Universities in England have resisted government attacks on their autonomy, telling ministers they have “crossed the line” by pressuring them to abandon a scheme designed to improve equality on campus.
At a turning point in the so-called “cultural wars” for freedom of speech, UK universities (UUK) have spoken out against Education Minister Michel Donelan after she warned them to reconsider their membership of the charity-led charter for racial equality. Advance HE.
The scheme – which includes most of Russell Group’s universities among its members – aims to identify barriers to success for black, Asian and minority ethnic students. But in a letter to vice-chancellors this week, Donelan said charter membership was “tense” with universities’ obligations to uphold freedom of speech.
In their reply letter on Thursday, UK universities said: “An important line has been crossed with the letter, which seems to be directing universities to take a specific approach” on equality.
In a later statement, UUK confirmed that it intends to ignore Donelan’s request and remain affiliated with Advance HE.
A UUK spokesman said: “Universities take their responsibilities to promote and protect freedom of speech very seriously. We have not yet seen any evidence of how this voluntary, non-prescriptive scheme works against this.
“The scheme is voluntary and provides a means by which universities can tackle racial inequality in the sector, and we will continue to work with Advance HE to support this goal.
The controversy comes as the bill on freedom of speech in higher education is debated in the Lords, where it has been criticized by conservatives, Labor and peers. He was criticized for imposing a new freedom of speech regulator with new powers to fine universities for non-compliance with freedom of speech regulations.
The deputy chancellors said Donelan’s letter was a chilling harbinger of how the regulator could interfere in internal university affairs if the bill was passed in its current form, with one describing it as an “unequivocal attack on university autonomy.”
David Willets, a Conservative colleague and former university minister, said: “I want to see protection of freedom of speech, but it is very strange to defend freedom of speech at the same time as further intervention.
“I think one of the reasons universities in the UK are so internationally respected is their autonomy. I don’t think it crosses the border as much as the slippery slope we are on, in which the autonomy of our universities is gradually eroding. ”
The letter to Donelan, signed by Prof. Steve West, vice-chancellor of the University of the West of England, reminds the minister that racism remains a “pervasive public problem” affecting students from ethnic minorities.
But it adds: “Universities, as autonomous institutions, must also remain free to decide how best to promote inclusion and tackle societal issues such as racism, which have a serious and detrimental effect on staff and students.
The letter continues: “We do not believe that frameworks for free speech and voluntary external security are in conflict with each other – rather, they can help address power imbalances and ensure that a more diverse range of voices is empowered. to speak.
“We understand from our members in England that some people are likely to respond directly to you, both to reiterate their commitment to guarantee freedom of expression and to emphasize how external safeguards schemes play an important role in tackling serious problems such as harassment. and omissions in the awarding of diplomas. ”
While Donelan’s letter noted that universities were autonomous and free to join schemes such as the Charter for Racial Equality, she went on to say that they should “carefully consider” membership.
While the Advance HE Charter for Racial Equality was the only example mentioned by name, Donelan went on to say that “there are, of course, a number of other similar schemes, and this letter calls for careful consideration in all of them.”
Advance HE also administers the Athena Swan Charter, which seeks to improve gender equality in higher education and research. Donelan had previously described the scheme as “at worst a dangerous initiative that undermines the scholarship”.
“Given the significant sums invested by the taxpayer in higher education, I would ask you to consider whether membership in these schemes; the initiatives that flow from them; and the creation of new, high-paying management roles in these areas really represents good value for money for taxpayers or students, ”Donelan said.
Criticizing the Freedom of Higher Education Bill when it was debated this week, Shami Chakrabarti, a Labor colleague and former Liberty director, said: the government’s student service and the new director of free speech? ”
Willets said the bill was heavy and questioned how the freedom of speech regulator could balance the government’s demands that some forms of legal speech, such as Holocaust denial, not be allowed on campus.
“They expect the regulator to be more restrictive than ordinary legal freedom of speech. We need to know exactly what things he or she will not defend, even though they are legal, ”Willets said.
Willets said he hoped the government would make “significant” changes to the bill, noting that universities could be punished for suppressing certain forms of speech at the same time as technology platforms were punished under the government’s new online safety law. transmission of the same posts.
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