The University of Melbourne (UniMelb) has published their inaugural annual report into racism at the university on 7th May. The report details the 62 complaints received in 2024 on matters relating to racism.
The report comprised of 33 complaints in breach of the Appropriate Workplace Policy against university staff, nine complaints in breach of the Student Conduct Policy against students, and 20 complaints relating to other behaviours regarding teaching and learning, and cultural responsiveness. These matters are regarding alleged racism, discrimination, harassment, or vilification on campus.
Of the 33 complaints against staff at the university, only two were investigated. One staff member was sacked for “serious misconduct” as a result of the investigation. The other complaint is still being examined.
13 of the remaining complaints against staff have been referred to UniMelb’s Human Resources team or to a manager. 12 of the complaints were out of scope and/or had insufficient information. One complaint has been withdrawn by the complainant.
There were 10 complaints about general behaviour not attributed to any individuals on campus. Rather, complainants described “feeling of being unsafe due to the presence of protest activity, use of stickers or slogans, or perceived racism of University statements/positions.”
Complaints describing their experience in 2024 related mostly either to the experience of Indigenous and international students at the University, or to concerns about individual’s experiences with antisemitism or Islamophobia.
In a section titled “Conflict on campus”, the report also detailed the impact of protests in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. In 2024, the university received 39 complaints relating to what the it calls “the conflict in the Middle East”. 14 of these were directly related to allegations of racism, with “12 of them alleging antisemitism and two alleging Islamophobia”.
17 students involved in the occupation of the Arts West building, renamed by students as ‘Mahmoud’s Hall’, a Palestinian student killed in Gaza, were given formal reprimands. Four staffers were subject to performance and misconduct actions.
Many complaints related to posters, slogans, and stickers, during the period of the Palestine Solidarity Encampment and the occupation of the Arts West/Mahmoud’s Hall building. There were complaints during this period about“feelings of discomfort over student activism, non-specific safety concerns, and discomfort over the University’s response to protest and/or activism.”
Challenges regarding under-reporting were also acknowledged through the UoM Lived Experience of Racism Survey.
Of these responses, 29 per cent of students and 14 per cent of staff noted that they “did not know whom or how to report racism in the University.”
25 per cent of student respondents and 29 per cent of staff respondents felt unsafe reporting racism.
53 per cent of student and staff respondents expressed no confidence at all in the University’s handling of racism.
