By ERWIN CHLANDA
Batchelor College CEO Robert Somerville (at left) “offered to step down from his position effective from close of business” today and his resignation was accepted unanimously, according to a leaked email from chairperson Markham Rose (at right).
He says this follows “hard conversations” about “the welfare of students and future of Batchelor” this week and “there will be some changes the administration of Batchelor Institute”.
Professor Somerville was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (director) of Batchelor Institute for Indigenous Tertiary Education on February 2, 2015.
Professor Rose says in the email that Peter Stephenson had been appointed as acting senior officer to “set up an institution wide consultative group … to initiate the procurement for the review process.”
The institute has been in turmoil for some time, according to well informed sourced, but had stonewalled enquiries from the Alice Springs News Online.