The full email is below.

Dear colleagues,

As we approach the conclusion of our 175 anniversary celebrations, our University’s role in civic society has never been more important. A university education is not just about passing on existing knowledge – it is about fostering curiosity and critical thinking among our students, empowering them to create new knowledge, make research breakthroughs and become leaders for good. In the age of polarisation, geopolitical instability and AI these human skills are vital. A safe and welcoming campus, where everyone feels they can be their authentic selves, is the foundation upon which our collective capability for curiosity, empathy and civil disagreement is built.

It has been a year since the Senate resolved to accept in-principle the recommendations of the Hodgkinson External Review Report, which provided us with expert guidance on how our policies and procedures can ensure we foster a safe working and learning environment while upholding our values of academic freedom and freedom of speech. We have made considerable progress implementing the recommendations of the report, and our cross-functional approach and shared leadership focus has enabled us to respond rapidly to our community’s concerns. We have zero tolerance for any form of racism, antisemitism, bullying or harassment and where violations of our codes of conduct have occurred we have and will continue to take decisive action. 

Implementation summary

Of the 15 recommendations in the report, five have been fully implemented, we are making strong progress on five, and, based on feedback from our community, we have taken alternative approaches to five recommendations while remaining true to the underlying objectives and principles of those recommendations.

Ensuring our campus, buildings and classrooms are inclusive and safe places to learn

We have worked with our community throughout the year to enhance our policies and procedures, carefully balancing the need to ensure our campuses are safe and welcoming with our commitment to academic freedom and freedom of speech. 

The implementation and subsequent revision of the Campus Access Policy and five key policies governing behaviour and communication have had a positive impact, with complaints from our community declining significantly since they came into effect. 

Handling complaints effectively and transparently

The five recommendations in progress relate to how we handle complaints, and a multi-year project is underway. As part of this project, in June this year, we launched a single ‘front door’ website portal to make it simpler and easier for staff and students to submit complaints . To enhance transparency, in 2026 we will publish de-identified complaints data in our Annual Report. 

Civility on campus

The Charter of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom states the University’s commitment to courage, civility, respect and promoting an environment in which people disagree well. The University has amended the Charter to include a definition of civility that draws on existing policy obligations within both the Staff and Affiliates Code of Conduct and the Student Charter. This change amplifies and clarifies the University’s expectations within existing policies.

Following extensive engagement with our community and consideration of our existing policies, the University will not seek to implement a new civility rule – rather we will invest in initiatives that embed principles of respectful discourse and collegiality. This approach reflects our belief that civility is best cultivated through education, engagement, and leadership. We have already begun this journey through projects such as Campus Collaboration and the Engaging with Civility online training module in Canvas, which was renamed Engaging with the Student Charter in 2025. This module was co-designed with students and is now mandatory for student organisation office bearers. 

These efforts aim to create opportunities for meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and the development of civic competencies. They are also foundational platforms for the broader cultural shift we are seeking to embed across the University.

I thank everyone who has engaged in this work or provided feedback for their contributions as we continue to make our campus a safe and welcoming environment for all. 

Kind regards,

Mark

Professor Mark Scott
Vice-Chancellor and President
University of Sydney