The unfolding conflict in Israel and Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe for the people of the region, and its impacts are ricocheting around the world. Many Sussex students, staff and alumni have friends and families in harm’s way. Others not directly involved, also feel at risk, fearful of a rise in antisemitism or Islamophobia.  

At this time, more than ever, we aspire to mobilise our community values of inclusion and kindness. We are rightly proud of our internationalism, and we are committed to living and working together across differences of background, belief, identity, nationality, and religion. There is no place for antisemitism, Islamophobia, or any form of racism at Sussex.

These are the statements the University has made to the media and the communications shared with students and staff on this issue. The list will be updated.

Statement to the Jewish Chronicle - Wednesday 1 May 

The Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex, Professor Sasha Roseneil, said: “The University takes very seriously our obligations to support our Jewish students and staff and to provide a safe and secure environment in which to work, live and study.

“We hold regular and ongoing engagement with our on-campus Jewish community, including the Jewish Society and the Rabbis who form part of our multi-faith, on campus chaplaincy to ensure we are listening to their concerns and that we provide support and work together.

“The University is committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive learning and working environment for every member of our diverse and international community. We will not tolerate expressions of antisemitism or any form of racism.”

Email to all staff and students from Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor and President - Thursday 2 May

Everyone reading this message will be aware of the strength of feeling that is being expressed in many places around the world about the violence and loss of life and habitats in Gaza and across the Occupied Palestinian Territories since the terrorist attacks and hostage-taking by Hamas in Israel last October.

Last week I received an open letter about the University’s position on the situation, and yesterday, members of the University Executive Team and I met with representatives of the University and College Union (UCU) and the Students’ Union (USSU) to talk about the issues raised. Members of our community at Sussex have been peacefully protesting and expressing their lawful opinions in a range of ways over recent months and we remain committed to supporting this, and we respect the positions articulated in the letter, as well as by colleagues with a range of other views.

Socially responsible investment

The University’s Socially Responsible Investment Policy was introduced in 2016-17, following a process of development led by Council. After yesterday’s meeting, I will be recommending to Council that we establish a new group, which will include student and staff representatives, to review this policy, and to consider how it should be updated to ensure that the University’s approach to socially responsible investment reflects our institutional values and remains sector-leading.

Our current Socially Responsible Investment Policy, among other things, requires our investment managers to consider human rights, good business ethics and employment practices, and the protection of the global environment, its climate and biodiversity. In addition, the University will not invest in tobacco, gambling, pornography, and arms. The policy also expects our investment managers to consider the promotion of international cooperation and an end to international conflict. This is a strong and effective policy, and our investment managers have been responsive to feedback from the University community about some of our investments over recent years, which has led to acts of divestment. However, in light of changing global contexts and investment opportunities, it is right that we review our policy, testing it with our community, and seeking best-practice in ethical investment.

Institutional statements

From yesterday’s meeting, as well as through conversations with students and colleagues over the last few months, I know that some members of our community are disappointed that the University is not taking a specific institutional position on the conflict in Israel-Gaza/Palestine. I would like to set out the reasons for this, and the principles that underpin it.

According to our founding Charter, the University of Sussex exists ‘to advance learning and knowledge by teaching and research to the benefit of the wider community’ (University Charter, as revised in 2012, para 3). It is through the critical thinking and challenging questions posed by our academics, and through their rigorous research and inspirational teaching, as well as through the curiosity, dedication and energy of our students and alumni that Sussex makes its impact on the world. The University’s work of education and research rests on a foundational commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech, and the University must be a place in which diversity of belief and thought, as well as of background and identity, discipline and method, should not just be tolerated but actively encouraged and nurtured.

This is why, I believe, the University as an institution should refrain from making statements about matters that are external to the running of the organisation which might foreclose debate and discussion, or that make judgements about contested issues on which there are a multitude of views amongst our community. It is our responsibility as a University to encourage and support all members of our community to freely express their views and beliefs within the law, and to protect and promote colleagues’ academic freedom. This involves creating and sustaining an environment that fosters and supports a diversity of views and opinions for all members of our community. We are, and must continue to be, a site of intellectual disagreement and contestation.

None of this limits individual members of our community from taking any positions they judge right and appropriate, but it does limit the positions and views that Sussex, as an institution, can adopt.

Our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity and kindness are overwhelmingly supported across our community, and continue to guide and shape how we live and work together, as does our rejection of antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism and hostility towards Palestinians, and all other forms of discrimination and harassment.

Support for Palestinian students

Sussex has long been committed to providing practical support to students and academics in times of crisis and from places experiencing war and conflict. For example, we offer Sanctuary Scholarships, Said Foundation Scholarships for students from Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, Higher Education Scholarship Palestine (HESPAL) scholarships, and Council for At Risk Academics (CARA) PhD scholarships. We are currently looking at how we might expand our support for Palestinian students, academics, and universities, in the context of the destruction of the educational infrastructure in Gaza.

Many of you reading this might disagree with some of what I have said here, but I hope that I have explained the principles with which we are operating. I would like to thank the representatives of UCU and the Students’ Union for our constructive and collegial meeting yesterday. We did not agree on everything, but I think we did, at least, engage in meaningful dialogue about these important issues.

 

Email to all staff and students from Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor and President - Friday 8 March 

This week a serious incident involving threatening behaviour occurred on campus. Within 20 minutes of a report being made to campus Security, police were on site dealing with the situation. As this incident is subject to an ongoing police investigation I am not able to comment on the specifics.

However, I cannot overstate the importance that the University places on keeping all our students and staff safe and ensuring your wellbeing and security on campus – and I want to thank our campus Security services for the work they do to support this. 

I also want to underline that expressions of hatred and threats to members of our community will not be tolerated – whether they are related to nationality, religion, race, or ethnicity, or indeed on any other grounds. 

Hatred, threats, harassment, and discrimination have no place at Sussex, whatever is happening elsewhere in the world. Such behaviours are fundamentally at odds with what I know to be our shared commitment to our Sussex values, most particularly those of inclusion and kindness. There is, across our University, a profound collective belief that we want Sussex to be an inclusive, respectful, and supportive learning and working environment for everyone. We are a highly diverse and international community, and this is core to what makes Sussex special.

It is my intention that everyone at Sussex feels able to be themselves and experiences the University as a place in which they belong. Of course, we must also recognise that it is not always the case that everyone feels this, especially members of minoritised groups. But we must work together to become the inclusive and kind community that we aspire to be.

We are living through very troubled times, and many members of our community are angry and deeply upset by the conflict, violence, and destruction of life and habitats in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. It is all the more important right now that we hold in mind our shared humanity, whatever the differences of belief, identity, and lived experience there might be amongst us. We must also all consider carefully the impact of our words and actions on fellow members of the Sussex community. 

I would like to remind everyone about the Report and Support tool, which students and staff can use to report hate incidents, harassment, or discrimination, either directly experienced or witnessed. In addition, our social media and Dignity and Respect policies provide vital frameworks for our work and community life. 

Finally, I want to reiterate that student and staff safety is our top priority. If you ever feel the need to, please contact our 24-hour a day, 365 days a year, campus Security services, and our wellbeing support services for students and staff.

Email to all students from Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor and President – Thursday 23 November

With the conflict in Israel and Gaza still ongoing, and its repercussions being felt across the UK, as well as at Sussex, I am writing with some important information.

The University knows that for many in our community this is a deeply distressing time. I want to assure you that our top priority is keeping all students safe and ensuring your wellbeing and sense of security on campus.

That is why we will not tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia, or any form of racism, harassment, or discrimination at Sussex.

I want to emphasise that this zero–tolerance approach includes social media activity. Please be aware that there may be serious implications for anyone who makes posts on social media about other students, or in relation the situation in Israel and Gaza/ Palestine, that cross legal boundaries or violate the University’s regulations. For example, expressions of support for Hamas or other proscribed terrorist organisations, such as Hezbollah, are against the law under UK counter terrorism legislation, and the University is very clear that we will take action under our regulations where students engage in harassment or threatening behaviour towards other students or members of staff, on social media or in person.

If you have experienced or witnessed a hate incident, discrimination, bullying, or sexual violence, please let us know using the Report and Support tool, and an advisor will get in contact with you, if you have indicated that you would like to speak with someone. You can also report anonymously.

The University offers advice and support on any issue that may be affecting you. You can contact the Student Centre in person at the Welcome Desk, by phone (01273 075700), or online via the My Sussex portal. You can also use My Sussex to book an appointment to visit our advisors. The Student Hub is your first point of information, including details of group sessions and workshops run by our Therapeutic Services.

Antisemitic incidents can also be reported to the Community Security Trust, and Jewish Students can contact the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) for support via their welfare hotline on 02074 243288.

You can report Islamophobic incidents to Tell MAMA, which offers a free counselling service that can be accessed via counselling@tellmamauk.org.

You may also find our multi-faith Chaplaincy to be a useful resource, both as a welcoming space and in relation to specific services and staff.

Many of you will know that the University of Sussex Students’ Union (USSU) recently passed a motion about Palestine and Israel. USSU is an independent organisation. It is a valued and important part of the Sussex community, and is fully entitled to articulate its views, which are reached through democratic debate and process. The University, however, is clear that we do not take an institutional position on complex global events. We encourage and support students and staff to freely express their views and beliefs within the law, and with respect for, and consideration of, other members of the community. Within our community there are differences of opinion about all matters, including the current conflict in Israel and Gaza.

The University’s role in this space is to provide an inclusive, respectful, and supportive learning and working environment for every member of our diverse and international community. We must strive to ensure that diversity of belief and opinion can be expressed and heard safely and legally, and we should all seek to facilitate dialogue between those with differing views.

Lastly, as I said at the start of my message, student and staff safety and well-being are our top priority. If you ever feel the need to, please contact our 24-hour a day, 365 days a year, campus security services, and the well-being support services I have included in this message.
 

 

Email to all staff from Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor and President – Tuesday 21 November

The horrific conflict in Gaza and Israel, very sadly, currently continues unabated, with repercussions playing out across the UK and locally amongst our own community. I am writing to assure you that the safety, security, and wellbeing of all members of the University is our highest priority at this time. As I set out, as part of a statement of guiding principles in October, the University will not tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia or any form of racism, harassment, or discrimination.
 
As a community we are not immune to the wider currents of hatred, intolerance, and harassment that are taking place elsewhere. There have been unacceptable incidents on campus, as well as on social media, including acts of antisemitism. Thankfully, these are isolated incidents, and as we are determined that our campus will never become unsafe, we are dealing with all cases in accordance with our regulations and with reference to the law.
 
At Sussex we are committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive learning and working environment for every member of our diverse and international community. We strive to ensure that diversity of belief and opinion can be expressed and heard safely and legally, and we seek to facilitate dialogue between those with differing views. We are committed to rigorous, rational, evidenced argument and respectful discussion. I believe that these commitments support our foundational responsibility to create the conditions for academic freedom and freedom of speech within the law, and our determination to make Sussex a place in which everyone is able to flourish.
 
Many of you will know that UCU Sussex and USSU recently passed motions on the conflict in Gaza and Israel. Both are independent organisations, each is a valued and important member of the Sussex community, and they are entitled to articulate their views. Two points are important, though. The views of UCU and USSU should not be taken to be the corporate position of the University itself. In addition, while the motions each has passed might reflect the views of their members, they do not represent the range of views on campus amongst both students and staff. The reality is that in our community there are differences of opinion about all matters, including the current conflict in Israel and Gaza.
 
As I noted above, there have been unacceptable acts on social media by members of the University recently. We remind our students regularly that we will not tolerate racism or harassment of any kind, and we will be communicating with students this week to underline the implications and potential impact of their social media activity. I also take this opportunity to remind colleagues of our University social media policy.

Against this backdrop, I ask you all, whatever your role, to continue to support our students and each other to work towards mutual understanding, as we seek to positively embrace diversity of background and belief at Sussex. Above all, I hope that we can all demonstrate empathy and kindness towards all members of our community at this incredibly difficult moment in world history.

Support for staff

The University has a range of support services available for staff, and these can be accessed via our staff wellbeing page. Colleagues affected by the situation in Israel and Gaza can also access confidential independent advice, information and support from the Employee Assistance Programme provided by Spectrum.Life – including access to highly qualified counsellors by phone, WhatsApp, live chat and SMS, or you can request a call back 24/7, 365 days a year.
 
Alternatively, you may find it helpful to visit our Chaplaincy service based in the Meeting House, where Chaplains representing a wide variety of religious and nonreligious perspectives are available. You can also contact our Lead Chaplain, James Croft, for an appointment by emailing

J.F.Croft@sussex.ac.uk.
 
Staff and students are encouraged to report hate incidents, harassment, or discrimination, either directly experienced or witnessed, on the University's Report and Support tool.
 

Vice-chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil has written the following letter to the Jewish News following an article in which a Jewish member of staff expressed concerns following a UCU motion on the Israel-Gaza conflict – Friday 17 November

I am concerned to read your report that, as a result of a motion passed by the Sussex branch of the University and College Union (UCU) about the Israel-Gaza conflict, a Jewish member of the University of Sussex teaching staff is ‘reticent to go to work’. 

The Sussex branch of UCU  – one of three trade unions –  is an important part of our campus community. However, UCU is not the University. As Vice-Chancellor of the University, I have been clear with colleagues and students that antisemitism, and all forms of racism, harassment or discrimination, are totally unacceptable. Freedom of speech and academic freedom are the precious foundations on which Sussex, like all universities, rest, and must be protected and actively advanced, and I defend the right of all at Sussex to express themselves openly, with kindness, respect and within the rule of law.  However, statements by individual staff and students, or by collective bodies such as trade unions, should in no way be taken as the corporate view of the University itself.  

Ensuring that Sussex is a welcoming, inclusive, and secure environment for our highly diverse and international community of staff and students is of the utmost importance to me and my leadership team. This is particularly important at times when global conflict results in heightened political emotion and attacks on minority communities across the UK. I urge anyone with specific concerns to reach out to me.

Email to all staff from Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor and President – Thursday 9 November

As I write, the conflict in Gaza and Israel continues to cause enormous suffering for those in the region who are directly affected, whilst also impacting many members of the Sussex community who have personal connections to the region. I have set out some guiding principles to help us navigate these difficult and divided times, as we seek to create an inclusive university community in which members of minoritised groups feel safe and supported, at the same time as protecting academic freedom and supporting freedom of speech within the law.  

I want to underline that antisemitism, Islamophobia, and all forms of racism, harassment, and discrimination, have no place at Sussex. At the same time, I am heartened by the commitment that I see in our community to exploring complex issues with care, and by attempts to establish spaces of mutually respectful dialogue and discussion.  

I would like to remind everyone about the Report and Support tool, which students and staff can use to report hate incidents, harassment, or discrimination, either directly experienced or witnessed. In addition, our social media and Dignity and Respect policies provide vital frameworks for our work and community life.  

Email to all students from Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor and President – Thursday 26 October

The unfolding conflict in Israel and Gaza is a humanitarian catastrophe that is affecting many students and staff. This is particularly so for those who have deep personal connections to the region. The current situation gives rise to profound emotions and passionately held views, and to very real disagreement amongst us.

The existence of these differing beliefs and positions, and the ways in which they are expressed on campus, produces concerns for some about their own physical and psychological safety, while others want to feel confident that, within the law, they remain free to express their views.

This is why I am sharing a statement of how we can navigate these difficult issues, and I am setting out the following guiding principles for all students and staff as a community:

At the University of Sussex, we are committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive learning and working environment for every member of our diverse and international community. Within our community, we strive to ensure that diversity of belief and opinion can be expressed and heard safely and legally, and we seek to facilitate dialogue between those with differing views. We are committed to rigorous, rational, evidenced argument and respectful discussion.

We will not tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia or any form of racism, harassment, or discrimination. Our commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech within the law is foundational, and essential to our work of education and research.

As events unfold in Israel and Gaza, the University's actions are informed by these commitments. The University does not take a corporate position on complex global events. We recognise that many in our community, both students and staff, have strong views and feelings about the current conflict. We ask that all members of the University community hold in mind our shared humanity, whatever the differences of belief and lived experience there might be amongst us, and that we all consider carefully the impact of our words and actions on fellow members of the Sussex community.

Our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity, and kindness can serve to guide us through these difficult times.

I hope that this statement reaffirms to all students and staff at Sussex of our continued priority and dedication to everyone’s safety and security as well our commitment to freedom of speech within the law.

In this context I also need to draw your attention to the fact that Hamas is, in UK law, a proscribed terrorist organisation, meaning that expressions of support for Hamas are restricted by relevant legislation. Anyone who expresses support for Hamas could be in breach of UK law and this would be treated with utmost seriousness by the University.

I have, over the past week, received many emails expressing concern and distress about how events in Israel and Gaza are playing out on our own campus so I want to also remind you of our ongoing support for students impacted by the events in Israel and Gaza, and to encourage anyone who has experienced or witnessed any incident of antisemitism, Islamophobia, or any form of racism, harassment or discrimination to report it to us using our Report+Support tool.

I close for now by reiterating my hope that we at Sussex are able to explore new pathways to mutual understanding that enable us to embrace the diversity of background, belief, and identity that characterises our community.

Email to all staff from Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice-Chancellor and President – Monday 23 October

At the University of Sussex, we are committed to providing an inclusive, respectful, and supportive learning and working environment for every member of our diverse and international community. Within our community, we strive to ensure that diversity of belief and opinion can be expressed and heard safely and legally, and we seek to facilitate dialogue between those with differing views. We are committed to rigorous, rational, evidenced argument and respectful discussion.

We will not tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia or any form of racism, harassment, or discrimination. Our commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech within the law is foundational, and essential to our work of education and research.

As events unfold in Israel and Gaza, the University's actions are informed by these commitments. The University does not take a corporate position on complex global events. We recognise that many in our community, both students and staff, have strong views and feelings about the current conflict. We ask that all members of the University community hold in mind our shared humanity, whatever the differences of belief and lived experience there might be amongst us, and that we all consider carefully the impact of our words and actions on fellow members of the Sussex community.

Our institutional values of collaboration, courage, inclusion, integrity, and kindness can serve to guide us through these difficult times.

I would also like to remind everyone of our social media policy. This was adopted last academic year, following discussion at Senate, and applies to professional and corporate accounts (see sections 2.1 and 2.4 of the policy for explanation of these terms). One of the policy’s key aims is to ensure that when individual members of staff use social media they understand the need to make it clear that the views they express are their own and not the University’s as a whole, or some part of the University’s. At times such as now, it is extremely important that this difference is clear in our own minds, to each other, and to the wider world. The social media policy is not intended to limit freedom of expression or academic freedom (section 1.3) and it does not apply to personal social media accounts.
 
Please read the social media policy which, as section 4.1.3 explains, should be understood alongside our Dignity and Respect policy. If you have any questions or concerns, please see section 4.5 of the policy or speak informally to your Head of Department, Head of School, or line manager.  
 
I have, over the past week, received many emails expressing concern and distress about how events in Israel and Gaza are playing out on our own campus. I close for now by reiterating my hope that we at Sussex are able to explore new pathways to mutual understanding that enable us to embrace the diversity of background, belief, and identity that characterises our community.  

Sussex Jewish Representative Council  – Friday 13 October 2023

This afternoon, hosted by Brighton & Hove City Council, representatives of the University of Sussex met with the University Chaplaincy and the Sussex Jewish Representative Council to listen to community concerns and identify ways of working together to ensure the safety of Jewish and Israeli students, staff and the wider communities. We have committed to work together over time and continue our dialogue. All partners recognized that while we have no control over international issues, these can have serious and significant personal and local impacts. We will not tolerate antisemitism.

Professor Michael Luck, the University’s Deputy-Vice-Chancellor, said:

“It is absolutely crucial to us at the University of Sussex to provide support for our students. We are grateful to the Sussex Jewish Representative Council for working with us to ensure we do so for the University’s Jewish community in one of its most difficult moments.”

Rabbi Gabriel Kanter-Webber, Jewish Chaplain at the University Of Sussex, said:

"I am grateful to the University for making the Jewish community feel heard. My fellow University of Sussex chaplains and myself are committed to supporting Jewish students through this time of vulnerability."

Fiona Sharpe, the representative from the Sussex Jewish Representative Council (SJRC) said:

"The SJRC is grateful to the University of Sussex for reaching out to us and recognising the concerns of the wider Jewish community.  We will never allow antisemitism to go unchallenged in our community or in our City of Sanctuary."

Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, Councillor Bella Sankey, said:

‘We as a city of sanctuary will not tolerate anyone in our city glorifying acts of terrorism or supporting terrorist groups.

I know that many in the Jewish community in Brighton & Hove will have friends or relatives in Israel that have been impacted.  You are in our thoughts, and we send you our love and solidarity.  

We do not tolerate hate in any form’.

Statement – Friday 13 October 2023

“Many in our community have been deeply affected by recent events, both in Israel and Gaza and subsequently here in the UK. For many there are also ongoing concerns about safety and security.

“Following comments made by a student at a demonstration in Brighton on 8 October 2023, the University initiated an investigation, in line with our procedures.

“The University takes very seriously our obligations to support students and staff and to provide a safe and secure environment in which to work, live and study, and will continue to take action to this end."

 

Statement from Universities UK – Thursday 12 October 2023

Universities UK responds to escalating conflict in the region

A message to students and staff from Professor Sasha Roseneil Vice-Chancellor and President – Wednesday 11 October 2023

The Situation in Israel and Gaza

Statement to The Times – Wednesday 11 October 2023

“We recognise that for many members of our community the events that are unfolding in Israel and Gaza are deeply distressing. We know that this is a very worrying time for those who have family, friends and loved ones in the region, particularly Jewish and Palestinian students. We will not tolerate expressions of antisemitism, Islamophobia, or any form of racism.

“All universities have legal and regulatory obligations to uphold lawful free speech and academic freedom. We take these obligations very seriously.”

UoS Web statement on the Israel-Gaza crisis and the earthquake in Afghanistan – Monday 9 October 2023

A message to Sussex students and colleagues affected by events in the Middle East and Afghanistan

Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Sasha Roseneil, quoted in The Daily Telegraph – Monday 9 October 2023

Professor Sasha Roseneil vice-chancellor at the University of Sussex, and Prof Sir Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, both said that students who express support for Hamas could face criminal action.

Prof Roseneil said that her university would offer counselling to any Jewish or Palestinian students affected by the attack.

Media statement regarding a complaint into student activity around a video – Monday 9 October 2023 

 “We have received a complaint about a Sussex student expressing views on the recent attacks by Hamas in Israel.  The University is currently seeking to establish the facts, and, if necessary, we will take action in line with our policies and the law. It is important this is done fairly and therefore we will not provide commentary on the matter.”