Deakin founder ‘inspiration’

By Noel Murphy
DEAKIN University’s founding vice-chancellor, Professor Fred Jevons, has died in Melbourne after a long battle with illness.
He was aged in his 80s.
The ground-breaking educator set up Deakin at Waurn Ponds in a controversial breakaway from the former Gordon Institute of Technology in 1977.
Geelong historian and author Roy Hay described him as inspirational and a visionary.
“Anything that Deakin has done now can be traced back to the way Freddie set things up,” Mr Hay said.
“The best of Deakin reflects the kind of ethos Freddie put in place.”
Mr Hay, who co-authored the 2002 book Breaking the Mould: Deakin University, the First Twenty Five Years, said many people “didn’t really welcome the way the university was set up”.
“But for those who came across, it provided huge opportunities and many people picked those up and ran. On the other hand, others were stymied,” Mr Hay said.
“He was an absolute inspiration. It’s not that we didn’t have our battles over all kinds of things but he was a great guy.
“He was the making of me in many ways.”
Prof Jevons’ tenure at Deakin was cruelled by controversies such as the Briggs affair, in which the university was embarrassed when biochemist Michael Briggs was found to have faked research on the contraceptive pill.
Deakin, however, also went on to win two University of the Year awards.
The university described Prof Jevons as “a highly respected leader who will be remembered for his gentle and generous nature and genuine support of others”.
Prof Jevons was renowned for championing the importance of universities’ pursuit of knowledge.
“‘Knowledge is a university’s business. It is, if you like, the commodity in which it trades,’’ he said in his valedictory speech to Deakin.
“A university needs to be jealous of the reputation of that knowledge.
“If a university does not guard intellectual integrity and excellence, it is failing in the profoundest possible way the community that harbours and nurtures it.”