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STOP PRESS: Dr Weber heads out revolving door at USP Journalism, citing favouritism, lack of consultation, unethical pressure on him - his former predecessor Shailendra Singh in line of fire over study leave!

21/2/2014

13 Comments

 
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RESIGNED! Weber

"The main cause of my concern emerged when the former head of the department Shailendra Singh decided just 2 weeks before semester to apply (and be granted)
6 months more leave to complete his PhD.  I have no issues with that application, but he had stated that he would return and all planning for the department for the semester was based on that. Without any consultation with the department as to how we would cope with this sudden about face, he was granted leave under the direction of HR."

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"Hi everyone ... this will be the one and only statement regarding my reasons for resigning. As I'm sure you are aware, this was not an easy decision for me. I have always said the most important people at university are the students, and they will remain so but a series of decisions by various USP staff over the past month indicate to me that I was no longer in charge of the journalism department and therefore the duty of care to my students.

The main cause of my concern emerged when the former head of the department Shailendra Singh decided just 2 weeks before semester to apply (and be granted) 6 months more leave to complete his PhD. I have no issues with that application, but he had stated that he would return and all planning for the department for the semester was based on that. Without any consultation with the department as to how we would cope with this sudden about face, he was granted leave under the direction of HR.

This was not the first time that no consultation was undertaken with the specialist broadcasting lecturing position in the department taken out the budget for 2014 without discussing the implications of how we would teach radio or television this year ... the expectation was that I would cover those courses (this is not my area of expertise) including mine - teaching 5 courses again, as I had done for the past year.

I refused to do this given the lack of consultation regarding this issue. I set about finding someone but had to then go home to Australia to look after my sick mother. In the meantime, SLAM HoS had hired a person out of Australia without any consultation with me or Semi Francis ... The hire is a creative writer with no journalism degrees or media studies degrees but write on long-form journalism, which we do not teach in the department ... I complained and was told the decision had been made.

How will this help our students who need a radio lecturer this semester? The student simply did not want to complete the course and his mother, who is a USP Senior Lecturer, set about pressuring me to approve the waiver ... I refused and challenged her ethics on this matter - how can you be objective as a mother and a lecturer.

This is an example of favouritism that was prevalent under Shailendra Singh's watch as the programme's head. I have received numerous requests over the past year from students who have not completed any first year courses, but were waived through by Shailendra, to undertake second year courses.

This comes at a time when the industry is demanding why USP students are not well trained. The Senior Lecturer then applied directly to Yeates for the waiver which was approved on the grounds he was a third year graduating student, but he is not because he had not completed second year.

So in overturning my decision without any consultation, once again, USP has placed the programme and the university in a difficult situation because now all students will apply for waivers for courses they don't want to complete ... setting a dangerous precedent for the quality of journalism training in the Pacific Islands.

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PhD Candidate. Shailendra Singh allegedly cause of Weber's resignation, among other controversial issues
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Weber, with guest speaker Nazhat Shameem, at the World press Freedom Day celebrations at the USP Oceania Centre, in Laucala Campus, Suva.
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STUDENT Welfare Weber's key priority
I based my decision on the integrity of a professional educator who had made this decision consistently and to policy over the past year ... no matter what decision I made from now on would have been overturned without consultation or due consideration to other students who have to complete their degree programme set down by the university.

Is this fair or ethical? Well make what you will of it. I simply could no longer live with others making decisions on a programme that we rebuilt and was working towards its goals.

I believe I leave USP with my integrity and professionalism still intact ... but questions need to be asked of a number of people who have contributed to this situation without any consideration for the programme, its staff and especially its students. Yes there is much more to this ... questions I cannot answer because when I challenged these decisions I was told ...decision has been done, you have to live with it It's a shame ... We have brilliant first years come through and sensational second years  Imagine what we could have done with no one interfering and undermining what we had achieved" "

Fijileaks Editor: We are waiting for a comment from Singh.
13 Comments
News Reader
21/2/2014 01:04:24 pm

Vinaka Fijileaks

It just goes to show why we need Fijileaks. I read somewhere FBC was trying to get a comment from USP's Media Officer - from what you have revealed now lets see what spin they will give to the resignation. Shae on journalists and newspapers in Fiji! I suggest bloody close down the journalism school altogether! Useless bunch!

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Man Crush
25/2/2014 03:07:32 pm

The joke among journalism students is that Sudesh Mishra has a big man-crush on Doctor Matthew Thompson, who was hired without any consultation with Ian Weber. As Weber says, Mathew is a creative writer with no journalism degrees or media studies degrees.

Sudesh Mishra is giving jobs and Fiji holidays to his Australian buddies at the expense our education. Everyone knows he is VC Rajesh Chandra’s pet boy so he can do as he pleases.

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Charlie
21/2/2014 05:17:13 pm

This guy Ian Webber is well known among USP journalism students and Fiji media for using USP journalism to build contact with UN and secure job and consultancies. Another one of those expats to use USP as a stepping stone.

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Idiot Charlie
22/2/2014 01:20:32 am

Fiji and USP is not the only stepping stone in the whole universe for the expats of this caliber. They may have personal reasons to choose Fiji. But they certainly do bring a wealth of knowledge, exposure and experience to the dot on the map

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Annon
22/2/2014 02:03:33 am

What so special about journalists?? The ones before didn't do degrees. U just learn to read and write like everyone else and if it interests you, do it!! They are a bunch of idiots anyway.

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Integrity and professionalism?
22/2/2014 03:15:39 am

What integrity and professionalism Dr Webber? You were involved in an affair with a married junior staff, which was obvious to all students. You know where the affair led to. Your HOS saved your sorry arse. With you it was one drama after another that we the students could have done without .Your departure is a blessing in disguise.

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lolly16
22/2/2014 08:43:49 pm

It's ok to have affairs since you are protected by the boss. Sudesh knew,didn't do anything.why? It didn't involve non Pacific Islanders! After all Sudesh brings and protects expats and then they fail him.poor chap doesn't know what do except write poems anyway.

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Keep The Faith link
22/2/2014 03:28:57 pm

So 'integrity & professionalism' see's fit to self-appoint himself as the morality police yet fails to negotiate the forests from the trees. We've seen our fair share of morality policing happen before thanks to the illegal & treasonous regime, yet the action taken is selective.

'integrity & professionalism' claims that an affair was had. If true, that would mean two consenting adults participated so it seems a littl odd that this guy should take the fall for that episode alone.

The message here is that USP is in a sad state yet the snr management can somehow find the headspace and time to dabble in things beyond their remit, like say rugby.

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pundit
22/2/2014 08:24:46 pm

This fellow called Sudesh Mishra who Ian is referring to as HOS slam must be sacked. He was sacked by VC for FNU for lunatic behaviour. since he came to usp and became head, he has tried to oppress all Pacific islanders, no wonder he got rid of nash. he is against women of Pacific islander origin. Recently he went mad during a official function at USP swearing with the f word against senior management team where VC chandra was also present. But sources say that he is so close to VC chandra that nothing happend about his bad behaviour

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Pagla Professor
23/2/2014 05:46:06 am

The talk at the school of literature and language is how professor Sudesh Mishra showing undying loyalty to his buddies like Mark Edge and Ian Webber. He cover up their mistakes and make them look good as he is facsinated by white professors and go to ends of earth to protect them. Sudesh Mishra has uppity attitude toward local staff and junior staff which are benneth him and his white buddies. we want this arrogant prick to be out as HOS. In the end his buddies kick him in the arse and make a big mess at the school. Rajesh Chandra is spoiling his name by favourtism of this bullshit professor.

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Marlie link
23/2/2014 08:16:04 pm

Bring Robie back

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former student
27/2/2014 12:48:21 pm

David Robie is a washed up old man who enjoys nothing more than taking photos of himself on his own Facebook page and giving himself photography credits for them. Needs to do AUT a service and step down.

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Joker
27/2/2014 12:55:28 am

Hahaha, 'rebuilding the program'. All you and your chums Marc Edge and Sudesh Mishra have done is run the program to the ground.

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