We know everyone who is part of the Loughborough community will be shocked and appalled by the violence we have seen. Together with all members of our community, we call for peace and an end to this violence and the tragic loss of human life.

In such times it is important that we all remember what it means to be part of the Loughborough community.

1. It means that we will not tolerate hate; whether this is in the form of antisemitism, islamophobia or harassment of any kind. If any member of the community experiences this, we ask you to report it to us; we will support you and deal with it.
2. It means that we will not tolerate speech which is unlawful. The University supports everyone’s right to freedom of expression, but we must remind you that support for proscribed organisations, such as Hamas, is an offence under UK law. For clarity, it is not antisemitic for an individual to state support for the Palestinian cause. This blog post from earlier this year may be helpful in reflecting on how issues of freedom of expression and harassment are context-specific. We have also issued guidance on considerations around academic freedom.
3. It means we will support you. As we said in our message last week, there is a range of support available for all our students and staff affected by events. We have restated this below.

We ask University colleagues in particular at this time to be sensitive to the emotional distress Jewish and Israeli staff and students at the University will feel. 

Equally, we also ask University colleagues to be particularly sensitive at this time to the emotional distress Palestinian and Muslim staff and students at the University will feel.

Students and staff should not be made to answer for or defend the actions in this region, in class or anywhere else.

This is an updated version of the statement issued last week. It has been updated to:

• Make more explicit references to Palestinian and Muslim students in relation to the events in Israel and Palestine and the support available.
• Make it even more explicit that the support available from the University (detailed below) is available for all students and colleagues
• Add further context to the issue of free speech at this time

 

Support available for all students 

This support is available for all students, explicitly including all those affected by the conflict in the Middle East and those who have experienced conflict elsewhere in the world.

Student Services (Email: studentwellbeing@lboro.ac.uk, Tel: 01509 222765) offers a range of support, including mental health and wellbeing, and advice specifically for international students. One-to-one support with an advisor is also available. If you would like to access this support, please complete the online referral form or call the number above.

The University Chaplaincy (Email: cfschaplains@lboro.ac.uk, Tel: 01509 223741) offers a space for quiet reflection. University Chaplains are here to listen, here to care, and here to help all staff and students. No appointment is necessary.        

If you feel your studies are being affected, you can contact your Academic School and/or Personal Tutors so that we can provide the right support to you. If you wish, you can also submit an individual Mitigating Circumstances claim to explain how you have been impacted by recent events. More information on this can be found in the Student Handbook.     

Support for all staff 

This support is available for all colleagues, explicitly including all those affected by the conflict in the Middle East and those who have experienced conflict elsewhere in the world.

Colleagues can access emotional support through our Employee Assistance Programme. More information can be found on our People and Organisational Development website.       

Should you need some time away, we would like to draw attention to our compassionate leave arrangements, including our specific policy related to race-based stress, which offers pre-approved compassionate leave for the reason of race-based stress.     

Staff or students planning to travel to these areas are advised to check the latest travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.  The website has been updated so that anyone who is in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories can register their presence and there are also contact details for those who need help. For those based in the UK concerned about a friend or family member, you can call the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 020 7008 5000.