New dean involved in financial controversy

The recently hired dean of IU-Purdue University in Indianapolis's law school may have some controversy surrounding him when he takes his position July 1. Anthony Ashton Tarr, who is currently the dean of the law school at the University of Queensland, Australia, is credited with making Australia\'s law school eminent, and establishing the law program at Bond University in Queensland, Australia.\nIn a statement released by IU president Myles Brand, Brand said, "It is a tribute to the school\'s reputation that we were able to attract someone with such an impressive and international background. I expect that reputation will only grow under dean Tarr\'s able guidance."\nThe controversy surrounding Tarr stems from his stint as one of the directors of the Law Employee\'s Superannuation Fund, a retirement fund for law employees in the Queensland area. The fund made a loan to a child care operator in July, 1997 to the tune of $2.5 million Australian dollars, or $1,338,158.64 in U.S. money. As of the 1999 annual report released by the fund, the loan had not been repaid, and the officers of the fund appointed \'receivers\' to act on the non payment. \nIn 2001, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission commenced civil penalty proceedings against Tarr and the other directors, demanding an acknowledgement of wrongdoing and compensation for monies lost. The very next day, the directors of the fund sent out a release stating that most of the money had been recollected through the sale of the child care operation, leaving the fund short only 800,000 Australian dollars.\nIn the statement released, current fund directors Peter Short and Ray Rinaudo said, "LESF (the fund) are now confident the Perdriau loan business, which is a transaction that took place over four years ago, is now well and truly behind us."\nTarr did not wish to speak about the civil case, which is still pending.\n"I\'m not going to add anything to what Chancellor Bepko has already said about the matter," Tarr said.\nTarr called the attention being given to the matter "another sort of schillacking" although he did offer some comment on why he is taking the job in Indianapolis.\n"(The Indianapolis law school) is at the cusp of taking the next quantum leap to being one of the finest law schools in the US," Tarr said. Tarr was also impressed with the international study programs that the Indianapolis law school offers.\nTarr also has some more personal connections to the US.\n"My family, to an extent, is based in the U.S.," Tarr said. His wife is an American graduate of Cornell law school. Tarr said he hopes for his children to be nearer to their grandparents, who also live in the States. \nThe problem in Australia with the civil case, he said, is a "small issue"