Dozens of University of Sydney staff, students say Mark Scott ‘must resign’ despite his admissions of ‘failure’

A group of about 60 current and former University of Sydney academics and staff say there’s ‘too much mistrust’ for Mark Scott to mend the relationship with Jewish staff and students.

University of Sydney vice-chancellor Mark Scott. Picture: Jane Dempster

A group of about 60 current and former University of Sydney academics and staff say there’s “too much mistrust and too much damage” for vice-chancellor Mark Scott to mend the relationship with Jewish staff and students, and he must resign.

Those comments come despite his long-awaited apology on Friday to a Senate hearing on anti-Semitism on Australian campuses, and an admission he had “failed”.

“I realise there is a lot of work to do to win back the trust and confidence of the university’s Jewish community,” he said in his opening statement.

“I am committed to that.”

Former University of Sydney academic Andy Smidt, speaking on behalf of the 60 Jewish and non-Jewish staff and former staff from the University of Sydney, said there was a “general lack of confidence” that the former ABC managing director could fix the university’s relationship with the Jewish community.

“We need to rebuild trust, and there’s too much mistrust, too much damage. We don’t have confidence that Mark Scott is the guy to lead this,” she said, adding that he had been given “every opportunity to understand the perspectives of Jewish staff and students” and they had “informed him via every legitimate platform”.

Dr Smidt, an associate professor who quit the University of Sydney in part because of anti-Semitism, said: “He needs to resign if there is any future for USyd to continue to recruit Jewish staff and students.”

Andy Smidt, centre, attends a protest of Jewish students at the University of Sydney. Picture: Britta Campion

Appearing before the Senate committee, Professor Scott said testimonials by Jewish students and staff were “heartbreaking and unacceptable, and for that I am sorry”. He also sent his opening statement via email to all staff and students on Friday afternoon.

When pressed by opposition education spokeswoman Sarah Henderson and senator Paul Scarr on Friday whether this constituted a failure of leadership, Professor Scott said: “Yes, I have failed them and the university has ­failed them.”

Seven staff from the aforementioned group have now resigned, citing anti-Semitism as one of the reasons, Dr Smidt told The Australian.

Jodi Rosenthal, who works on campus, resigned last week, telling The Australian she had been worn down by 11 months of “feeling uncomfortable” and as if she “had to hide”.

“I have a Star of David I wear that I covered up walking though those areas; nothing felt comfortable for a long time. I’ve never had that feeling in Australia,” the 54-year-old said. “What (Professor Scott) said now … doesn’t even begin to help the situation because we’re almost at 12 months, and that’s not good enough … The only thing I’m happy with is he’s read the complaints. I personally am so disappointed, hence why I’ve resigned. I don’t think he’s the right person for the future of Sydney University.”

University of Sydney’s Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) president Zac Wine said the apology came “too late” after no action for 11 months.

“AUJS’s stance is that there needs to be trust between the leadership of the university and the Jewish students and Jewish community … There’s no trust between AUJS and Mark Scott’s office, there’s no trust that he is able create a supportive environment on campus. While Mark Scott is in office, I do not believe the relationship can be repaired because of what he has done over the last many months.”

Student Dror Liraz, 19, at a protest at the University of Sydney. Picture: Britta Campion

Another University of Sydney staff member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said: “Mark Scott’s apology will do nothing to address the ongoing endemic anti-Semitism that exists at USYD. Too little, too late.”

Professor Scott said the university had “taken many actions” that included “establishing an independent review of relevant university policies and processes to be undertaken by Bruce Hodgkinson, a senior counsel with expertise in health and safety”.