The new chancellor of the Australian National University has acknowledged "governance and behavioural problems and failures".
But Gordon de Brouwer said: "I love the university," adding that it would recover from those failures under his leadership.
"I use that language of love of the university for a purpose, for a reason, and it's to show that, frankly, it's my genuine thinking and my feeling towards the university," Dr de Brouwer told The Canberra Times.
"I have spent my whole professional life and beyond, thinking about the value of public institutions, understanding that, and making a difference and doing something about it."
But how will that translate into how he deals with hard questions about the deficit which his predecessor tried to address brutally?
"I thought the finances are not as bad," he said. He did not detail how the remaining deficit would be cut but he did indicate that his approach would be more consensual. He has a public service ethos rather than a tough business ethos.
He felt it was important that the people there realised that they "have a voice, and they can really exercise that, but they've got confidence that things are different".
"So, it's grounded in the positive, but really recognise the failures that have happened".
He was speaking on his second day in the job, and after recent years of what seemed like perpetual turmoil, with cost and job cuts, resignations and a difficult relationship with government.
As a former PhD student at the ANU and in close contact with the university since, he set a different tone from that of his predecessor who sometimes seemed dismissive of some academics. "I really respect the people, you know. I know them," Dr de Brouwer said.
So, it is already clear that he and his predecessor Julie Bishop are chalk and cheese. It's a 180-degree turn from Julie Bishop's red shoes to someone who seems like an "administration and government nerd", as someone who knows the ANU well put it - before adding "which is exactly what we need".
Julie Bishop was a Liberal ex-minister who embraced a business culture; Dr de Brouwer has been immersed in public service for more than three decades.
Their public faces were very different. He is low-key. She was up-front, easy in front of a microphone.
Ms Bishop, you may remember, wore sparkly scarlet heels on the day she announced her resignation from the male-dominated Liberal cabinet in 2018. The flamboyant footwear became a symbol of female empowerment (or the lack thereof). "Many people have told me the colour red should be a symbol of solidarity and empowerment among Australian women. The red shoe emoji has taken on a life of its own," she said afterwards.
Gordon de Brouwer's colour, on the other hand, is dark blue or grey, as no doubt befits the consummate public servant he seems to have been. He has virtually no social media profile. It's true he has an Instagram account - but doesn't post on it to his 75 followers.
Where Julie Bishop was an up-front politician of the right, Dr de Brouwer is an unflamboyant administrator with no discernible political affiliation - though Labor ministers praised him. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said: "I can't think of a better person to take on this important position at ANU."
When he has appeared on screen, it has often been before parliamentarians. When he resigned as the country's Public Service Commissioner, he broke down in tears while thanking his colleagues at his final Senate estimates committee.
He takes 35 years of experience in public policy to the ANU, as secretary of the Department of the Environment and Energy, and senior roles at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Treasury. He has a PhD in economics from the ANU. In 2015, he was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government, and appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the King's Birthday Honours this year.
Dr de Brouwer may not be politically aligned but that doesn't mean he's not political. He knows his way up and down the corridors of power - and that will be important as he tries to rebuild a relationship with the government. Last year, trust was so lacking that the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency ordered an assessment of the way the ANU governed itself.
The crises at the university had come like waves. An outside investigation found bullying, sexism and racial discrimination at the College of Health and Medicine. The investigator herself, Christine Nixon, seemed shocked: "It was certainly striking to realise that some supervisors do not yet understand that it is inappropriate to form personal or sexual relationships with students under their supervisory authority."
In the maelstrom of controversy, ANU Council members resigned. Ms Bishop resigned, as did vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell.
On top of all that, the then people in charge, including Julie Bishop, sought to cut spending by $250 million, including $100 million off the wage bill. Jobs were cut with, according to the union, minimal consultation. Some of the best academics left voluntarily.
So what is on Dr de Brouwer's to-do list?
First of all, he will need to rebuild trust with the staff and students. While defending the job cuts in 2024, Julie Bishop claimed that "many members of staff have been part of the inefficiencies that the university is now seeking to address." This comment stung. Dr de Brouwer will need to be open, transparent and plain-speaking with the ANU community in order to win back their trust. This is a highly educated, critically thinking community that will not be easily swayed. The soft skills of leadership and thoughtful communication will need to be deployed.
He will need to take a fine-tooth comb over the university's finances to determine for himself where the problems, if any, truly lie. Students have noticed that they have larger classes and less access to specialists than in previous years. Some of them are skipping meals to scrape by after paying ever-increasing fees for housing and parking. The university needs to balance efficiency without interfering with the student experience.
He will also need to reset the tone of the ANU Council. In the recent past, debate among council members has been stymied on important issues while there appeared to be a divide between the elected members representing staff and students and the members appointed by the education minister. The makeup and responsibilities of the council are likely to change under amendments to the ANU Act the government is expecting to bring to Parliament later this year. With a number of council positions still vacant, Dr de Brouwer has the opportunity to create a more consultative and respectful council.
