The New South Wales Council for Civil Liberties (NSWCCL) have released a statement condemning the University of Sydney’s Campus Access Policy 2024, which contains several new restrictions on student demonstrations.
The NSWCCL have stated that they oppose this policy “in the strongest terms,” with President Lydia Shelly calling for its “immediate reversal.”
Shelly said in a statement that the Campus Access Policy is “an affront to the democratic principles universities should be fostering – not banning.”
The policy requires that all demonstrations must inform the university 72 hours in advance of protest action taking place. The policy outlines a number of “unacceptable activities,” including demonstrations without notice.
The policy has also categorised a number of acts as “activities that require approval,” including the use of megaphones and amplifiers on campus, and the hanging of banners from University buildings.
The policy specifies that breaches of these new restrictions can result in protesters being removed from campus, having property confiscated, and gives campus security the right to detain protesters and “and deliver them to NSW Police as soon as possible.”
“Student protests on campus have a long history and occur in the spirit of academic freedom and the free flow of ideas in educational institutions,” Shelly said, highlighting a long history that puts students “firmly on the right side of history.”
“Protest as an expression of free speech should be welcomed on university campuses as one of the hallmarks of flourishing intellectual communities,” she said.
In relation to the powers to remove protesters, Shelly criticised the policy as “excessive” and “disproportionate,” as well as “giving excessive discretion to protective services and the Vice Chancellor.”
A University spokesperson told Honi that “when updating our campus access policy, it was imperative that academic freedom and freedom of speech remain protected.”
“The policy is similar to policies at other universities and was reviewed to provide clear information about our expectations and requirements for people who enter and use our lands,” they said.
“We wanted to ensure the right settings were in place for Semester 2 so students and staff can fully participate in all aspects of campus life, and we could prioritise the safety of everyone in our community. We have a rich history of activism and protest on our campuses, and all students and staff have the right to express themselves freely, as long as it’s done safely and in accordance with our policies and the law.
We uphold our students’ right to express their opinions in a respectful way and safe demonstrations are still very supported, but this policy makes it clear that our campus is not a camping ground.”
This policy has been implemented in the midst of preparations for a Student General Meeting in support of Palestine, set to take place on August 7.
