ECAJ submission to Hodgkinson inquiry into University of Sydney’s policies and processes.
Over the years, and especially in the last 12 months, the ECAJ, as well as some of its Constituents and Affiliates, have been in regular dialogue with the leadership of the University of Sydney (the University) to advocate for an environment that is free of racial and religious discrimination and offers all Jewish and Israeli students, professional staff and academics the same opportunities to learn and to teach respectively that are offered to all other students and academics.
Regrettably, the culture of the University has changed considerably over a prolonged period, and most markedly since the massacre by Hamas in southern Israel on 7 October 2023. Perversely, the murder of 1,200 people in Israel and the taking of 251 hostages by Hamas on 7 October 2023 sparked an anti-Israel protest movement that has a strongly antisemitic undercurrent and which has catalysed previously latent antisemitism into a pervasive and threatening force at the University.
Dialogue between the University’s leadership and the Australian Jewish community that was once characterised by openness and good faith has, in the last year, felt tokenistic and disingenuous, focused less on genuine learning and positive actions and more on damage control and optics. While the ECAJ and its relevant Constituents and Affiliates have often had the opportunity to voice their concerns, and have been heard politely, the University leadership has failed to listen and takeappropriate actions in response to this dialogue.
The breaking point for the Australian Jewish community was the shock announcement that the University had entered into an agreement with a group acting in concert with the extremist Hizb ut-Tahrir organisation, to participate in a working group to review the University’s investments and defence and security-related research activities. This pandering to radicalised factions is just one example of the sidelining of the values that ought to imbue the approach universities take to the provision of tertiary education. It followed written and verbal assurances from Vice Chancellor Mark Scott that no further offers would be made by the University to the group. These assurances were not honoured.
In addition, the ECAJ has consistently raised with the University leadership issues including a lack of understanding by the University leadership as to what antisemitism is; how it is manifested; the intimidation of Jewish students, staff, visiting academics from Israel, and opponents of the encampment; jihadi involvement in the encampment and protests and rhetorical support for Hamas; denial of 7 October 2023 atrocities by academics; ongoing disturbance and dilution of a qualitylearning and work environment; and the misuse of the Model Code on Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom. We have not seen appropriate action taken with respect to any of these matters.
Read the full submission (download below) for detailed submissions on:
- Lack of understanding of what constitutes antisemitism by University leadership
- Intimidation of Jewish students, staff, visiting academics, and any other opponents of the encampment
- Jihadi involvement in the encampment, protests and events
- Ongoing disturbance and dilution of a quality learning environment
- Misuse of Model Code on Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom
An external review of policies and processes by the University of Sydney is a welcome and necessary development following several years of progressively deteriorating conditions for Jewish students, staff and academics at the University and eleven months of pervasive hostility and antisemitism on campus. In this environment, social cohesion has deteriorated, and truth, objectivity, academic rigour and empathy have been sidelined. It is the ECAJ’s hope that this review will identify the serious institutional problems that have led to this decline and explore methods of addressing them effectively. We believe that words must be accompanied by actions, and that unless embedded antisemitism is confronted and denounced through concrete measures, the University’s reputation as a leading tertiary institution will suffer irreparably.
Download full submission
- ECAJ Submission Hodgkinson Inquiry (PDF: 1.7MB)
