Today, Friday 9 August, Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor, University of Liverpool issued the following message to University staff:
Dear Colleagues,
As you know, I don’t send a weekly staff email during the summer period and I hadn’t planned to write again until next Friday, at the end of results week.
However, following the appalling, racist violence in parts of the UK, including Liverpool city centre and Walton over last weekend, I wanted to reach out to you all today. You can read the various statements issued over the past week to staff, students and external stakeholders, on the University intranet and website including a joint, open statement I circulated with the other Vice-Chancellors in the city.
I want to reiterate that the University unequivocally condemns the violence, racism, islamophobia and intolerance that has taken place in so many areas of the UK and in our city. As I have said, I do not believe that recent events are representative of our city or our University community. I recognise that not everyone will agree with this statement or have the same experience. But I will say again that there is no place for racism on our campuses. I am appalled to see minority ethnic individuals and communities targeted on the basis of their identities. I will not pretend to have experienced this personally or know how this feels, but I am saddened that the ongoing situation is causing intense fear and anxiety for our staff and students of colour. We want to support anyone who is worried about their personal safety, in the best way we can. As the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Richard Black, said in his message to staff and students on Wednesday, you are not alone. Both the University and the Guild of Students have services available for students and staff to access support.
I know that some colleagues and students will continue to feel anxious about travelling to and from campus and around the city centre. We are working with managers and other University services to offer advice and ensure that a wide range of internal and external support services continue to be signposted, as well as how to report discrimination and harassment and whom to contact if you feel unsafe. Alongside this, members of the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Staff Network and the Diversity & Equality Team have compiled a non-exhaustive list of resources and organisations offering support and this will be made available on our webpages.
Crucially, we will also carry on working with Merseyside Police to keep our campuses safe and secure. We will always be led by information and guidance from them before making operational decisions. And alongside many other colleagues, I will continue to work with Liverpool City Council and all our civic partners as the city responds and recovers. We remain in close contact with other universities in affected cities and towns as well, through our Universities UK and Russell Group networks.
Like other organisations and businesses in the city, including the other universities, we are open and operational. Some of our students remain on campus and in accommodation, and some are resitting exams at the moment. Soon, we will be welcoming thousands of new students to our fantastic city, including many international students. As I said a few days ago in my joint, open statement with the Vice-Chancellors of LJMU and Hope, our city and our universities are proudly international, warm and welcoming, and it is heartbreaking to witness a small minority undermine this reputation in such an appalling way. Next week, I’ll be meeting with a wider group of our academic and professional services leaders, to discuss recent events, our ongoing response, support for our staff and students, and our campus safety measures.
Finally, a plea to only use and share information from trusted sources as there is a lot of misinformation circulating online. You can follow Liverpool City Council @lpoolcouncil on Twitter/X and Facebook and visit https://liverpoolexpress.co.uk/ for statements and updates. You can also Follow Merseyside Police’s official social media channels (@MerseyPolice on Twitter/X and Facebook) for the latest updates and visit their website news section for updated statements and press releases.
Wishing you all a peaceful weekend
Tim