 million in compensation.

    Dr Houston, a Gangulu man from central Queensland, broke ground as one of the first Aboriginal people to be appointed at such a senior level at any university in Australia.

    In his role, Dr Houston pioneered a number of projects including the University’s Wingara Mura – Bunga Barrabuga Strategy, which has seen substantial increases in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students at the University.

    The University has declined to comment on how much the final settlement cost. A spokesperson said “the university has settled Dr Houston’s claim for a sum considerably less than it would have cost to defend the action.”

    indigenous affairs usyd usyd staff

    Keep Reading

    Students and Academics testify on USyd campus for the People’s Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine

    “No public accountability”: NTEU report slams culture of university governing bodies

    Strawmanning in the chat at the July SRC Council

    MAPW addresses USyd’s retreat from “obligation to promote peace” in open letter

    Antisemitism review puts universities, festivals, and cultural centres under threat

    Macquarie University axes Sociology, cuts more jobs & courses

    Just In

    Henry VI: Episode One — The French Menace

    July 19, 2025

    Students and Academics testify on USyd campus for the People’s Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine

    July 17, 2025

    “No public accountability”: NTEU report slams culture of university governing bodies

    July 17, 2025

    Surge Session: Electricity in Tyne-James Organ’s ‘The Other Side’

    July 17, 2025
    Editor's Picks

    Part One: The Tale of the Corporate University

    May 28, 2025

    “Thank you Conspiracy!” says Capitalism, as it survives another day

    May 21, 2025

    A meditation on God and the impossible pursuit of answers

    May 14, 2025

    We Will Be Remembered As More Than Administrative Errors

    May 7, 2025
    Facebook Instagram X (Twitter) TikTok

    From the mines

    • News
    • Analysis
    • Higher Education
    • Culture
    • Features
    • Investigation
    • Comedy
    • Editorials
    • Letters
    • Misc

     

    • Opinion
    • Perspective
    • Profiles
    • Reviews
    • Science
    • Social
    • Sport
    • SRC Reports
    • Tech

    Admin

    • About
    • Editors
    • Send an Anonymous Tip
    • Write/Produce/Create For Us
    • Print Edition
    • Locations
    • Archive
    • Advertise in Honi Soit
    • Contact Us

    We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. The University of Sydney – where we write, publish and distribute Honi Soit – is on the sovereign land of these people. As students and journalists, we recognise our complicity in the ongoing colonisation of Indigenous land. In recognition of our privilege, we vow to not only include, but to prioritise and centre the experiences of Indigenous people, and to be reflective when we fail to be a counterpoint to the racism that plagues the mainstream media.

    © 2025 Honi Soit
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • Accessibility

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.