Investigation reveals failures in governance and academic freedom following protests against Professor Kathleen Stock
The University of Sussex has been penalised £585,000 after an investigation by the Office for Students (OfS) found significant failings in upholding free speech and academic freedom on campus.
The probe, prompted by protests surrounding Professor Kathleen Stock in 2021, uncovered that the university’s policies and governance structures failed to protect these fundamental principles. Professor Stock, who faced accusations of transphobia following the publication of a book on gender identity, resigned amidst campus unrest.
The OfS report concluded that the university’s “Trans and Non-Binary Equality Policy Statement” did not adequately uphold academic freedom and freedom of speech, breaching public interest governance standards. It also found that the university’s governance arrangements were insufficient, leading to a “chilling effect” where staff and students might have been deterred from expressing certain views.
In response, Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil expressed the university’s intention to challenge the findings in court, arguing that the report’s outcome would make it nearly impossible for universities to protect students and staff from abuse or harassment. She also criticised the investigation process, claiming that no one employed by the university was interviewed.
Arif Ahmed, Director of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom at the OfS, stated that the university’s actions represented serious breaches of the regulator’s requirements. He emphasised the importance of free speech in higher education and the OfS’s role in ensuring robust academic exchanges.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson also commented on the findings, asserting that free speech and academic freedom must be protected at all universities. She announced that the OfS would be granted stronger powers to address such issues in the future.
The OfS’s intervention underscores the ongoing debate about the balance between free speech and the protection of individuals from harm in academic environments.
