Mar 26, 2025 07:50 PM
Universities may face fines higher than £585k over free speech, watchdog warns
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics...18989.html
INTRO: Universities in England could face fines higher than £585,000 in the future if they fail to uphold free speech, the higher education regulator has said.
Professor Arif Ahmed, director for freedom of speech and academic freedom at the Office for Students (OfS), has defended the decision to impose the record fine on the University of Sussex for failing to uphold freedom of speech after the watchdog was accused of perpetuating “culture wars”.
The OfS’s investigation, which ran for nearly three-and-a-half years, found that the institution’s trans and non-binary equality policy statement had “a chilling effect” of possible self-censorship of students and staff on campus.
It was launched after high-profile protests called for the dismissal of academic Professor Kathleen Stock in 2021 over her views on gender identity. The report concluded that Prof Stock “felt unable to teach certain topics” as a result of the university’s policy.
The University of Sussex plans to legally challenge the investigation, which its vice-chancellor Prof Sasha Roseneil has criticised as being “Kafka-esque”. The maximum fine for the University of Sussex could have been £3,253,024 after the institution was found to have breached two of conditions of registration – but it was reduced to £585,000, the OfS said... (MORE - details)
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics...18989.html
INTRO: Universities in England could face fines higher than £585,000 in the future if they fail to uphold free speech, the higher education regulator has said.
Professor Arif Ahmed, director for freedom of speech and academic freedom at the Office for Students (OfS), has defended the decision to impose the record fine on the University of Sussex for failing to uphold freedom of speech after the watchdog was accused of perpetuating “culture wars”.
The OfS’s investigation, which ran for nearly three-and-a-half years, found that the institution’s trans and non-binary equality policy statement had “a chilling effect” of possible self-censorship of students and staff on campus.
It was launched after high-profile protests called for the dismissal of academic Professor Kathleen Stock in 2021 over her views on gender identity. The report concluded that Prof Stock “felt unable to teach certain topics” as a result of the university’s policy.
The University of Sussex plans to legally challenge the investigation, which its vice-chancellor Prof Sasha Roseneil has criticised as being “Kafka-esque”. The maximum fine for the University of Sussex could have been £3,253,024 after the institution was found to have breached two of conditions of registration – but it was reduced to £585,000, the OfS said... (MORE - details)
