Crime and Misconduct Commission report slams University of Queensland for its public statements over a nepotism scandal A LONG-AWAITED Crime and Misconduct Commission report into a nepotism enrolment scandal that rocked the University of Queensland has slammed the institution for "downplaying the seriousness of the matter" in its public statements. The report, which took 21 months to complete, focused on the enrolment of a close-relative of then vice-chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield and the subsequent fall out, first revealed by The Courier-Mail in November 2011. It was tabled in State Parliament Friday morning. It found 343 students were "better placed to receive an offer" in the prestigious medical degree program than the family member offered a place. "It is clear from the reviews and investigation undertaken by the CMC the decision to offer a place in the 2011 undergraduate medical program to the daughter of the then Vice-Chancellor was not based on merit," CMC's Acting Assistant Commissioner Misconduct, Kathleen Florian said in a statement. The offer was more than an irregularity in the enrolment process as previously described by the University and helped the student in question receive an offer before 343 other students who were better placed to receive an offer. The report also found the university had shown a "lack of transparency" in its statements to the public and staff, after the matter was reported to it in September 2011, nine months after the original decision. The CMC agreed with the University of Queensland that the resignation of two of its most senior executives was appropriate considering what transpired. However, the CMC did not agree that those resignations would be on the basis of generalised accountability," Ms Florian said. The CMC considered the public statements made by the University of Queensland in November 2011 downplayed the seriousness of the matter and the involvement of two of its most senior executives and therefore requested the resignation dates be brought forward. In a statement, UQ welcomed the release of the report following an "exhaustive examination." "The decision of the Senate to accept the resignations on the basis that the reasons for the resignations would not be made public was difficult, having regard to the competing interests of the avoidance of operational disruption and reputational damage on the one hand, and the promotion of transparency on the other hand," the statement said. It said UQ had accepted "its response was not well handled and acknowledges that it lacked the transparency called for in the circumstances." The University has noted and taken on board the conclusion of the CMC that it demonstrated a lack of transparency in its public statements and in its statements to its own staff. UQ also said it had "learnt from the events" and pointed to the CMC's endorsement of measures taken by the university to address integrity and accountability. The CMC has called a press conference for noon Friday.