University of Sydney Jewish staff make workplace claim against ‘vicious, racist campaign’ on campus

Several University of Sydney employees have filed a workplace claim against management for ‘psychosocial harm’ following a ‘vicious, racist campaign’ on campus, and sought criminal sanctions against vice-chancellor Mark Scott.

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

Several Jewish employees at the University of Sydney have filed a workplace claim against university management for “psychosocial harm” following a “vicious, racist campaign” on campus, and sought criminal sanctions against vice-chancellor Mark Scott.

The SafeWork NSW claim says the claimants have had their safety impacted by “a vicious, racist campaign”. It was co-signed by some non-Jewish staff.

“We have been reporting psychosocial hazards at the workplace to the university since October 7th, 2023,” they said.

“We assert that the university is a psychologically unsafe environment for Jewish staff and students and we contend that the university ought to have taken steps to minimise this entirely foreseeable harm.”

The workplace action comes after a turbulent first half of the year at Australia’s oldest university as it was rocked by allegations of anti-Semitism amid a long-running pro-Palestine encampment protest on the Quad lawns.

Separately, The Australian has obtained a copy of a prescient letter 31 staff members sent to university management at the start of the year – before the protests began – urging the university to designate a campus area “not in the main student thoroughfare” so “students do not feel intimidated and threatened”.

Once protests started, Jewish students reported there were “no-go areas” on the campus.

Professor Scott in May told 2GB “it’s a very large university and it’s very possible to work your way around … and not be confronted by the encampment”.

The letter, dated January 17, also urged university management to ban the Socialist Alliance and other groups “advocating the intifada”, and a rule against interruption of classes or other university events. The Socialist Alliance played a central role in the protests and the university found itself in hot water when pro-Palestine students interrupted a lecture and ignored directions from to leave.

The SafeWork NSW claim listed examples of the alleged psychosocial harm, such as student protests on campus calling for “intifada”, a graffiti tunnel on campus the claimants said called for “Jewish genocide”, posters with “violent, offensive images”, and a recent student representative council motion that “affirmed violence against Jews”.

The claim singled out Professor Scott.

“Mark Scott must face criminal sanctions,” it read. “SafeWork NSW must prosecute Mark Scott for his failure to meet his obligations … to protect the psychological safety of Jewish students and staff in the workplace. Not only has he failed in his legal obligations to the relevant stakeholders, he has rewarded a campaign of violence and intimidation with involvement in appointments, investments and curricula.”

The claim also asked for investigations on the part of SafeWork into students and staff over anti-Semitic behaviour. The claim was made in one ex-staff member’s name but was signed by 18 other staff members and two students.

Professor Scott is scheduled to appear before NSW budget estimates on Wednesday afternoon.

When contacted for comment, a university spokeswoman said “ensuring the safety of our staff and students is always our top priority”.

“When the encampment was first established, we quickly put in place additional measures to help students and staff continue to move around the campus safely, including additional security and personal escorts where requested,” she said. “We’re providing comprehensive wellbeing support and continue to assess and control the psychosocial hazards on our campuses.”