University of Sydney Threatens To Defund Student Council Following Calls For An “Intifada”

The University of Sydney’s (USYD) Students’ Representative Council (SRC) is speaking out following threats from the university to reassess its affiliation and funding of the group. 

It comes after USYD Chancellor David Thodey AO and Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Mark Scott released a statement condemning the SRC’s approval of an election ticket named  ‘Globalise the Intifada’, which they dubbed “totally unacceptable” hate speech.

“We reject the contention that this phrase is innocuous,” the letter wrote. “The deliberately provocative use of this slogan has caused – and continues to cause – overwhelming distress to members of our University community. These hateful campaigns must stop.”

The letter went on to threaten disciplinary action against staff and students found in breach of policy, with several investigations “already underway”. It also stated USYD would commission a number of independent reviews, including an assessment of campus security, the university’s existing code of conduct, and notably, its current affiliation and funding arrangements for SRC.

USYD’s Student Representative Council Responds To Defunding Threats

On Wednesday, USYD’s SRC responded, publishing an open letter dubbed “Hands off our SRC”. The letter demanded the university not only respect the independence of the SRC, but also act on the referendum vote of 4,000+ undergraduate students, of which 90 percent voted in favour of cutting ties with complicit Israeli institutions and weapons companies. 

“Since 1929, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the University of Sydney has been a key body fighting for students and progressive causes, including opposition to conscription for the Vietnam War, opposition to South African apartheid, and much more,” wrote the SRC open letter.

“The SRC maintaining independence from the University has ensured that it is able to serve students and run its campaigns, which often are necessarily against the University itself. Now, the University is vilifying and seeking to defund, and potentially take over, certain aspects of the SRC.

“This flies in the face of the 2019 Model Code for the Protection of Freedom of Speech and Academic Freedom that the University of Sydney itself adopted, which makes clear that free speech — even when controversial, offensive, or challenging — should not be subject to university penalties.”

The letter went on to accuse USYD of manufacturing “concerns” to justify the vilification, defunding, and removal of the independence of the SRC once and for all. 

What Does “Intifada” Really Mean?

According to the SRC, the term “globalise the intifada” is not discriminatory, particularly when accompanied by a whole ticket policy advocating for free speech, human rights, and cutting institutional ties with the Palestinian genocide.

Notably, “intifada” is an Arabic word that means “uprising” or “shaking off”. According to Britannica’s Intifada Guide, the term is most commonly used to describe major Palestinian protest movements against Israeli occupation, often in the form of nonviolent civil disobedience.

In all cases, it is a response to oppressor violence, not an incitement of new conflict.

“There is no room for doubt in understanding this phrase and campaign as one calling for justice, and an end to violence,” wrote the SRC.

“These past elections were a safe and trusted forum for robust political debate where students exchanged ideas and put forward their respective visions for our world. Almost all candidates and voters endorsed or voted for pro-Palestine platforms highlighting the University’s complicity in genocide and apartheid, and it is no surprise that the University wants to try shut this down.”