Independent review into March protest and event

In response to a student-led protest and a subsequent student-organised event that generated several complaints in March this year, UTS commissioned an independent review of the incidents that occurred. The independent review was also asked to examine the measures we have in place to support the safety and wellbeing of our community, while ensuring our staff and students can exercise their rights to protest. 

The independent review has recently concluded, and the university has received recommendations from the reviewer.

The recommendations provide us with guidance about how UTS can ensure that, in collaboration with our community, all events can be conducted safely for all. They include that additional training, education and guidance for protest organisers is required to make sure they have considered, and sought to ensure, not just the physical safety but also the psychosocial safety of students and staff in their planning for events on campus.

Indeed, UTS has a non-delegable duty to ensure the safety of staff, students and visitors to campus, including from the risk of psychosocial harm. Staff, students and visitors have a responsibility to cooperate with UTS to ensure a safe environment for all. 

We accept the recommendations and are now developing an action plan for implementation in partnership with staff and student organisers, as well as others across the UTS community.  

An external speaker was found to have made comments that created a risk to safety, in that a comment targeting an individual risked harm and escalation of what was otherwise a peaceful protest. That action was a breach of our campus policy and UTS has formally cautioned that individual. It is unacceptable for any member of our community to be singled out in this way.   

We remain committed to our efforts to ensure UTS is a place safe for education (first and foremost) and a place safe for all to exercise their rights. I ask every member of our community to be mindful of the responsibilities that accompany those rights – responsibilities we all share to ensure we maintain a safe, inclusive and respectful UTS community. This shared responsibility calls on all of us to actively uphold the values of respect, inclusion and safety in everything we do.