UNIVERSITY of Queensland Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield will lose his job today as further details emerge about the admission of his unqualified close relative to the university’s medical course.

Professor Greenfield admitted last month a “breakdown in the normal checks and balances” had led to an enrolment decision that “while neither requested nor made by me, was inappropriate and benefited a close relative”.

“The enrolment decision was the result of an unfortunate misunderstanding of a conversation and a breakdown in the normal checks and balances that control such decisions,” Professor Greenfield said.

A university memo has now shown the relative in question was enrolled following a meeting last January between the scholarships office, the Dean of Medicine and then-acting Vice Chancellor Professor Michael Keniger.

The memo said the applicant did not have the requisite Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test scores required for enrolment and was not the recipient of a scholarship.

Professor Greenfield and Professor Keniger resigned after an investigation into the enrolment process, with Professor Greenfield set to leave in July 2012 and Professor Keniger on 31 December this year.

Professor Greenfield’s resignation was later brought forward to 13 January but this week Chancellor John Story said the university senate had decided he had to go now and Professor Greenfield would take leave from today.

“It had become increasingly clear to Professor Greenfield and the senate that the vice-chancellor could no longer fully discharge his duties in a way that either he would like or which the university could accept,” Mr Story said.

“At the time of their resignations, the senate took the view that as there was no risk of the situation being repeated, the University's interests would be best served by allowing a staggered departure.

“The Senate recognises that this approach is no longer feasible,” he said.

Professor Greenfield will not receive a termination payment but will collect his legally entitled residual accrued leave based on his official departure date.