Pleas are being made to the management of the Australia National University not to destroy one of the flagships of the institution, its focus on Pacific studies.
Faced with an operating shortfall the ANU cut heavily into the School of Culture, History and Language, with Pacific history suffering significantly.
This follows on from earlier cutbacks to the State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Program.
Dr Brij Lal, who retired from the ANU after teaching history there for 25 years, says Pacific history at the ANU has a legacy going back to the 1950s.
"And it is the world's premier centre for historical Pacific research. There is no other university in the world which matches the ANU in the breadth and quality of its research in this field. So I think the future of Pacific History and Pacific studies generally at ANU are in grave danger."