The University of Sydney’s peak governing body has rejected a meeting of convocation to discuss its “current direction” on Gaza,” and leaders have condemned the presence of a ‘Globalise The Intifada” ticket in student elections last week.
The 19th century convention of a “convocation” of graduates and academic staff is in the University’s founding Act of NSW Parliament, but it has not met for decades. The call for a meeting is in an open letter to Chancellor David Thodey from around 400 staff and alumni.
The Senate decision followed advice from Mr Thodey, citing the university’s, “legal duty … to protect the attendees’ psychosocial safety, and I am not satisfied that can be achieved in a live debate over a broad, controversial subject involving (potentially) thousands of people.”
The university will instead hold a University-wide ‘community engagement forum’ in Q1 2027, “to discuss issues of significance to the University community, including freedom of expression and academic freedom.” Mr Thodey states the delay will allow the timing of the forum will allow participants to fully consider the report of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion and regulator TEQSA’s new antiracism requirements.
In a related development yesterday, the university retrospectively condemned the Student Representative Council for allowing the “Globalise” ticket to contest elections, calling it “totally unacceptable.”
“We deplore the manipulation of the recent election campaign – and the use of posters and banners – to spread hurtful and distressing language across campus,” Mr Thodey and Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott announced in a public statement.
“We reject the contention that this phrase is innocuous. The deliberately provocative use of this slogan has caused – and continues to cause – overwhelming distress to members of our University community. These hateful campaigns must stop.”
They also announced an “assessment” of affiliations and funding of student groups “to ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and psychosocial safety requirements.” The university will also conduct an assessment of staff and student codes of conduct, “to ensure they adequately reflect our commitment to a safe and welcoming environment, in which there is no place for harassment, victimisation or intimidation.”
The VC and Chancellor also promised, “action will be taken against students or staff who are found to have breached our policies” under existing disciplinary policies.
Uni Sydney’s responses follow widespread criticism that it was too slow to respond to the April-June 2024 Gaza protest encampment on campus. In his July evidence to the Royal Commission, Professor Scott apologised to Jewish students and staff, “for our inability to have kept them closer.”
“I appreciate that there was a period of time when the encampment was on, in particular, that there were students and staff members who did not feel safe,” he said.