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Six students have been expelled and 21 suspended at St Paul’s College following acts of sexual degradation against another student at the College.
Honi Soit understands that the incident involved a ‘mock trial’ levelled against a male student, which led to ‘punishment’ by acts of sexual degradation and humiliation. Multiple sources have alleged this included the use of sex toys.
Students directly involved in the ‘trial’ faced expulsion, while spectators involved were suspended.
While disciplinary actions were published in the media Tuesday morning, the incident took place last week. An anonymous source within the colleges claimed that during a St Paul’s meeting on Monday night, college residents were told by administration that at least 10 were to be expelled and 33 were to be suspended. This contrasts media reporting of 6 students expelled and 21 suspended.
Honi understands that all the students expelled so far are male.
The college has been contacted by Honi for comment but has not confirmed the specific details of the incident.
In the most recent statement released by the University, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Joanne Wright stated, “We fully understand the seriousness of the matter and have conveyed our strong disappointment to St Paul’s.”
The statement stated that the University is “engaging with the College to understand the additional steps they are taking to manage this issue” although clarity on the nature of the issue was not provided.
The Anglican College was founded in 1856 and was the first all-boys college in Australia until its move to the co-educational model in 2023.
USyd’s residential colleges have a history of misogynistic and dangerous conduct.The Red Zone report, released in 2018, details decades of hazing and abuse allegations against the residential colleges.
In a statement to Honi, the Sydney University SRC Womens Officers said: “College culture is and always has been deeply misogynistic and violent, with the documented evidence of rape, hazing, abuse, and an unsolved murder on college grounds speaking for itself.”
The SRC Womens Collective have held a long-running campaign calling to abolish the colleges at the University, “The Women’s Collective is bringing a petition to the State Parliament to abolish the colleges. Go to abolishthecolleges.org to pledge your support. We will not stop demanding change until the colleges are abolished and students have access to genuinely safe and affordable housing.”
