University’s not so secular secret

Warrane College, an Opus Dei affiliated student residence, has come under fire recently over allegations of sexism, and religious censorship.

You can find Warrane near the University of NSW, along Anzac Parade. It is what’s known as an affiliate college, meaning it is not directly controlled by the university. Instead the land was leased to Opus Dei, a far-right Catholic religious sect, in 1967, with the hopes of establishing campus accommodation for males. On its website Warrane is promoted as featuring a wholesome, family atmosphere.. critics on the other hand have labelled its practices archaic and feudal.

An ex-Warrane resident, who did not wish to be identified, was critical of the culture within the college, which only allows women above the first floor if they are cleaning male bedrooms. According to the source, the residency floors are sealed off to be cleaned, they are sealed off so that male residents do not interact with their female cleaners. A similar practice is used in the kitchen, according to the ex-resident, who told the City Hub that females cook the male residents food in an isolated kitchen, to prevent social interaction.

“I think they had it far stricter than we did,” he told City Hub. “If we accidental saw them, they would hurry off… it made me wonder what are they so afraid of.”

The females that work within Warrane are either long time Opus Dei members, or students participating in hospitality industry training. In return for working within the college trainees are payed, and provided free accommodation within another college, around the corner on Barker St. Although this can be seen as a fair trade-off, this patriarchal dynamic has been criticised for its potential to foster sexist attitudes within the residents.

“They are open about it from day one,” said the ex-resident, in defence of the college’s practices. “I would find it more offensive if the [hospitality staff] didn’t know what they were getting into.”

What the ex-resident was most critical of was the college’s internet censorship. The only way Warrane residents are able to gain access to the internet, while in their rooms, is through the building’s internet, which is heavily censored. The college has a history of barring access to pornographic content, and anti-Opus Dei websites, although Warrane College’s Assistant-Dean, Dr Phillip Elias, told the City Hub, the latter may no longer be the case.

The ex-resident  gave examples of violations of his privacy, and infringements on his right to freely access information. He told the City Hub that his internet was monitored while living in Warrane, and recalled that college management singled him out several times after viewing blocked content.

“They would leave a note in your cubby hole requesting that you come and talk to them, or if they bumped into you in the hall they would ask you to come to the office,” he said.

When Warrane was contacted for comment on these criticisms, Assistant-Dean, Dr Phillip Elias called them “silly” and told the City Hub that pornography was blocked “for common decency.”

By Kieran Adair