Editing James Cook University (section)

==Controversies==

===Peter Ridd sacking===
In November 2017, marine physicist [[Peter Ridd]] commenced proceedings in the [[Federal Circuit Court of Australia|Federal Circuit Court]] against the university alleging that by censuring and eventually dismissing him from his employment, JCU had breached the intellectual freedom provision in its enterprise agreement, in violation of the [[Fair Work Act]]. Ridd was a long-term professor who had been the head of the physics department from 2009 to 2016, and head of the Marine Geophysical Laboratory at JCU for 15 years. He had been critical of the accuracy of studies by the JCU marine studies centre.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/judge-vasta-to-proceed-with-existing-cases-20190722-p529ik|work=[[Australian Financial Review]]|title=Judge Vasta to proceed with existing cases|access-date=2 January 2020|first=Robert|last=Bolton|date=22 July 2019|archive-date=2 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200102065457/https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/judge-vasta-to-proceed-with-existing-cases-20190722-p529ik|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-04-23/peter-ridd-reef-science-climate-change/11026540|title=Peter Ridd reef science climate change|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=12 July 2020|access-date=12 July 2020|archive-date=2 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200902131044/https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-04-23/peter-ridd-reef-science-climate-change/11026540|url-status=live}}</ref> JCU maintained that "it had never sought to silence Ridd, and his sacking was due to 'serious misconduct' and breaches of the university's code".<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Smee|first1=Ben|agency=Australian Associated Press|date=2020-07-22|title=James Cook University wins appeal in Peter Ridd unfair dismissal case|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/22/james-cook-university-wins-appeal-in-peter-ridd-unfair-dismissal-case|access-date=2021-04-07|issn=0261-3077|archive-date=30 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220730015249/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/22/james-cook-university-wins-appeal-in-peter-ridd-unfair-dismissal-case|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following a hearing, the Federal Circuit Court found that the university's actions were unlawful,<ref>{{Cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/06/peter-ridd-awarded-12m-in-unfair-dismissal-case-against-james-cook-university| title=Peter Ridd awarded $1.2m in unfair dismissal case against James Cook University| newspaper=The Guardian| date=6 September 2019| last1=Smee| first1=Ben| access-date=26 January 2020| archive-date=3 February 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203032040/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/sep/06/peter-ridd-awarded-12m-in-unfair-dismissal-case-against-james-cook-university| url-status=live}}</ref> and in September 2019 ordered JCU to pay $1.2 million in compensation to Ridd.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-06/jcu-ordered-to-pay-1.2m-compensation-peter-ridd/11487086 | title=University ordered to pay $1.2m compensation to wrongly sacked professor | publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date=6 September 2019 | access-date=26 January 2020 | archive-date=3 February 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203031540/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-06/jcu-ordered-to-pay-1.2m-compensation-peter-ridd/11487086 | url-status=live }}</ref> The Court found that JCU had failed to respect the rights to intellectual freedom under its enterprise agreement.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/damaged-goods-professor-awarded-1-2m-for-uni-s-unlawful-sacking-20190906-p52op3.html | title='Damaged goods': Professor awarded $1.2m for uni's unlawful sacking | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=6 September 2019 | access-date=26 January 2020 | archive-date=26 January 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126002311/https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/damaged-goods-professor-awarded-1-2m-for-uni-s-unlawful-sacking-20190906-p52op3.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

In July 2020, a Full Court of the [[Federal Court of Australia]] overturned the Federal Circuit Court's decision, finding that JCU's actions did not breach the Fair Work Act and that the enterprise agreement did not give Ridd an "untrammelled right" to express professional opinions beyond the standards imposed by the university's code of conduct.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smee |first1=Ben |title=James Cook University wins appeal in Peter Ridd unfair dismissal case |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/22/james-cook-university-wins-appeal-in-peter-ridd-unfair-dismissal-case |access-date=24 July 2021 |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited |date=22 July 2020 |archive-date=9 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210609225800/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jul/22/james-cook-university-wins-appeal-in-peter-ridd-unfair-dismissal-case |url-status=live }}</ref>  In February 2021, the [[High Court of Australia]] granted special leave to Ridd to appeal the decision. The High Court heard the matter in June 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-04-15|title=High Court appeal for sacked academic Ridd|url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/law-and-order/high-court-appeal-for-sacked-academic-ridd-c-2601434|access-date=2021-04-16|website=The West Australian|language=en|archive-date=18 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418175704/https://thewest.com.au/politics/law-and-order/high-court-appeal-for-sacked-academic-ridd-c-2601434|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-11|title=Controversial marine scientist gets chance to fight his dismissal in High Court|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-11/marine-expert-peter-ridd-coral-bleaching-case-heard-high-court/13144912|access-date=2021-04-16|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU|archive-date=28 May 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528060135/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-11/marine-expert-peter-ridd-coral-bleaching-case-heard-high-court/13144912|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 13, 2021, the High Court unanimously dismissed the appeal brought by Ridd.<ref name= "Guardian2021">{{cite news |last1=Karp |first1=Paul |title=Peter Ridd loses 'all-or-nothing' high court appeal over sacking from James Cook University |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/13/peter-ridd-loses-all-or-nothing-high-court-appeal-over-sacking-from-james-cook-university |access-date=20 November 2021 |work=The Guardian |agency=Australian Associated Press |publisher=Guardian News & Media Limited |date=13 October 2021 |archive-date=1 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201104238/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/oct/13/peter-ridd-loses-all-or-nothing-high-court-appeal-over-sacking-from-james-cook-university |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Byrne |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Chomicki |first2=Chloe |title=Controversial Queensland scientist Peter Ridd has lost a High Court battle against JCU dismissal |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-13/qld-controversial-queensland-academic-court-battle-jcu/100534402 |access-date=13 October 2021 |publisher=ABC News |date=13 October 2021 |archive-date=12 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012232620/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-13/qld-controversial-queensland-academic-court-battle-jcu/100534402 |url-status=live }}</ref> Although the Court found that some of the university's censures of Ridd were in breach of its enterprise agreement, Ridd ran his case on an "all or nothing" basis, and the High Court found that the termination of his employment was ultimately justified in relying on 18 findings of serious misconduct which were not protected by the university's academic freedom clause.<ref name= "Guardian2021" />

===Sexual harassment and assault===
Nine cases of sexual abuse or harassment were reported officially on campus between 2011 and 2016, resulting in one person being removed from a college. These included an allegation of a 2015 incident in which three unidentified males tried to gang-rape a female student.<ref name="foi_sexual_assault">{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/full-list-of-universities-exposed-by-sexual-assault-investigation/news-story/f7c39dcacce8a9c839bc8b881172173b|title=Full list of universities exposed by sexual assault investigation|last=Funnell|first=Nina|date=10 October 2016|work=News Limited|access-date=1 August 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802075917/http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/full-list-of-universities-exposed-by-sexual-assault-investigation/news-story/f7c39dcacce8a9c839bc8b881172173b|archive-date=2 August 2017}}</ref>

In 2015 the university promoted a research officer to academic adviser despite his having pleaded guilty to raping a student.<ref name="Chen">{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-23/university-staffer-student-rape-james-cook-university-promoted/8203976|title=Uni staffer promoted after student rape charge|last=Chen|first=David|date=24 January 2017|work=ABC News|access-date=1 August 2017|language=en-AU|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801060325/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-23/university-staffer-student-rape-james-cook-university-promoted/8203976|archive-date=1 August 2017}}</ref><ref name="Funnell">{{Cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/exclusive-james-cook-university-knew-douglas-steele-was-guilty-of-rape/news-story/686a17970273325239e703b8d97591e2|title=Exclusive: James Cook University knew Douglas Steele was guilty of rape|last=Funnell|first=Nina|date=25 January 2017|work=NewsComAu|access-date=1 August 2017|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170801124129/http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/exclusive-james-cook-university-knew-douglas-steele-was-guilty-of-rape/news-story/686a17970273325239e703b8d97591e2|archive-date=1 August 2017}}</ref> The then acting vice-chancellor said there was a failure of internal processes and that the staff member would have been dismissed immediately if senior management had been aware that he had pleaded guilty.<ref name="Chen"/> However, whistleblowers said there had been a cover-up and that senior management, including the vice-chancellor and the university secretary, had been told of the guilty plea prior to the perpetrator's promotion.<ref name="Funnell"/>

The university began a review in 2017 which led to revised policies, mandatory online training for students and staff, first responder training for staff, and counselling for victims.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.campusreview.com.au/2017/02/broderick-to-review-jcus-sexual-assault-policies/ |title=Broderick to review JCU's sexual assault policies |last=Wells |first=James |date=15 February 2017 |website=Campus Review |access-date=1 July 2021 |archive-date=18 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618172458/https://www.campusreview.com.au/2017/02/broderick-to-review-jcus-sexual-assault-policies/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/bond-university-highest-rate-of-campus-sexual-assault-in-queensland-report-20170801-gxn9eq.html |title=Bond University highest rate of campus sexual assault in Queensland: Report |last=Clun |first=Rachel |date=2 August 2017 |website=Brisbane Times |publisher=Nine Entertainment Co. |access-date=1 July 2021 |archive-date=9 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182133/https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/bond-university-highest-rate-of-campus-sexual-assault-in-queensland-report-20170801-gxn9eq.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/uni-responses/9477920#JCUlink |title=What is your university doing in response to sexual assault and harassment? |last1=Dias |first1=Avani |last2=Afshariyan |first2=Nkayla |date=26 February 2018 |website=Triple J Hack |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=1 July 2021 |archive-date=5 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181005200659/http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/uni-responses/9477920#JCUlink |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Scientific fraud claims===
In May 2021, the American publication [[Science Magazine]] made claims about scientific fraud involving 22 papers linked to James Cook University's Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. The Australian Research Council, the US National Science Foundation, and JCU had been asked to investigate the allegations. The article supported by the international Science Fund for Investigative Reporting, is the culmination of years of research and contested claims over how fish behaviour is changed by rising levels of carbon dioxide in the oceans. Researchers claimed to have evidence of manipulation in publicly available raw data files for two papers, one published in Science Magazine, the other in ''[[Nature Climate Change]]'', combined with large and "statistically impossible" effects from {{CO2}} reported in many of the other papers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Uni in hot water over claims of fish fraud|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fhigher-education%2Fjames-cook-university-in-hot-water-over-claims-of-fish-fraud%2Fnews-story%2Fd7ffe362e70ad2f318fdcb06b0704a19&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&nk=7a1cf6dafd26469617fc314212f328c1-1620427864|access-date=2021-05-07|website=www.theaustralian.com.au|archive-date=7 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507225701/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fhigher-education%2Fjames-cook-university-in-hot-water-over-claims-of-fish-fraud%2Fnews-story%2Fd7ffe362e70ad2f318fdcb06b0704a19&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&nk=7a1cf6dafd26469617fc314212f328c1-1620427864|url-status=live}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Enserin|first=Martin|date=2021-05-06|title=Does ocean acidification alter fish behavior? Fraud allegations create a sea of doubt|url=https://www.science.org/content/article/does-ocean-acidification-alter-fish-behavior-fraud-allegations-create-sea-doubt|access-date=2021-05-07|website=Science {{!}} AAAS|language=en|archive-date=21 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220821063637/https://www.science.org/content/article/does-ocean-acidification-alter-fish-behavior-fraud-allegations-create-sea-doubt|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Scientific Misconduct===

An investigation by the UK scientific journal [[Nature (journal)|''Nature'']] published on 8 January 2020, found that eight James Cook University (JCU) studies on the effect of climate change on coral reef fish, one of which was authored by a JCU educated discredited scientist, had a 100 percent replication failure and thus none of the findings of the original eight studies were found to be correct.<ref>{{cite web |date=18 January 2020 |title=Something smells fishy at JCU |url=https://www.spectator.com.au/2020/01/something-smells-fishy-at-jcu/ |access-date=11 July 2020 |website=Spectator Australia}}</ref> The Swedish scientists [[Josefin Sundin]] and [[Fredrik Jutfelt]] were the first to report their suspicions to [[Uppsala University]]. Their informal investigation, and the proofs they collected, lead to the formal investigation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=De avslørte at forskeren hadde diktet opp eksperimentet. Da startet kampen for å bli trodd. |url=https://www.forskerforum.no/de-avslorte-at-forskeren-hadde-diktet-opp-eksperimentet-da-startet-kampen-for-a-bli-trodd/ |access-date=2022-06-09 |website=www.forskerforum.no |date=29 November 2018 |language=nb-NO}}</ref> Concerns raised about a study the scientist published while at JCU between 2010 and 2014 included an improbable number of lionfish claimed to have been used in this study, and images of 50 fish provided which appeared to include multiple images of some biological specimens, and two images that had been flipped making two fish appear to be four.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fake science on fake fish from James Cook Uni? |url=http://joannenova.com.au/2019/01/fake-science-on-fake-fish-from-james-cook-uni/ |access-date=14 July 2020 |website=JoNova}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=James Cook University reviews ex-student's 'fishy' findings |newspaper=The Australian |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/james-cook-university-reviews-exstudents-fishy-findings/news-story/8c428a0bd81f8af2eed37f51d482b03e |access-date=14 July 2020}}{{subscription required|s}}</ref> The scientist had also been found guilty of fabricating data underpinning a study at Uppsala University in Sweden following her departure from JCU in Queensland, Australia.<ref>{{cite web |date=8 January 2020 |title=Ex-judge to investigate controversial marine research |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ex-judge-investigate-controversial-marine-research |access-date=11 July 2020 |website=Times Higher Education}}</ref> The study was subsequently retracted.<ref>{{cite web |date=25 September 2019 |title=Can you spot the duplicates? Critics say these photos of lionfish point to fraud |url=https://www.science.org/content/article/can-you-spot-duplicates-critics-say-these-photos-lionfish-point-fraud |access-date=12 July 2020 |website=Sciencemag}}</ref>