<div dir="ltr"><div>apologies for cross posting. Please share with your networks and email <a href="mailto:joyce.wu@anu.edu.au">joyce.wu@anu.edu.au</a> to add your name to this list.<br><br></div><br><p style="margin:0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:rgb(33,33,33);background-color:rgb(255,255,255)">
<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">An open letter to the Australian universities' Vice Chancellors,</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">Following the
ongoing investigation of Prof Barry Spurr at the University of Sydney,
the event raised broader issues of implementing anti-discrimination
policies in Australian universities, with
particular concern to race and gender.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">That there is
still a public debate about Prof Spurr’s behaviour is testament that
much more needs to be done about educating and enculturating respect for
gender equality, multiculturalism, and
Australia’s Aboriginal and Indigenous heritage.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">There is
opportunity now for Australian universities to be proactive and reflect
on their anti-discrimination policies to ensure that they promote the
values of equality and justice. This means much
more than noble sentiments on the guidelines or website, but rather a
set of procedures, practices, and training to ensure both staff and
students are aware of their rights and obligations to respect each
other. For example, in university performance and job
interviews, there is a tendency to ask if people are aware of
anti-discrimination policies, but what is needed is question about what
people have been doing to advance the university’s anti-discrimination
policies. Another example is universities’ response
towards sexual harassment and assault cases. There is a culture of
treating sexual harassment and assault </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">(for example, </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">that
take place within student accommodation</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">)</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">often </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">as
an internal administrative issue rather than a criminal offence to be handled by the police.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">In the case of
racist, sexist, homophobic and other anti-social language and beliefs,
it is vital for universities to be proactive and change the culture
which facilitates and encourages such beliefs
and behaviour. The senior staff have a particular role in showing or
providing leadership in modelling ethical behaviour and tak</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">ing</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> action
when they see bad ones. In the case of Barry Spurr, the context of
sending racist and sexist emails (using university email account) to a
number of recipients over the years</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">,</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> when
he is a senior academic whose job is to educate and help students,
demonstrate a failure in both leadership and ethical behaviour.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">We are a group
of academics, students, and activists in Australian universities. Our
roles and identities are diverse, but we are writing because we are
concerned about the current climate of </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">increased </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">intolerance </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">to
matters of </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black">diversity
and equality and its detrimental impact upon tertiary institutions,
staff and students across the country. Since the case of Barry Spurr,
there have been very few in
the education system speak</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">ing</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> out </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">to</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> condemn
his racist and sexist behaviour. We would like to see the universities – starting </span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:rgb(31,73,125)">with</span><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;color:black"> Vice Chancellors – to
demonstrate greater political will and ethical obligation towards protecting their staff and students.</span></p></div>