We demand this immediate action from the University of Portsmouth (UoP) to further address the racial injustice that threatens to severely impact our BAME students. 

We are deeply concerned about the negative impact and inherent unfairness on students who are continuing to feel unprotected and unseen by the institution’s refusal to consider a Zero Tolerance to Racism Policy. 

UoP has told us that their policy approach to tackling racism will be through an update to the existing ‘Dignity and respect’ policy and despite students persistently advising that this is not enough and is not fit for purpose there is no movement on the university position. 

The current policy is not enough to protect our BAME students, eradicate racism from University life or encourage antiracist behaviour as it is a policy with the purpose of addressing discrimination in all forms and it focuses only the harassment form of racism. 

Higher Education institutions have an ugly history of being enablers of racist views and ideologies, a variant of wider society. With HE having a history of excluding Black and Asian students from academia and being a product of colonialism, the BAME awarding gap demonstrates that decades after, there still remains significant barriers for our BAME students both within University structures and due to incidents of staff ignorance and racism. 

Therefore, the issues we face are deep rooted and not enough for the principles within UPSUs Zero Tolerance Policy to be adopted into existing policies, such as the Dignity and Respect policy, as it fails to engage seriously with the fundamental aspects of race and racism. Rather a stand alone policy that encompasses meaningful change on race equality is what we as officers and our students need to see.

The proposed policy to be updated is not embedded within the structure of the institution, we urge for UoP to adopt a zero tolerance to racism policy to drive a meaningful shift in the culture of the university and actively action antiracist change. 

A zero tolerance to racism policy should address:

- Provision of clarity on what constitutes racism, in all its forms.
- Setting of clear and accessible racism reporting pathways.
- Defined support pathways for all those subjected to acts of racism.
- Setting of clear processes through which acts of racism will be acted upon.
- Defined consequence pathways for all acts of racism committed within the organisation.
- The anti-racist expectations for the university staff, students and partners including the required information, advice and guidance.
- Defined commitment to encouraging anti-racist student members. 
- Clarity on how the University works with the Union and other stakeholders to ensure the elimination of racism in the institution. 

We are not alone in identifying this injustice and this issue is not just limited to Portsmouth. Opting for a bureaucratic approach to address this matter of human right is tantamount to being complicit in racial discrimination. We urge the University to act now, protect their Students, and take a step forward to encourage racial justice.

University of Portsmouth Student' Union Elected Officers & BAME ambassadors