Faculty assurance of a non-discriminatory educational environment.

The following motion was passed unanimously at a meeting of the School of Economic and Financial Studies on Thursday 18 June, 1998:

MOTION

The School of Economic and Financial Studies at Macquarie University notes the voting patterns in the recent Queensland state election.

As professional educators who are in touch with their students, we are aware that some members of the student body, particularly, but not exclusively, those of Aboriginal and Asian descent, feel shaken, hurt and in some cases threatened by what these voting patterns seem to reveal about the mood and attitudes of the electorate in Queensland and, if the opinion polls taken after that event are reliable, by the apparent mood and attitudes in sections of the wider Australian community.

The members of the School of Economic and Financial Studies present at this meeting, wish to state unequivocally that our professional regard for and tolerance of students is in no way conditioned by the nationality of the student, their religious beliefs or their attitudes on the numerous other technical, philosophical and social issues about which every thinking person can be expected to have formed an opinion or be in the process of forming. 

We wish to make it perfectly plain that we regard the University in general and this School in particular, as a safe place in which people can grow and develop intellectually, socially, physically, morally, culturally and spiritually without any fear that they will be overtly or covertly denigrated, vilified, discriminated against or in any other way threatened because of their race, or for any other reason.

We further affirm the mission of the School, which as professionals we live out daily, to nurture and encourage people from all backgrounds to achieve their full potential so that their lives might be enriched, not embittered, and so that they may contribute to and take part in a safe, exciting, prosperous, tolerant and diverse future.

Proposed: Tony Bryant

Seconded: Professor P. Ryan