Guidelines for universities to address antisemitism on campus

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Universities are being urged to address the rise of antisemitism on campuses after an inquiry found they had allowed a “toxic environment” to fester.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights noted there has been an “alarming and abhorrent rise in antisemitism amongst students and staff at Australian universities”.

The inquiry tabled 10 recommendations on Thursday morning — earlier than expected — so universities could access them before the first semester of 2025 begins.

Josh Burns, Labor MP and chair of the committee, said “significant reform” on campus was needed for students to feel safe.

Men and women sitting across each other in a committee room.

Labor MP Josh Burns led the inquiry into antisemitism at Australian universities. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas

“They shouldn’t be scared that if something does happen to them, that the universities won’t take it seriously,” he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.

Burns, who is Jewish, explained university responses to misconduct varied greatly, and on “too many occasions” the calls of Jewish students went unanswered.

“University vice-chancellors and leadership have ignored the calls of Jewish students … and the calls of Jewish staff,” he said.

“They’ve ignored incidents of clear antisemitism on campus, and that is why we had to have this inquiry.”

What should universities do to address antisemitism on campus?

The report found the rise in prejudice had been “exacerbated by the reluctance of some university administrations to enforce meaningful consequences or show proactive leadership”.

It recommended establishing a central office to simplify and encourage complaint management, providing several dispute resolution mechanisms.

It also calls for universities to adopt a clear definition of antisemitism, which “aligns closely with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition”.

by more than 100 international civil society groups who argue that it suppresses legitimate criticism of Israel by labelling it as antisemitic.

The committee also recommends universities publish de-identified complaints reports to improve transparency.

It proposed policies and responses were informed by the lived experiences of Jewish students and staff, leading to proactive and public management of issues.

Universities commit to addressing the rise in antisemitism

Two in three Jewish university students had experienced antisemitism on campus, a national survey commissioned by peak Jewish bodies revealed in August 2023 — months before Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack on Israel and the latter’s retaliatory assault on Gaza.

Burns said the inquiry had heard how “it has only gotten worse for Jewish students” since.

The committee considered more than 600 submissions, detailing experiences of antisemitism, made to the Senate last year.

Universities Australia CEO Luke Sheehy said the sector was committed to “addressing this scourge”.

“There’s no doubt this is a confronting time for Jewish people and Australians more broadly. We’re better than this as a nation,” Sheehy said in a statement.

“No-one should be treated differently because of their ethnicity — not on campus, not in our communities, not in our country, nowhere,” he said, committing to focusing on action following the findings.