Afterwards,she is alleged to have assaulted but not injured the schoolgirl,who was attending the event with other students,although there are many versions of what the vice chancellor said and did and police declined to comment further.
NSW Labor’s tertiary education spokesman Tim Crakanthorp and local MP Adam Marshall joined the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) on Wednesday in calling for the university council to stand Heywood down pending the conclusion of the court proceedings.
Her first court appearance is listed for September 26.
“These are quite serious allegations that require a response,” Crakanthorp said. “Someone in that position and particularly in that community – the university is a big part of the New England community and Armidale is very much a university town – should step aside until it’s dealt with.”
NTEU NSW secretary Damien Cahill said Heywood deserved the presumption of innocence but the seriousness of the allegations required an appropriate response.
“Australians must have confidence that those entrusted with overseeing our public institutions are honest,have integrity and conduct themselves in a proper manner,” Cahill said.
Heywood’s tenure has been controversial since she was appointed in 2019,with 200 job losses during the pandemic,moves to establish a campus at Tamworth and students agitating for a return to face-to-face learning.