UQ Senate representative Drew Pavlou suspended for two years
The decision comes after the university made several allegations of misconduct against Pavlou earlier this year.
The University of Queensland (UQ) has suspended Senate representative Drew Pavlou following their levelling of a series of misconduct allegations against him.
The UQ disciplinary panel, which revealed the 20-year-old philosophy student’s fate to him yesterday, apparently did not offer any reasons for his suspension, which will last until 2022.
In a statement, Pavlou labelled the decision “vindictive but not unexpected”, and continued his long-running adamance that the University’s targeting of him has stemmed from its ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
“This is a clear attempt to silence me for my political activism and further to nullify my senate term and destroy the democratic process that put me there.”
Pavlou’s suspension will last throughout the remainder of his term as an elected representative on the University’s Senate, which he deemed ‘convenient’.
Last Wednesday, Pavlou and his lawyer, Tony Morris QC, walked out of a disciplinary hearing at the University, calling it a “kangaroo court” and claiming that he had been denied access to documents that supposedly show UQ’s collusion with the Chinese government.
The instances of Pavlou’s misconduct outlined ranged from allegedly damaging UQ’s reputations through appearing to speak on behalf of the University through pro-Hong Kong Facebook posts, to using a pen that was in a University book store and returning it to a shelf.
Pavlou gained notable media attention last year after a demonstration he organised in support of the Hong Kong independence movement was met with pro-Beijing protesters, who assaulted him.
Following his announcement of the suspension on Twitter yesterday evening, Pavlou promised to “immediately appeal to the Supreme Court” regarding the decision.