Staff oppose definition

Staff at the University of Sydney (USYD) have voted to call on the university to rescind its adoption of the Group of Eight (Go8) definition of antisemitism.

But USYD stated it did not “endorse or condone” the staff resolution and instead would implement recommendations in a report by barrister Bruce Hodgkinson, commissioned after a series of pro-Palestine encampments on its campus last year.

These include a ban on non-course related announcements in classes. USYD stated that staff were not empowered to make any exceptions.

Earlier, Jewish academics expressed concern about a meeting of USYD Staff For Palestine, which was held on May 29, to discuss tactics to stop the university from adopting the Go8 definition.

While some Australian universities have adopted versions of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, Universities Australia endorsed the narrower Go8 definition in February. But some, including ANU, now even have Go8 adoption stalled in internal reviews.